Western Conference Finals, Warriors and Houston, 2014-15

[GregWarriorsfan]

Game 1, May 19, Rockets @ Warriors, 6:00 pst, ESPN

Game 2, May 21, Rockets @ Warriors, 6:00 pst, ESPN

Game 3, May 23, Warriors @ Rockets, 6:00 pst, ESPN

Game 4, May 25, Warriors @ Rockets, 6:00 pst, ESPN

Warriors in 6.

 

[CitySushi]

Warriors tabbed a 10 point favorite to start out in game 1 against the Rockets. The Warriors need to come out firing early. They need to play the same type of stifling defense they played against Memphis. Perimeter defense is going to be the key in this series.

 

[GregWarriorsfan]

Yeah, I just realized a week or so ago that the Rockets led the league in total # of threes made for the season. But, the Warriors guard the three well and beat the Rockets in all 4 games this year by an average of 13 pts per game. The Rockets are bit healthier than they've been at other times this year, though. I am really looking forward to this series.

 

[CitySushi]

Keys for me will be 3 things:

1) Freethrows. We saw McHale employ the hack-a to DJ against the clips. I have a feeling he'll likely do the same to the Warriors. The two most notable guys he'll probably go after would be Bogut and Iguodala. We'll need those guys to come through for us at the line to help them both stay on the court. Overall though as a team, we'll need to shoot well from the line and not miss easy point opportunities.

2) Perimeter defense. The Rockets have been shooting very well the last few games from the outside. Even guys who are not normally good 3 point shooters (Brewer, Smith) have been knocking them down. This should not be a problem given the length of the Warriors wings, but it will still need to be a point emphasis.

3) Turnovers. The Rockets like to get out an run almost as much as the Warriors do. Brewer, Ariza and Prigioni are pesky defenders who have active hands. We can't let them get momentum on easy run outs. The Rockets are also a team that likes to shoot a lot of early transition 3's. Controlling the game, will be in our favor.

 

[Tai Chi≈Surfing]

From ESPN.com

The Golden State Warriors have emerged as the odds-on favorites to win the NBA title.

Heading into the conference finals, the Warriors are 4-7 favorites to win the championship at the Westgate Las Vegas SuperBook. The Cleveland Cavaliers are next at 5-2, followed by the Atlanta Hawks at 8-1 and the Houston Rockets at 12-1.


Golden State is a giant minus-1,100 favorite to eliminate the Rockets in the Western Conference finals, which tip off Tuesday (9 p.m., ESPN) at Oracle Arena. The underdog Rockets are plus-700 to pull off the upset.

The Warriors are 10-point favorites in Game 1. They defeated Houston in all four meetings this season by an average of 12.8 points, but the Rockets have proven to be a dangerous out.

 

[Montalban]

Golden State will take game 1. Better team, playing at home, well rested and playing a team just coming off an exhausting 7 game series with no time to rest that will have a let down. 107-91, Dubs.

 

[GregWarriorsfan]

"Golden State will take game 1. Better team, playing at home, well rested and playing a team just coming off an exhausting 7 game series with no time to rest that will have a let down. 107-91, Dubs."

That's what everyone (including me) thought when the Clippers got through with their series with S.A. (winning game 7) and then going to a well rested Houston team. LA stomped them in Houston. Not that I expect this to happen, but it's the exact same scenario. I'm sure that Kerr is reminding his team about this.

 

[CitySushi]

Golden State will take game 1. Better team, playing at home, well rested and playing a team just coming off an exhausting 7 game series with no time to rest that will have a let down. 107-91, Dubs.

Warriors showed they know how to come out and play after being rested. They came out with focus and energy against the Grizzlies after a really long layoff in game 1 of that series. They'll need the same competitive drive to put it on the Rockets tonight. Can't wait.

 

[Montalban]

Warriors showed they know how to come out and play after being rested. They came out with focus and energy against the Grizzlies after a really long layoff in game 1 of that series. They'll need the same competitive drive to put it on the Rockets tonight. Can't wait.

They'll do it. I hate feeling like this because I am almost always wrong about the Warriors but I am very confident that they will win this game...........and this series.

 

[CitySushi]

They'll do it. I hate feeling like this because I am almost always wrong about the Warriors but I am very confident that they will win this game...........and this series.

Don't worry, this time you're in the majority.

 

[GregWarriorsfan]

CitySushi said: ↑
Warriors showed they know how to come out and play after being rested. They came out with focus and energy against the Grizzlies after a really long layoff in game 1 of that series. They'll need the same competitive drive to put it on the Rockets tonight. Can't wait.

Montalban said:
They'll do it. I hate feeling like this because I am almost always wrong about the Warriors but I am very confident that they will win this game...........and this series.

And I predict that you'll predict that the Warriors will lose game 3 in Houston.

 

[CitySushi]

What will be interesting tonight is to see how McHale matches up on the defensive end. Ariza on Curry? Who does Harden guard? Don't know if Kerr is a fan of the hacking strategy, but we'll definitely find out this series. Also curious to see if McHale starts to foul Bogut and Iguodala early and often to stop flow and momentum.

 

[Montalban]

CitySushi said: ↑
Warriors showed they know how to come out and play after being rested. They came out with focus and energy against the Grizzlies after a really long layoff in game 1 of that series. They'll need the same competitive drive to put it on the Rockets tonight. Can't wait.

Montalban said:
They'll do it. I hate feeling like this because I am almost always wrong about the Warriors but I am very confident that they will win this game...........and this series.

And I predict that you'll predict that the Warriors will lose game 3 in Houston.

Not ready to make that prediction yet. Let's see what attitude the Dubs come out with in the first two games. That should tell us a lot about what game 3 will look like.

 

[Montalban]

What will be interesting tonight is to see how McHale matches up on the defensive end. Ariza on Curry? Who does Harden guard? Don't know if Kerr is a fan of the hacking strategy, but we'll definitely find out this series. Also curious to see if McHale starts to foul Bogut and Iguodala early and often to stop flow and momentum.

It surprises me that so many people are worried about how the Dubs will counter what Houston does. Seems to me that Houston better worry about what the Dubs are going to do to them. The difference I think is that if the Dubs play their ganme, Houston cannot win. However, even if the Rockets everything right, they could still lose.

 

[CitySushi]

It surprises me that so many people are worried about how the Dubs will counter what Houston does. Seems to me that Houston better worry about what the Dubs are going to do to them. The difference I think is that if the Dubs play their ganme, Houston cannot win. However, even if the Rockets everything right, they could still lose.

Definitely not worried, more curious. I'm just a fan of basketball strategy and like seeing what coaches do or different tactics they employ. I used to coach basketball, but nothing more than high school level.

 

[Montalban]

Definitely not worried, more curious. I'm just a fan of basketball strategy and like seeing what coaches do or different tactics they employ. I used to coach basketball, but nothing more than high school level.

Nice. I used to love that coach who coached the Princeton basketball team with all the pick and roll and back door cuts. That is beautiful to watch.

 

[GregWarriorsfan]

I'm a current coach in college, Division 5.

Nah, I'm not much of a strategist. I did coach my son's teams when he was young...say from age 8-13 maybe. I always enjoyed it and also enjoyed practicing.

I'm pretty sure that both teams love to run, right? Maybe the Warriors more? Houston has lost Beverley during the year, but they now have Terrance Jones back (I know...different position). Same with Dwight Howard. He wasn't in a few of their games with the Warriors this season.

I think that the Warriors need some scoring punch from Green, HB, AI9 and maybe Livingston or Barbosa throughout the series. I'm confident that the Splash Brothers will do what they do on a game to game basis. Houston doesn't have any stoppers to clamp them down.

One thing I'm wondering about is whether or not they'll double-team Curry at the top of the key. I don't recall them doing that during the season (maybe that's why they lost all 4 games). But, they may know by now that this is the way to play GS.

 

[Montalban]

I'm a current coach in college, Division 5.

Nah, I'm not much of a strategist. I did coach my son's teams when he was young...say from age 8-13 maybe. I always enjoyed it and also enjoyed practicing.

I'm pretty sure that both teams love to run, right? Maybe the Warriors more? Houston has lost Beverley during the year, but they now have Terrance Jones back (I know...different position). Same with Dwight Howard. He wasn't in a few of their games with the Warriors this season.

I think that the Warriors need some scoring punch from Green, HB, AI9 and maybe Livingston or Barbosa throughout the series. I'm confident that the Splash Brothers will do what they do on a game to game basis. Houston doesn't have any stoppers to clamp them down.

One thing I'm wondering about is whether or not they'll double-team Curry at the top of the key. I don't recall them doing that during the season (maybe that's why they lost all 4 games). But, they may know by now that this is the way to play GS.

Knowing it and doing it are two different things.

 

[GregWarriorsfan]

Your NBA Conference Finals Preview

The article above is from ESPN and it's about both Conference finals match-ups, etc. It has various strategies, who might guard who, etc. Lots to read.

 

[Montalban]

Time to put up or shut up now.