Who will win? For the answer the nation turns its eyes to ME. My life-long involvement with the sport; my fifty year hiatus playing it competitively; my unquestioned intelligence and perspicacity; my unerring past predictions.
How many guesses do I get?
I just do not have an abiding conviction, the second of the conditions for prediction under the august O.W. A.C. rules. I feel no certainty in my bosom of bosoms. I have that lack of certainty of one who knows that he doesn't know.
I just do not have an abiding conviction, the second of the conditions for prediction under the august O.W. A.C. rules. I feel no certainty in my bosom of bosoms. I have that lack of certainty of one who knows that he doesn't know.
The real 'xperts predict Foldin' State. They are 4 1/2 point faves. They are at home, that is big. I read this intelligent, complicated article by Zach Lowe in Espen. http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/16312235/2016-nba-finals-how-got-game-7 I didn't understand it. I looked at that Tristan Thompson gif 4 times and couldn't see what Lowe said was there. Maybe I'm just tired, I did work most of the day...Nah, I'm just stupid. I couldn't follow the article. Which hurt my confidence.
These are the things in my mind that have produced brain-lock:
Will both teams show up? Stupid sounding question but GS didn't show up at the start of Game 6. Cleveland didn't earlier in the series. That is a reasonable doubt.
Will the pressure get to Stephen Curry, he of the 2015 migraine? Pressure is not a factor for LeBron James. He is calm.
I did understand Lowe's point that the "Cavs," since Game 3 have figured out how to contain the elf magician. Steve Kerr admitted as much: they are a rhythm team. Cleveland is bullying Curry and throwing off the rhythm of GS's whole offense. There was some bitching about the refs in Game 6-Curry fouled out, both he and Kerr got fined for criticizing the zebras. NBA refs are sensitive to that shit, they say they aren't but they are. This game is in GS, the refs hear the crowd, they are not going call the game against GS as closely as they did Game 6 in Cleveland. They are not going to let the "Cavs" knock Curry out of his rhythm to that extent again. Somebody on Cleveland may be destined to foul out in Game 7 as "make up" for Curry's toss.
I did understand Lowe's point that the "Cavs," since Game 3 have figured out how to contain the elf magician. Steve Kerr admitted as much: they are a rhythm team. Cleveland is bullying Curry and throwing off the rhythm of GS's whole offense. There was some bitching about the refs in Game 6-Curry fouled out, both he and Kerr got fined for criticizing the zebras. NBA refs are sensitive to that shit, they say they aren't but they are. This game is in GS, the refs hear the crowd, they are not going call the game against GS as closely as they did Game 6 in Cleveland. They are not going to let the "Cavs" knock Curry out of his rhythm to that extent again. Somebody on Cleveland may be destined to foul out in Game 7 as "make up" for Curry's toss.
These are two mentally weak teams, it has been a disgraceful series for professional basketball professionalism. If somebody is going to crack under stress, it will be Golden State.
My gut still tells me Steve Kerr is the better coach. My head protests vehemently. But I confess I still have lingering doubts on whether Tyronn Lue is up to countering on the fly the inevitable adjustments that Kerr will make.
Draymond Green: suspended for Game 5, a GS loss, might as well have stayed on the bench in Game 6 for all the good he did.
Cleveland's Big Two: James had the best back-to-back performances in games 5 and 6 in NBA Finals
history. Kyrie Irving has been better. IRVING HAS BEEN BETTER THAN JAMES. He has put together three straight transcendent performances.
history. Kyrie Irving has been better. IRVING HAS BEEN BETTER THAN JAMES. He has put together three straight transcendent performances.
GS is a little banged up. Bogut is out. Iguodala is hurtin'. He was the MVP of last year's Finals so that's a FUCKING PROBLEM for GS.
GS was down 3-1 to OKC, got their laid-back asses thundered back to the Bay area. Got MURDERED. Won the series. So, you're telling me the basketball Gods will make a make-up call for that near-death experience? That the 73-9 "Warriors" will follow that willed, skilled comeback-for-the/ages with THE GREATEST COLLAPSE IN NBA FINALS HISTORY. That is what it will be. No team, ever-ever, ever, ever, ever, has come back from 3-1 down to win an NBA Finals.
I have talked myself into it. James and Irving are not going to repeat their late near-perfection. Kerr will do something to keep them from going for 41 and 41. James has had two turnovers in the last two games after having seven in game 4. 3 is his season's average. He will not have another "one" in Game 7, not in Oracle.
The teams will come to play from the outset, the Oracle crowd will see to that, the refs will tilt toward GS, Kerr will make some adjustment(s) that will spring Curry somehow to get free from all of Zach Lowe's screens and will have a 30-point plus game. Klay Thompson will score at least in the high twenties, the threes for both will drop, Green will be his harassing asshole self to give the "Dubyas" an aggressive "edge" and Iguodala will take back injections at half-time if need be. He's not going to shuffle like an old man, not in Game 7, not by the Bay.
I'm ready to rule. Often Wrong, Always Certain: Golden State splashes to a second consecutive NBA title. They will win Game 7.
