Kawhi went to the 1-seed from Last Year

[Vino24]

[QUOTE=NBAGOAT]Lol that is certainly one way to put a positive spin on those teams. Problem is they got crushed by bron(really shouldn

[StrongLurk]

We really need KD to be healthy and back for GAME ONE.

If KD misses any time, this finals has an asterisk on it.

This isn't even factoring in Cousins.

[SomeBlackDude]

LeBron LeBron LeBron.

the klaw is coming for lelegacy

took a fmvp off him.

now was crowned lekang in leeastern conference in a single season.



what next?

[NBAGOAT]

We really need KD to be healthy and back for GAME ONE.

If KD misses any time, this finals has an asterisk on it.

This isn't even factoring in Cousins.

Lol stop worrying. Peak bron is still better than kawhi for most people

[SomeBlackDude]

We really need KD to be healthy and back for GAME ONE.

If KD misses any time, this finals has an asterisk on it.

This isn't even factoring in Cousins.

so if i'm understanding you correctly, beating just steph, klay, and dray in the finals is meaningless?

lefam is SHOOK right now.

[Naero]

17-5 this year without Kawhi.

Plus, we all know the LEBRON was the reason the Raptors didn't make the finals.

Did you know that 2015-2018, the Raptors didn't lose a single playoff series EXCEPT against Lebron-led teams? Hell the Raptors even made the ECF in 2016.

While true, they labored against most teams before then and never competed against LeBron-led teams as formidably as you'd expect from extrapolating their regular-season success. The Raptors previously never won a series in less than six games despite HCA for most of them, and the six- and seven-game series they were tasked to this postseason were against teams—the Bucks and 76ers, respectively—demonstrably better than any non-LeBron-led one they faced circa 2015-2018.

LeBron's greatness contributed a lot to the roadblock, but it's disingenuous to suggest this Raptors team only inappreciably improved from the Casey/DeRozan era. I'd chalk up their Finals appearance more to self-improvement than regressed competition, unless you want to argue that yesteryear's single-man Cavaliers outclass this year's Bucks.

I think we'll need to see how this team fares in the Finals before we can wholly assay them, however. I just couldn't see the pre-Kawhi Raptors stealing one game off of any of the contemporary Warriors (with or without Durant), and it remains to be seen how well this iteration competes against them.

[Real14]

LeBron LeBron LeBron.

Reported.

[StrongLurk]

so if i'm understanding you correctly, beating just steph, klay, and dray in the finals is meaningless?

lefam is SHOOK right now.

The 2015/16 Warriors had way better depth and defense than the current Warriors minus KD/Cousins.

Completely different teams.

[RRR3]

Reported.

You

[highwhey]

the klaw is coming for lelegacy

took a fmvp off him.

now was crowned lekang in leeastern conference in a single season.



what next?

lebron my fav but this gif always makes me laugh bc it's testament to how great a defender kawhi is.

[FKAri]

While true, they labored against most teams before then and never competed against LeBron-led teams as formidably as you'd expect from extrapolating their regular-season success. The Raptors previously never won a series in less than six games despite HCA for most of them, and the six- and seven-game series they were tasked to this postseason were against teams—the Bucks and 76ers, respectively—demonstrably better than any non-LeBron-led one they faced circa 2015-2018.

LeBron's greatness contributed a lot to the roadblock, but it's disingenuous to suggest this Raptors team only inappreciably improved from the Casey/DeRozan era. I'd chalk up their Finals appearance more to self-improvement than regressed competition, unless you want to argue that yesteryear's single-man Cavaliers outclass this year's Bucks.

I think we'll need to see how this team fares in the Finals before we can wholly assay them, however. I just couldn't see the pre-Kawhi Raptors stealing one game off of any of the contemporary Warriors (with or without Durant), and it remains to be seen how well this iteration competes against them.

Sixers series this year came down to 1 shot. I'd call that laboring.

[RRR3]

lebron my fav but this gif always makes me laugh bc it's testament to how great a defender kawhi is.

Pretty sure I heard it’s edited.

[highwhey]

[QUOTE=RRR3]Pretty sure I heard it

[SomeBlackDude]

Pretty sure I heard it’s edited.

lefam pr squad tryna do the nike shuffle again.

"edited"

[RRR3]

I guess it’s not edited. No need to meltdown in your Jordan jammies there, slugger.