505backup_1 | Warriors

195 | 14 hours ago

Beautiful

MaNamWumbo | Raptors

187 | 14 hours ago

Parity fc we eating

YoFavUnclesOldMate

17 | 8 hours ago

The OKC dynasty is over at last.

sbenfsonwFFiF

167 | 14 hours ago

Funny how OKC fans assumed they would repeat

Nothing is ever guaranteed

IJustReadEverything | Warriors

145 | 14 hours ago

I thought people would have taken the Warriors 2016 as the ultimate example of nothing is ever guaranteed.

sadMUFCfan25 | Hawks

39 | 14 hours ago

Except if you’re the KD warriors

510Kyle

11 | 5 hours ago

Even then.. 2019 and half the team dies on the court

CrimsonGentleman | Charlotte Bobcats

-27 | 14 hours ago

They lost lol. On paper should have been an easy 3 rings. Got 2

Antique_Pin5266

60 | 14 hours ago

…because Klay tore his ACL and KD his Achilles, not because of skill issue like you’re implying

sbenfsonwFFiF

34 | 14 hours ago

Doesn’t matter, point is it’s not guaranteed, anything can happen including injuries

Same for the Cavs in 2015

themuaddib | GSW

-3 | 13 hours ago

I mean winning was guaranteed and they did.

sbenfsonwFFiF

-9 | 12 hours ago

Huh? Cavs didn’t win in 2015 after the two best players after LeBron went down, just like warriors didn’t win in 2019 after Klay and KD went down

themuaddib | GSW

-4 | 5 hours ago

Huh???!!! Where did I say winning every year was guaranteed?

sbenfsonwFFiF

0 | 4 hours ago

“I mean winning was guaranteed and they did.”

Idk man, your comment is confusing

You said winning was guaranteed, winning is never guaranteed.

JTBeefboyo

1 | 6 hours ago

Do you think that happened coincidentally or do you think playing 100 games per year 3 years in a row contributed?

CummingInTheNile

16 | 14 hours ago

I mean KD tore his Achilles in g5 and played like 8 mins total the entire series, and Klay tore his ACL in g6, there hasnt ever been an NBA team that could lose 2 of its top 3 offensive players and win a finals

sbenfsonwFFiF

10 | 14 hours ago

The point is that it’s not guaranteed, which 2019 proves

Injuries and chokes happen

Same for the Cavs in 2015

MrRabbit- | Clippers

0 | 12 hours ago

Yeah that Warriors team without KD gets 73 wins in the regular season at best /s. As much as it sucks that Klay went down, they were already down 3-2 at that point so I really don’t think it’s fair to say the Warriors win even if Klay doesn’t go down.

MrRabbit- | Clippers

-14 | 12 hours ago

I know a lot of fans say that KD just attached himself to a dynasty in the making when he signed with the 73-9 Warriors but in reality, that same core without KD lost in 2016, likely loses to the 2017 Rockets, possibly loses to the 2018 Rockets, and were down 3-2 to the Raptors when Klay finally went down. Granted they still won in 2022 so of course they were still an incredibly strong team, but when a lot of fans say that those Warriors teams would have won even without KD, I just don’t really see it.

blackspidey2099 | Raptors

11 | 12 hours ago

The 2016 Warriors and 2019 Warriors without KD are 2 completely different teams. 2016 Warriors did not need KD to win because they had more depth which they lost after getting KD, and would have continued being the best team in the NBA for 2017 and 2018.

MrRabbit- | Clippers

-7 | 11 hours ago

https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/GSW/2017_depth.html

https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/GSW/2019_depth.html

Look at these two depth charts and tell me exactly what depth did they lose? Patrick McCaw?

Amin0

1 | 4 hours ago

To get back to your original point, roster changes don’t happen in a vacuum. KD’s salary in that 2017 team was 26.5million and Steph Curry was still on his “prove-it” contract getting paid 12mil a year.

If they don’t get KD that year, the best case scenario with hindsight could have been re-signing Harrison Barnes and sign Al Horford as well.

Steph, Klay, Harrison Barnes, Draymond, Al Horford would be an absolutely crazy squad.

For this point, losing David West was an absolutely huge loss to the depth. And having to be forced to play Jordan Bell, Damian Jones, Bogut, Alfonzo Mckinne, and Quinn Cook. Removing these players would be addition by subtraction to the roster.

In that 2019 season, Steph was or top 3 highest paid player in the league and KD was taking 30million of the salary as well. All of that cap space from KD could have been better used to get a better bench.

And 2019 Shaun Livingston and Andre Igoudala are not the same players as their 2017 versions.

We’d have to also take into account that the rest of the league didn’t focus on Championship aspirations as hard as they would have.

OldManCinny

24 | 12 hours ago

Outside of the warriors every team this decade has felt inevitable until they weren’t

2021 lakers looked ready to repeat. Then injuries
2022 bucks repeat. Nope. Injuries.
2024 nuggets repeat. Nope weird blown game 7
2025 Celtics definitely repeating. Nope Knicks outplay them through 4 games plus Achilles
2026 no chance for anyone else. Here comes Wemby plus injuries
2027 …?

BrianScalaweenie | Celtics

48 | 11 hours ago

2027: oh wow ok actually the wizards turned out to be geniuses for trading for Trae Young and Anthony Davis. We all should have seen their record-breaking 82-0 season followed by 16-0 playoff run

Repulsive-Throat5068 | Lakers

3 | 10 hours ago

Super short break after the bubble kinda fucked us and pretty much every team that had a deep bubble run

People underestimate the toll long runs take. Even funnier thinking of people trying to reduce LeBrons run of finals. Shits hard as hell

glad-yogurt-89

1 | 5 hours ago

Denver, Boston, and OKC definitely all looked poised to repeat. Not so much the Bucks, where Brooklyn had the best team on paper if Kyrie Irving wasn’t such a dickhead and injuries. Or the Lakers, where they sorta uniquely benefited from the covid break, because Davis got saved from getting injured and LeBron is old. Everybody knew Davis would get hurt the next season, enough to keep them from repeating, so “then injuries” was no surprise.

mags87 | Nuggets

1 | an hour ago

2024 nuggets repeat. Nope weird blown game 7

I still dont understand how that happened. I was at the game and we were up 20 points, but then had a 14 point third quarter with only 37 in the second half.

Apprehensive-Rain601 | Lakers

11 | 14 hours ago

Tbf I hate to say it but if they weren’t so injured they probably would’ve but that’s a part of the game injuries happen on every championship run also doesn’t help when your all NBA big just shrinks

sbenfsonwFFiF

47 | 14 hours ago

They got lucky last year with injuries to Aaron Gordon and Hali, both 7 game series they would’ve lost

So it comes back around

mags87 | Nuggets

1 | an hour ago

MPJ was playing with some sort of ice diaper taped to his shoulder also for most of that series.

veebs7 | Raptors

0 | 3 hours ago

“Would’ve lost” is crazy

Zeeron1 | Thunder

-1 | 5 hours ago

Saying we would have lost both is just lying, and i think you know that lmao

sbenfsonwFFiF

1 | 4 hours ago

I really believe so. With MPJ and AG healthy, OKC loses to Denver + with Hali healthy (not just game 7 but his calf the whole series), OKC loses to Indiana

Zeeron1 | Thunder

0 | 4 hours ago

If we get a JDub without a torn shooting wrist and a Chet not coming off a broken hip, neither of those series go 7 in the first place

quintavian | Thunder

-12 | 10 hours ago

Jalen Williams had a torn ligament in his wrist last year during the playoffs and the Thunder had a competitive series with the second best team in the league without their number 2 and 3 best players and you say they wouldn’t have won last year without the other teams injuries ? cmon man.

thepooseyslayer | Thunder

-7 | 7 hours ago

No point even commenting, your just going to get down voted for being a thunder fan.

Actually_A_Robot_SHH

1 | 14 hours ago

They were so convinced they’d at least be in the finals lol

Garbage__Gang | Spurs

2 | 13 hours ago

Pregame of Game 1 they kept talking about how SGA was going to be just the 3rd player in NBA history to be back-to-back MVP & play in back-to-back finals. As a spurs fan I was upset they were trying to sell a narrative like that before the first game even started. Glad we shut it down.

Tijenater | IND

-1 | 10 hours ago

Thunder fans never knew ball from the jump if that’s who they’re rocking with. Shouldn’t surprise anyone that they were wrong

International-Chef33 | Celtics

153 | 14 hours ago

Join us on the 1 chip then elimination couch OKC

IWishIWasOdo | Timberwolves

69 | 14 hours ago

Damn I kinda forgot Jimmy willed the Heat to 2 finals appearances

LaughingPlanet | Warriors

50 | 12 hours ago

Yeah, just realizing the only teams to even make The Finals twice this decade are Celtics and Jimmy Heat

BlueberryGummies | MIA

3 | 38 minutes ago

The Heat-Celtics rivalry gets underrated I think, but every time the Heat and Celtics have faced each other in the playoffs ever, the winner went to the NBA finals, and they’re almost always knockdown drag-out series’.

Wet_napkins | Mavericks

5 | 3 hours ago

Jimmy Buckets might be my favorite players ultra instinct mode. The man talks his shit, backs it up and damn can he ball

Chessh2036 | Hawks

42 | 14 hours ago

NBA Parity ❤️

RapsareChamps_Suckit | Clippers

41 | 14 hours ago

stop deleting shxt mods

Cvpakke

3 | 14 hours ago

Agreed. All these posts getting deleted is far more obnoxious than anything anyone could post.

BombshellExpose | Lakers

26 | 14 hours ago

OKC dynasty 2024-2025

CalculusEz | Nuggets

2 | 14 hours ago

Lmao

TemperedTorture | Spurs

14 | 14 hours ago

This is why all dynasty talk is useless in the modern era. And yes, that includes us even if we win this year.

Running it back and winning back to back is an insane accomplishment and this year should remind ppl how difficult it really is.

BlunderDefect | Spurs

12 | 14 hours ago

Dynasty talks after one good year is dumb and it’s been used so loosely lately. I remember it was always a debate if a team was a dynasty after a few chips. Now it’s like when Denver won once and people declaring their dynasty was starting. Did the same thing with OKC. Let teams win a few years in a short span before dynasty talks start happening.

SlamJamGlanda | Pacers

4 | 13 hours ago

Gets media clicks. Sensationalism in sports gets really weird and clearly this one was premature to glaze OKC after one year

GloryMaelstrom21 | NBA

10 | 14 hours ago

Everything started when the Raptors beat the Warriors

CummingInTheNile

10 | 14 hours ago

*When injuries beat the Warriors

SchmittyBoss

14 | 14 hours ago

If KD and Klay didn’t go down, Warriors probably would have won game 6 and 7.

Rezrov_ | Raptors

-10 | 12 hours ago

Klay missed 5 quarters and had losing minutes in the games he played.

KD played one quarter in G5 and wasn’t really in the series at all. The Dubs also cruised through the West without KD.

Yeah, if it’s the KD Warriors (one of the best teams ever assembled) then obviously it’s a pretty tall order, but the Dubs were pretty lucky to make it to 6 without him (Raps were extremely close to closing at home).

Disastrous_Cookie284

8 | 10 hours ago

Warriors were not lucky to make it to 6. Warriors would have won Game 6 if Klay didn’t tear his ACL in that game and it’s a coin flip for game 7. Klay had hamstring issues the entire series before the ultimate injury. I know Kawahi was also banged up in that series so no excuse for both teams - it happened, Raptors played well.

Rezrov_ | Raptors

1 | an hour ago

And Lowry required surgery on his thumb after the playoffs (braced the whole time) and OG didn’t play whatsoever.

They were lucky to make it to 6. Watch the end of game 5 and see. I implore you to rewatch the series. The eye-test and the stats and losing the series all point to the Dubs being outmatched. Just take a second to look at the rosters minus KD and get back to me. They were playing washed Boogie Cousins and 35yo Iggy serious minutes.

HAND__EGG | Bulls

1 | 4 hours ago

Thats part of the game no?

Coulda woulda shoulda..

Those warriors stars should have been more healthy

LilSwampGod | Raptors

1 | 2 hours ago

Nah fuck that, the Raptors won with a hobbled Kawhi and no OG all playoffs. If you’re gonna asterisk the 19 championship you need to asterisk every championship where the losing team had an injury.

unspooling | Warriors

6 | 14 hours ago

Inject this shit right into my veins. P A R I T Y

MrShenYi | Timberwolves

8 | 14 hours ago

I’m so ready for the Wizards vs Kings next year

BarelyContainedChaos | Lakers

6 | 14 hours ago

good.

erickchoiii

4 | 14 hours ago

Western Conference Finals MVP, Chet Holmgren with this many post-game posts with his stats.

jak_d_ripr

4 | 14 hours ago

Yep, we getting a new champion for the 8th consecutive year. Really, REALLY hoping it’s the Knicks year this year.

Expensive-Virus4984

3 | 11 hours ago

remeber when lebron did it 8 times in a row, kd prevented probably goat argument ending. lebron averaged 33.6 points, 12.0 rebounds, and 10.0 assists in 2017 finals near the same the next year. He was clearly the best player on the court and he himself said he was at his physical peak. The cavs teams were fucking good to, i think they would beat most finals teams if not all the recent ones just like the warriors. the warriors teams were just stupid good with kd. Crazy times, just knowing it was those two teams for 4 years. I wish kd didnt go we could have had the most epic 4 year maybe longer finals back and fourths ever.

Feisty_Chef_7506

0 | 6 hours ago

Obligatory fuck KD 🐍

ContractXtension | Hornets

4 | 14 hours ago

The best team ever

pakalupapito23

2 | 14 hours ago

LESSSGOOOOOOOO

Hot-Development-1589 | Knicks

2 | 14 hours ago

I’m crying with Wembi! 😭

Southern_Owl_5442 | Celtics

2 | 14 hours ago

Good for the league tbh

Basic_Commercial_806

2 | 14 hours ago

GOAT team for a reason

matsy_k | Warriors

2 | 11 hours ago

That was the Warriors fifth Finals in a row. Remember when people were ready to crown OKC as a better team halfway through this season lol

DiscombobulatedEmu5

1 | 14 hours ago

[ Removed by Reddit ]

Downtown_Soil_3651

1 | 14 hours ago

I really don’t think they are going anywhere. They are young and deep. And doesn’t OKC still have more 1st round picks?

WolverineIngrid218 | Warriors

1 | 14 hours ago

Quite an interesting fact. And another season where there’s a guarantee that there will be a unique champion this decade.

TH3PhilipJFry | Nuggets

1 | 14 hours ago

Homer motioning to an open spot on the couch

baconandbobabegger | BOS

1 | 13 hours ago

Cs and Heat the only teams to even get there twice since.

Agile_Lie9502 | Spurs

1 | 9 hours ago

FUCK OKC

I_Set_3_Alarms | Celtics

1 | 7 hours ago

Celtics Heat only 2 repeat teams.

Makes sense, because that was the ECF ³⁄₆ years

TheLastDefiant

1 | 3 hours ago

This decade been very competitive

LokiBG | Warriors

0 | 14 hours ago

Pretty happy about that! But also I’m gonna enjoy the hell of these Finals no matter which way they go.

Francis_X_Hummel | Pacers

0 | 14 hours ago

hell yeah

MFFL12_17 | Mavericks

0 | 14 hours ago

SGA thought his flopping is gonna work.

kidfrombellwood | Heat

0 | 14 hours ago

Miami sheat the only one to make the NBA Finals twice with no championship to show for it.

All because their fraud ass FO couldn’t be bothered to give the man who made them relevant again the right help.

tactis1234 | Mavericks

0 | 14 hours ago

Parity continues! You love to see it. It’s gonna end eventually but it makes it so much fun because everyone believes they have a chance.

That said…the western conference is cooked haha.

basileus1176 | Trail Blazers

0 | 13 hours ago

Unfortunately the era is gonna end next year with the goddamn spurs building their dynasty again and defending their title

Soylent_Milk2021 | Nuggets

5 | 12 hours ago

You know the Spurs have never won chips in back to back years.

basileus1176 | Trail Blazers

0 | 10 hours ago

…yet

scottiedagolfmachine

0 | 11 hours ago

Means NBA is in a good place with various teams getting the shot at the ring.

💍

Smookieman | Warriors

0 | 11 hours ago

Balance was restored

KBBL_Radio | Mavericks

-1 | 14 hours ago

Spurs have to be the favourite to break this streak?

LilUAVinbound | Hornets

11 | 14 hours ago

That gets said about every defending champion

International-Chef33 | Celtics

2 | 14 hours ago

lol of course it begins before they even win one

lkn240 | Bulls

-1 | 14 hours ago

The 2020s are the first time the league has had real parity since the 1970s

Even my old ass wasn’t watching then

Baguy21 | Warriors

-1 | 14 hours ago

If a team can go back to back, I don’t mind if it’s Spurs

CummingInTheNile

3 | 14 hours ago

Its really hard to make it to back to back finals, the extra 2 months of playing time and the wear an tear than comes from that, abbreviated offseason so less recovery time, every team gets more tape and can make more specific adjustments to counter you, the target that comes on that teams back, teams willing to overpay your role players which eventually guts your depth, etc

Spurs have as good a shot as anyone to make it but it will be an uphill battle

zroach | Jazz

3 | 14 hours ago

Let’s have them win 1 before we talk back to back.

Xc0liber | Lakers

-3 | 10 hours ago

And the Lakers is still the last team to win back2back and threeepeat

JimothyLeFleur69420 | Thunder

-3 | 14 hours ago

really fun series to watch. wonder how it would have turned out if OKC was healthy though

With OKCs loss tonight, no team in the NBA has made back to back finals appearances since the 18-19 Warriors