Everything Round 4: Raptors vs. Warriors

[KeonClark]

It's interesting. Despite how the Raptors have played over the past 3 games, they still think either:

1) The Warriors are a championship team and it's hard to beat the champs
2) The Raptors will choke because when KLOE goes off in a game, he comes back with a crappy game
3) Any other excuse you can think of

Can you blame them? If you step back from your fandom and view it as a neutral observer, the smart money is on the team that that is 18-1 in their last 19 playoff series, and have won 3 out of 4 championships.

They are going to come with everything they have tonight. Yes they are wounded. Do not take that lightly. A wounded, cornered, angry, cocky champion. This will be our hardest test yet.

[Apollo]

It's interesting. Despite how the Raptors have played over the past 3 games, they still think either:

1) The Warriors are a championship team and it's hard to beat the champs
2) The Raptors will choke because when KLOE goes off in a game, he comes back with a crappy game
3) Any other excuse you can think of

The Warriors have won a tonne of championships and the Raptors are making their first appearance in the finals after choking for years in the playoffs and prior to that living in the gutter of the eastern conference. I think their stance is a fair one to take but is also short sighted.

[Apollo]

The really lame excuses will come after the Raptors hoist the trophy.

[KeonClark]

The really lame excuses will come after the Raptors hoist the trophy.

That's fine. How many people are still talking about how Cavs had no Irving or Love and took it to 6 in 2015. Cavs nearly won both series pre Durant. Warriors got lucky. Very lucky.

[inthepaint]

That's fine. How many people are still talking about how Cavs had no Irving or Love and took it to 6 in 2015. Cavs nearly won both series pre Durant. Warriors got lucky. Very lucky.

That's what I expect to happen. If we win (and it's still a sizeable "if"), for every GS fan in denial using injuries as an excuse right in the wake of it, there will be Raptors fan throwing 2015 right at them (plus Chris Paul's and Leonard Spurs injury). And I would also throw "should have load-managed more" right at them as well.

[golden]

The really lame excuses will come after the Raptors hoist the trophy.

After? Nope.

The US media is getting waaay ahead of this narrative and pissing on our parade well in advance.

[suspenders]

Can you blame them? If you step back from your fandom and view it as a neutral observer, the smart money is on the team that that is 18-1 in their last 19 playoff series, and have won 3 out of 4 championships.

They are going to come with everything they have tonight. Yes they are wounded. Do not take that lightly. A wounded, cornered, angry, cocky champion. This will be our hardest test yet.

I know, I know. That's the "logical" part of me that I'm trying to silence. My "heart" says otherwise. I'm going with what my "heart" says.

[SamMitchells]

Why are most of the U.S. media outlets still on the fence with the Raptors winning this series? We're clearly the stronger, healthier, and more dominant team. Game 2's loss simply came down to a bad 3rd Quarter -- nothing more.

Raptors are going to win tonight. If they don't, then it's an upset.

[Kagemusha]

After? Nope.

The US media is getting waaay ahead of this narrative and pissing on our parade well in advance.

Broussard IS an idiot that has ZERO credibility.
He is so fckin biased he shouldn't be in the media.

[TrueTorontoFan]

realistically what ever would of happened whether we win or lose we would have caught heat, they would find some excuse.

[KeonClark]

Y'all are too hung up on whether the US media will grovel and kiss our feet.

Let's worry about closing this thing out. The history books cares not about Stephen A Smith and Chris Broussard

[inthepaint]

Broussard IS an idiot that has ZERO credibility.
He is so fckin biased he shouldn't be in the media.

Some of the US media though is calling bullshit on these "preemptive" excuses. Jared Greenberg from siriusXM nba radio never been a big fan of the Raptors and talk out of his ass quite frequently, but he was saying yesterday that basically injury excuses are for sore losers. Mentioned that you can go back all the way to the Bill Russell days 1958 and you will always find that team that won always have something along the way in terms of injuries on opposing teams, and that includes all the Warriors championships.

This is basically the same pre-Durant Warriors team that "wowed" the world just just a couple of seasons ago, and that just swept their conference finals . They only lost Klay for 1 game ffs. If they're getting beat (and that's still a big " if") it's because the other team is better.

[Joey]

The really lame excuses will come after the Raptors hoist the trophy.

Whatever. We'll have a ring and they won't.

[KeonClark]

Whatever. We'll have a ring and they won't.

Technically, most of them will still have 2 or 3

[The Great One]

Is Kevin Durant gonna play in this series? i can't get a read on this situation. Last week, Kerr said that Durant could be back in Game 3 or 4. Now he's saying Game 5 or 6?