⭐️ "It felt like 1997" - Tom's Title Tiers #27
NBA referees seem to have swallowed their whistles again. Who benefits?
After Sunday’s 95-85 win in Houston, Golden State head coach Steve Kerr said, “It felt like 1997 out there to me, a completely different NBA game than we’re used to.” Physicality was the theme of opening weekend. If the refs are allowing physicality this postseason, which team does that benefit?
Welcome to another edition of Tom’s Title Tiers! A reminder: This is my subjective list based largely on objective data. This is not a pure, analytical ranking. You’re here because you want to know what I think, to get inside my brain a little bit. Consider this a weekly report of what I see on film; what I glean from the numbers; what I hear on the phone; what I read in the news; what I feel.
This week’s featured squad: the Golden State Warriors.
Here’s a quick rundown of each tier.
Tom’s Title Tiers
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ This is a complete team, no notes.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Just missing that one thing.
⭐️⭐️⭐️ One move away from being one move away.
⭐️⭐️ So much has to break right.
⭐️ Sooo you’re saying there’s a chance.
If NBA officials are calling fewer fouls and letting teams play with more physicality, I think some teams will have a new edge going forward.