I thought that was happening game 3 as well. Well played by Cleaveland tonight, but 10 fouls in the first quarter is hectic.
NBA Finals 2017
- Thread starter That N Word
- Start date
I thought that was happening game 3 as well. Well played by Cleaveland tonight, but 10 fouls in the first quarter is hectic.
Hahaha I would love nothing better. I still think Warriors in a demolishing fashion game 5 will finish the series. If the Cavs get down 8/10 early I think there would be no chance of them winning the game.
Mighty NorCal
SHALL WE BEGIN?
If the Cavs make this 3 - 2 on Monday...
Buckle up. Shits about to get weird.
Buckle up. Shits about to get weird.
Da Prophet
Mid-Card Championship Winner
88-83 Cavs if you exclude the first quarter. The fouls and made shots by guys not named LeBron killed Golden State tonight. However, after the first it was a tight game in terms of scoring. The Cavs never had another burst like in the first. All those free throws and fouls called by the refs certainly helped. JR Smith and friends haven't played well away from home all series. I suspect they'll return to form for game 5. We have no evidence that says otherwise. Role players tend to play better at home than away.
Golden State win game 5 and the title. Book it!
Golden State win game 5 and the title. Book it!
Warriors were bound to lose with Steph and Klay both hovering around 30% shooting.
And the three ball totally killed the Warriors tonight. The Cavs were locked in but the Warriors were acting like they'd get arrested for assault if they hit the bucket.
I still feel like they're going to win but they need to get the percentage back up.
And the three ball totally killed the Warriors tonight. The Cavs were locked in but the Warriors were acting like they'd get arrested for assault if they hit the bucket.
I still feel like they're going to win but they need to get the percentage back up.
Mighty NorCal
SHALL WE BEGIN?
Telling you.
If its a tight game at the end of the third, the warriors will start getting tight and doing crazy shit. If it goes 3 - 2, the weight of the world will be on them.
If its a tight game at the end of the third, the warriors will start getting tight and doing crazy shit. If it goes 3 - 2, the weight of the world will be on them.
Da Prophet
Mid-Card Championship Winner
Oh, Cavs are winning game 6 if they can force it.
Warriors MUST win game 5 or they're fucked. Like, LeBron will be the biggest fucking shark you've ever seen and he'll smell blood in the water. Game 6 at home? Cavs will win for sure. At that point, if Cavs force game 7, we could very well see the greatest comeback ever for the second year in a row.
I believe the series is decided in game 5. Either Golden State win and take the title or Cavs make it 3-2 and they'll win 6 and 7.
Warriors MUST win game 5 or they're fucked. Like, LeBron will be the biggest fucking shark you've ever seen and he'll smell blood in the water. Game 6 at home? Cavs will win for sure. At that point, if Cavs force game 7, we could very well see the greatest comeback ever for the second year in a row.
I believe the series is decided in game 5. Either Golden State win and take the title or Cavs make it 3-2 and they'll win 6 and 7.
Big Nick Dudley
Nick
If Cleveland has to play that well to win a game here, they're done. Hoping this gets to a game 7, though.
Why not? Does the media (and consequently the fans) not judge players based, many times, solely on number of championships they win? Do we not proclaim great athletes failures if they don't win championships?
I think it's asinine the media is so lazy they only judge based on championships, but it's the reality of the world. And, as such, the players want to leave a legacy.
And I'm saying that's such a poor outlook on basketball. Why is a player choosing his destiny somehow worse than someone else choosing his destiny?
Yeah, I wasn't quite getting it either.
No, we're talking about superstars changing teams to chase a ring.
At least it made sense to one of us.
Your argument = your position.
But the NBA wouldn't be fucked and they did this to themselves. And I, for one, applaud the players for taking this level of power on themselves.
All players have that option, if they are good enough.
I don't agree. I don't see the Cavs winning Game 6. I can see them coming out with the same intensity in Game 5, but that level of intensity is just nearly impossible to sustain game after game, especially if you win a couple and start feeling more confident.
I'd love to see a Game 7 this year. So would the NBA, the ratings would be off the charts. But when the Cavs lost Game 3, I think the chances of a Game 7 were all but ended.
The NBA is happy that this has at least gone to 5 considering the very low number of playoff games played this postseason (I think it's the lowest number played since they switched first round format). If Cleveland can take it to 6 the NBA will dance naked in the streets.
Big Nick Dudley
Nick
Cleveland's offense is so streetball it's irritating. Move the ball. Obviously the isolation and too-much-dribbling isn't going to work efficiently.
Da Prophet
Mid-Card Championship Winner
Irving like a magician because he disappeared in the fourth.
Big Nick Dudley
Nick
Kyrie Irving has the worst shot selection of any major player in basketball. Less dribbling. Less iso. Move the ball. Take it to the basket, get to the line.
On top of poor shot selection, he doesn't make anyone better. I would trade the guy.
Cleveland could've been more competitive in this seriea had they played smarter. They didn't. It was a streetball team vs. quite possibly the most efficient, least selfish offense in NBA history.
On top of poor shot selection, he doesn't make anyone better. I would trade the guy.
Cleveland could've been more competitive in this seriea had they played smarter. They didn't. It was a streetball team vs. quite possibly the most efficient, least selfish offense in NBA history.
Big Nick Dudley
Nick
Also, I don't think Tyronn Lue has any control there. That, or this inefficient iso ball crap is his idea.
Da Prophet
Mid-Card Championship Winner
Lue looks very much like a stooge for LeBron who appears to be basically running the organisation. His word doesn't seem to carry any weight if it goes against what LeBron wants to do. Pop can sit stars, Hall of Famers and they listen, but Lue can't get Irving to sit down for a few minutes without him visibly being frustrated which undermines Lue's authority to everyone.
LeBron is so gone after next season (I think that's when he can opt-out) and he'll ditch Irving for CP3 in a heartbeat. Irving will return to not making the playoffs again once LeBron leaves him. Hopefully we can stop this discussion that Irving is better than Curry.
LeBron is so gone after next season (I think that's when he can opt-out) and he'll ditch Irving for CP3 in a heartbeat. Irving will return to not making the playoffs again once LeBron leaves him. Hopefully we can stop this discussion that Irving is better than Curry.
Yeah Irving had really one effective game, which was their win, and the rest he was taking bad shots. A lot of iso for the Cavs as well which obviously didn't work. Hard to knock the guy because he played fucking awesome all series but their were key moments in today's game that Lebron fucked up. Taking a couple contested 3s during their run, couple of defensive lapses, passing it maybe a bit too much. Like I said hard to knock him as KD was probably taking worse shots but was hitting them. I know Warriors were heavily guarding the 3 in the last 3 minutes but the way Lebron was getting to the rack makes ya wonder why he wasn't doing that earlier. I mean GSW still could double team as Thompson was still on the floor for the Cavs. If it was only that easy but.
Honestly the Cavs win the finals any other year, so I wouldn't split the team (core) up. Love was disappointing today but I still think he can be a massive game winner. Offensively if he has confidence and is getting the ball, he can average almost 30. Seton Williams was disappointing all series so maybe he might go. Shumpert probably goes as well. Need a legit centre and a few different guys off the bench, with a different/ better offense and I say they win the title.
I could say a lot about Durant right now but all I'll say is he absolutely killed it in the finals and deserved that finals MVP. Probably had the most fun in his whole basketball career, so good on him.
Honestly the Cavs win the finals any other year, so I wouldn't split the team (core) up. Love was disappointing today but I still think he can be a massive game winner. Offensively if he has confidence and is getting the ball, he can average almost 30. Seton Williams was disappointing all series so maybe he might go. Shumpert probably goes as well. Need a legit centre and a few different guys off the bench, with a different/ better offense and I say they win the title.
I could say a lot about Durant right now but all I'll say is he absolutely killed it in the finals and deserved that finals MVP. Probably had the most fun in his whole basketball career, so good on him.
Big Nick Dudley
Nick
With the big runs Golden State puts together, that type of basketball just won't work. GS has too much firepower for the other team to waste so many possessions.
Big Nick Dudley
Nick
Random thoughts:
-Kevin Love is either lazy or Cleveland doesn't use him properly. They seem content leaving him to sit in the corner waiting to jack up three's. Far too talented for that. Put him in the post where he can be effective, and more important, efficient.
-LeBron has to take some heat. Stop deferring all the time. Play more in the post. Golden State had NO answer for James getting to the bucket. We didn't see nearly enough of that. As great as he is, and he is absolutely fantastic, he made a lot of poor choices in settling for bad shots.
-That iso ball junk works when the rest of the league isn't any good. It was good enough to walk through the East. Against GS? No.
-It was baffling to see Cleveland make zero real adjustments. They continued to play a style that just couldn't compete with GS. The Warriors are not unbeatable. Not saying Cleveland should've won, but there were so many things they could've done so much better, it just makes you shake your head.
-GS was outstanding. They knew they could pick Cleveland apart and they did. They moved the ball and tired Cleveland out.
-If a team wants to beat GS, they need their offense to support their defense. Move the ball around and tire GS out a bit. Take the ball to the basket and get them in foul trouble. Use your shot clock, play keep away.
-It's funny to talk about changing the roster in Cleveland considering their dominance in the East. However, to beat GS, they may need to make some moves. Call me crazy, but I would guage Chris Paul's interest and move Irving. LeBron can't be the only guy there making people better.
-And to wrap it up, I don't see James leaving Cleveland again. At this point, he no longer wants to be the villain. And it's not like he's failing there - they've been to three straight finals and won a championship. I believe he retires a Cavalier.
-Kevin Love is either lazy or Cleveland doesn't use him properly. They seem content leaving him to sit in the corner waiting to jack up three's. Far too talented for that. Put him in the post where he can be effective, and more important, efficient.
-LeBron has to take some heat. Stop deferring all the time. Play more in the post. Golden State had NO answer for James getting to the bucket. We didn't see nearly enough of that. As great as he is, and he is absolutely fantastic, he made a lot of poor choices in settling for bad shots.
-That iso ball junk works when the rest of the league isn't any good. It was good enough to walk through the East. Against GS? No.
-It was baffling to see Cleveland make zero real adjustments. They continued to play a style that just couldn't compete with GS. The Warriors are not unbeatable. Not saying Cleveland should've won, but there were so many things they could've done so much better, it just makes you shake your head.
-GS was outstanding. They knew they could pick Cleveland apart and they did. They moved the ball and tired Cleveland out.
-If a team wants to beat GS, they need their offense to support their defense. Move the ball around and tire GS out a bit. Take the ball to the basket and get them in foul trouble. Use your shot clock, play keep away.
-It's funny to talk about changing the roster in Cleveland considering their dominance in the East. However, to beat GS, they may need to make some moves. Call me crazy, but I would guage Chris Paul's interest and move Irving. LeBron can't be the only guy there making people better.
-And to wrap it up, I don't see James leaving Cleveland again. At this point, he no longer wants to be the villain. And it's not like he's failing there - they've been to three straight finals and won a championship. I believe he retires a Cavalier.
Da Prophet
Mid-Card Championship Winner
Happy for David West. $11 million left on the table a few years ago from the Pacers and it has finally happened for him. People can say championships aren't everything but at least for David West it meant a whole lot. You tell me I can have a championship or $11 million? Fuck the ring, give me the MONAY!
I do love when veterans at the end of their careers finally win a title. I like that.
I do love when veterans at the end of their careers finally win a title. I like that.
If I were Cleveland or L.A. I'd seriously consider a straight up trade of CP3 and Griffin for Love and Irving. Griffin plays more physical then Love and CP3 would help the offense become more efficient as he likes to actually pass and play team ball instead of iso ball. Also, the way that Doc wants L.A. to play would be better with Irving and Love. Doc wants CP3 to be more aggressive and he likes for Griffin to take all of those mid range jumpers. Well, that would work with Irving and Love since Irving is more of a scorer than CP3 and Love is a better shooter than Griffin. I think that it would benefit both teams greatly.
That N Word
Actively evolving
KD didn't sellout..He brought in!!!
Both Paul and Griffin are free agents heading into this off season, so the Clippers can't trade them unless they do a sign and trade, and even then I think it's a pretty lame deal. Love and Griffin are pretty interchangeable at this point in my eyes: both capable of A+ performances but average a B+ at best. Kyrie for CP3 is a total dud on the Cavs part, though. Kyrie is 25 years old and likely has some of his best basketball ahead of him. CP3 is 31 and his best years are definitely behind him.
I understand your point about how they would fit into the system, but it's not like either team has a system that is greater than the sum of its parts. Each team is largely built around the play of their best players, not like the Heat or Spurs or even the Celtics.
Not only that, but we KNOW LeBron and Kyrie work well together. Better than well, LeBron has help Kyrie blossom into one of the best offensive points in the league. While I have no doubt that LeBron could make Paul a better player, I'm not sure that at 31 Paul is up for revamping his game.
The Cavs definitely need a big piece to compete with the Warriors and add to an offense that's prone to stalling out and a defense that's prone to failing altogether, but giving away Kyrie is not an option for them. Love yes, Kyrie no.
