Unfortunately, I think the Cavs can. Will be cool to see Draymond guarding LeBron. But for the Cavs to stop the Warriors, Kyrie needs to be healthy and Shumpert needs to stay hot or JR Smith needs to heat up as well. I can see Draymond and Barnes doing a good job of defending LeBron tbh. But before that, let's see what happens in the conference finals.
NBA Playoffs Spam Discussion
- Thread starter jmt225
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Poop Master Flex
Mid-Card Championship Winner
After today I think it's safe to say Golden State is taking it this year. They're just too strong.
I'll never count Lebron out. I don't think GS has the individual defenders capable to lock up Lebron. They're more team defense oriented. Draymond isn't the athlete Butler is, nor does he have the experience in guarding Lebron that Jimmy has. They really don't have a big man, or a true lock down perimeter defender. If Kyrie is healthy, I think the Cavs match up well with the Warriors. It will basically be a shoot out of a series, and in the finals, I trust Lebron more than Steph to lead his team
The Clippers did until they realized they were the Clippers and pulled one of the biggest choke jobs in NBA history. A healthy Cleveland team I believe would have beaten them, but without Love and with Irving at 50% it becomes much tougher. I still wouldn't count out LeBron.
Cavs over Hawks in 6 and Warriors over Rockets in 5.
True, I'll never count out Lebron as well. But the Warriors bench is stacked. Their 2nd unit can probably make the playoffs in the east. Golden state has one of the best defence this season, I'm not sure why you think they couldn't find a solution to Lebron. They have a variety of wing defenders to throw at Lebron. Barnes, Livingston, Iggy, Klay, Draymond. Heck Barbosa too if they want to throw random guys who can contribute elsewhere.
Bogut is one of the best big man defender and great big man passer. The problem is when Bogut gets into foul trouble. Ezili is a decent enough back up as an athletic defensive big but offers almost no offence. David Lee and Speights are really powerforwards playing as center in their more commonly used bench line ups and offer no rim protection. But they have enough offence to make the other side think about going smaller.
Lebron is playing with a weaker hand than Curry though. Injuries have limited the line up variation the Cavs can run. Their offence is basically Lebron iso and kick out to shooters or chuck and grab the rebound. It has worked so far but I doubt it will work as well against the Hawks or the Warriors.
Houston hot start got derailed because of Howard's injury. After that injury he was just coughing out turnovers that led the Warriors back into the game. When will anyone learn Howard post ups are a disaster waiting to happen?
Great game by the MVP and MVP runner up. Curry and Harden playing off the ball at times messed up the defensive schemes for both teams. Really interesting series as both teams have non-offensive bigs who are great rim protectors. Game 1 saw both Bogut and Howard being ineffective as both teams went small.
Great game by the MVP and MVP runner up. Curry and Harden playing off the ball at times messed up the defensive schemes for both teams. Really interesting series as both teams have non-offensive bigs who are great rim protectors. Game 1 saw both Bogut and Howard being ineffective as both teams went small.
Nate DaMac
Fuck erbody but me
Capella (sp?) looked like he was feeling it more than Howard. He had two turnovers before he even got hurt.
Hawks don't have anyone with good enough lateral movement to keep Lebron out of the paint. They have no Butler. They have no true big man. Lebron at the 4 absolutely shreds the Hawks and they don't have an answer especially with Carrol sidelined. I just don't see what they can do
Damn. Carroll going down like that surely means he's probably out for the remainder of the playoffs. It looked really bad. Hopefully not though as he's been the Hawks most consistent player during the entire playoffs. Millsap's defense against Lebron is just atrocious. No idea why he's meeting Lebron at halfcourt when Lebron simply blows by him. Bazemore probably gets the assignment of guarding Lebron but man, it's gonna be tough. The Hawks would kill to have Sefalosha right now.
The Hawks are shit. They were good in the regular season because their lesser players dared to shoot. In the playoffs they are either hesitant to shoot or are way off leading to transition opportunities.
And probably their opponents understood that their 3 point shooting % isn't that high besides a few shooters and just sag off anyone not named Korver.
And probably their opponents understood that their 3 point shooting % isn't that high besides a few shooters and just sag off anyone not named Korver.
When you don't have a reliable player who you can look to when things get rough, who you can rely on to carry the team, who has experience in these types of high pressure situations, you don't win in the playoffs. The Hawks are built for the regular season. They don't have anyone they can rely on to get them 25 points a night. They have a ton of floor spacers, but nobody that can take advantage of the space especially in the playoffs when the game slows down. Plus, like I said, they don't have anyone that can defend Lebron. I thought they'd give an earnest effort and make Lebron work, but damn, I was wrong. They litterly have nobody that can even check Lebron. He is just doing whatever he wants. 30 points and 11 assists tonight. That's just an absolutely insane level of production. i don't think the Hawks can start moving the ball like they're known to, I don't think they can start knocking down shots. From their post game interviews, they sound lost. Defeated. Bud is the coach of the year and he sounds totally out of it. Like he genuinely has no idea how to fix this. He's being slapped around by Blatt. The Cleveland crowd is going to be insane, which makes it that much harder for the Hawks to do anything. It's over. Only question is, will it be a sweep.
Poop Master Flex
Mid-Card Championship Winner
If Cleveland keeps playing the way they're playing there's a good chance even Golden State won't even be able to stop them. As good as LeBron's been playing I've been just as impressed with guys like Smith and Shumpert who can't seem to miss even when they're heavily guarded. It's not like Atlanta hasn't been playing bad defense but there are times Cleveland can't seem to miss.
Golden State will be a much harder team than Atlanta, no question but if Cleveland keeps it up they could very well beat them.
Golden State will be a much harder team than Atlanta, no question but if Cleveland keeps it up they could very well beat them.
If the Hawks weren't doomed yet, they are now. They just lost Korver for the rest of the postseason with a right ankle sprain, damn it. This is gonna be a sweep for sure unless Lebron gets hurt or something. The Hawks are a good team but they need someone to turn to when their offense isn't working. Was hoping Teague would step up and be the scorer I think he can be but that isn't the case right now.
The Holy One
What's really good?
*Sigh* I had to hear it everywhere that the Hawks had no shot, and I tried to argue back that they did. Yet, here they are down 2-0 heading to Cleveland without Kyle Korver (our most important guy on offense) and a hobbled DeMarre Carrol (our most important guy on defense). People are telling me that I should be happy that we got to the Conference Finals and I would if we didn't shit the bed these past two games. I'm holding on to the last bit of hope that we somehow show up in Cleveland, but it's withering as the hours go by.
I just think its the playoffs and teams are more focused on individual players tendencies. In the regular season teams were overplaying the threat of the Hawk's big man shooting allowing for open shots for everyone. Their bigs's shooting is more of a threat as a floor spacer for the others than being a genuine threat since most of them have a slow release. Korver going just elite at shooting instead of godmode also hurt the Hawks.
In the playoffs it is hard to win if you don't have anyone that demands a double team or can punish a mismatch easily. When Cavs go small with Thompson at center and Lebron at the 4, Atlanta's mismatch advantage is gone because they can both chase Milsap and Horford off the ball or are comfortable when switch against the PGs.
In the playoffs it is hard to win if you don't have anyone that demands a double team or can punish a mismatch easily. When Cavs go small with Thompson at center and Lebron at the 4, Atlanta's mismatch advantage is gone because they can both chase Milsap and Horford off the ball or are comfortable when switch against the PGs.
From a team with litterly no chemistry, to a legit family on the court, it's been truly special to watch the Cavs mature and come together this season. Lebron is an entirely different person than he was when he left the first time and it's incredible to see. Their energy is contagious, they are so involved and happy for each other. This is a special team. If they win the finals, I can say without a doubt, this will be the greatest story that I have experienced as a sports fan until the Eagles win a super bowl. Congrats Lebron. Go fuck Steph Curry and the cocky ass warriors up.
This Cavs team look dangerous with their defence. I think their size can really cause a problem for the Warriors. Funny thing is the Cavs look the best with Lebron and the 'role players' with Kyrie and Love out of the lineup because their defence look awesome. Even James Jones looked playable! WTF!
Curry is so likeable man. His confidence reminds me of Jordan without the asshole part. Can't hate him yet. If you like the Cav's energy, how can you hate on the Warriors energy where an all-star level talent like David Lee is content to be the 3rd Big off the bench at times?
Curry is so likeable man. His confidence reminds me of Jordan without the asshole part. Can't hate him yet. If you like the Cav's energy, how can you hate on the Warriors energy where an all-star level talent like David Lee is content to be the 3rd Big off the bench at times?
I don't trust Steph Curry. I don't trust anybody on Golden State. Steph has all the confidence in the world right now, but the finals are a different world. The atmosphere, the electricity. It's like nothing else Curry and the entire Golden State team has ever experienced. Nobody on their team has ever been to the finals. They don't have anybody that can calm them down when things get rough. This is so reminiscent of the Heat/Thunder series it almost hurts to think about. A juggernaut of a young team, coming with three amazing young players who went through an incredibly tough western conference. They come in, their superstars have no finals experience, and they get exposed as inexperienced. I just can't trust someone on their first NBA finals to be the confident person he is in the regular season and playoffs. It's a hunch I have but it's such a strong hunch that I am supremely confident in being right. GS doesn't have a Kawhi Leonard or a Jimmy Butler that has the lateral quickness and length to defend Lebron. I don't buy that they will throw different looks on him with different players and that will confuse Lebron. These playoffs have shown Lebron thinking at an insanely high level. He has adapted to post up small threes and fours, to beat bigger fours off the dribble, and to blow by centers. Every thing that's been thrown at him, with the exception of Jimmy Butler, he has adapted to play after play. Klay is to small, Lebron will post him up. Draymond isn't quick enough, he'll get beat off the dribble. Iggy is their best hope but he's a step to slow. They don't have an answer to Lebron. They don't have a proven star like Lebron. They don't have Lebron. Cavs in 6
Not sure how you think that the Warriors are cocky. To me, they're a very humble team. But let's not talk about that. It's official, we're getting a Warriors/Cavs final which should be a very good series. The Warriors have a ton of people to throw at Lebron: Green, Barnes, Iguodala, Thompson, Livingston. So many different looks and I think that's how you stop Lebron. Throw different defenders at him and defend him as a team. If the Warriors can stop Harden, who I believe is more crafty with the ball than Lebron, then I think they have a shot at stopping Lebron. Lebron won't be able to bulldoze his way to the basket in a series against the Warriors. I'm just looking forward to this series as a whole. This should be a very entertaining series. Might be the most entertaining NBA Final in a long time.
On the flipside one can argue they can't trust anyone playing heavy minutes on the Cavs besides Lebron. Who are they going to hide Kyrie on when he is on the court? Pretty sure the Western Conference final and the series against the Grizz is as intense as any final can be.
You don't stop the best player, you can only slow him down. For all the things said about Butler or Kawhi's defence on Lebron, Lebron still put up great numbers. GS have bodies to throw at Lebron, and worry less about foul trouble against Lebron since the fouls can be split among more wing defenders. The key to defending against Lebron is to recover fast from a double team or to avoid excessive double team.
If Diaw can be used against Lebron for minutes by the Spurs, I don't know how you can argue a younger Draymond isn't quick enough to spot minutes against Lebron.
That Thunder team would have competed more if the coach didn't insist on playing Perkins heavy minutes. Also comparison with the Heat/Thunder series is forgetting that the Heat had 3 franchise level stars that had an edge after losing the previous year. Cav's own other superstar is playing in his FIRST post season ever. Do you trust Kyrie?
One Punch Doug Crashin
I AM INVINSIBLE!
At least I got half my prediction right. Warriors vs Cavs in the finals.
So Thibs is gone, damn. Hopefully the Bulls find a coach that can fully utilize its roster which I think is deeper than most people think. Get another quality big man to replace Nazr Mohammad and maybe one credible wing player and they'll be good to go. Don't know much about Fred Hoiberg being their next coach, but hopefully their next coach trust more than 6-7 guys.
Mark Jackson maybe?
Mark Jackson maybe?