NBA Finals Discussion Thread

[FirstTimer]

As usual the NBATV post game crew had the best thoughts on the games. Specifically, Kenny Smith. He said the Cavs need to just deal with James expending energy on the defensive end of the floor and put him on Draymond Green. He was talking about how Green has too much freedom on the floor right now and the Cavs need to at least try and plug one hole in the dam.

Lue's strategy coming into the series was a bit curious to me. You knew(hoped?) James didn't have to be a one man band this year with Irving, Love, and Smith hopefully pulling their weight but he chose to put one of the best defenders on the planet on Iggy rather than try and negate one of the Warriors main weapons when you know you're going to have "minus" defense on Curry and Thompson for the most part.

I get the impression right now that Kerr and the rest of the Golden St. staff is kind of pointing at the Cavs and laughing because the game plan right now is so easy for them. Reminds me of the scene in Waterboy when Henry Winkler's character is trying to use "Coaching Football For Dummies" and the other staff is reading it line by line and laughing at him during the game.

 

[FirstTimer]

LeBron James had zero points in the first quarter. Forget comparing LeBron to Jordan...lets just compare LeBron to any good NBA player who was the best player on a Finals team. That's absurd. Its like a bunch of 10-year olds playing basketball, then some kid's dad shows up, and he refuses to score and just passes the ball to the other kids. Except that LeBron is playing for an NBA ring.

Scary part of that was it was the Cavs best quarter.

 

[Scoot26]

Unless Cleveland shoots an absurd percentage in a game, they're not winning in this series. They don't have the defensive man power to stop anyone on GSW.

Rory alludes to a point as well or LeBron trying too hard to get everyone else involved while doing nothing himself.

Sent from the mod retirement home in Bakersfield, California.

 

[FirstTimer]

Unless Cleveland shoots an absurd percentage in a game, they're not winning in this series. They don't have the defensive man power to stop anyone on GSW.

Rory alludes to a point as well or LeBron trying too hard to get everyone else involved while doing nothing himself.

Sent from the mod retirement home in Bakersfield, California.

Again stolen from NBATV a bit but the Cav, aside from LeBron, don't really have many "ball movers" on offense. Irving, Smith, Love etc are more isolation players in the half court and aren't great at swing passes and playing in a system like the Warriors or Spurs do. The Cavs right now are WAY to isolation based and the Warriors defense, while not as good as last years, is still too damn good to not make them work hard. Too many Cavs possessions stall out with one on one isolation plays either up top or in the post. It's like watching a Thibs offense all over again at times.

 

[Scoot26]

Again stolen from NBATV a bit but the Cav, aside from LeBron, don't really have many "ball movers" on offense. Irving, Smith, Love etc are more isolation players in the half court and aren't great at swing passes and playing in a system like the Warriors or Spurs do. The Cavs right now are WAY to isolation based and the Warriors defense, while not as good as last years, is still too damn good to not make them work hard. Too many Cavs possessions stall out with one on one isolation plays either up top or in the post. It's like watching a Thibs offense all over again at times.

Yeah I saw that broke down during game one. Comparing what Cleveland did in the east playoffs versus how the Warriors were guarding it. Basically it was LeBron drawing a double or triple team in the post then one to three 3 point shooters would be open. Against a poorish Toronto team that worked well. GSW has mostly stayed home on those plays and taken away that threat and Cleveland now has no idea what to do.

Adjustments can obviously still be made in some regard but it won't be easy.

Sent from the mod retirement home in Bakersfield, California.

 

[clonetrooper264]

Now that the Cavs have to finally face a competent opponent it's no wonder what they were doing before isn't working now.

 

[Novak]

Guy at my work just said the cavs would be sweeping the thunder right now.. I considered head shotting him with my keyboard

 

[RoseMVP1]

I just had an argument with a guy about the eastern conference. He didn't think it was weak lol. If the Spurs or Thunder were here, they'd win in at least 6 maybe less. The Clippers might have even been able to win.

I enjoy LeBron losing but it's not even fun watching these games when Cleveland can't even put up a fight. This is why I hope they just do away with conferences.

 

[mini ditka]

I enjoy LeBron losing but it's not even fun watching these games when Cleveland can't even put up a fight. This is why I hope they just do away with conferences.

You do realize there is zero chance they get rid of the conferences. It would be like suggesting MLB baseball do away with the American and National Leagues.

 

[FirstTimer]

I picked the Cavs in 6.

I figured GS could be caught letting down a bit after the OKC series and I didn't think Kyrie, Smith, and Love would disappear the way they have.

Now the Cavs have to win 4 of the next 5 from a team that won 73 games.... Yikes.

 

[Scoot26]

I picked the Cavs in 6.

Really?

I definitely expected GSW to be defensively something Cleveland hadn't seen yet in these playoffs. I also assumed their 3 point shooting would die off. I didn't expect the games to be this bad though.

I figured GSW in 5 before the playoffs I put them in 6 before the series.

Sent from the mod retirement home in Bakersfield, California.

 

[clonetrooper264]

I figured the offensive boosts from Kyrie and Love would make more of a difference. Perhaps they will help the Cavs win a couple games yet, but so far it just seems like a massacre.

 

[Scoot26]

I figured the offensive boosts from Kyrie and Love would make more of a difference. Perhaps they will help the Cavs win a couple games yet, but so far it just seems like a massacre.

Well they've been poor this series, but I always viewed it as negligible anyways since their defense is bad. So unless they were shooting 60+% from the field, I didn't see it happening.

The logic that Irving + Love = more wins for Cleveland isn't true if those guys can't play championship defense. Cleveland last year played better defense in the playoffs without Love and Irving.

Sent from the mod retirement home in Bakersfield, California.

 

[SilenceS]

Warriors=GOAT

 

[A.C. Milan]

Warriors=GOAT

 

[Enasic]

I don't know why people thought Cleveland would make it competitive this series. I picked GS in 5 and after seeing the lack of fight, I'm picking GS to sweep. Honestly, the way Cleveland is competing this finals is pathetic. Sure, they could turn it around and they might win a game but it's been embarrassing so far.

 

[Scoot26]

Warriors=GOAT

I can make several homer arguments against that.

Sent from the mod retirement home in Bakersfield, California.

 

[FirstTimer]

Really?

.

Yeah, but keep in mind I'm coming at this from the stand point that I wasn't going to be shocked if the GS Warriors won it. Just kind of went with a knee jerk feel in this poll.

The more I watch this GS team the more they remind me an amped version of the '93 Suns, who IMO are one of the more underrated "great/very good" teams of the last 20-30 years.

 

[BNB]

The Cavs are embarrassing. It's not only because they're getting killed, but it looks like they don't give a shit. Their effort looks flat out atrocious at times. I honestly have no desire to watch the rest of the series. If CLE wins game 3, I'll tune in to game 4 to see if they can make it interesting though.

 

[Benchmob757]

Gotta expect them to do better at home, I mean they dropped 2 in Toronto so it's not so crazy that GS dominated these two games in Oakland. I picked 5 but a sweep wouldn't surprise me, the type of guys the cavs have on their team seem to me like the kind of guys who would just give up.


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