NBA Playoffs

[superjohn]

Lebron had a triple double but I didn't think he played well and certainly didn't have a takeover mentality.

 

[Scoe]

KD totally outplayed Lebron tonight I gotta say.

 

[CardiacAndre7]

Lebron had a triple double but I didn't think he played well and certainly didn't have a takeover mentality.

LeBron doesn’t have 3 other all NBA players that the other team has to focus on. The only other player who can hit a shot consistently is K Love.

 

[Scoe]

LeBron doesn’t have 3 other all NBA players that the other team has to focus on. The only other player who can hit a shot consistently is K Love.

No one is saying Lebron had to win this series but tonight was Cleveland's game to win and Curry and Thompson were awful. Lebron wasn't being aggressive enough in the 4th quarter on a night he was gonna get the calls he deserves the criticism tonight I'm sorry.

 

[superjohn]

LeBron doesn’t have 3 other all NBA players that the other team has to focus on. The only other player who can hit a shot consistently is K Love.

His teammates played fine tonight, that just wasn't a great game from him in a must win.

 

[champs99and04]

I remain pretty firm on everything I've said about KD. He's one of the best basketball players ever. You let him square off with LeBron five times every June and he's bound to outplay him on some of those occasions. Tonight was one of those nights. 43 points on 23 shots is a glitch in the system, straight up. That's create a player mode. And he was phenomenal defensively as well.

LeBron was timid in the second half. He needed to live in the paint and seek out those Curry/Thompson switches. Settling for jumpers a couple times late, deferring to role players like Thompson and Smith at inopportune times, holding the ball too late in the shot clock and then giving it up in crisis...he just left some plays on the table tonight that we expect him to make. It's one thing to have a night where maybe you're not comfortable with your jump shot, but in those situations I'd like to think he can grind it out, get to the line a dozen times, and carry his team across the finish line on fumes. I don't want to do the constant MJ comparison but if we're keeping score at home, he seemed to fair better in these sort of rock fights. I feel like he would have found a way to get that one. Not the series, but that one.

Having said that, the gap between LeBron and the world's second best player is larger than it's ever been. It was predictable that people would fool themselves into thinking this was a conversation because it was predictable that KD would play the cleaner, more efficient games for the winning team in this series. This is the perfect match-up for him and the brilliance of his decision to join this organization is that everything has been lined up for him on a tee. I don't resent him for it at all and would do the same thing if I were in his position, but this whole Warriors team is still child's play in comparison to the guy lining up for the other side. Everyone who watches ball knows the score on that one.

 

[Rocktheworld]

No one is saying Lebron had to win this series but tonight was Cleveland's game to win and Curry and Thompson were awful. Lebron wasn't being aggressive enough in the 4th quarter on a night he was gonna get the calls he deserves the criticism tonight I'm sorry.

3 All-NBAers who didn’t even need KD

 

[Scoe]

3 All-NBAers who didn’t even need KD

Thats a whole different discussion were talking about tonight.

 

[intlzncster]

I remain pretty firm on everything I've said about KD. He's one of the best basketball players ever. You let him square off with LeBron five times every June and he's bound to outplay him on some of those occasions. Tonight was one of those nights. 43 points on 23 shots is a glitch in the system, straight up. That's create a player mode. And he was phenomenal defensively as well.

LeBron was timid in the second half. He needed to live in the paint and seek out those Curry/Thompson switches. Settling for jumpers a couple times late, deferring to role players like Thompson and Smith at inopportune times, holding the ball too late in the shot clock and then giving it up in crisis...he just left some plays on the table tonight that we expect him to make. It's one thing to have a night where maybe you're not comfortable with your jump shot, but in those situations I'd like to think he can grind it out, get to the line a dozen times, and carry his team across the finish line on fumes. I don't want to do the constant MJ comparison but if we're keeping score at home, he seemed to fair better in these sort of rock fights. I feel like he would have found a way to get that one. Not the series, but that one.

Having said that, the gap between LeBron and the world's second best player is larger than it's ever been. It was predictable that people would fool themselves into thinking this was a conversation because it was predictable that KD would play the cleaner, more efficient games for the winning team in this series. This is the perfect match-up for him and the brilliance of his decision to join this organization is that everything has been lined up for him on a tee. I don't resent him for it at all and would do the same thing if I were in his position, but this whole Warriors team is still child's play in comparison to the guy lining up for the other side. Everyone who watches ball knows the score on that one.

I do find it weird that you are totally cool with KD's move, but you have almost outward animosity towards Kyrie for going to Boston. He saw a better future (not present) in Boston than in Cleveland; he was right.

 

[Rocktheworld]

Thats a whole different discussion were talking about tonight.

It was premptive

 

[superjohn]

I remain pretty firm on everything I've said about KD. He's one of the best basketball players ever. You let him square off with LeBron five times every June and he's bound to outplay him on some of those occasions. Tonight was one of those nights. 43 points on 23 shots is a glitch in the system, straight up. That's create a player mode. And he was phenomenal defensively as well.

LeBron was timid in the second half. He needed to live in the paint and seek out those Curry/Thompson switches. Settling for jumpers a couple times late, deferring to role players like Thompson and Smith at inopportune times, holding the ball too late in the shot clock and then giving it up in crisis...he just left some plays on the table tonight that we expect him to make. It's one thing to have a night where maybe you're not comfortable with your jump shot, but in those situations I'd like to think he can grind it out, get to the line a dozen times, and carry his team across the finish line on fumes. I don't want to do the constant MJ comparison but if we're keeping score at home, he seemed to fair better in these sort of rock fights. I feel like he would have found a way to get that one. Not the series, but that one.

Having said that, the gap between LeBron and the world's second best player is larger than it's ever been. It was predictable that people would fool themselves into thinking this was a conversation because it was predictable that KD would play the cleaner, more efficient games for the winning team in this series. This is the perfect match-up for him and the brilliance of his decision to join this organization is that everything has been lined up for him on a tee. I don't resent him for it at all and would do the same thing if I were in his position, but this whole Warriors team is still child's play in comparison to the guy lining up for the other side. Everyone who watches ball knows the score on that one.

Why doesn't Lebron guard Durant? I can't imagine Jordan or even Kobe shirking that challenge.

 

[Rocktheworld]

Why doesn't Lebron guard Durant? I can't imagine Jordan or even Kobe shirking that challenge.

Calm down boy

He was busy executing the game plan, which was to limit steph and klay to make KD beat them. He barely did, despite the talent difference

 

[superjohn]

Calm down boy

He was busy executing the game plan, which was to limit steph and klay to make KD beat them. He barely did, despite the talent difference

Limit Steph and Klay? I've never seen Steph miss more open shots.
The "Calm down boy" line was good though, I love it when Vegan Gainz tries to act tough.

 

[auror]

43 points on 23 shots is a glitch in the system, straight up. That's create a player mode.

Ha, exactly! That's like when I make "Auror" and he's 7'2" with 100 in shooting and agility.

LeBron was timid in the second half. He needed to live in the paint and seek out those Curry/Thompson switches. Settling for jumpers a couple times late, deferring to role players like Thompson and Smith at inopportune times, holding the ball too late in the shot clock and then giving it up in crisis...he just left some plays on the table tonight that we expect him to make. It's one thing to have a night where maybe you're not comfortable with your jump shot, but in those situations I'd like to think he can grind it out, get to the line a dozen times, and carry his team across the finish line on fumes. I don't want to do the constant MJ comparison but if we're keeping score at home, he seemed to fair better in these sort of rock fights. I feel like he would have found a way to get that one.

Jordan lost rock fights. MJ had single digit Game Scores in 2/3 years in the Finals during the 2nd 3-peat (low shooting %s, low 20s points, sub 5 rebounds & assists, and a few turnovers) in losses. This is probably LeBron's worst game of the last 2 Finals and he had a 33/10/11 with 2 steals and 2 blocks on 46% shooting while playing 47 minutes. Potentially on a twisted ankle. The difference is that when LeBron has played well the other games, they've still lost because the other team is better and his teammates are worse than Jordan's.

Without LeBron, this Cavs team wins.... 35 games? Kevin Love won 40 games once in 6 years in Minnesota and this team is about as good as his best one there (but Love himself is not as good anymore).

 

[auror]

Why doesn't Lebron guard Durant? I can't imagine Jordan or even Kobe shirking that challenge.

He was plenty of times. They'd just run a PnR and switch onto Love anyways. It doesn't matter.

 

[champs99and04]

I do find it weird that you are totally cool with KD's move, but you have almost outward animosity towards Kyrie for going to Boston. He saw a better future (not present) in Boston than in Cleveland; he was right.

I mean, I'm cool with KD's move because I like KD and I like the Warriors. I have acknowledged that if my rooting interests were different, I would probably hate KD for doing it.

My animosity towards Kyrie started when he went to Duke, to be clear, and I'm not trying to depict him as a bad person or anything like that. But asking out of Cleveland, one year removed from a championship, when the best player in the world hand picked you as the centerpiece of his coming home tour, is the height of arrogance, not to mention the fact that unlike LeBron and unlike KD, he was under contract for another two years.

I understand that playing with LeBron is no picnic. He isn't a saint. His body language is often poor, he complains a lot of about the officiating, sometimes to the detriment of his team, and he isn't afraid to show teammates up on the court. And that's just what we see. In the film room and on the practice court, you have to believe he comes off as arrogant, bossy, stubborn, and ungrateful. I can see how an intelligent kid like Kyrie who had already accomplished so much would have felt he'd graduated from b____ duty.

But everyone else LeBron's ever played with sucked it up. And those guys were his peers. Kyrie is seven years younger than LeBron, never accomplished a damn thing before LeBron got there, and actually had far more freedom on the court than other guys, like Love or Bosh, who made bigger sacrifices. I thought he should have put his ego to the side and embraced the challenge. At the very least, I don't think he should have blindsided him like he did.

 

[CardiacAndre7]

His teammates played fine tonight, that just wasn't a great game from him in a must win.

Love did, but also did almost nothing in the second half.. Rodney Hood finally played and played pretty well. Who else? And this is without mentioning the absolutely atrocious defense JR and Co. played the entire night on pick and rolls.

 

[Rocktheworld]

Limit Steph and Klay? I've never seen Steph miss more open shots.
The "Calm down boy" line was good though, I love it when Vegan Gainz tries to act tough.

You have nothing but boyish love for MJ and hate for LBJ. I have nothing to call you besides "boy".

Also because we are low on olive oil/vinaigrette

 

[superjohn]

Love did, but also did almost nothing in the second half.. Rodney Hood finally played and played pretty well. Who else? And this is without mentioning the absolutely atrocious defense JR and Co. played the entire night on pick and rolls.

Who played well for the Warriors? Steph and Klay had the worst games you'll ever see from them. It was a must win on his floor and Lebron was throwing bail out passes to Tristan Thompson with the game on the line. He still got his triple double because he's that good but that's about the most hollow huge stat line you'll see.

 

[CardiacAndre7]

Who played well for the Warriors? Steph and Klay had the worst games you'll ever see from them. It was a must win on his floor and Lebron was throwing bail out passes to Tristan Thompson with the game on the line. He still got his triple double because he's that good but that's about the most hollow huge stat line you'll see.

Its easy to call them bailout passes from our sofa while LeBron is dealing with 4 players that are absolutely keyed in on him on defense. Hood was the only other player who could score in the second half. JRand Korver are on the team to hit threes and can’t, so that adds to the pressure and the clogging of the paint.

 

[Horatio]

Lebron has K Love as a consistent team mate and that’s it. What else is there to debate. Outside of Tristan and Love, everyone else should be coming off the bench. There’s no need for further forensics.
The team is comprised of role/bench players. The end.

 

[Dogdeacon]

I mean, I'm cool with KD's move because I like KD and I like the Warriors. I have acknowledged that if my rooting interests were different, I would probably hate KD for doing it.

My animosity towards Kyrie started when he went to Duke, to be clear, and I'm not trying to depict him as a bad person or anything like that. But asking out of Cleveland, one year removed from a championship, when the best player in the world hand picked you as the centerpiece of his coming home tour, is the height of arrogance, not to mention the fact that unlike LeBron and unlike KD, he was under contract for another two years.

I understand that playing with LeBron is no picnic. He isn't a saint. His body language is often poor, he complains a lot of about the officiating, sometimes to the detriment of his team, and he isn't afraid to show teammates up on the court. And that's just what we see. In the film room and on the practice court, you have to believe he comes off as arrogant, bossy, stubborn, and ungrateful. I can see how an intelligent kid like Kyrie who had already accomplished so much would have felt he'd graduated from b____ duty.

But everyone else LeBron's ever played with sucked it up. And those guys were his peers. Kyrie is seven years younger than LeBron, never accomplished a damn thing before LeBron got there, and actually had far more freedom on the court than other guys, like Love or Bosh, who made bigger sacrifices. I thought he should have put his ego to the side and embraced the challenge. At the very least, I don't think he should have blindsided him like he did.

The exact chronology is debatable, but its pretty well established that Kyrie didn't demand to be traded until after the failed 3-way trade that was essentially Kyrie+Frye for Bledsoe + Paul George. That was definitely spurred by Kyrie discontent, but it wasn't until after they tried and failed to make than trade that he demanded to be traded. That and front office vacuum when Griffin left is why there was no attempt to convince Kyrie to stay = you (LeBron) can't sincerely implore him to stay when he knows you signed off on trading him. Essentially at that moment or later once Isaiah Thomas' injury was known the Cavs lost hope of winning the 2018 championship.

What is Kyrie Irving chasing?

 

[UConnTrumbull]

I just love watching Lebron lose. Don’t care who does it.

 

[superjohn]

You have nothing but boyish love for MJ and hate for LBJ. I have nothing to call you besides "boy".

Also because we are low on olive oil/vinaigrette

I'm a Knicks fan, I promise you I don't love Jordan but Jordan is just better than Lebron.

 

[champs99and04]

Why doesn't Lebron guard Durant? I can't imagine Jordan or even Kobe shirking that challenge.

Not really the way it works with today's switching defenses. LeBron did match up with KD late but Golden State will eventually get the match-up they want.