OT: NBA finals - who you got, and who do you want?

[EricSD]

Thought I'd do a different poll. vote twice - who you WANT to win, and who you THINK will win...

 

[bballnut90]

Lebron is playing on another level, but Golden State has to be the heavy favorite. They're a much stronger team than anyone in the east, and usually the more complete team will win with all the marbles on the line.

 

[triaddukefan]

I want Cleveland. But Golden State will win

 

[stwainfan]

I think Golden State. Then LeBron will have as many finals losses. Than Jordan has finals wins.

 

[JordyG]

I love LeBron, and frankly the idea of one player showing out in 8 straight finals is just mind boggling. (And here comes the but) But I enjoy watching Golden State play so much more, just as I'd rather watch UConn play, than any other team. I'd rather see this style of ball win and continue to show that a fluid, share the ball offense, is the best brand of BB. GS and Curry/Durant trumps (which is slang for passing wind in England) LeBron and co. in 5, maybe 6.

 

[Orangutan]

I would prefer to Cavs to win. The Warriors will win in 4 or 5. I likely will not watch.

I thought last year's WNBA season was a pointless march to another (admittedly excellent) Sparks-Lynx series. We are now on year 4 of Cavs-Warriors. As usual, LeBron is hilariously outgunned. Ho hum.

 

[Kaizen]

Warriors will win.
I like all LeBron, Curry and Durant. LeBron is great but does not have great support from his teammates.

 

[stwainfan]

 

[eebmg]

I love LeBron, and frankly the idea of one player showing out in 8 straight finals is just mind boggling. (And here comes the but) But I enjoy watching Golden State play so much more, just as I'd rather watch UConn play, than any other team. I'd rather see this style of ball win and continue to show that a fluid, share the ball offense is the best brand of BB. GS and Curry/Durant trumps (which is slang for passing wind in England) LeBron and co. in 5, maybe 6.

Totally agree with your reasoning although it is getting harder to enjoy watching GS due to their referee baiting antics and a seeming increase in 1-1 isolation ball with Durant. I am just glad Houston was knocked out because the style of ball they play is really ugly and I would have hated for that style to have been reinforced with good results. I do feel bad for Chris Paul though.

 

[JordyG]

Totally agree with your reasoning although it is getting harder to enjoy watching GS due to their referee baiting antics and a seeming increase in 1-1 isolation ball with Durant. I am just glad Houston was knocked out because the style of ball they play is really ugly and I would have hated for that style to have been reinforced with good results. I do feel bad for Chris Paul though.

I don't feel bad for any professional athlete today that has a mercenary status. In fact, I don't feel sorry for any of them when they lose. Losing is price of winning, and they all realize it.

 

[oldude]

Absent Lebron, this Cav's team may be the worst team to ever make it to the NBA finals. Like several other posters, I'd love to see Lebron carry his team over the finish line, but I strongly suspect that Golden State comes out on top.

 

[Carnac]

Thought I'd do a different poll. vote twice - who you WANT to win, and who you THINK will win...

I don't follow the NBA until the playoffs begin. The regular season doesn't count anyway, right? I think the Warriors win in FIVE!!! Cleveland does not have the manpower or the fire power to run with the warriors.

LeBron will need more help that he'll get to mount a serious challenge against Golden State. He'll need a teammate to give him at least 15 points every game. Who will it be? The only other teammate he could depend on for at least 25 a night left for Boston last year. The Cavaliers should be able to win at least one home game before bowing out. This series WILL NOT go 7 games.

Note - I wrote this BEFORE I saw Stephan A Smith's video saying the same thing. Golden State in 5.

 

[Shorty Dee]

I am not a Golden State Warriors fan, but I am riding with them. I do not care for Lebron James, he is an overrated player.

 

[EricSD]

I am not a Golden State Warriors fan, but I am riding with them. I do not care for Lebron James, he is an overrated player.

Overrated? How so? I am not a fan of his either, but it's like saying Rafa or Roger or Serena (to use tennis analogies) are overrated...

 

[Shorty Dee]

Overrated? How so? I am not a fan of his either, but it's like saying Rafa or Roger or Serena (to use tennis analogies) are overrated...

I haven't seen a player travel so much in my life. Even the best players were called for traveling .

 

[eebmg]

I don't feel bad for any professional athlete today that has a mercenary status. In fact, I don't feel sorry for any of them when they lose. Losing is price of winning, and they all realize it.

I meant his injury. Not the losing.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

Those things aren't over yet?

 

[nwhoopfan]

The same damn teams AGAIN?! Yawn. Who cares. I thought Boston for sure had a good chance to win game 7, but nope. We'll never know, but maybe if Chris Paul doesn't get hurt the Rockets are in the Finals. Did I mention yawn and who cares?

 

[Reypl21]

Want the Cavs, but the Warriors in 5.
I was talking with my dad about the conference finals. If LeBron has an off night, his team will most likely lose because no one is there to pick of the slack. If Steph, Klay, Durant, or Green are off, they 2-3 other superstars that can carry the load.

 

[JordyG]

I haven't seen a player travel so much in my life. Even the best players were called for traveling .

Clearly you don't remember Michael Jordan, or you were too big a Bulls fan to care. He was master of steps.

 

[Bigboote]

I am not a Golden State Warriors fan, but I am riding with them. I do not care for Lebron James, he is an overrated player.

I'm glad I'm not the only one here who can't stand LeBron. But I don't think he's overrated.

 

[VAUConnFan]

I want Cleveland but Golden State has far too many offensive weapons and they defend well.

 

[MilfordHusky]

LeBron is adding to his resume as one of the all-time greats. How many times did Wilt lose to the Celtics or West (the league logo) lose to the Celtics? Carrying your team and losing to a better team does get recognized.

I don’t see that Cleveland can match the shooting and passing of Golden State. Don’t sleep on Klay Thompson. He defends and once scored 35 points in a quarter. When he gets hot, points come very fast.

 

[Carnac]

I haven't seen a player travel so much in my life. Even the best players were called for traveling .

Shorty Dee, I seriously respect your opinion, but I don't think he's overrated. I'll not try to dissuade you from your position, I'll just share a thought about LeBron. Many learned basketball pundits who have been watching and covering the NBA for the past 40+ years, have no problem mentioning His Airness, Michael Jordan and LeBron in the same breath. While many will argue which is the greatest player of all time, most would put LeBron right next to Jordan on the NBA's "Mount Rushmore". IMO, James has earned that distinction.

Now, back to your original thought. The players in the NBA only do what the referees let them get away with. Yes he travels, but so does everyone else in the league. Officially, you can take 2 steps after you pick up your dribble. In today's game in the NBA, you can take an extra step, and the refs won't call it. Yes, LeBron and the other super stars in the league get some calls that rookies and 2nd year players don't get, but not gross traveling violations. They'll call those.

If a player can get pushed down from behind right in front of a ref (it happened several times in the Boston/Cleveland series); and Dramond Green pushing and shoving Houston players down nightly, while these are clearly a personal foul violation, yet those fouls aren't called. Why do you think the refs are going to call a minor 3 step traveling violation? It's like "palming" which players often do when driving to the basket. That violation is also seldom called. The only way they could carry the ball more than they do is if it had handles.

Most referees don't have the keen eyesight that we do. The coaches and us (the fans in the stands and on TV) see EVERYTHING. Sometimes the action happens so fast, they miss a violation or two. When confronted by the coaches about a missed call, sometimes they simply say "I didn't see it". For what it's worth, my wife doesn't like LeBron either. She was pulling so hard for Boston, her arms hurt. She likes Steph, KG, Klay Thompson and those boys.

 

[jimazee]

Don't care. May watch a few minutes. Didn't vote.

 

[JordyG]

Shorty Dee, I seriously respect your opinion, but I don't think he's overrated. I'll not try to dissuade you from your position, I'll just share a thought about LeBron. Many learned basketball pundits who have been watching and covering the NBA for the past 40+ years, have no problem mentioning His Airness, Michael Jordan and LeBron in the same breath. While many will argue which is the greatest player of all time, most would put LeBron right next to Jordan on the NBA's "Mount Rushmore". IMO, James has earned that distinction.

Now, back to your original thought. The players in the NBA only do what the referees let them get away with. Yes he travels, but so does everyone else in the league. Officially, you can take 2 steps after you pick up your dribble. In today's game in the NBA, you can take an extra step, and the refs won't call it. Yes, LeBron and the other super stars in the league get some calls that rookies and 2nd year players don't get, but not gross traveling violations. They'll call those.

If a player can get pushed down from behind right in front of a ref (it happened several times in the Boston/Cleveland series); and Dramond Green pushing and shoving Houston players down nightly, while these are clearly a personal foul violation, yet those fouls aren't called. Why do you think the refs are going to call a minor 3 step traveling violation? It's like "palming" which players often do when driving to the basket. That violation is also seldom called. The only way they could carry the ball more than they do is if it had handles.

Most referees don't have the keen eyesight that we do. The coaches and us (the fans in the stands and on TV) see EVERYTHING. Sometimes the action happens so fast, they miss a violation or two. When confronted by the coaches about a missed call, sometimes they simply say "I didn't see it". For what it's worth, my wife doesn't like LeBron either. She was pulling so hard for Boston, her arms hurt.

I agree Scoop. Though I would say most referee's don't have the keen "hindsight" that we fans have either. Back in Jordan's day and before, the game was far more physical. The physicality of the game today in the playoffs is more or less how regular season games were played in Jordan's day. The playoffs were wars. Then as now though refs seem to pick and choose which foul to call and when.

People today seem offended that LeBron complains to the refs so much. But those people seem to be new fans that don't remember guys like Rick Barry who started complaining during warmups. He would complain before, during, and after the same shot. Larry Bird was no silent Sam either. People seem offended that LeBron has taken his own professional life in his hands and controls his own destiny. They of course ignore the fact that he plays as hard as anyone. Ever. And rarely misses any court time due to injury. Unlike most of the guys his detractors root for. Some are also offended that he is also unafraid to reveal his social awareness. It is as it is.

 

[JellyBean]

Picking the Warriors. Too may options on offense. And when they lock in on the defensive end, nobody can stop them.

 

[EricSD]

Don't care. May watch a few minutes. Didn't vote.

Then why bother reading the thread or posting?

 

[jimazee]

Then why bother reading the thread or posting?

To check the choices presented, responding with my valid missing opinion. .. (and sadly) get a wise @ answer?

Without reading the thread

 

[Shorty Dee]

Clearly you don't remember Michael Jordan, or you were too big a Bulls fan to care. He was master of steps.

Yes, I remember Michael Jordan and how he would travel. No I am not a Bulls fan or Michael Jordan fan.