Here Today... Gone To Hell!

I know there are many sports fans on this board, but no thread for basketball/NBA. No one that interested? :)

Well anyway, it's the playoff time again and the bracket looks like this this time around:

(http://i.imgur.com/IKDWu5K.png)

I find some interesting match-ups here. Golden State, Cavaliers and Spurs should of course go through pretty easily if they can keep their act together. I think the Clippers-Trail Blazers is the most exciting pairing here, along with Atlanta-Boston.

I HOPE that Clippers, Hawks and Hornets can make it at least through the first round. And wouldn't mind seeing Golden State and Cavaliers losing it..

I am not the NBA fan I used to be as a kid....

I adored the Ewing knicks.... but they have been so bad for so long...

Looking forward to a Spurs Warriors series... thats must watch if youa re a sports fan.

Let go Raptors!

Amazing season by the Warriors, setting the record with 73 wins.  Steph Curry hitting an insane 402 3-pointers this season.  For context, before Curry was in the league, most 3s in a season was 269.  Historic stuff. 

Warriors should repeat. Realistically only the Spurs have a prayer of beating them.

Detroit was shockingly good last night! So close but not close enough though. But considering that they weren't supposed to stand a chance they did very well, so this series might get very interesting.

The only actual surprise yet is the Pacers win over Raptors. But we'll see what happens next round...

Warriors will win in 5 vs Houston without Curry...at worst.

However... next round would be a lot tougher vs the Clipps if he can't go.

The Celtics have their work cut out for them this series after losing Avery Bradley to an unfortunate injury in game 1. They battled all the way back from a 19 point deficit to take a 3 point lead with about 7 minutes left. Bradley was their leading scorer at that point with 18. Then he got hurt and while they battled until the end, they weren't nearly as effective. He's not expected back in this series, so it's going to be tough. I didn't expect the C's to be a contender or anything, but winning a round would've been nice. It was going to be tough enough at full strength. Without a key piece, it'll be that much tougher.

Curry had an MRI today and the injury is not serious. Still questionable for game 3 though.

I would sit him for Game 3 too, even if you take a loss here. Much more important for next series and onward for him to be healthy.

Totally agree. They should beat Houston pretty easily without him. They are gonna need him more against the Clippers and Spurs.

And now it's 2-0 for the Hawks, very hard for the Celtics. The next game is pretty much what defines this series, 3-0 would be too much for the C's.

The whole picture at the moment:
(http://i.imgur.com/M3DbH4M.png)

I think no real surprises there, except that Mavs actually won one game :hihi: I'm expecting a lot from Detroit tonight, they played well in the first game! And I also hope that Indiana can keep on challenging Toronto.

So Houston was able to get a win from GSW, that's good. I wonder if this will have a bigger impact on the series than people actually believe. Perharps not, and GSW-Clippers would be a nice series to watch anyways!

Tonight Cav's, Spurs and Hawks can make it 3-0, which would pretty much seal the deal for them.

Curry is expected back for game 4. I expect that'll kill any momentum Houston might've gained last night. They still nearly blew that one. With Curry i don't give Houston a shot at all.

Oh my, that moment when Curry slipped last night and bent his knee.. must've hurt.

To be honest, that game was baaaaaad from both sides. GSW didn't seem to be able to produce anything and Houston had every chance to make the game theirs, but they didn't take that chance.

Anyway, Cleveland and Spurs go to the next round. Boston is now tied with Atlanta and so is Toronto with Indiana. We'll see what happens..

Nervous times for Golden State with Curry undergoing an MRI today. It didn't look too good. Hard to believe he'd come back 100%, if at all. Obviously that would severely hurt their chances and I think give the Spurs an edge up on them.

Celtics showed immense heart at home these last two games after a very poor effort in game 2. They've had to change things on the fly after the Bradley injury. Obviously the home crowd was a huge boost for them. We'll see how they play back in Atlanta. I love the fight in them though. At the very least, proud of them for never giving up.

Curry out two weeks will be re evaluated then. Grade 1 MCL strain. Most likely will miss all of round 2.

Huge Raptors win last night

Surely. But to be honest I still hope that Pacers will win the series :hihi:

Atlanta did great against the Celtics! They face Cleveland on the second round, should be an interesting series that one.

Let's go raptors.   I am such a huge fan hahaha

Canada number 1

All these teams in the East are just playing for the right to lose to the Warriors in the finals.

Cleveland-Toronto should be a great series! Also interesting to see if Oklahoma has anything against Golden State, I thought they'd fall already against the Spurs.

I think C town pushes them to 7 games and might win.

Gotta remember Lebron took them to the brink last year with Dellavedova as his second best player!

I am rooting for Cleveland only for their fanbase...if anybody deserves a title...it's them.

IDK.

If Cleveland keeps shooting the way they have been, and stay healthy....I don't think even GS can stop them.  The Cleveland team we saw through much of the regular season is NOT the Cavs team that has shown up to the playoffs. :)  But I think maintaining that shooting %, especially from 3, might be tough.

AND....OKC is actually the ONE team, right now, who I think might make GS sweat a little.  With Stephs knee likely not 100%, he's going to have to play against a quick, running team with potent shooters who are going to make him (no matter who they put him on) work his wheels on defense.

I think GS wins that series, but I think it might go 7.

I think the Cavs win theirs in 5, and then gets to sit for a good while.

Which means you might have a winded GS team on very little rest facing a fresh, physical Cavs team.

I'd say, under normal circumstances, even money.  If Steph shows he's a half step slower in OKC, I'd give the cavs the edge over whoever comes out of the west.

I'll agree with you there. Nobody deserves a title in a sport more then Cleveland. They've suffered for so long in all sports.

All comes down to how healthy Steph Curry is imo. If Steph is healthy forget it. The man can win games by himself. He's ridiculous.

Big upset as KD and the Thunder take game 1 over Golden St.

Fun little debate... If you were starting a team...

Do you take Durant or Westbrook?

Could go either way... lean towards Durant.

I definitely go with Durant. Westbrook is good, but KD could be an all time great.

IF Westbrook ever developed a more consistent jumper...he'd basically be unguardable. That holds him back a little. There is nobody who can touch him in athleticism.

This series will be fun.

OKC has 2 of the 3 best players on the court on their team.  And 2 of the top 10...maybe top 5..players in the league.

Steph is amazing. He CAN take control of games by himself.  But can he do it four times when he's admittedly not 100%?

Last night....that was a kicker.  It showed you exactly what I mean.

I think Westbrook is the better all-around player, but for a guard to not be able to consistently shoot the 3 in the modern game... that's a liability nowadays. 

That was an incredible comeback by OKC. GSW looked like they had them beat then went cold in the 3rd quarter.

Pretty much the opposite of the most of the reg season games. :)

Yep, i wouldn't expect the warriors to lay another turd that bad though.

Now that's the kind of effort i expected from GS.

God, the west playoff games have been amazing!

Should GS be worried that OKC split their opening road games even though Durant and Westbrook didn't play all that well (aside from isolated spurts)?

After last nights result....I'd say yes!

Thats twice they've been blown out in 3 games.  They are one loss away from being "in serious trouble".

And after the nut shot heard round the world, there is at least the potential GS will be missing a key player next game.

I hate to use the term "must win" when we're only going into game 4, but.....it pretty much is.  If GS goes down 3-1, I think they'll have a VERY hard time winning 3 straight games. If there's one team in the NBA that could do it, it's them..but that's a tough mountain to climb.

I wouldn't hesitate to call it a must win. In fact, I say Game 4 decides the series.

In all likelihood, that's true, but then again GS can go on a 3-game stretch of bombing 3s at a 50% clip, they've done it before, so you never know.

I think its more of a must win for OKC. If they don't the likelihood it goes 7 games is very good and i just don't see GSW losing game 7 at home.

Well now the Cavs are in some big trouble.

Can you imagine a Toronto-OKC Finals??!! 

Tonights game is gonna be nuts.

Great win by the Raptors last night

I would have lost big on Cleveland last night.

I really don't think they can win this series even still...but what a performance to storm back and tie it.

I know the West teams are really rooting for them.  : ok:

The Raptors were SO aggressive last night on defense.  They were overplaying the passing lanes all night long.  They gave up some easy backdoor layups but for the most part they were up in the face of all Cleveland players pressuring them.  I liked it, they were playing to win and not holding back.  I can't believe how much Biyombo has stepped up.  I thought Toronto was dead in the water this series without Valenciunas. 

Cleveland has shown in the regular season how easy it is for them to splinter.  Lue needs to pull this team together. 

Super early, but this is not the way ypu wanted to start if you are gs.

Curry definitely doesn't seem himself. No way he's 100% healthy right now.

Kerr said he's not "injured". I think that means he's hurt (aka his previous injuries are still healing and causing him some discomfort and mobility issues).

As a shooter, ANYTHING that goes haywire with your wheels is going to effect you a ton.  He just doesn't look comfortable when he's shooting..his mechanics are off.

And on defense, he's just a half step slower than usual.

Like I said when the series started...this was the WORST possible matchup for GS considering Steph's knee an ankle.  OKC is long, quick, young, and athletic.  It's giving the Warriors fits.

That being said, I'm listening to everyone and their grandmother insist the series is 100% over.  I disagree.  GS is on the ropes, but if their shooting and Stephs quickness reappear....you have to give GS a punchers chance, at least.  There's potentially 3 games left, 2 would be in GS.  OKC does NOT want to go into a game 7, winner take all, vs the Warriors at home, IMHO.  They gotta put them away in game 5 or 6.

Again, next game will be very interesting.  Can OKC manage to take 2 games from GS on their home court in one series? 

I think GS probably eeks out game 5...but i don't see them winning back in OKC.

I agree that Curry is a step slow.

If Toronto can ever steal game 5 tonight... man THE NORTH will be electric with a chance to win at home.

Would love to see Thunder Raptors !

Exactly and I bet OKC feels the same way.  They want to close this series out.  They are well aware of how dangerous this team can be.  That being said, Russell Westbrook has been arguably the most exciting player to watch this postseason.  That guy plays every second like the fate of his family depends on it.  As a former player (not pro) myself I can tell you he is exactly the type of player you HATE covering as a guard.  He is physical and takes it to the rim with reckless abandon almost every possession.  Him and Derrick Rose prior to the knee injury must give opposing guards nightmares. 

73-9 gone to waste... lol. I dont think Toronto could do it... The NBA wont allow it... Think Sacramento

IMO that is just Kerr trying to not make excuses for Curry but anyone that's watched a good number of Warrior games this year can see Curry isn't right. The man is usually lights out ridiculous shooting. He's been almost invisible this series. Anyone that says he's fine i would like to know what they are smoking and where i can get some. Having said that, anyone one counting them out yet is making a big mistake. They are the defending champs and have 2 of 3 at home now. They steal the one in OKC watch out. OKC wants no part of game 7 in Oracle. If Curry wakes up tomorrow feeling 100% that would be big trouble for OKC. We know this team is more then capable of winning 3 straight.

Agreed, nobody watching can say with a straight face Curry is 100% healthy.

I think kerr, if you listen, chse his word carefully. He even pauses. Curry isn't injured. But there is a difference hetween "injured" and hurting. I think its obvious hes hurting.

He's definitely not right whether its injured or still just hurting from the injuries.

Well so much for the momentum the Raptors had gained the last two games.

Raptors in 7!

As much as I don;t care for Cleveland... and would love to see them choke...

OKC would run Toronto right out of the building... So the finals needs Cleveland in there.

I love the NBA, but these playoffs have been a huge bust. 

Too many blowouts and too few memorable moments.  Well, that don't involve kicks to the groin, that is.

Total joke he was not suspended.

Yeah not very riveting. No defense whatsoever either.

The East is so bad... Lebron is an all time great... but look at the teams he has to go thru each year...teams lead by Jeff teague, Kyle Lowry and Andre Drummond... none of those guys would make an all star team in ANY other decade.

Lebron has no excuse this year either... he has to win... if he wants to be in the all time best ever discussion you can't lose ANOTHER finals... not with his team healthy this time around.

I just don't know if the Cavs can beat either OKC or GSW. I think both those teams are on a complete different level then any team out east.

Man... Westbrook is on a mission! N Durant's D has been great... U might be right. OKC all the way...

Not so fast! Game 6 here we come. A must win for OKC.

Game 6 in OKC. A must win for the Thunder. They'll win game 7 at Oracle when pigs grow wings and fly.

Yeah, Oracle is probably the worst place for a must-win-road-game :D

I'm just hoping they wouldn't have to go there!

I'd give Cleveland a decent shot vs either team. Certainly be an underdog... but they could win.

Rooting for OKC... just something about the Warriors gets under my skin.

I guess because the talk of them being the best team ever all year drove me insane.

I think OKC closes it out at Game 6.  Even with the win, GS did not look very convincing last night... I thought it was 8 against 5, as the refs were giving them every call. 

Also, I expect Cavs to take the East tonight.  And then beat OKC in the finals in 6. 

Agree. OKC played their worst game of the series last night...and probably their 2nd worst of the playoffs.

GS got the benefit of every call, and every no call, pretty much all night.

And yet....GS eked out the win. It was not all that convincing a victory, IMHO.

That's not to say they can't rebound and play better in OKC and steal another one, but....I'd agree that I think OKC takes game 6 to close it out.

Durant and Westbrook don't seem to be too worried about GS here:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fSs0bbdDhOA.  I know they were speaking only in reference to Curry as a defender, but when one team see's the other team's best player as a laughable, that is not a good sign.  Durant and Westbrook just come off as beyond convinced that the 2 of them can beat GS with any 3 random guys (even Jaeball, faldor and Baconman... ok, maybe not Baconman). 

Let's go raptors!

If they don't win game 6 it'll be Curry that'll be laughing all the way to the NBA finals in consecutive seasons. They do NOT want to take GSW lightly. Especially if Curry starts playing the way he did all season before the injury.

I'm not so sure the Cavs end it tonight. So far in the season series between these two teams the home team has won every game.

Raptors made a couple runs, but cavs were pretty much in control all night! On to the finals for them.

Tonights game will be nuts, i think.

Yeah, i was expecting a better effort from them at home but they played the worst game since game 2.

OKC better bring their A game tonight. They must end it tonight. They don't and they don't win the series.

OKC better play a fantastic second half. The warriors don't look like they're going away in this one easily.

Hello Houston, this is the Oklahoma City Thunder. We are in big fucking trouble and we need help!

Yup, I'd say GS is decidedly the favorite to win, now!

With their home record combined with the home teams record in game 7's i just can't see OKC pulling it off.

Ha! I had some pretty sick post moves back in the day. I was like the Kevin McHale of youth basketball. But then I stopped growing. Not many 6' big men dominating the paint these days.

Big win for Golden St to say the least. Can't see them losing game 7 at home, but you never know. I think Cleveland has a solid shot in the finals.

Jeez, that game 6 was the opportunity of a lifetime for OKC but they just didn't make use of it. If Golden State doesn't take a step forward though, I think OKC still has a chance to grab the win tonight. It's just never easy at the Oracle...

Anyways, I'm all for Cleveland this time!

Very weak performance by OKC in Game 6.  They should have brought their A game, would have still won if they just played their C game, but instead put up a stinking F.  Horrible shooting by Durant and Westbrook, 6 turnovers in the last 2:49... and yet still, GS barely eked out the win (and that's even with GS shooting near 50% from 3 and a playoff record 11 3s from Klay Thompson).  I can't remember the last 3-3 series where one team seemed so far superior to the other.  For that, I have to still give the edge to OKC in Game 7.  Right now, they look like the better team by a good margin; not to discount home court, momentum, a possible 3-pt barrage by GS, etc., but at the end of the day, I'm picking the better team to win. 

The officiating in this league is a joke. How was Adams not given a flagrant 2 for DDTing Green?

Boooo :no:

I haven't seen the game 7 yet, it was on around 4 in the morning here. But sucky result!

Go Cavs! I think they have every chance to win the title, GS hasn't convinced me at all in the playoffs.

Oh come on ! Green pulled him down !

Not a shocker... after game 6...this was a formality. Feel for OKC fans.

I mean...not for nothing....but GS got the better end of the officiating last night.  I saw both Westbrook and Durant take full blown karate chops across the forearms, more than once (sending the ball flying wildly on short range shot attempts), and not get calls. Never mind flagrants (hey, at least they weren't getting kicked in the nuts), they weren't getting simple FOUL calls.

I watched The Splash brothers get collectively breathed on and they got calls.

And to be clear, I'm not complaining about it.  Superstars and home teams get the calls.  That's the NBA. I don't think it really had any noteable effect on the outcome.

As an aside, last night was a prime example of why I hate regular season NBA games (even though this wasn't one, it had all the hallmarks of one).  Travelling every drive. Nobody can make the short range jumper (or layup, for gods sake). Drive by defense in the paint. Then the entire game decends into watching guys heave the ball from outside the arc, taking (and making, mostly) shots that my high school coach, and pretty much every college coach, would bench you for taking.

In the playoffs, that tends to go away, because both the offense and defenses are better.  I know that's a big part of GS's game, and generally I'm OK with it because, for the playoffs, they mix in other good fundamentals.

But not last night.  OKC couldn't defend the perimeter, completely lost focus in the 3rd quarter, and looked lost. GS's defense was NOT the cause of much of OKC's woes..they flat out were missing open, short range, looks. Over and over and over again.  GS just put up (and drilled) terrible looking bomb after bomb until they rattled OKC.  It's boring basketball to me (esp since I'm not a member of the fanbase of either team...which isn't to say I don't like them, but...I'm watching for good basketball and games, not to see "my" team win). It worked, so you can't fault the result for GS. But it's not the game I want to watch. The other 6 games in the series were, IMHO, much more fun to watch.

I keep seeing predictions and polls about who you think (or want) to win.  I could care less. Both make good stories. Both teams "deserve it".  I just want 7 close, hard fought, wars the do the sport proud. :)

^ Very good points on GS.  I've been making and continue to make the same mistake about them constantly.  From a conventional standpoint, they're a good, not great, team, who you would expect a team like OKC to crush.  OKC dominated them in this series from just about every quantitative and qualitative angle you can name... rebounding, 2nd chance points, points in the paint, quickness off the dribble, etc.  Basketball, as I have known and understood it, has always been about getting the ball as close to the rim for the easiest possible shot, ideally a dunk or layup.  GS is just not very good at that.  So I always wrongly assume that they'll go down at some point... but they don't.  And it's simply because they've turned conventional basketball wisdom on its head.  Basically, they've embraced the obvious logic that a 3-point shot is worth more than a 2-pt shot, so it's better to take more 3-pt shots. And to stack the team with guys who are good at shooting 3s.  It won't be long before most teams start playing like this.  It's not pretty, at least IMO, but it works. 

Steph is kind of a jerk, no?

Pretty arrogant, preens a lot, and taunts the other team pretty openly.

He stuck his fucking finger in Westbrook's eye at one point last night.  Vicious, disgusting, unsanitary and all that, but diabolical too, as I'm sure it fucked up Westbrook's vision enough to throw off his shooting a bit.  He should be suspended minimum 1 game for that. 

Plus, the mouth guard, ugh, beyond gross. 

Essentially.

Basically, there are 2 worthwhile shots that increase offensive efficiency: the dunk/layup, and the 3.  And the dunk/layup, only because/if it opens up from, or is the result of the defense overplaying, the 3. The make % is soooo high in that case (85% or more) it balances out the points "lost".

The midrange, and even short range, jumper is worthless. Largely because the make % of those shots isnt "enough" greater than the make % of the three to outweigh the 50% increase in points scored with the 3.

And it becomes sort of self fulfilling. Chicks dig the long ball, so fewer and fewer work on their short game. Which makes the offensive efficiency of the 3 even greater. And so on.

Thats todays nba. As i said, its less so in the playoffs. But, for me, tje regular season is almost unwatchable.

Honestly, i think the 3 line needs to come back 18 to 24 inches.....and no corner threes at all.  But that will never happen.

^ Agree on the rule change, but also agree no chance of it happening.  So long as the average 3-pt shooting percentage is greater than 2/3rds of the 2-pt shooting percentage in the league (and it basically almost always is by a good margin), then the 3-pt concept as it is now is flawed.  I'm just amazed that it took all these decades before a team realized to exploit that flaw.  So now, 45 minutes of one team's dominance can be undone by isolated 3-pt shooting sprees. 

It's bad for the sport because everybody is going to try to copy the formula ... But these two shooters are just not normal ...it won't work.

It will, actually. Hell, it has!

It might not work AS well...certainly not at the outset...because its going to be hard to get two shooters with high make %s on the same team. There are teams starting to do it, now. You can see the cavs doing quite a bit of it in the playoffs, this year, too.  Other teams were leaning that way, and hasdsuccess, in the regular season. They didn't win 73, or make the finals, but....improved results over previous years for those teams.

And those other 3pt shooting players exist to bring in, and given the numbers, i think you'll see more teams working to get those pairs, esp as the cap number baloons after next season. And you will see guys start working on their long game more, too, because it will mean bigger demand in the fa market.

They might not be exactly gs's guys, but they will be closer to that model than what most of us have thought of as the traditional nba model.

Its either move the line, or live with ths being the new nba status quo.

I think GS will continue to have the edge over the rest of league in the near future simply because they constructed their roster for that purpose.  The rest of the league will follow their lead and start drafting and signing players who fit the Ray Allen prototype instead of the Jordan prototype.  Once the rest of the league catches up, I think we'll start seeing many 7- and 8-seeds winning NBA titles because this 'jack up as many 3s as possible' shit is a lot more random in a playoff series. 

As for my finals prediction, who the hell knows?  It was inconceivable that it would take GS 6 games to beat a one-man Lebron team last year... I could just as easily see them sweeping a stacked Cavs team this time around.  It all depends on the frequency and accuracy of their 3-bombs, which is impossible to predict for a short series. 

But he wrapped his arm around the guys neck!

Yeah, he seems to be pretty full of himself. Of course he's good, but I can't stand arrogant athletes at all, no matter how great one is.

By the way, I also agree with the talk about moving the 3pt line. But even more importantly I'd put the emphasis on making the court a little wider, thus allowing the arc to actually be an arc. That would reduce the number of easy 3's from the corners.

See, I'd leave the court width and just eliminate the corner 3 altogether.  Arc intersects the sideline and the corners are inside the 2pt area.  If you move the line up, the arc just intersects further up from the baseline.

That accomplishes two things: It makes the shots harder, and gives the defense less area to have to cover in the 3 point range..  On offense, your traditional 2 and 3 position players are now unable to set up on the wings and bury shorter 3 pointers and it makes them less effective distributors of the ball if they set up behind the arc, because it packs the 1,2, and 3 position players in a confined area.  And your 4 is going to have a much harder time popping out from down low to bury that corner 3 pointer, too.

But, this is all pipe dreams.  The NBA will never, ever go for it.  They LIKE the 3 ball, because they feel it makes the game "exciting".  To me, the over-emphasis on it, of late, just removes most of the strategy, positioning, and actual PLAYS from the game.  But I"m not their target audience, mostly. :)

Exactly. Too much of standing and waiting for an easy 3pt shot these days. And too little actual physical play and use of brains.

It does give the shorter ones a possibility though, if they can shoot from the current arc.

Anyone but LeBron, I always say.

I'm getting in to the "anyone but Curry" mode more and more.

I don't really care for either team... so I am going to root for the city/fans of Cleveland.

As long as the games are tight and it goes 6 or 7 I'd be happy... if Cleveland has a chance to close it out at home game 6... that building will be out of this world.

I see it's only taken 1 year and 1 title for some people to turn on Steph. I know people tend to dislike winning teams, but this might be record pace to turn people off. I still like them, far more than Lebron and Cleveland. Should be a good series, I'd think.

To me it's not about disliking winning teams, but I appreciate a certain type of modesty. Arrogant people are just annoying.

But back to the game itself. I missed the live action last night but it seems like it was a pretty easy job for the Warriors, or at least to their bench :D

So it was only the first game but anyone still think i am wrong that the East teams were just playing for the right to lose to the Warriors? :D

Nah, because both teams played like crap.

It was close until about midway through the 3rd, when the Cavs crappiness finally overcame the Warriors crappiness. Could have easily gone the other way, if the cavs actually remembered how to pass the ball, and didn't forget that David Blatt isn't their coach anymore.

IF GS wins Sunday, convincingly, maybe.  But not the way they played last night.  They're lucky Cleveland layed a BIGGER egg, quite frankly. And no, it wasn't because of GS defense. It was because Cleveland forgot what "ball movement" was.

It was a terrible game to watch......

I haven't watched enough of Curry to notice his arrogance, but most great players have some level of arrogance. It comes with the territory. The guy is damn good. Wasn't highly recruited out of high school and went to a small school. Not to say he came from nothing, since his dad played in the NBA, but still not much was expected from him. It's not like he hasn't worked his ass off to get to where he is today. The man can boast a little if he wants. To go from completely off the radar as an NBA prospect at Davidson to the only unanimous MVP in NBA history. It's quite the story, and I admire him for it.

I get that the arrogance, preening and all that comes with the territory, but he's got to stop it with the mouth guard.  Also, he showed a very petulant side when he shoved his finger in Westbrook's eye, which I'm sure was motivated by the fact that Westbrook was wearing him out most of the series. 

I know it's only the first game but I didn't see any reason there to think Cleveland can win this series (and I'm rooting for Cleveland). Curry and Thompson shot poorly and it still wasn't that close at the end.

That is true. You can't count on holding Curry and Thompson in check like that consistently. In fact, it probably won't happen again. At least not with both of them having off nights. The 2nd half really wasn't all that competitive. Cleveland has had a bit of a layoff though and they weren't exactly expected to take game 1. You know what the say, the series doesn't start until a road team wins a game. So far, GS is holding serve.

Cavs are in big trouble. They got their asses handed to them tonight and Love could be done with a concussion. If they don't win game 3 they'll be bending over and kissing their ass goodbye in game 4.

This pretty much sums it up, sadly. Looks way too easy for GS at the moment..

If Love has a concussion and it seems likely i don't see them having any chance. I don't really think they had one with him though.

I don't think it matters... he's one of the most overrated players in any of the 4 major sports.. and a perfect example as to why you don't let star players act as the G.M.

Well the Cavs came out and did exactly what they needed to do tonight. Looks like we have ourselves a series.

The NBA playoffs as a whole have been unwatchable.

Every game is a blowout no matter who is playing or which team wins.

I know I sound like an old fart... but today's game is terrible. Nobody guards anybody, so whoever has an off shooting night from deep gets waxed.

I miss the good ol days of Knicks/Heat.  :)

Ever since the Celtics bowed out in round 1, I haven't watched much at all. I forgot it was even on last night. From what I've heard though, the refs were quite kind to the Cavs. It could also be a case of a bit of a letdown game for GS. They took care of business decisively at home, maybe they let up a little and thought they could coast to the championship. We'll see how game 4 goes. I'd expect a better effort from GS. I can't necessarily say the same for the refs.

I was rooting for the Celtics... the Hawks are just a blah boring team.

Definitely a let down... just frustrating how many blow outs there have been this entire playoff.

This. All of this.

The only thing I'll say is the Cavs actually played D last game.

But yes, to everything else.

Usually, I would skip most of the regular season, grabbing a few Celtics games, and a couple of high profile games, throughout the year, and then sign in for the play offs.

This year...I'm having a hard time doing even that.  I guess the game has just passed me by.  This isn't basketball, to me.  And what's funny is that the college game was, is, and I'm assuming will continue to be, played the way I expect basketball to be played.  It's much more watchable for me.

The refs were about as kind to the Cavs as they were to GS the previous 2 games.  It wasn't that bad, really.

I honestly don't think the Warriors played THAT much worse than they had the first 2 games.  The difference was the Cavs actually showed up, played with some energy.  The Warriors have played 3 pretty lousy games...the Cavs just played WORSE the first 2.

I expect GS to show up tonight, and am HOPING we FINALLY get a good war of a game.  They don't want to let the Cavs back into the series.

And the Cavs obviously don't want to go down 3-1.

Both teams have big stuff to play for.  This one matters.  It'll either be functionally over or it'll be a brand new best of 3.

I have a few buddies who love the NBA... and I go back n forth with them all the time in our whtaapp chat about how weak the league is right now. They love the dunks and the three's.. and I just can't... The league is so watered down... IMO. I just look at the teams the Cavs have to play in the East to get tot he finals...and I shake my head. The West after the top three or four teams... is not much better.

I admit... being a Knick fan ... has not helped in making it the number 4 sport me for me either. It hasn't been a pleasant 20 years or so !

That's why home court advantage is so important. The refs curry favor to the home team more often than not, and decisively at that. Far more so than in the other major sports too. It's been that way for as long as I can remember. That's why GS has to come out focused in game 4 because they don't want Cleveland to think they have a chance. At least put up a better effort than in game 3. Doesn't sound like I missed out on much.

The NBA is #4 for me as well. MLB & NFL are at the top, then NCAA hoops. Hockey left the equation when the Whalers left Hartford. They were my team. I couldn't bring myself to become a Bruins fan because they were such rivals of the Whale back in the day. Instead I settle for UConn basketball as my 4th major sports team. Even though they're in a crap conference, I enjoy those games far more than a random Celtics game on a given night.

But it really does matter how good your team is. The Celtics have been much more exciting to watch the last few seasons and their future is pretty bright. But I know realistically they are nowhere close to being a true contender. It's so hard to build a winner in the NBA. There's a lot of luck involved. You need to suck the right years and make good on your draft picks. Somehow you need to acquire a superstar and a few other supporting stars along the way. That's what makes what Golden St has done so impressive. They built that team primarily through the draft. That's a hard way to do it, and it rarely happens.

I appreciate his game but something makes me wish someone would smack that damn mouth guard off his face.

I am not a big NCAA guy... basketball or football... the NCAA is so corrupt that I just can't support it. Plus I'm a Hofstra grad... and they waxed our football program! I'll watch the bball tournament games like everybody else.

You are spot on about the NBA... It's the hardest league to build a true winner. You could be the Raptors and get the first pick one year off from Lebron and you end up with Bargani... the Italian Stallion!

The Warriors crushed it with their big three guys... Especially Thompson and even more so Green who every team in the league passed on at least once.

Just sayin... WNBA actually has some very nice basketball.  Great ball movement, all 5 players involved in offensive possessions, a lot of fluidity, it's good stuff. 

A friend works for MSG... so a couple times a year I get good Ranger tickets for free, never Knick games... he is always giving away Liberty tickets... I just can't bring myself to go!

Give it a shot!  Well worth the time.   : ok:

Being from Connecticut....we watch a ton of uconn husky womens ball. ;). I find it hard to pick a wnba team to root for, when we have one playing in our state u.

We do watch some games during the season...i'm a big taurasi fan. But its hard because games are few and far between on national tv...and the season conflicts so much with baseball (mlb and our 3 kids).

Other than the mlb and nfl teams we are fans of...this is me..100%.

I used to love NCAA hoops a lot more though. I'd be right there for Big Monday, Super Tuesday, etc on ESPN. Nowadays it's pretty much strictly UConn games. Of course, I still think March Madness is the greatest sporting event out there and the first two days of the tournament are my favorite days of the year. But I used to know a lot more of the players. I'd love the NBA Draft because I'd be so familiar with all the names. But now with all the early entrants and foreign players entering the league I feel I barely now most of them.

Back to the finals, it's not officially over, but I think it's a pretty safe bet at this point. I know GS came back from 3-1 down, but I can't see Cleveland turning that trick. In the end it appears the East still has a lot of catching up to do with the West. That means any potential free agents would have a much easier time reaching the finals coming to an Eastern team, eg. Boston. I'm looking at you Kevin Durant.  :drool:

I've been away too long from Fun N' Games.
Is anyone else here frustrated as hell over how horribly Kevin Love plays/has played?
He can't defend for shit, he's getting boxed out, dribbled past, and for God's sake he's missing shots from point blank range.
He is a terrible fit.
Kyrie and LeBron are all the studs Cleveland needs.  Surround them with 3-point shooters and above average defenders, and they win.

G-State up 3 to 1 means they have a 99% chance of winning this series.

Last night's game was finally competitive but the Warriors were still clearly the better team. The Cavs now have to win 3 in a row including 2 in Oracle including game 7. it is not going to happen period. The Warriors will repeat as NBA Champs. I said about a month ago that the east teams were playing for the right to lose to the Warriors and well here we are with them a win away.

True, but OKC was oh so close to taking the Warriors place in the finals. I think they would've had their way with Cleveland too. The West is clearly superior right now. Cleveland may be a 4 seed or lower if they were in the West.

No doubt, OKC blew that one big time. Under pressure they reverted to hero ball and that's not what wins championships. GSW understood everyone has to be invovled to win and when OKC reverted it was GSW for the taking.  Neither the Cavs or Raptors stood a chance against either OKC or GSW. The west is far superior and will likely remain so for the foreseeable future.

The most entertaining part of the NBA playoffs was Charles Barkley talking about how Green should have punched Lebron right in the nuts! (for walking over him)

Would be real disappointing to see Lebron go down with out a fight tonight.

I'd be surprised, I think he clearly went out of his way to bait Green into getting himself suspended, so I don't think he'd do that to just lay down tonight.  Regardless, Cavs will still probably lose tonight.

Any word on Bogut's knee?

It's sprained that's all i heard.

I'm sure Lebron will try to bait Green again in Cleveland. It's probably their only chance since he's the only one who can contain him. Green has to be smarter and not take the bait. They're obviously a different team without him on the floor. I think the series ends next game, but a game 7 wouldn't surprise me one bit.

How does it work, now that he was suspended, do the number of flagrants/technicals 're-set' before he's suspended again or will the next one get him suspended again? 

I think GS still has the edge without Green, even in Cleveland, but it's the same story, if they go cold from 3, like they did in the 2nd Half yesterday, they have nothing else. 

Looked NASTY on the replay....almost dislocated.  I just hope he's OK. Never like seeing a guy go down like that....

Nope. Every flagrant gets him a suspension.  I think he's also 2 techs away from a suspension on THAT front, too.

Also, GS wants this to end game 6. Because otherwise..even though I'd say they have a significant edge in game 7....you do NOT want to be in a 1 game playoff with Cleveland. ANYTHING can happen in that scenario....

Bogut out for the rest of the finals (however short a period of time that is....max, it's only 2 games). Hate to see a player go down like that, though.

Bright side is no surgery, and doesn't look like ligament damage.  Some nasty bone bruises which look like a 6 to 8 week rest will take care of.

It's not a huge loss for GS..though he does a good job of clogging the middle.  Green will probably play the 5, I'd think.

Did a lot of cursing at my TV last night when I realized that there was no Game 6 scheduled.  I thought it was supposed to be last night! 

I think the extra days off between games during the playoffs, especially in these finals, is a big disadvantage for a 3-pt shooting team like GS.  It really takes them out of their rhythm, which I think is one of the reasons why their playoff record has been so much worse than than regular season record. 

Well off to game 7. GSW just couldn't overcome a very poor shooting first quarter. History is certainly on their side in game 7 in the finals. Only 3 road teams have ever won a game 7 and nobody since 1978.

Just when you think you have this series figured out. Now Cleveland looks like the superior team. The last two games weren't very competitive. Golden St looks like a beat up team right now. The injuries have taken their toll. They still have the luxury of playing on their home floor, but they'll have to play better. That goes without saying.

You have to give GS the edge in game 7, BUT, with the way Cleveland and Lebron have played the last 2 games...you could NOT convince me to place a bet on the outcome of this game for any significant amount of my own money.

To me, history or not, this could go either way.  I know the %'s are saying GS is an overwhelming favorite to win...and I get why...but I don't think it's NEARLY that wide a gap in probabilities.

Iguodala being hurt is HUGE...

Excited for game 7... if you like sports even a little bit...it's must watch.

I think the Lebron freight train is a comin' .... huge game for his legacy.

Yeah, I'm actually leaning towards Cleveland. Home court advantage is obviously huge, but that's about all GS has going for them. They're beat up and not playing well. I hope they put up a better effort in front of their home fans. It'd be nice to get at least one great game out of these playoffs. Why not save the best for last?

I read last night that GS could lose as many playoff games as they did the entire regular season. That's crazy!

No way it happens, and frankly I don't want it to happen because I want a legit Game 7, but if regular season, no question whatsoever that Curry gets a multi-game suspension for throwing his mouthguard at a fan.  The NBA needs to at least issue a preliminary suspension, allow him to appeal and then carry over to start of next season, because that was fucking disgusting and it could have triggered a riot. 

Agreed.

I don't like Cleveland.. I hate how Lebron runs the whole franchise. I hate JR Smith and Shumpert..and I really don't like Love.

...but the Warriors have turned me on to pulling for Cleveland.

CTOWN and it's fans deserve a ring.

It was disgusting but he won't get suspended for game 7. And how does Klay Thompson just leave the court before the game is over? Definitely pulling for Cleveland here.

This would be an epic comeback if Cleveland can pull it off on Sunday.... I'd say it's the biggest game of Lebron's career.

Stealing the title from a 73-9 team & becoming the first team to come back from 3-1 in the Finals?  That's a big one to add to your resume.  Especially considering the way he's playing - leading both teams in points, assists, rebounds, blocks and steals! On the flip side he could go 2-5 in the Finals.

It doesn't get any better than Game 7! 

Also, it would probably be the most extreme example of a player almost single-handedly winning a championship.  This Cavs team minus Lebron would by far be the worst team if I were to be compare it to any of the past NBA championship teams I can remember minus their star player.   

The Knicks are looking to trade for Derrick Rose.

WOW! Congrats to the Cavs and Lebron!  They came back from down 3-1, and beat GS in their building twice in a week...when GS had lost 2 games ALL SEASON there. Holy crap!

We FINALLY got a close, back and forth, game that was a TON of fun to watch.  I'd nitpick the last 5 minutes, when it was 3 balls and isolation ball, where no one could score the ball (I think it was 4-0 Cavs....in 5 minutes!), but the defense was so good on both sides, I just can't. 

THAT was a dramatic game 7 that definitely lived up to the hype.

I don't want to take the piss out of tim, here, because he really doesn't deserve it. It DID look over!

I just want to show how far we came in 8 days.

Un-freaking-believable.

As a Cleveland native, there are no words to express my feelings right now.

I'm still worried the NBA will announce the date and time for Game 8 later today.

Lol


Great game.. watched with a few buddies... we were all pulling for the city of Cleveland and the fans... not Lebron.. because he used the words I, Me and Myself 5000 times since the game was over... which aggravates me ha.

Kyrie was unbelievable.

In fairness, if they would have lost, the media would have had a field day regurgitating the same crap about all his failings, choking, etc.  Can't be all about him when they lose, but then all about the team when they win.  Also, let's face it, this is a probably a lottery team without him.  And saying that doesn't negate the fact that the non-Lebron Cavs stepped up big and made huge contributions.   Irving had an excellent series and the clutch 3 with less than a minute left won them the game, just as Love's inconceivably tight one-on-one perimeter D against Curry (after getting caught in a bad switch) at the end won them the game.  But bottom line, Lebron had more points, assists, rebounds, steals and blocks than anyone in the series on either team.  With that kind of all-around domination, he deserves his fair share of narcissism.   ;D 

How about that BLOCK!

It frightened me!!!

Seriously though, that one block explains all the criticism that Lebron has received throughout his career.  He provides these moments of utter domination where it looks like he's a blatant ringer playing in peewee basketball against kids he's 3 years older than and twice the size.  You see a play like that and wonder, how does this guy not win every single game he plays in all by himself?  The guy is just a marvel of an athlete. 

He is the second best player I have ever seen... and you re right... if they had lost... it would have been all of his fault. Right or wrong.

He is amazing to watch... he makes plays only he in the universe can make.

I am just never going to like him!

You need to see the clip of JR Smith partying in Vegas...it is priceless.

I'm laughing already... will have to look that one up.

By the way, the Warriors losing last night now means that the best regular season teams in all 4 major sports are not champs --- '96 Red Wings, '01 Mariners, '07 Pats and now the '16 Warriors.   

The 07 Pats made me sooooo happy.  ;D

I did see that... the Warriors also lost the same amount of games in the playoffs as they did in the regular season.

Curry ... was not himself... guarantee you hear this week he is having knee surgery.

Agree...Curry was either not himself (my bet) due to injury, or the Cavs figured out something along the way.  They DID isolate him a lot, making him defend on  switches over an over and over, so maybe that was part of it. 

But, for the Finals...Curry had....one...maybe 2 decent games.  And last night definitely wasn't one of them.

Cleveland made great adjustments, that's for sure. Unfortunately Golden St in game 7 was not as good as the team that took the floor in game 1, not to mention the team at full strength before Curry's injury. They were dominant most of the season. The playoffs were a different story. In this series alone Curry did not play well whether he was 100% or not. The Draymond Green suspension was huge. Shifted momentum Cleveland's way. The Bogut injury was big. Iguodala's injury factored in as well. Cleveland was clearly the better team as a result of all those things. With that being said, Golden St had their chance to win despite all of that. If a few shots fall, or better decisions with the ball were made they would have won. But they didn't. The better team, in the end, won the series.

How I saw the series:

Gms 1 and 2: Both teams played terrible, GS just played "less terrible".  Those first two were really hard to watch.
Game 3: GS played terrible, Cavs played well.
Game 4: GS played well, Cavs played terrible.
Game 5: Cavs played well, GS played terrible.
Game 6: Cavs played well, GS played OK (terrible in spurts, good in spurts). This game, to me, was closer than the final score indicated.  It was only post Curry fouling out that Cavs really ran away and hid.
Game 7: Both teams played well. Best game of the series, by far, and might be the best NBA Finals game I've seen since...IDK...Lakers/Celtics game 7 in 2010?  Last 3 games of Spurs/Pistons in '05?  Good defense, good offense...both teams playing at a high level.  Again, I can nitpick the last 5 minutes, and both teams going to 1v1 breakdowns and hero ball...but the defense was SOOOO good on both sides it's hard for me to do that.

Curry throwing the ball out of bounds behind his back with three minutes left... would have drove me up a freakin' wall if I was rooting for them.

Drove me up a wall anyway.  As a coach, as a former player, as a fan.

Making a behind the back on the right side of the court is a no-no, anyway.  Never mind it's just showboating, and he had the room, and opportunity to make a "regular" bounce pass and lead Klay to an open 3.

Behind the back, besides being risky and needless, puts Klay with his back to the basket to receive the ball.  By the time he turns, his defender has caught up and he has no room for the shot.

Just a bad basketball play, all around.

I apologise in advance, but i can't resist:

LeBron: Hello, may I speak with steph please?"
Operator: "Sure, dial 73-9"
LeBron: "I did. There was no 'ring'...."

Warriors definitely should've won that one. They had several opportunities to deliver the knockout blow but just couldn't deliver it. I agree Curry definitely wasn't right. He wasn't the same guy we saw the first two rounds and some of the third. It was nuts that nobody could score the last several minutes. I couldn't watch so i don't know if it was great defense or just terrible shot selection that kept both teams from scoring for a good 4 minutes. I believe there was 1:06 left before the Cavs finally got one to go in. It was definitely the best game of the finals though. Could've gone either way.

A bit of both, I think?

There was some very good defense on both sides for some shots...including a legendary block by Lebron and some pretty impressive d ON Lebron and Love keeping them from the basket and/or causing them to miss mid range shots.

There was some TERRIBLE shot/play selection on both sides for some possessions.  Some shots and decisions by Lebron, Curry, and Klay that just looked bad.

There were somewhere between 8 and 10 possessions for each team (I checked the stat and see different numbers depending on the source) during that time frame. I'd say it was 60/40, good d to bad shot/play.  Your mileage may vary.

I'd have to double check, but I think the only points scored from around the 5 minute mark till the clock hit 0 were Irvings 3 at the 1:06 mark, and Lebons foul shot with about 10 seconds left.

Also, those last 5 minutes, both teams looked completely spent, more so mentally.  As though it was too hard to think of a way to score, so it was easier to chuck up a shot and hope it goes in. 

Checking over the box scores for Game 7, my reaction was that the Cavs should have blown them out and would have if Draymond Green did not somehow have an unworldly game, which came out of nowhere based on his prior performances in these playoffs. 

You're right about Green. I thought very early on if the Warriors win this one it'll be because of Green because Thompson and Curry were way off. Now we turn our attention to the draft and free agency. Durant is already set to meet with the Warriors, Nowitzki has opted out. Some others too have opted out from the Knicks but their names escape me at the moment. What's everyone's thoughts on where Dirk and Kevin end up?

Yeah i kept checking the score on my phones NBA app and saw it staying tied at 89 until 1:06. I was like what are they doing?

I'd love for Durant to come to the Celtics, but I think he's likely to stay in OKC. He can maximize his monetary value there and they've got a contending team. Dirk may want another shot at a title, if so he'd probably be better off leaving Dallas. Would he take less for a chance at a title?

I think he'll stay too. They got a good team there in OKC. They just have to learn not to revert to hero ball when things get tough. If they had stuck to the game plan they would've been playing the Cavs and absolutely could've won. With Dirk it's just what is more important being loyal to the only team he's played for or another title shot. I'd lean towards the latter. If it is the latter his best bets are likely Cleveland, OKC or GS.

Yeah, it sounds like every player wants to go to GS or Cleveland. It's what the NBA has become, and frankly has been for as long as I can remember. It's the same teams every year until their run ends, then another group of teams takes over. In all honesty, fans of all but a handful of teams enter each season with pretty much no chance at a championship. As a fan of one of those teams, it's hard to get psyched for next season. The Celtics have a boatload of assets, 8 draft picks including 3 first rounders and the 3rd overall pick. They have the Nets 1st rounder the next two years, and they desperately want to turn some of that in for an established star. It's not looking likely, so they better hit on the guys they draft and stash a few Euoropean players for the future. Maybe once Cleveland and Golden State's run ends, they could then maybe become a factor. But that could be 5 years or more. But until then, an overwhelming majority of teams in the NBA will be playing for 2nd place in their respective conference at best.

1) The only way KD leaves is if he goes to LA (possibly with some other pieces....I keep hearing Lebron might go, too...which would be weird) or GS.  I'm not sure his game fits well with GS, as great as it sounds to add him to that team.  He'd have to live off long rebounds, because GS is a perimeter focused team.  ADDING a guy that can score the ball near the rim doesn't instantly make the offense designed to do it.  And you'd have to convince Curry and Klay to give some up to get KD involved and productive. I'm not sure that's an easy sell (or an offense Kerr is interested in running).

2) I agree...odds are he stays in OKC at the end of this, even if it's for a year or two (opt ins) til the big cap increase hits.

3) Dirk would fit better with the Cavs, IF Love opts out.  He might be decent in OKC, but he's going to be the 3rd or 4th option, at best (he might even be a bench player). I think there is ZERO chance he goes to GS.  He wouldn't fit well, though his ability to hit the 3 is appealing.  But his speed, loose handle, and sub par rebounding ability really don't make him a great fit, IMHO. In addition, his reliance on the jumper just draws more defenders out to make it easier to switch on to Klay/Curry.  They need another Green type player (not attitude and such, but talent and abilities) to round them out...that's really it.  They were basically injury and fatigue (and a questionable suspension, maybe) from a title.  I don't think Dirk gets them THAT much closer.  I actually think Bogut, in that spot, makes them better thank Dirk would, just because of what he does and how he does it.

I think Dirk will stay home.

He took around 50 million less to stay with Dallas last time.... all so they could sign Chandler parsons and other stiffs....

Why leave now for one or two more years to be a role player...he is going to work for Cuban after he stops playing anyway.

I LIKE the Rose to the Knicks rumors... won't have to give up much.. and if he can't play at a high level... he is in a walk year... you move on. He should be VERY motivated to stay on the court and play well. Pre injury he was soooo good.

Well like I said earlier ... D rose ! Lol

Check out the hockey guy calling out the NBA trades before they happen.  Not bad!   

Saw the Knicks are also interested in Dwight Howard. Howard, Melo, and D-Rose would've been a force 5 years ago. Now, I'm not so sure. Keeps the seats filled at MSG I guess.

I'd say those additions at least make the Knicks competitive again in the East. How they stack up against the West will remain to be seen.

The team's future cornerstone is Kristaps Porzingis, so bringing in another big man like Howard might slow his development.  Also, a front court of Porzingis, Howard and Melo would get eaten alive by the small ball lineups that teams play these days.  Still, they traded away their starting center for Rose, so they do need another big man.  I'd prefer a center who doesn't require as many offensive touches and who would not play more than 30 min a game, like an Andrew Bogut or Tyson Chandler type.  Also, they need a 2 guard who can shoot 3s and play lockdown D on the perimeter, because they definitely won't get that from Rose. 

I think it still remains to be seen how they stack up in the East. It puts them in the conversation, but I'm not sure how far up it moves them. Of course, it's much easier to move up in the East than it is the West, so it could be a significant bump. I'm just not entirely sold on that.

I honestly think if Durant leaves the Knicks will at least get consideration ...

Sounds like Knicks will be big players for Noah and Turner too .. They could have a real nice season if things break right right.

All I care about as a Knick fan doe ... Is that the young fella takes the next step.

Supposedly, Durant plans to meet with the Warriors, Spurs, Clippers, Heat, Celtics, and Thunder. There could be more, but those are the teams I've seen mentioned so far.

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/sources--kd-planning-to-host-free-agent-meetings-at-single-site-164954322.html

After the Thunder just fleeced Orlando, snagging Oladipo, I don't believe KD is going anywhere.  KD, Westbrook, Oladipo is a great base.

...and the Knicks.  the stupid, stupid Knicks.  Derrick Rose?  I hope they gave him a grand tour of the rehab facility, cause that's where he'll spend most of his time.

As a Sixers fan, I'm crossing my fingers Embid is healthy for good (not likely, but I can hope!).  Simmons will be an all-star a couple years down the line.  I was hoping for a dumb team to trade their top-10 pick for Okafor...Dunn or Hield would have been nice to snag.  I hope they stay away from Rubio, sure he's fun to watch, but he can't shoot.  If they can't improve their smalls, another 20 to 30-win season could be on the way, along with a lottery pick next year.   :(

What is the downside of taking a chance with Rose ? They gave up nothing and cleared out Rolo's contract ...

If rose gets hurt or doesn't play well then the Knicks go in to the following year with 60 million plus of cap space.

Agree.

Even if Rose does ZERO on the court this year, it was a good move.  It sets them up for the FOLLOWING season to either make Rose a big offer (if he's productive) OR cut bait and go into what is looking like it might be a stacked FA class.

I keep seeing the C's mentioned, and I get excited...and then realize there is almost 0 chance that he would actually go there.

Plus if Rose gives them zero ... That's still 100 times better than Calderon was giving them ... Rose can only help Melo and Porzingis.

Me too. Isaiah Thomas is trying his best as recruiter and KD does seem to be aware of and apreciate the Celtics storied tradition. But I do view them as a long shot. At least they're in the mix though. I think he stays put. OKC is positioned well and it's his best option monetarily.

Good point.  I'm not as up on the financial side of things.  I'm an Axl Rose fan, not a D Rose fan.  :)

The Knicks are circling the wagons around Joakim Noah while Melo works on Kevin Durant 8)

Looks like Noah to the Knicks is all but a done deal.

I wanted him in a 2 year deal ... Not 4...

Crazy to sign him for years past Melo's deal ...

But I guess some other team would have snatched him.

Forget it ... If Mozgov is getting 64 million ....

Holy hell everybody is getting paid.

Everybody is getting paid. ;)

Something like 75%+ of NBA teams did not spend the FLOOR of the new cap (aka the absolute MINIMUM you have to spend on salary according to cap rules) last year.  Many have a TON of money to spend this off season and, lets face it, the choices on WHO to spend it on are not super compelling (or plentiful).

So, yeah..you are going to see b level players, who just happen to be hitting FA this year, getting BIG BANK because the teams have to give it to SOMEONE.

You are going to hear crazy, crazy, crazy numbers over the next few days.  It's a new day in the NBA....

I think I might suit back up and see if I can get a few mill.  I mean, what's an again, overweight, out of shape 6 ft 4 guy with no knees go for? I can give them 8 or 9 min a night, too.  Think I can get 8 mil per? ;)

I read there are going to be close to 20 max contracts handed out ...

They have to spend it ..

It's just funny to see.

Knicks have reportedly locked up Courtney Lee to a 4-year deal 8)

Celtics landed Al Horford yesterday after it appeared he was headed back to Atlanta. He could've made more money staying put, but I guess he felt a little disrespected they didn't make him their top priority so he opted for one less year to sign with Boston. Big day for the C's as they also made their pitch to Kevin Durant. The Thunder just wrapped up their last visit with him, so now we play the waiting game. I know they're probably still a long shot, but I love that Boston is still in the mix. The addition of Horford to an already improving roster and two more future Brooklyn 1st's the next two seasons, in what's supposed to be a loaded draft next year, can only help their cause. I still think OKC is the favorite to retain him, but the fact that he did meet with them a 2nd time maybe signals that at least one other team made a strong enough case to get him thinking seriously about leaving.

Apparently tom brady has been working hard to get k.d to come to boston..

According to the Daily News, KD was in Boston hanging with Tom and the 2 flew to the Hamptons together.
http://sports.yahoo.com/news/sources--kd-planning-to-host-free-agent-meetings-at-single-site-164954322.html

Ortiz and Edelman also tweeted at KD urging him to come to Boston. Hope it all works out, but if it doesn't I think it's still a good sign moving forward. At least the Celtics are being considered by big time free agents now. That hasn't been the case, well, EVER!

Sounds like Durant has narrowed down his choices to OKC and GS. GS may win the next 10 championships if he goes there. Maybe I'm exaggerating a bit, but they'd be good for a long time.

Can hardly blame him for picking either team. Both are going to be good for a long time.

Today is the day Durant makes his decision, supposedly sometime this morning. So it shouldn't be long. The Celtics are still considered the dark horse behind GS & OKC. So I'm still holding out a little bit of hope. Still love the Horford signing regardless. I think that puts them right up there with Toronto behind Cleveland in the East. Durant would make them a contender with GS, SA, & Cleveland. And they have assets going forward. So with or without Durant, the future is bright. But it'd be a lot brighter with him, that's for sure.

The Warriors win the Kevin Durant sweepstakes. Man they're going to be good. I mean, anything less than a championship would be a massive disappointment. I mean this year was a disappointment for them, but this takes it to a different level. It's only a 2 year deal with the option to opt out after one, so he could go through all of this again next year. I would think it'd be tough to pry him away though, unless he's fine with winning just one championship.

Its prolly a short deal because of the fact there will ge ANOTHER cap hike and max hike next year....but i think this is like the Lebron deal: the second year is injury protection. He has every intention of signing a longer term deal next year.

This lineup...the only thing they have to worry about is health. If they are all healthy, they might win 75. And not lose a playoff game next year. It's that kinda scary good.

Yep. The money wasn't all that different no matter which team he chose for a two year deal. If he wanted a max deal, OKC was the only team that could've offered him a 5th year. I think he'll be in GS for quite some time beyond 1 or 2 years.

As if it wasn't the case already, all other teams will be playing for 3rd or 4th place and beyond behind GS & Cleveland. The Cavs should be grateful they got their championship this year. GS is going to be even tougher to beat for the foreseeable future. Strange things can happen, but fans better get used to Cleveland vs. GS in the finals. We've already had two, I could see another 5 years possible.

Wow! Hope the Cavs enjoy this title they eeked out in game 7 cause with Durant in GS i don't see them winning again next year.

Well, the only thing that could slow them down, besides injury, would be if it takes them awhile to fully gel and form team chemistry. Like when Lebron & Bosh teamed up with Wade in Miami. They didn't click right away. It took some time for them to get used to playing with each other and set their egos aside. That's the only hope the rest of the NBA has, notably Cleveland, for next year at the very least.

Good point but once they get the chemistry going i don't see even Cleveland stopping them. As it is it isn't like the Cavs destroyed them with the team they had this year. They barely escaped that game 7 with the W due to GS's inability to score the last 5 minutes.

These super teams don't always work out.... chemistry is a big factor, see: Kobe/Dwight/Nash/Gasol... of course GSW is now in a position where a star player could go down & they can still win. 

I never faulted Lebron for going to Miami - he didn't have the pieces in Cleveland.  As much as people got on him for "joining" other stars, Wade & Bosh were never his rivals in the East (none of them had even played a single series against the others!).  He had to find a way to get through Boston.   I just lost a lot of respect for Durant though - he joined a 73-9 team that just punked him in the WCF.  At least they can all bond over choking 3-1 leads.

Curry & Durant have to be out of the MVP conversation now right?  This might open the door for LBJ to tie MJ with his 5th!  Though I think Lebron has realized the regular season is meaningless and won't give enough to win it.

Those are all valid points, but I still think Lebron's "decision" was more pathetic. Just the way he handled it, and the whole "I'm taking my talents" mantra. Durant was a little more low key, and he didn't desert his hometown team. I know the situations aren't all that different and if I disapprove of one I should probably disapprove of both, but for some reason I don't see it that way.

Ultimately, I can't fault guys for going to a team they feel is their best chance to win. That's the name of the game and the future of OKC was a little uncertain with Westbrook becoming a FA next season. Durant could've signed long term and Westbrook could've left a year later. Nothing is guaranteed. He's looking out for himself and made the best choice available to him. As much as I would have loved for him to sign with Boston, I can't blame him. He could've signed the same 2 year deal and given it one more shot with OKC, but I guess he likes the prospects of playing with a new group of guys better. Who knows, maybe he's not great pals with Westbrook, maybe he didn't like the Ibaka deal. There are probably a number of factors that went into his decision.

I hated the whole Lebron "decision". He couldn't have handled it worse, but the cupboard was bare in Cleveland when he left, the roster was atrocious.

Durant had a team to win with, they choked away a 3-1 lead to ..... Of all teams the Warriors! Not to mention Durant played horribly in those final three games it's not like he played great and his teammates couldn't help him over the hump.

Then you join them ?? I hate it ... He's a free agent he can do what he feels is best for him but it looks so bad...I really feel bad for that 12 year old in Oklahoma right now.

I'm not so sure that the Warriors actually improved.  Durant is by far > than Barnes+Bogut, no question.  But for this particular team where scoring was already in abundance, are they actually better by adding more scoring but losing defense and an interior presence that they now no longer have much of with Bogut and Barnes now gone? 

Do you think they really lost defense? I'm not so sure....

Interior defense for sure.  When GS lost Bogut in the finals, Lebron and Irving had much easier paths driving to the basket. 

As for perimeter defense, that's not as straightforward.  Durant is a very good perimeter defender, better than Barnes I think (but who is also very good on D).  But... there's something to be said for having your primary defender not be a primary scorer (like a Tony Allen).  Non-scoring defenders are less hesitant to use their 6 fouls during the game, take charges, and can use all their focus/energy on guarding the other team's best scorer without concerning themselves about getting their points on the offensive end.  On the other hand, big-time scorers who can also play D, like Durant, often don't switch to clampdown D until the 4th quarters of tight games. 

You gotta wonder if Durant knows/knew/strongly suspected that Westbrook is also planning to leave.  If he did, that sheds a whole new light on this....because, if Westbrook goes, Durant is looking at the exact same situation, really, that Lebron was when he left Cleveland.

Or, maybe the fact Westbrook WOULDN"T share his plans with KD was just enough uncertainty (and said enough about their relationship) to push him out the door.

KD COULD have signed a 1+1 deal like other stars are, and stayed one more in OKC.  But he said it: He really, really, really didn't want to have to do that.  He wanted to plan long term.  And I can understand why you'd want to start whatever you're gonna start NOW.

As for it being GSW..blame the NBA for that one, honestly.  If there were no such thing as Max contracts (but still a cap), the primary concern of a player wouldn't be "where can I win rings".  Once you remove the ability to compete based purely on $$, especially now with the crazy $$ for a max level player (where the Bird rules become a whole lot less compelling), you basically have 2 things for the top guys: Winning and chemistry (and maybe, to a lesser extent, outside marketing opportunities).  So it's either come here to win rings...or come here to play with your friends/in a system you like.

This is almost always gonna lead to "superteams".  You're gonna have top guys who, when given the opportunity, are going to choose the easier path to the trophy.  That's not a knock on them, IMHO.  If that's what's driving you, you'd be STUPID not to do it.  You think they should do it for the challenge? Pfffft...in your professional life...you have two choices, and both pay ridiculous money, using the same skill sets.  In one, you have ample support and much more realistic chances of achieving your goals.  The other you're gonna have to work twice as hard, twice as long, and take on twice the responsibility for, ultimately, the same outcome.

You can say choosing the 2nd shows more character, more heart, more determination..but at the end of the day, in 30 years, they're gonna be talking about the number of successful projects you completed. Nobody is going to remember whether you martyred yourself or not.

They're probably going to go small, a lot..but I think that works for them.

You're basically trading Barnes for Durant, and Bogut for Green (because he moves to the interior).  I actually think that's a pretty good trade off, in terms of defense. Also, you have Iguodala, who's either going to play some 4 (while Green plays some 5), or some 2. He's a VERY good perimeter defender, and that would free up Durant to do some damage in the middle (and he IS a good interior defender against guys like Lebron, because of his size). Ezeli is actually not a bad interior defender, either...he just can't score the ball. He'll clog the lane pretty well. MAYBE as well as Bogut.


I wouldn't say they got BETTER on defense...but I don't think they got appreciably worse, either.  And the are going to score like 120 a night.  It's gonna be like watching the Suns, back in the day.

The small lineup with Green at the 5 worked great for them last year, but I think it's more effective in spurts than it would be if used more regularly, as Green might find himself in foul trouble more often.  I don't know about Ezeli, I think he's quite a drop-off defending the paint compared to Bogut.  I have a hard time seeing him last more than 15 minutes per game before he collects his 6 fouls.  But maybe that's all they'll need from him.

All fair ... It's just they he JUST lost to them... It feels ... Wrong.

Agreed 100 percent about Westbrook ... If he had told him look I'm definitely staying too that might have changed things.

I suspect you're a "classicalist" NBA fan (and, FYI, so am I).

But it's not the same NBA as it was in the 80's and 90's.  It's not the NBA where Bird legit hated Magic, and Lambeer was ready to rip the head off of MJ at a moments notice.

These guys are FRIENDS outside (and sometimes during pregame) the arena.  They are going out together, and spending summer's together, and going to each others weddings.  KD, Curry, and Iguodala were all team mates on the US National team where they spent a crap ton of time together.

The '92 dream team, as amazing as it was, was (IMHO) the beginning of the end of that era.  That, and the proliferation of National AAU ball, right from the get go (which really started around the same time).  These guys now grow up together, and play as teammates together, off and on their whole lives.  They don't view it the same way you and I do anymore, and I don't think they're going back.  Switching teams is about benjamins and legacy.  It doesn't matter (to them) that they JUST lost to them.  They're not "the enemy".  They're just a bunch of guys in different colored shirts who played better for 4 games.

That's why I can't take the piss out of KD for the move.  20 years ago? Damn right.  But not today, because he's just doing what everyone else is, and continuing the trend.  There are no "traitors" anymore in basketball...because the NBA has become "the League".  They're members of "The League", not of their team.

I think 20 min out of Ezeli is probably enough to make the difference on defense.  They'll go small the other 20 min per, which will probably be more effective anyway.

They're not done building their roster though. Zaza Pachulia and David West were added, and there'll be other moves. I think they'll be able to get serviceable guys to fill out the back end of their roster.

I think that's the reason Durant's move doesn't upset me. It's what the NBA has become, and I can't fault a guy for wanting to win. Credit to GS for building that team from the ground up and making it a desired destination for star players.

So Wade is going to the Bulls.

Figured he might go to Cleveland for another shot at a title. He's a Chicago guy though right? So, he can finish his career at home. Not much of a chance to win there however.

I don't think Cleveland offered him anything, at least not anything close to what Chicago did (Miami and Denver were the other comparable offers).

Apparently, he's very bitter about how the negotiations went down at Miami.  He wanted a 3rd year from them, which they refused to do for a 34-yr old who was lucky to be getting 2 years.  But his bitterness stems from the fact that he's left about $25M on the table over his career in order to help them with cap space over the years (mainly with Bosh and Lebron).  Think of all the players out there who have had or have max contracts.  Wade has never had a max contract. 

On the one hand, I suppose it's foolish for him to expect the team would ever make him whole or even partly compensate him for that sacrifice.  The old mantra is that you don't pay for past performance.  However, if a team doesn't at least partly pay for past $ sacrifice, how can they ever in the future convince any player to make salary sacrifices for the team's cap flexibility?  This may turn out to be short-sighted for Miami.

The thing is, reportedly (and this is why he left, and is so pissed at Pat Riley) RILEY assured him that he would be "taken care of" by the team, to help make up for those shortfalls, in the past.  And Wade felt it was time for that to happen, with the 3rd year sort of being the "make good" year.  When Wade expressed that opinion, Riley basically went and hid, and stopped talking to Wade directly.

Riley conveyed that he disagreed, to Wade's agents, and wanted to push it off, basically saying we'll do you like Mark has done Dirk.  We'll keep throwing 1 year deals at you, for lesser amounts, as long as you can play.  That, apparently, wasn't what Wade considered getting "taken care of", and wasn't the kind of thing they'd discussed in the past.  But since Riley refused to actually talk directly to Wade (I'm assuming because he didn't want reports of someone yelling "you're a big fat liar" at him behind closed doors to circulate), and discuss those previous conversations directly, Wade felt both disrespected AND lied to, and that pretty much was the end of it.

So Wade LITERALLY decided to take his ball and go home.  He could have gone to Denver for more money (2/50, reportedly) but felt, if he was gonna leave Miami, he was going to go back to his hometown, giving them a discount.

I can't really fault the guy, if that's what happened.  I wouldn't trust Riley to "make good" in 2 years, or 3 years, or whatever, either.

And I don't think asking for 3 at 66 was too big of an ask, from Miami, considering his level of play last year.  34 or not, he was effective all year, was able to rebound from the injuries and play tons of minutes, and he got them to the 2nd round vs Toronto and went 7 games.

The buy is basically tied for first in South Florida sports with Marino.  While I'm not a big believer in the "Kobe contract" either, this wasn't exactly that.  More like Jeter, at this point.

^ Wow, if you can't trust Pat Riley, who can you trust?   :hihi:


Laces OUT!

Ha!  I hadn't heard a Ray Finkle reference for a LOOOONG time!  Nice!   :hihi:

Ray Allen is interested in joining the Warriors or Cavaliers.

Duncan is announcing his retirement!!

To me, the most underrated player of his generation. Never really got the highlights or kudos, but the guy has rings for all 5 fingers.

.....and...it looks like Draymond Green was just arrested in Michigan on assault charges.

One of the best ever and from what i've heard a great guy. Next stop for him the HOF without question.

Such a fresh air he has been compared to most guys. What a career.

The 99 finals ... Knicks never had a chance... and he was only a rookie.

Top 15 player ever... At worst.

Also I LOVED KVH coming out of Utah. I thought the Spurs were crazy not to draft him.

Oops.

The Celtics had 2 lottery picks the year Duncan came out, but they ended up with the 3rd and 6th picks. Ping pong balls were unkind. The Rick Pitino era did not get off to a great start, and it wasn't a very fun ride while it lasted. Oh what could have been if the ping pong balls bounced their way that night.

Uhhhh because the basketball gods haven't been kind enough up there over the past 65 years? :hihi:

True, but their dominance was before my time. I didn't really get to witness vintage Larry Bird. I saw a lot of Larry laying down on the sidelines to preserve his aching back. Also the untimely deaths of both Len Bias and Reggie Lewis weren't exactly easy to take. When Paul Pierce was stabbed, I thought "not again?" Luckily he was ok and they built a championship team around him. But the Celtics did have some rough years there for sure.

There is a STRONG rumor that Westbrook will be traded to the C's for players and those Nets draft picks the C's control.

Certainly makes sense for OKC. Assuming he doesn't bolt Boston ...makes sense all around.

Could be risky for Boston though. Next years draft class is supposedly loaded, and the Nets could very well be the worst team in the NBA next year by a good margin, and I doubt they'll improve much in a few years either. Westbrook is great, but there's risk there because he could be a 1 year rental if he bolts for free agency the following year. They'd be rolling the dice that he could learn to love playing in Boston and they could entice him to stay by obtaining his Bird rights.

I've heard the C's linked to Blake Griffin and Demarcus Cousins as well. Gordon Hayward's name has also been thrown around. It wouldn't shock me at all if he joins them once he hits free agency to reunite with Brad Stevens, if not sooner.