NBA Playoffs 2016

[GeorgeSteele]

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.    

[Eazy E]

How about that BLOCK!

[GeorgeSteele]

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. 

[JAEBALL]

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.    

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.

[GeorgeSteele]

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.

[GeorgeSteele]

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.   

[JAEBALL]

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. 

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.

[pilferk]

The 07 Pats made me sooooo happy. 

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.

[faldor]

The 07 Pats made me sooooo happy. 

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.

[pilferk]

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.

[JAEBALL]

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.

[pilferk]

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.

[pilferk]

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'...."

[tim_m]

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.

[pilferk]

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.

[GeorgeSteele]

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. 

[tim_m]

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?

[tim_m]

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.

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?

[faldor]

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?

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?

[tim_m]

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?

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.