NBA Playoffs 2016

Carcharodon

It's early days and the Cavs will make adjustments for sure, I predict a fired up Cavs team for the next game, if the Warriors can still come away with victory then they should be confident of stealing one on the road.
That game just came across as a regular season game, Cavs seemed to give up early too in the fourth with around 3 mins left, game had slipped away but there was no desperation.
Cavs coach said he was happy with how they played...imagine popovich after a performance like that !

nerd69

EagererBeaver wrote: »

Some people just enjoy the sport and like buying jerseys of the current most successful team ?

fyp

Bonniedog

D2D wrote: »

Very disappointing game from a Cavs perspective. Worst thing was that the fast moving passing game that got us to The Finals was just forgotten about. Maybe thinking a bit too forward but Game 2 is now must win.

Seen a stat there that LeBron is 1-6 in Game 1 in The Finals, that's insane

Warriors closed that option down really did they not?

Thought they started well and had Warriors a bit puzzled as to what the game plan would be. Then when Warriors began to establish and maintain a lead I got the impression that Le Bron just decided to try and do it all himself again. Which as someone else said above, Kerr be happy to watch all day.

Still think they can beat them at least once in Cleveland but Warriors win 4 - 1 most likely,

Bonniedog

EagererBeaver wrote: »

Some people just enjoy the sport and like buying jerseys?

I have several US sports tops including Warriors, Yankees, Packers, Pirates, Knicks, and a retro Dodgers somewhere. I also have a Barcelona jersey and a Southampton jersey. Have zero emotional attachment to any of the teams as I am not from any of those places.

ButtersSuki

Carcharodon wrote: »

It's early days and the Cavs will make adjustments for sure, I predict a fired up Cavs team for the next game, if the Warriors can still come away with victory then they should be confident of stealing one on the road.
That game just came across as a regular season game, Cavs seemed to give up early too in the fourth with around 3 mins left, game had slipped away but there was no desperation.
Cavs coach said he was happy with how they played...imagine popovich after a performance like that !

I'd like to see that press conference alright. Eep. if someone asked him was he happy with how they played after a loss.......

astonaidan

mjavi wrote: »

Might just be a collector astonaidan.

Hah he could easily, just funny all his jerseys are top teams. I wont really judge as Id pick up Orlando Magic one if I could

Paully D

Warriors a best priced 2/5 to win game 2 tomorrow night. 6.5 point favourites.

Bonniedog

Paully D wrote: »

Warriors a best priced 2/5 to win game 2 tomorrow night. 6.5 point favourites.

You'll have people complaining now ..... :-)


Same as first night. You'll get worse bets! 2/5 is decent price.

ButtersSuki

Rewatched Game 1 (yes, I'm that much of a nerd). I said GS in 5, at worst 6. I now think a sweep may be on the cards.

Bonniedog

ButtersSuki wrote: »

Rewatched Game 1 (yes, I'm that much of a nerd). I said GS in 5, at worst 6. I now think a sweep may be on the cards.

It is hard to see how Cleveland might turn this around other than some unforeseen disaster afflicting the Warriors! might still win one at home, but even that is unlikely.

ButtersSuki

Warriors cruising comfortably again and Steph and Klay haven't even started to go off. This is actually kinda boring after the Okc GS series

Utopia Parkway

Cavs were more competitive last year without Irving and Love. Know they have 2 games at home now but hard to see them turning this around.

Bonniedog

Warriors had tougher games against teams like Detroit and Charlotte.

LuckyGent88

God this is some beat down. Demoralising defeat for Cleveland surely

Soby

If they sweep this they to think about changing the layout for the play offs. This sport deserved a okc warriors finals. Not this

Bonniedog

Revising my forecast from 4 - 1 to 4 - 0 I think .....

Disappointing even for anyone who wanted to see Warriors win. Was over after first quarter.

EagererBeaver

Bonniedog wrote: »

Revising my forecast from 4 - 1 to 4 - 0 I think .....

Disappointing even for anyone who wanted to see Warriors win. Was over after first quarter.

Yup, I didn't think a sweep was on the cards purely because LeBron wouldn't allow it but after last night...

Bonniedog

EagererBeaver wrote: »

Yup, I didn't think a sweep was on the cards purely because LeBron wouldn't allow it but after last night...

Even he looked like he thrown in the towel. Wouldn't fancy sitting beside him on the plane back to Cleveland!

Brilliant performance by Draymond Green. Frightening to think that Curry and Thompson have not even played as much or as well as they can.

All over bar the presentation, unless something left field happens.

EagererBeaver

If they're swept, does LeBron opt out or does he kick Kyrie and Love to the kerb and start afresh?

Bonniedog

EagererBeaver wrote: »

If they're swept, does LeBron opt out or does he kick Kyrie and Love to the kerb and start afresh?

Was just talking to that with someone last night. There's no reason he can't play for another few years, and can't see him going to play anywhere else. Coach Lue might start checking the 'situations vacant' all the same!

LeBron seems committed to Cleveland to end his career and is vastly wealthy so he might even take some (greater) role in running the club?

ButtersSuki

Guess who had the highest rebound total from last night's game? On 24mins playing time? Steph. Underrated part of his game for a smaller player.

On LeJon, he HAS to stay. If he leaves AGAIN, the city of Cleveland will disown him completely. It will be PR suicide for him if he takes "his talents" elsewhere. What happens next? I'd say everything is in play personnel wise. Love (who I'm a fan of and I think is being badly utilised in this team) will likely leave/be shipped elsewhere. kyrie I'm not sure about. Given his injury history I'm not sure what you'd get for him trade-wise. Everyone else is expendable.

LeJon already pretty much runs that team. I'm not sure what more they can do to keep him happy.

There was an article in si earlier this year which discussed LeJon's Superfriends team part 2 - him, Paul, Melo and Anthony combining. Rich on talent, not sure about the line up or chemistry though (playing wise), and I'd have huge questions over them defensively. And they'll be another year older at least by the time it happens....if it happens. Also the egos will have to be parked as well as all of them playing for smaller wages - you can say that's not an issue for them as they're all insanely rich but it is clearly is as all of their comments previously on this gave been indicative of this.

LeJon will be 2-5 in finals barring a miracle turnaround. Tgat has to be a question mark over his "legacy".

The getting to 6 straight is a huge achievement. He'd never have done it in the West though.

Paully D

ButtersSuki wrote: »

LeJon will be 2-5 in finals barring a miracle turnaround. Tgat has to be a question mark over his "legacy".

The getting to 6 straight is a huge achievement. He'd never have done it in the West though.

I don't think getting to 6 straight Finals is all that much of an achievement considering 1) the loaded teams he has been part of and 2) the fact that the East during this period has been one of the weakest conferences in history. When you combine those two things, getting to 6 straight Finals becomes an expectation for me rather than an achievement.

I actually think far more of LeBron getting the Cavs to the Finals in 2006/2007 and almost single-handedly having them competing solidly in the competitive East from 2005/2006 to 2009/2010 than I do of any of these 6 Finals appearances combined.

ButtersSuki

Paully D wrote: »

I don't think getting to 6 straight Finals is all that much of an achievement considering 1) the loaded teams he has been part of and 2) the fact that the East during this period has been one of the weakest conferences in history. When you combine those two things, getting to 6 straight Finals becomes an expectation for me rather than an achievement.

I actually think far more of LeBron getting the Cavs to the Finals in 2006/2007 and almost single-handedly having them competing solidly in the competitive East from 2005/2006 to 2009/2010 than I do of any of these 6 Finals appearances combined.

I hear you, but he still had to do it. And I'm not a LeJon fanboy.

Celtics (the KG, Ray Ray, Rondo and Pierce Celtics) had a real chance to beat them (the Heat) both times they met in the East in the LeJon era but never got over the line. Shame

6 straight is a pretty high expectation level! If that's the expectation, what are his finals expectations then? Do you think 2-5 is a taint on his legacy? I certainly do. Jordan was 6-0 with 6 MVPs. LeJon talks about being the GOAT. I don't see it. And I still say Bird was better (than LeJon).

Paully D

ButtersSuki wrote: »

I hear you, but he still had to do it. And I'm not a LeJon fanboy.

Celtics (the KG, Ray Ray, Rondo and Pierce Celtics) had a real chance to beat them (the Heat) both times they met in the East in the LeJon era but never got over the line. Shame

6 straight is a pretty high expectation level! If that's the expectation, what are his finals expectations then? Do you think 2-5 is a taint on his legacy? I certainly do. Jordan was 6-0 with 6 MVPs. LeJon talks about being the GOAT. I don't see it. And I still say Bird was better (than LeJon).

Yeah, I agree, he definitely still had to do it and fair play to him for that, but he's had what - 2 challenging playoff series' in the last 6 years in the East? Off the top of my head, Celtics (2012), Pacers (2013).

I suppose saying 6 Finals in a row is the expectation does come across as very high, but when you look at things on a season to season basis I think it would have been a massive, massive failure not to make the Finals every year of those 6 seasons all things considered (loaded team and in one of the worst conferences in NBA history) and thus I don't see it as an unrealistic expectation.

I do see the (very likely) 2-5 as a taint on his legacy, though he obviously is one of the best ever regardless. As things stand, winning 2 titles with the advantage a player of his quality gains from playing in the teams he has been with and in the East is just not good enough. Even think of the amount of extra rest/days off his teams have had due to blowing away sides early in the playoffs. Personally, I'd be looking for him to go at least .500 in Finals and I think that's fair enough.

I really do think that if he had stayed at Cleveland the first time and continued to virtually single-handedly make them competitive in the East, when all is said and done that his legacy would be looked upon greater, even if he had never won a ring.

McLoughlin

ButtersSuki wrote: »

I hear you, but he still had to do it. And I'm not a LeJon fanboy.

Celtics (the KG, Ray Ray, Rondo and Pierce Celtics) had a real chance to beat them (the Heat) both times they met in the East in the LeJon era but never got over the line. Shame

6 straight is a pretty high expectation level! If that's the expectation, what are his finals expectations then? Do you think 2-5 is a taint on his legacy? I certainly do. Jordan was 6-0 with 6 MVPs. LeJon talks about being the GOAT. I don't see it. And I still say Bird was better (than LeJon).

Rondo was injured in 2011 wasn't he ? 2012 was a great heat celtics series if Bosh hadn't have come back from injury Celtics might have won that one.

If MJ hadn't had that baseball period in mid 90s I reckon he would have gone to 8 finals in a row.

ButtersSuki

Paully D wrote: »

Yeah, I agree, he definitely still had to do it and fair play to him for that, but he's had what - 2 challenging playoff series' in the last 6 years in the East? Off the top of my head, Celtics (2012), Pacers (2013).

I suppose saying 6 Finals in a row is the expectation does come across as very high, but when you look at things on a season to season basis I think it would have been a massive, massive failure not to make the Finals every year of those 6 seasons all things considered (loaded team and in one of the worst conferences in NBA history) and thus I don't see it as an unrealistic expectation.

I do see the (very likely) 2-5 as a taint on his legacy, though he obviously is one of the best ever regardless. As things stand, winning 2 titles with the advantage a player of his quality gains from playing in the teams he has been with and in the East gains is just not good enough. Even think of the amount of extra rest/days off his teams have had due to blowing away sides early in the playoffs. Personally, I'd be looking for him to go at least .500 in Finals and I think that's fair enough.

I really do think that if he had stayed at Cleveland the first time and continued to virtually single-handedly make them competitive in the East, when all is said and done that his legacy would be looked upon greater, even if he had never won a ring.

Both sections in bold are fair.

Plus, on the latter, he'd be a God in Cleveland if he had stayed. There are still fans there who hate him (and rightly so IMO) for what he did.

For me - and this is something I don't think he fully gets - his legacy is tainted because he had to leave to get a ring with the Superfriends Team anyway.


It really shows how bad the East is though when that Cavs team went 12-2 coasting in the East and are now getting schooled in the Finals. I said all year that the 3 best teams were in the West (GS, SA and OKC). If you're Durant and Westbrook watching this you must be sick as a dog.

astonaidan

Well....yeah, really shows the strength of the west doesnt it.
Im going to start the trade rumours. Irving for Paul and Kevin Love for Anthony, might make a bit of maneuvering wage wise but I wouldnt be surprised for it to happen. Not sure if there is a way to get D-Wade but I would nearly put money on CP3 or Carmelo arriving

astonaidan

ButtersSuki wrote: »

Both sections in bold are fair.

Plus, on the latter, he'd be a God in Cleveland if he had stayed. There are still fans there who hate him (and rightly so IMO) for what he did.

For me - and this is something I don't think he fully gets - his legacy is tainted because he had to leave to get a ring with the Superfriends Team anyway.


It really shows how bad the East is though when that Cavs team went 12-2 coasting in the East and are now getting schooled in the Finals. I said all year that the 3 best teams were in the West (GS, SA and OKC). If you're Durant and Westbrook watching this you must be sick as a dog.

May give them a bit more motivation to swap conferences though.

ButtersSuki

astonaidan wrote: »

May give them a bit more motivation to swap conferences though.

Westbrook can't until next year at least.

Still think KD stays (primarily for money reasons) OR if he goes, he goes to the Warriors (yes) or SA. The rich get richer.......

ButtersSuki

McLoughlin wrote: »

If MJ hadn't had that baseball period in mid 90s I reckon he would have gone to 8 finals in a row.

8 straight Finals, 8 straight Championships, 8 straight MVPs. Probably.