Figured it was time to start a separate thread. Sorry for the lateness (on vacation). So, after the first game it's hard to feel that having a fully healthy Love and Irving is going to make much of a difference. After (mistakenly) counting out Curry and the Warriors against the Thunder (sure am getting used to the taste of this crow pie), I am convinced there's absolutely nothing they can't do. And if things continue on their trajectory, James' pal and former teammate (Anderson Verajao) may be a world champion within 6-7. Please, discuss, input and react.
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I think we can all agree that this series started about as oddly as it possibly could have.
Livingston and Iggy sure deserve a lot or kudos. Iggy is so versatile with his defense and great handles, timely scoring. Cavs can't be too excited to hold Steph and Klay down and still get blown out. Based on the victories last year, this regular season and last night, it's hard to picture the Cavs winning
By that same logic, GS fans can't possibly believe they will get that kind of bench production and role players hitting an absurd number of low percentage, superstar shots.
By THAT logic, Cavs fans can't possibly believe that Curry and Thompson will have another night of absurdly low point totals and minutes.
The point. You missed it.
I was saying drawing conclusions from one game is a terrible way to guess how a series will go. And all these things go both ways.
OKC got slapped around like a little bitch in game 1 against the Spurs... and won the series.
But there is more than just one game, there was the entire regular season for Golden State as well as last year's playoffs and Finals.
That was my entire point. I saw more Cavs supporters drawing such conclusions than from the other side.
For me, it was much the opposite. I'm not sure if this is a unique situation, but upstate SC doesn't really have an NBA team, a few Hornets, a few Hawks fans, but for the most part it's filled with Lakers fans (wtf?) who are really just Kobe fans who spew hate towards Lebron like they are paranoid anyone would ever mention him in the conversation with Kobe AND enormous bandwagon fans who go from being Spurs fans, to OKC fans, to GS fans based on whoever has the best chance to win (or really just whoever is playing Lebron) and so my social media has been all anti-Cavs and anti-Lebron and it's so damn annoying. So that said, all the conclusions I saw were about how this meant the Warriors are going to sweep them and Lebron is a joke, etc. So we clearly saw other sides of this.
Sounds like you need more savvy friends. lol
For the record, everyone on my newsfeed who is/was pulling for CLE is a huge LeBron fan... meaning, they were Heat fans for the four years prior to last season. That's why I dismissed their predictions of CLE winning in 5 (yes, I saw quite a bit of that for some reason) as soon as I read them.
Looking at the way the series has gone now, with CLE now having lost by 33 with Curry on the bench for the majority of the game, I'm beginning to think a sweep is more possible. I had GS winning in 5 or 6 before.
It's really the same as your newsfeed w Lebron fans. Mine is filled with Lebron hating Kobe fans, or "whoever is playing Lebron" fans.
We always overreact to single games in an NBA series. Adjustments will be made. The series doesn't get serious until a home team loses.
Very true. The first game of a series can mean very little. Nobody thought OKC would beat the Spurs after a merciless beatdown in game 1.
Home teams still undefeated. Big game Friday...If warriors win, series is over, if Cavs win, they carry great momentum back to Oakland with a chance to flip home court.
Pointless LeBron stats incoming:
LeBron is 0-4 in the finals when his shoe does not have a carbon fiber plate on the side, 2-0 when it does. I believe his shoes have the plates this year.
LeBron is 0-4 in NBA Finals when Mark Jackson is an analyst, 2-0 when he's not.
He is 1-6 in finals game 1s. His sole win coming in a series the Heat eventually lost to the Mavs.
Anyone got any others? I love this stupid stuff.
This photo made the rounds yesterday on twitter during Game 1... And I couldn't resist turning the first thought I had into a meme.. Please stay close to on topic and not turn HokieMcGruber's thread into a rant about the past . Just be glad for the Curry family's ongoing success, and relish in a moment of humor.
I am admittedly no expert on basketball and have watched very little of it this season until the last round of the playoffs. This is the first Cleveland game that I have watched this year. Having said all of that, my reaction to Game 1 was, "I thought Kyrie Irving was a good basketball player." Last night he was terrible! Does he usually play like this? He looked like a clumsy little kid out there. Just bad decisions and bad shot selection all over the place. Dribbling right into his own player who is setting a screen to try to get him some space is not smart basketball. I kept watching and thinking, "Who is that dude and what is he thinking. He sucks. Oh, that's Irving? Really?"
The Warriors can not stop LeBron down low, but there is no way he can score if Irving won't pass him the ball. Game 2 should feature nothing but LeBron taking it to the rim. Unfortunately, GS is perfectly happy trading twos for threes.
Last night really solidified the importance of a competent supporting cast. Golden State has one that, at best, can pick up the slack when Curry and Thompson are cold and at worst, can keep the game close. Cleveland on the other hand has players that will actively lose the game if given too much responsibility.
The Cavs ball movement was pretty bad and Irving tends to over dribble when it breaks down. LeBron passing out of the post seems to be when they're at their best. That said, both teams played pretty good defense, but the Warriors bench just went HAM with Barbosa and Livingston hitting amazing shots.
The Cavs' problem is that when they got Kevin Love, they expected him to be like the Love he was in Minnesota. He can't be that because he is being used completely differently by Cleveland than he was in Minnesota. Playing the post in Minnesota, Love could score 25 and pull down 20 rebounds on any given night. Now his game has been reduced to being a stretch four who shoots wing and corner 3s, occasionally trying to put a move on someone to get inside the 3 point line, and then back them down 15 feet. Tristan Thompson is an excellent offensive rebounder, but he is no Love-in-Minnesota type player. If I were Lue, I would take Thompson out of the starting lineup, put Love at center, and start Channing Frye at the 4.
They pretty much start every game trying to get Love going in the post.
"Now his game has been reduced to being a stretch four who shoots wing and corner 3s"
See Bosh, Chris. I'm a big LeBron guy, but this seems to be a recurring theme with the starting PFs on any teams LBJ plays for. It's pretty frustrating to watch Love just heave 3 after 3 out there. Like you said, he's soooo much more effective under the basket than he is trying to do this midrange/3 ball thing.
Bosh is more of a slasher and mid-range player than Love. Bosh fit the role that LeBron sought for him perfectly.
Love is a completely different player than Bosh, and when he's on he fits his role perfectly. The problem is when he isn't on he can be frustrating to watch, whereas when Bosh was off he still affected the game by stretching the defense and playing solid defense on the other end.
What has to be particularly concerning for the Cavaliers is that you could tell LeBron really really really wanted that game and they were only in it for about a quarter. In the past you can count on LeBron winning two games of a seven-game series all by himself but against the Warriors and their three point shooting that's not really the case anymore. Even if LeBron goes for 40 the Warriors have someone who will go for 35.
Lol at da "King". He got beaten by a bunch of second team scrubs!
Ok gloating aside I do not expect either teams starters to play that poorly the rest of the championships. I still say warriors but in 6 or 7.
6 times in a row in the finals, he's not winning #3 this year...
Sorry to LeBron fans, he is a great player , but not a great leader...
On second thought, Warriors in 4...
This is just embarrassing. Cleveland had about as much chance of winning the finals as McCain had of becoming president (Fam Guy reference).
Best team of all time showing why they won 73 games. I expect for Cleveland to win at least one game at home but doubt they win both. I originally thought Dubs in 7 when the series started, but now it's starting to look like they can take it in 5 or 6.
James should've stayed in Miami. By the way, it cannot be overstated that Steph Curry, in every single alt timeline and dimension was a Hokie. Also, very classy and upstanding. Makes it so easy to pull for him.
He might go back if the Warriors end this series in a quick fashion.
I'm being half sarcastic, half serious. Reality is it's going to take a lot of good players taking pay cuts to take down this Warriors team. They are on the verge of becoming an absolute unstoppable dynasty.
iunno keep an eye on minnesota. That team is going to be dangerous in a few years they're absolutely LOADED
Not to start this debate again, but unless he was bigger than 160 lbs in those "alt timelines," he wasn't going to get a scholarship at VT or any ACC school for that matter.
I don't really care which team wins but Golden State plays fun basketball. Just completely unselfish play. I found myself on numerous occasions making this face:
Meanwhile, watching LeBron get the ball at this point is like watching Groundhog Day. He gets the ball in the high post, backs his man down towards the low post, and then bodies him the rest of the way for the dunk/layup. It's effective but they're never going to beat the Warriors playing like that.
It was refreshing to see the refs actually call travels/offensive fouls on LeBron last night. He usually gets away with plenty of both.
wanted to share this beautiful image with all of you!
Man. What a turnaround in this game. Still don't see the Cavs winning this series. Also, there have been very few interesting games this postseason. Really not a lot of fun to watch.
I'm guessing Steph didn't do his pregame ritual dance correctly, last night.
That's the joke
Er.... I got the joke. Thus why I responded with Jobu. You're trying too hard to use that gif, McGruber!
Hey, I still uplegged you for it. It wasn't an attack or criticism.
That result last night was about as obvious as you get. The Cavs are going to lose the series, but anyone that bet against them last night was foolish.
I am just not a big NBA fan, and frankly this postseason is really doing nothing to change my mind.
Maybe now Lebron will learn that he needs to let a GM and a coach pick the players around him instead of stocking a team with his friends.
I consider it along the line of questioning "if God wanted man to fly..." only in this case the question is "if God had intended Cleveland to win a championship..."
if it was about friends wouldn't he still be in Miami?
And probably sitting at or close to .500 in Finals.
While it might not be all about friends, there's a decent chunk of evidence that he involves himself in personnel and coaching decisions when allowed.
Green suspended for Game 5, the comments coming from both teams have been interesting. Tomorrow should indeed be fun.
I don't think it change or affect inevitability.
Irving is burning it tonight. I guess not having Green really does make a difference.
Two grown men showed up for the game last night. The Warriors are soft as marshmallows, good thing they can shoot threes.
They missed Green. Soft as marshmallows doesn't win 73 games, and yeah, they can definitely shoot threes.
wanna talk about soft as marshmallows talk about how lebron threw a hissy fit and campaigned to have draymond green kicked off the court because "he got called the b-word". Did draymond deserve to be kicked out in the OKC game? yeah probably, and then we wouldn't even be having this discussion. However the hissy fit that lebron threw was laughable
Draymond should stop hitting people in their boys.
Say what you will about Lebron, but dirty he is not. Seemed like a good bit of gamesmanship, with the added benefit that he didn't have to touch another guys junk. He knew the situation, and Green earned his suspension with the accumulation of Ts.
I'm just glad all the angry little GSW fans that had courtside seats aren't taller, because they stand up and throw their arms up begging for a foul so often it could have been difficult to see the action.
I want the Warriors to win the series, but it did annoy me to log on to Twitter just to see Ayesha Curry blaming the refs, just days after she called out LeBron on Twitter as well.
Seems to me like she was trying avoid making excuses for calling out LeBron the other day. I think the Warriors still win the series, but her and Klay need to learn not to publicly call out LeBron, because as he showed on Monday, if you do you're not gonna have a fun time.
Kinda reminds of when D-Wade and LeBron made fun of Dirk in the 2011 Finals. They both harshly learned their lesson, and if Golden State isn't careful, they will harshly learn their lesson as well.
Unfortunately, complaining to the refs is part of the game now, not an indication of softness. It helps to get you favorable calls later in the game. Tim Duncan complains to the refs constantly, do you think that he is soft? It is why Dwyane Wade and Tony Parker stay on the floor so long after they get "knocked down" instead of jumping right back up. It is smart gamesmanship because it helps the team. Name-calling coupled with repeated slapping and/or kicking other players nuts is not. Draymond needs to take lessons from Dennis Rodman on how to properly play that role without hurting the team.
the difference is they dont lobby after the game for a suspension. I dont have a problem with bitching to refs, i mean im a soccer player I know all about gamesmenship. What i do have a problem with is lebron complaining because he got called a bitch. Come on dude grow a pair I guarantee you hes been called worse at a bar and didnt have the nerve to T-bag the guy because of it
I agree that warriors fans complain to the refs a lot and lebron does as well, hell the entire nba does, and i have 0 problem with that. I have a problem with post game interviews basically asking for a player to get suspended, that was beyond disgraceful. Had Draymond been kicked out of the thunder series I'd have 0 problem with it. The dude totally deserved it, but to say Draymond deserved a flagrant on that play and Lebron did nothing wrong (he got no punishment) is absolutely wrong.
Missed Monday's game, but I have heard a bunch of people talking about there was an obvious fix so that the Cav's didn't get steamrolled out of the finals.
How was the actual game?
I've heard people calling the Green suspension an NBA conspiracy (which is whatever, I'm not a conspiracy guy), but it's hard to argue that the refs were calling the game unfairly towards Cleveland especially with some horrific calls against CLE like the play where Kyrie clearly never went out of bounds. Also, Warriors were getting plenty of iffy foul calls around the basket. Calls went both ways all night. The main reasons the warriors lost is that outside of Klay (who cooled off in the 2nd half) nobody else was hitting threes, Curry was something like 5/14ish and Barnes missed a bunch coupled against huge games from Lebron and Kyrie.
Overall, it was another odd game that didn't really reflect how either team has played all season, and that's been the case pretty much all series.
True, these teams in the finals are very different then they were during the season. Thanks for the answer.
If the obvious fix was Kyrie Irving doing his best (superstar) Allen Iverson impression, then yes there was a fix.
He and LeBron both scored 41. Not sure having Green in would have made a difference between a W/L
We just will never know, though, will we? Take a major ingredient out of any recipe and you are going to get a different pie (or cake for those misguided souls amongst us). Props to Lebron and Kyrie for upping their game, but Green would likely have made things a bit more interesting. Like you, I am not sure it would have made for a different winner, but like I said, we'll never know.
and of course Lebron went off, Draymond has been a huge part of keeping him in check for most of the series and is an absolute crucial cog in the defensive piece of the warriors. I'm not saying the guy had to go off for 30, I'm saying he had to A) provide a threat on offense and B) help keep lebron in check because he matches up with him about as well as anyone else on the warriors team
When Green comes back out, he'll be arriving with a vengeance, like a man on mission.
to hit more grown men in the groin
As long as there is no game seven, punch away...
ROFLMAO! Thanks, Chris. I needed that. I mean I guess it's possible that he may play more reserved and less aggressive, thus enabling James & Co. to do their thing. But also, I feel the Warriors will come out more aggressive as a team (whether Green does or not).
I expect them to come out very focused as well. They don't want to end up on the wrong side of history. I think this will be a close game, but I hope it isn't.
NBA refs are so terrible. But the Warriors have lost their cool completely. Game 7 should be interesting.
And people will still rip Lebron for "reasons". Dude has been beast mode the last 2 games. If he was playing as poorly as Curry in this series he would be getting absolutely killed.
If LeBron plays like this again in Game 7, win or lose the guy has to be MVP right? Unless Steph explodes for 60. I like both players so this series has been fun to watch.
The Warriors seem unhinged and losing Bogut actually was a blow as well. Bottom line though I think the difference is the Warriors have been missing tons of shots, including a lot of open ones, and the Cavs have started making them. It doesn't hurt to have James who bulls his way to the basket at will, and NBA rules are favorable for that style of play. It is unfortunate that almost none of these games have been worth watching though.
But it is very annoying watching James throwing different warriors to the ground and the refs calling fouls on the Warriors. Fairly officiated the series would already be over.
A fairly officiated playoffs would have seen Draymond Green suspended for kicking a guy in the nuts.
But sure, lets go with this conspiracy theory. You know, because the Warriors haven't benefited AT ALL from the refs this year.
Its like that Duke fan that complains about that one time Duke didn't get a call in that one game.
I am a Celtics fan, so who wins between the two teams playing doesn't really matter to me. But watching the game, the Cavaliers were getting away with murder.
And yes, Green should have been suspended then and not later.
Bad calls have gone both ways. Harrison Barnes got an and 1 on a layup where he literally wasn't touched. Shit happens, plus they are holding the whistle because of all the flopping.
"It doesn't hurt to have James who bulls his way to the basket at will, and NBA rules are favorable for that style of play."
This is the direct impact of the NBA basically banning the hand-check. They've taken all the physicality away from the defenders in the effort to promote more scoring and points.
Game 7... Everyone stay calm Cleveland is very very good at throwing it all away.
I have no doubt in my mind that Golden State will win by 15+.
But at this point will be rooting for Lebron.
No way. Cleveland has figured out how to defend those guys and Lebron has 1 more monster game in him. Cleveland wins in a tight one
Prediction: Cleveland will be up by 9pm. Then when GoT starts, nobody's watching and Warriors will take a commanding lead. Fueled by the adrenaline, Curry will go on a hot streak and wins by....a lot.
I thought Curry got suspended for G7.
If they actually suspended Curry for a game based on that last foul, the Warriors should just get championship rings made because the entire tournament would be invalid. That last foul was completely bogus and when he complained they made it a technical.
He chucked his mouth guard into the stands and then got a tech.
"That last foul was completely bogus".
Maybe some earlier calls on him, but that last one Curry fouled James twice. He slapped his wrist and then cut him off. Curry got himself fouled out. When playing with 5 fouls you have to play cautiously and he made a super aggressive move to try to steal way back at that side of the court.
Watched it and thought James flopped, every article I have read also agreed that James flopped on the last foul.
Even if it was a flop, Curry shouldn't have put himself in position for Lebron to sell it. He was playing a little too recklessly and got caught.
https://streamable.com/q1wy
Curry pulls him on the elbow and then James embellishes. Definitely a reach in foul.
wow....for someone with no dog in this fight I have to say that Curry did nothing wrong (until throwing his mouth guard and shouting profanities) and Lebron flopped like an Oscar winner. I think blatant flops like that should be penalized. That, to me, just deteriorates the sanctity of the game.
Dear Ayesha Curry....
might want to stay off Twitter for a while
Lmao! That will make her stay on there even more.
She's a lovely young lady, but her Twitter rants are a bad look
Overall score of the series so far is 610-610.
Neat.
If Curry hit me with his mouthpiece during a game, that shit would be on eBay before the whistle blew on the 4th quarter.
http://m.sfgate.com/news/article/Steph-Curry-mouth-guard-going-up-for-au...
$5k pocketed a richer. Wonder if extra is being charged for authentic saliva.
Well, one could ensure it all with a DNA analysis to prove provenance, right? I mean, otherwise, how could you be absolutely sure you're buying authentic Curry spit?
True. You never can tell when someone may have swapped spit.
I love watching LeBron. I love watching Steph. Both are on a whole different level in different ways. Anybody still focusing on fouls is missing the point. Enjoy a great game 7 and don't worry about who should have or shouldn't have been called for fouls. It's one thing I hate about current tv coverage, there seems to be more focus on foul calls than great plays.
Does anyone else follow Skip Bayless on Twitter, just to watch a complete meltdown take place on the TL when LeBron James has a good game?
I have never seen a man with so much hate in his heart for one particular player, JUST FOR BEING A PLAYER. People didn't like Kobe because of the incident with the young girl. Understandable. People didn't like Michael Vick because of the dogfighting. Understandable. But this man lives to hate LeBron James, JUST BECAUSE HE IS GREAT AT WHAT HE DOES.
Can't believe that idiot is about to get paid $5 million per year.
The worst part is LeBron could score 45 in Game 7 and he would still find a way to call LeBron a "choker" or that he is "weak minded" if the Cavs don't win.
State is hot tonight. Shouldn't have too much trouble closing out the 2nd half.
Wow!
Can we go ahead and so the LeBron doesn't have a go for the kill mentality?
Jesus, he's single handedly killed the Warriors this series... after doing his damn best of doing the same last year
A LOT of people are gonna say that the NBA gifted the champ to Cleveland. But whatever the dialogue, curse is over. I anticipate a statue of Lebron to be built outside of Q Loans Arena in the likeness of MJ.
People will. But Lebron wasn't going to be denied, and it helped that Irving and Love played great too
I mean i think i was on the opposite end of the spectrum and I'll agree, even if you think cleveland was gift wrapped game 5, it doesnt matter. Golden state had 2 other chances to come out and win and they didn't. They have nothing to complain about
The CURSE HAS BEEN LIFTED!
Good for you Lebron.
Guy had one of the single best Finals ever (after having a great one last year too). People will still hate him, but good for him.
Loved watching Kyrie punk Green too.
That game 7 completely erased the fact that the majority of the games in these playoffs were less than spectacular. Awesome performance all around tonight by both squads.
LeBron just locked up his spot as a top two player ever.
I guess I can forgive Greenberg now for not offering Steph Curry a scholarship.
/s
So happy for LeBron and the city of Cleveland. Made history in many ways tonight.
B E L I E V E L A N D
I can't help but feel kinda bad that Verajao and Hughes weren't able to share in it.
Varajao does get a ring for being on the roster earlier this year.
Wait-really? Seriously?
Its up to the Cleveland management. He was not on the team when they won and I think it was Game 2 the TV announcing crew said it would be up to a vote of the Cleveland players to decide if he would get one. I believe the team orders the rings, not the NBA so the team can decide who gets one and who doesn't.
I wouldn't want one if I were him. It would be a very empty token knowing you did absolutely nothing to achieve it.
Honestly it would seem very strange to have to explain all the time why you have a championship ring for a team you didn't even play for.
That block james had with like 2 minutes left on iguodala was probably one of the top basketball plays I've ever seen...
I really hope we get a chance to see who wins best of three next year.
Would you rather have the record of most wins in a season (73-9 may never be broken, that's incredible) or the record of only team to lose the finals after being up 3-1?
Finals man. World Champs.
Champs, no question
Found this tweet very intersting.
I'm happy for the Cavs, even happier for JR. This is the only video I needed.