And then there were two, the Cavs and Warriors

[Orangezoo]

They didn't raise their level of play in the playoffs as I've posted time and again. The Cavs had the best offense in the league with their main lineup. Now it's a miracle if they shoot above 40% in a game.

The reason they didnt in the finals has to do with golden state. You cant just drop them in a vacuum and no you havent said that time and time again. You have only pointed to the lack of support in the finals. The finals are only 25 pct of the playoffs. Get your facts straight.

 

[Orangezoo]

By your logic you could point to a lot of teams with one or two stars surrounded by scrubs for the sheer fact those guys had a rough finals. That does not make them scrubs, outside of your own delusional world.

 

[Knicks411]

So how good do you think the supporting cast is relative to those of other teams that have played in the finals?

 

[Orangezoo]

So how good do you think the supporting cast is relative to those of other teams that have played in the finals?

I think it would be an interesting comparison. I think you would need to settle on an efficiency metric to compare them or something along those lines. I dont doubt they rate on the lower end of the scale by comparison but need to look at usage rates comparable to lebrons for a single player to compare the teams. Would be an interesting study for someone who has the time.

 

[longislandcuse]

So how good do you think the supporting cast is relative to those of other teams that have played in the finals?

Well they basically beat Atlanta without Love and a 50% to DNP Kyrie. Pretty much the team were seeing now.

 

[Cusefan0307]

Nothing against Lebron, but I hope Golden State wins by 30 tonight, and that is thanks to the media. Listening to Mike and Mike talk today like they still think Cleveland is up 2-1. Not to mention they keep saying if they had Kyrie, Cleveland would of won. Well Cleveland, you lost game one with Kyrie.

The story will be about what Cleveland didn't do and didn't have if they lost, and not how good Golden State is.

 

[Knicks411]

Well they basically beat Atlanta without Love and a 50% to DNP Kyrie. Pretty much the team were seeing now.

An Atlanta team which was also pretty beat up.

But fine, of all the teams that have made the finals in the last 10-15 years, how do you think the supporting cast measures up?

 

[MikeSU02]

An Atlanta team which was also pretty beat up.

But fine, of all the teams that have made the finals in the last 10-15 years, how do you think the supporting cast measures up?

Van Gundy on Lowe's podcast yesterday said this was the worst supporting cast in the Finals since he's been around (I believe that was his line). And said LeBron is clearly the MVP, whether they want to give him the trophy is another thing.

 

[MikeSU02]

Nothing against Lebron, but I hope Golden State wins by 30 tonight, and that is thanks to the media. Listening to Mike and Mike talk today like they still think Cleveland is up 2-1. Not to mention they keep saying if they had Kyrie Cleveland would of won. Well Cleveland, you lost game one with Kyrie.

The story will be about what Cleveland didn't do and didn't have if they lost, and not how good Golden State is.

Scott Foster is reffing. That means the likelihood of the visiting team winning just shot up by about 50%.

 

[Knicks411]

Van Gundy on Lowe's podcast yesterday said this was the supporting cast in the Finals since he's been around (I believe that was his line). And said LeBron is clearly the MVP, whether they want to give him the trophy is another thing.

I think the 07 Cavs are in the discussion, and probably if you go back to 2001, those Sixers maybe. But it's definitely right there with any other group.

 

[MikeSU02]

I think the 07 Cavs are in the discussion, and probably if you go back to 2001, those Sixers maybe. But it's definitely right there with any other group.

I agree with that. Philly had Dikembe as it's second best player?

That 07 Cavs second best player was Mo Williams? Can't remember.

 

[Knicks411]

I agree with that. Philly had Dikembe as it's second best player?

That 07 Cavs second best player was Mo Williams? Can't remember.

Williams wasn't there yet. I'm about to look it up, but top of my head it was probably Z?

http://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/CLE/2007.html

 

[MikeSU02]

Williams wasn't there yet. I'm about to look it up, but top of my head it was probably Z?

http://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/CLE/2007.html

LOL at that roster.

Poor LeBron.

 

[Cusefan0307]

LOL at that roster.

Poor LeBron.

Yikes. Larry Hughes as their second best player. That roster was worse. Looking back, it's a miracle Lebron even got them past New Jersey and Detroit.

 

[longislandcuse]

I'd say Orlando with Dwight was pretty bad too.

 

[jordoo]

The knicks problems were not JR/Shumpert. Far from it actually. They were just a total mess on both sides of the ball with no real game plan. Again you are just trolling here...

The Knicks problem is they have a GM and Coach who are rigidly tied to a specific system regardless of personnel. On top of that they were never going to be good this season and they wanted to lose. That's why they ran the triangle with a bunch of guys who couldn't run it and seemed to not even have a defensive strategy.

Its really depressing as a Knicks fan.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

I'd say Orlando with Dwight was pretty bad too.

That team didn't have exceptional talent, but it was designed well. One in, four out, tall shooters surrounding Howard.

 

[Knicks411]

It wasn't great, but they had some players. Ton of shooting. Rashard, Turk, Reddick, Courtney Lee, those guys are all solid NBA rotation guys, and Turk and Lewis were good NBA starters. Nelson was a pretty good PG back then too but he was injured so you probably don't really want to count him. (LOL Rafter Alston was the Nelson replacement).

That's definitely not a great one though, they are short a really good #2 guy. But they won a lot of games for a few years and it wasn't all Dwight. (it was a lot Dwight, he used to be so good)

 

[MikeSU02]

The Knicks problem is they have a GM and Coach who are rigidly tied to a specific system regardless of personnel. On top of that they were never going to be good this season and they wanted to lose. That's why they ran the triangle with a bunch of guys who couldn't run it and seemed to not even have a defensive strategy.

Its really depressing as a Knicks fan.

And Dolan.

 

[jordoo]

And Dolan.

I've pretty much given up hope as long as he's still the owner. Its sad but at least the league itself is fun to watch again.

 

[Melancer46]

I'd say Orlando with Dwight was pretty bad too.

Looking back on that team now, it looks pretty bad, but at the time, Turkoglu, Jameer, and Rashard were all good players for that year. In fact, if I remember right, I think Rashard and Jameer were both all-stars that year.

 

[jordoo]

Looking back on that team now, it looks pretty bad, but at the time, Turkoglu, Jameer, and Rashard were all good players for that year. In fact, if I remember right, I think Rashard and Jameer were both all-stars that year.

Yeah, its funny how in the NBA you can be an all star type player for 1-3 years and then a scrub the rest of your career just like that! The league is changing though and multi skilled players will be at a premium moving forward. I can't wait until 80% of the guys in the league are good shooters, passers and handlers. Being able to defend at least somewhat on the perimeter is also key now for every position other than center.

 

[MikeSU02]

I've pretty much given up hope as long as he's still the owner. Its sad but at least the league itself is fun to watch again.

This is exactly where I am as well.

 

[Knicks411]

Looking back on that team now, it looks pretty bad, but at the time, Turkoglu, Jameer, and Rashard were all good players for that year. In fact, if I remember right, I think Rashard and Jameer were both all-stars that year.

Pretty sure Jameer was, but he had a shoulder injury right around that time? Came back in the finals but wasn't the same. It's crazy that even just 5 or 6 years ago a team that spaced the court around one big guy was such a unique thing.

 

[MikeSU02]

Yeah, its funny how in the NBA you can be an all star type player for 1-3 years and then a scrub the rest of your career just like that! The league is changing though and multi skilled players will be at a premium moving forward. I can't wait until 80% of the guys in the league are good shooters, passers and handlers. Being able to defend at least somewhat on the perimeter is also key now for every position other than center.

Do you watch the Bucks? Following them develop has been really interesting. Aggressive D. Switching on everything. Guys 1-4 that can almost guard interchangeably. It's a fun team to follow.