It's showtime -- let the (NBA) games begin!

[Cusefan0307]

Have two teammates ever both averaged 30 in the Finals? Cause I think it's going to happen this year.

 

[Melancer46]

This is why Cleveland making moves for Melo in the offseason makes all the sense in the world. Melo can be the guy to take over when Lebron rests.

If the Knicks are okay with a return of like Iman Shumpert, Frye, and Korver for Melo, then I agree that it makes a lot of sense.

 

[Knicks411]

If by "dominate" you mean get every call, you are undoubtedly right.

Still not sure if that will be enough. I'd be surprised if GS doesn't come out of CLE with at least a 3-1 lead. They look like a team on a mission.

This could be a problem for them, if meme's are any indication.

You figure Cleveland can get one of the next 2 at home, but a sweep wouldn't be a ridiculous outcome. This Warriors team might be the best team ever.

This is why Cleveland making moves for Melo in the offseason makes all the sense in the world. Melo can be the guy to take over when Lebron rests.

Is Melo any better an offensive player than Kyrie is at this point? I really doubt it. Kyrie didn't play great last night, granted, but in general.

There's no realistic move Cleveland, or anyone can make, really, that would get them to GS level.

An interesting point I hadn't considered; if the players association had agreed to the league's salary cap smoothing proposal, GS never would have had the cap space to get Durant.

 

[Cusefan0307]

Chris Paul goes to Cleveland and they move Kyrie to the 2. Trade Frye/Shumpert for Melo and you got something.

 

[Alsacs]

This could be a problem for them, if meme's are any indication.

You figure Cleveland can get one of the next 2 at home, but a sweep wouldn't be a ridiculous outcome. This Warriors team might be the best team ever.



Is Melo any better an offensive player than Kyrie is at this point? I really doubt it. Kyrie didn't play great last night, granted, but in general.

There's no realistic move Cleveland, or anyone can make, really, that would get them to GS level.

An interesting point I hadn't considered; if the players association had agreed to the league's salary cap smoothing proposal, GS never would have had the cap space to get Durant.

Tristan Thompson, all their first round picks for the next 20 years for Anthony Davis.

This could never happen. However for Cleveland to get to Golden State level they would need to turn Tristan Thompson's 18 million dollar salary into a top 5 player like Davis or KAT.

 

[longislandcuse]

This could be a problem for them, if meme's are any indication.

You figure Cleveland can get one of the next 2 at home, but a sweep wouldn't be a ridiculous outcome. This Warriors team might be the best team ever.



Is Melo any better an offensive player than Kyrie is at this point? I really doubt it. Kyrie didn't play great last night, granted, but in general.

There's no realistic move Cleveland, or anyone can make, really, that would get them to GS level.

An interesting point I hadn't considered; if the players association had agreed to the league's salary cap smoothing proposal, GS never would have had the cap space to get Durant.

Melo is a much different player than Kyrie and yes, I believe better offensively in terms of what they need when Lebron goes to the bench.

 

[Knicks411]

Tristan Thompson, all their first round picks for the next 20 years for Anthony Davis.

This could never happen. However for Cleveland to get to Golden State level they would need to turn Tristan Thompson's 18 million dollar salary into a top 5 player like Davis or KAT.

Yeah, there are moves that could be made to get them there, just nothing realistic. Maybe if they could somehow get Chris Paul there?

 

[Knicks411]

Melo is a much different player than Kyrie and yes, I believe better offensively in terms of what they need when Lebron goes to the bench.

I could probably be convinced, I guess. They can do a lot of Kyrie/Love pick and roll stuff. Melo is still good, not as good as he used to be.

I guess it's an issue of iso'ing Melo or iso'ing Kyrie. Neither guy is a particularly good passer. The Cavs also don't have a lot of intriguing pieces that could get me excited about moving Melo. But I don't know what the knicks could realistically expect to get back at this point.

 

[longislandcuse]

I could probably be convinced, I guess. They can do a lot of Kyrie/Love pick and roll stuff. Melo is still good, not as good as he used to be.

I guess it's an issue of iso'ing Melo or iso'ing Kyrie. Neither guy is a particularly good passer. The Cavs also don't have a lot of intriguing pieces that could get me excited about moving Melo. But I don't know what the knicks could realistically expect to get back at this point.

I think of it in terms of Cle vs GS and GS only. They need someone to go at KD. Love showed it can be done with bully-ball. Put Melo out there and you immediately have someone to throw the ball to and either go at KD, score on whoever isn't KD trying to guard him, or create 3-point opps due to double teams being thrown at him.

Cleveland won't be able to do much if KD/Curry stay together but the best they can do, imo, given the market and their pieces, is try to get Melo. That at least gives them a fighting chance, and Lebron the ability to rest as he has clearly been gassed at times.

 

[Melancer46]

I could probably be convinced, I guess. They can do a lot of Kyrie/Love pick and roll stuff. Melo is still good, not as good as he used to be.

I guess it's an issue of iso'ing Melo or iso'ing Kyrie. Neither guy is a particularly good passer. The Cavs also don't have a lot of intriguing pieces that could get me excited about moving Melo. But I don't know what the knicks could realistically expect to get back at this point.

Seriously, the Clippers trade offer for Melo is likely better than what Cleveland would offer at this point. You'd seriously probably be getting JR or Shumpert, Frye, and Korver.

 

[Knicks411]

I think of it in terms of Cle vs GS and GS only. They need someone to go at KD. Love showed it can be done with bully-ball. Put Melo out there and you immediately have someone to throw the ball to and either go at KD, score on whoever isn't KD trying to guard him, or create 3-point opps due to double teams being thrown at him.

Cleveland won't be able to do much if KD/Curry stay together but the best they can do, imo, given the market and their pieces, is try to get Melo. That at least gives them a fighting chance, and Lebron the ability to rest as he has clearly been gassed at times.

I get that; but I think defensively, their weakest guy is probably Steph? So you may want to go at him as much as you can. Then again, I think the bottom line is that yeah, as long as KD/Steph are together, it's not looking good for anyone else

 

[SoBeCuse]

I could probably be convinced, I guess. They can do a lot of Kyrie/Love pick and roll stuff. Melo is still good, not as good as he used to be.

I guess it's an issue of iso'ing Melo or iso'ing Kyrie. Neither guy is a particularly good passer. The Cavs also don't have a lot of intriguing pieces that could get me excited about moving Melo. But I don't know what the knicks could realistically expect to get back at this point.

I think Melo would only be useful in some of the pick 'n pop plays like the way they use Love sometimes. I personally think Melo would struggle in an NBA Finals with these caliber of players if he was on either CLE or GS. No way he would be finishing at or getting to the rim very much off the bounce. Draymond is a more versatile and valuable player even, imo. Klay is making life really difficult for Kyrie. Just opinion on Melo. I'll get scolded for it but so be it.

 

[Knicks411]

I think Melo would only be useful in some of the pick 'n pop plays like the way they use Love sometimes. I personally think Melo would struggle in an NBA Finals with these caliber of players if he was on either CLE or GS. No way he would be finishing at or getting to the rim very much off the bounce. Draymond is a more versatile and valuable player even, imo. Klay is making life really difficult for Kyrie. Just opinion on Melo. I'll get scolded for it but so be it.

I don't think there's any question Draymond is better/more valuable/whatever than Melo at this point. For the role he has to play on that team, he's perfect.

 

[Cusefan0307]

I think Melo would only be useful in some of the pick 'n pop plays like the way they use Love sometimes. I personally think Melo would struggle in an NBA Finals with these caliber of players if he was on either CLE or GS. No way he would be finishing at or getting to the rim very much off the bounce. Draymond is a more versatile and valuable player even, imo. Klay is making life really difficult for Kyrie. Just opinion on Melo. I'll get scolded for it but so be it.

He couldn't be any worse than JR in this series.

 

[SoBeCuse]

He couldn't be any worse than JR in this series.

No doubt. He's useless out there. Dumb plays too.

 

[Cusefan0307]

Through 2 games Kyrie has an offensive rating of 90 and a defensive rating of 124. JR has an offensive rating of 40 and a defensive rating of 125. Absolutely terrible.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

I think Cleveland's only chance in the future is a major retooling. Right now they're built to play the Warriors game. Odds aren't in their favor doing better than GSW over a 7 game series playing that way. Sure, you can rip through the crap in the East, but it goes to a different level against the Warriors in the finals.

They just don't have a lot of flexibility. They've drained all of their assets to be the team they are today. Can't say it was a wrong move, it got them a championship. But moving forward they're going to have to get really creative and rely on some luck to get better. And you know how well LeBron tolerates that.

 

[NineOneSeven]

Lot of series left. We saw this last year too. Granted, Durant wasn't out there... which is kind of a big thing.

Either way, Cle goes home and typically role players play best at home.

 

[OrangeDW]

Seriously, the Clippers trade offer for Melo is likely better than what Cleveland would offer at this point. You'd seriously probably be getting JR or Shumpert, Frye, and Korver.

Melo has a no trade clause though so if they were set on moving him no matter what, he could force his way to where he wants to go out of the teams that make offers for him.

 

[OrangeDW]

Lot of series left. We saw this last year too. Granted, Durant wasn't out there... which is kind of a big thing.

Either way, Cle goes home and typically role players play best at home.

Durant + a healthy Curry this year. It's hard to see anything changing this time. The Warriors have too many scorers. Durant and Curry are probably the two most dangerous scorers in the league. You can't stop them both. Unless there's an injury, I don't see how GS can possibly lose.

 

[Cusefan0307]

Durant + a healthy Curry this year. It's hard to see anything changing this time. The Warriors have too many scorers. Durant and Curry are probably the two most dangerous scorers in the league. You can't stop them both. Unless there's an injury, I don't see how GS can possibly lose.

They need to hold Durant and Curry both to under 25 and hope Klay doesn't go off. Even if that happens Draymond, Iggy, or the lesser used role guys(Livingston/Clark/West) could combine for a good amount of points.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

As an aside, it's crazy to me that the possibility of Golden State sweeping the playoffs is almost under the radar as a story.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

Lot of series left. We saw this last year too. Granted, Durant wasn't out there... which is kind of a big thing.

Either way, Cle goes home and typically role players play best at home.

Crazy things can happen, but... the Warriors look pissed off, and Durant's playing like a guy ready to lock it down.

 

[jordoo]

Golden state has two of the games most dangerous scorers plus Thompson and Green. The front office has done a great job with the supporting cast over the years especially this season getting Pachulia and McGee. They get so many open looks as a team that it seems like no one is playing defense against them.

 

[Knicks411]

As an aside, it's crazy to me that the possibility of Golden State sweeping the playoffs is almost under the radar as a story.

I also think that is the kind of thing that really helps in a GOAT debate. Not like they wouldn't want to win the series anyway, but that could provide some extra motivation to close it out and not have like a 96 Bulls thing where you go up 3-0 and then drop 2.