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

[SoBeCuse]

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.

Yup. It's crazy. Their skillsets and movement off the ball is amazing. Still can't sleep on Igoudala as well. West will still make plays also. Too many weapons.

 

[Alsacs]

If you flipped Kevin Durant for Harrison Barnes which team is better?
Cleveland or Golden State.

 

[Melancer46]

If you flipped Kevin Durant for Harrison Barnes which team is better?
Cleveland or Golden State.

Still Golden State by a comfortable margin.

 

[Cusefan0307]

If you flipped Kevin Durant for Harrison Barnes which team is better?
Cleveland or Golden State.

Golden State

 

[longislandcuse]

 

[MikeSU02]

I still think CLE can win, but Kyrie has to make a huge leap in how he is playing.

The team that would have had a chance are the Spurs. Once Kawhi got his ankle rolled, it was over.

The players not agreeing to ease the cap increase allowed KD to sign with GSW.

Is what it is. CLE will need some serious heroics to pull this out.

Maybe CP3 on the Spurs would make it competitive in the west. I still think they should unload Lamarcus.

And the Knicks will continue to suck.

 

[Oráiste]

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.

Paul George is the obvious available upgrade, but it's almost impossible to make it happen.

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 think they would still win the series, but they wouldn't be 't undefeated if they hadn't Gilloolied Kawhi

 

[Fireball Jr.]

LeBron to the Lakers for the fourth -- and final -- chapter? He has a home there, business interests, Magic, imagine how many #23 LeBron Laker jerseys they could sell. I want one.

 

[Cusefan0307]

LeBron to the Lakers for the fourth -- and final -- chapter? He has a home there, business interests, Magic, imagine how many #23 LeBron Laker jerseys they could sell. I want one.

Magic going to let Bron be GM?

 

[Fireball Jr.]

Magic going to let Bron be GM?

If he's smart.

 

[Oráiste]

LeBron to the Lakers for the fourth -- and final -- chapter? He has a home there, business interests, Magic, imagine how many #23 LeBron Laker jerseys they could sell. I want one.

Here's how you build a team to challeng the Warriors

San Antonio trades LMA (& pieces to match salary, probably including Patty Mills) to Cleveland for LeBron
Ginobli & Parker retire, Spurs use cap space to sign Chris Paul

Paul
Green
Kawhi
Lebron
Gasol

Murray
Simmons
Bertans
Lee
Dedmon

of course this will never happen

 

[longislandcuse]

Here's how you build a team to challeng the Warriors

San Antonio trades LMA (& pieces to match salary, probably including Patty Mills) to Cleveland for LeBron
Ginobli & Parker retire, Spurs use cap space to sign Chris Paul

Paul
Green
Kawhi
Lebron
Gasol

Murray
Simmons
Bertans
Lee
Dedmon

of course this will never happen

So do we just make the West the Premier League and relegate the East?

 

[OttoinGrotto]

If he's smart.

GM Lebron gets you Lebron the player, which is great.

But GM Lebron also overpays Lebron the player's buddies, which can get you to the ECF, but I think would get you blitzed

 

[OrangeDW]

Golden State is doing a great job of hiding Curry on defense. They're recognizing when Cleveland is going to screen to get him in a mismatch, and preemptively switching him onto someone else.

Incredibly high bball IQ and good coaching for them to successfully pull that off.

Short of getting Curry or KD in foul trouble, I don't see how Cleveland could beat them right now. You can't double KD or Curry. There's too many weapons. Your best bet is that you need somebody to lock one of them up and force them into a terrible game...but I don't see anyone on that Cleveland roster that can guard either one of them, let alone lock them up and force a terrible game.

 

[Fireball Jr.]

Golden State is doing a great job of hiding Curry on defense. They're recognizing when Cleveland is going to screen to get him in a mismatch, and preemptively switching him onto someone else.

Incredibly high bball IQ and good coaching for them to successfully pull that off.

Short of getting Curry or KD in foul trouble, I don't see how Cleveland could beat them right now. You can't double KD or Curry. There's too many weapons. Your best bet is that you need somebody to lock one of them up and force them into a terrible game...but I don't see anyone on that Cleveland roster that can guard either one of them, let alone lock them up and force a terrible game.

It's Dahntay Jones time!

Not that it's a panacea, but I thought Lue'd bring Derrick Williams in for at least a few minutes here and there to have a fresh body on defense in spurts, give some Cavs a little rest.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

It's Dahntay Jones time!

Cup checks for everybody!

 

[OrangeDW]

Cup checks for everybody!

That ol' Dookie spazziness.

 

[Knicks411]

GM Lebron gets you Lebron the player, which is great.

But GM Lebron also overpays Lebron the player's buddies, which can get you to the ECF, but I think would get you blitzed

Here's a problem I have with this criticism.

1)If I'm not mistaken, the Cavs signed those guys when they were over the cap, so for instance, in the case of Tristan Thompson, it was sign Thompson or sign someone for the vet minimum
2) The Warriors are going to blitz anyone. They're like the best team ever. Is there some move out there the cavs couldn't do that would change the outcome of this series?
3) the Cavs won the title last year.

 

[OrangeDW]

It's Dahntay Jones time!

Not that it's a panacea, but I thought Lue'd bring Derrick Williams in for at least a few minutes here and there to have a fresh body on defense in spurts, give some Cavs a little rest.

Seriously though if the Cavs tried some goon stuff, I'm pretty sure Matt Barnes is on the Warriors for the same reason. He's completely expendable and certainly not above throwing some uppercuts if needed.

 

[Fireball Jr.]

TV ratings have been strong, best since '98.
NBA Finals ratings highest since Michael Jordan's last title in 1998

 

[longislandcuse]

Wow... This JR Smith interview...

 

[Fireball Jr.]

Wow... This JR Smith interview...

Whatta story. Love him and his wife.

Jr's had a tough year, out for months with busted thumb, hasn't found his groove since he came back. And then, on top of everything, a 1-pound baby born five months early, hospitalized till just recently. Lot to deal with.

Hope he drops five treys tonight. He's gone from a guy never afraid to shoot to one who's taken six shots in two games, made one -- the first score in the series, a three from the corner.

 

[Cusefan0307]

Klay Thompson the best 3rd option in NBA history.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

Here's a problem I have with this criticism.

1)If I'm not mistaken, the Cavs signed those guys when they were over the cap, so for instance, in the case of Tristan Thompson, it was sign Thompson or sign someone for the vet minimum
2) The Warriors are going to blitz anyone. They're like the best team ever. Is there some move out there the cavs couldn't do that would change the outcome of this series?
3) the Cavs won the title last year.

I realized I never finished my thought. It was supposed to read "blitzed in the west."

And yeah, their championship last season validated everything.

 

[CuseFaninVT]

Korver took 4 steps on that dunk.