NBA Playoffs

[OttoinGrotto]

my money is on balls

That should be your profile quote.

 

[MikeSU02]

Cleveland is actually playing worse offensively this year with Kyrie and Love playing than they did last year in the finals against Golden State. (89ppg this year vs 94 last year). Also, Lebron is shooting 36% against Iggy dating back to last year.

Cleveland has a huge defensive problem. Uncle Drew apparently can get buckets, but can't stop anyone.

I'm going to say this again, the perfect lineup for Bron is a rim protector at the 5, Bron at the 4, 1-3 need to be shooters, including one guy that can handle the ball and another that can finish a break (fine if it's the same guy). But they need to be able to play functional defense.

OR, if they aren't going that way, they need to go HUGE to get every single offensive board.

Kevin Love really doesn't have a place in this series I don't think after watching game 1. And Kyrie needs to be much better on defense. MUCH better. GSW was 12/19 on shots where Kyrie was the defender. The second most shots against someone on the Cavs? K Love with 7/12. LeBron was 3/9.

Bron and company were getting to the rim via the baseline last night. I think Bron has to just make a commitment to pounding it inside and trying to attack the rim. Kick it out when he gets doubled or tripled down there and hope for the best. They are outmatched, but Bron is still the best overall player in the game.

 

[RF2044]

Cleveland has a huge defensive problem. Uncle Drew apparently can get buckets, but can't stop anyone.

I'm going to say this again, the perfect lineup for Bron is a rim protector at the 5, Bron at the 4, 1-3 need to be shooters, including one guy that can handle the ball and another that can finish a break (fine if it's the same guy). But they need to be able to play functional defense.

OR, if they aren't going that way, they need to go HUGE to get every single offensive board.

Kevin Love really doesn't have a place in this series I don't think after watching game 1. And Kyrie needs to be much better on defense. MUCH better. GSW was 12/19 on shots where Kyrie was the defender. The second most shots against someone on the Cavs? K Love with 7/12. LeBron was 3/9.

Bron and company were getting to the rim via the baseline last night. I think Bron has to just make a commitment to pounding it inside and trying to attack the rim. Kick it out when he gets doubled or tripled down there and hope for the best. They are outmatched, but Bron is still the best overall player in the game.

My wife is from Cleveland / is a Cavs fan. Watched the game last night with her and my MIL, and after the discouraging loss they both suggest that the best thing for their team would be to move Irving in the offseason to try to pick up either a marquee shooter or a couple of role players to compliment Lebron.

Irving is a great scorer, generally subpar playmaker, and poor defender. Individually, a great offensive weapon, but on a team where the ball needs to be in Lebron's hands 99% of the time, it can't also be in Irving's hands, who also needs to predominate the ball to maximize his effectiveness.

 

[Knicks411]

That should be your profile quote.

gravestone baby.

Cleveland has a huge defensive problem. Uncle Drew apparently can get buckets, but can't stop anyone.

I'm going to say this again, the perfect lineup for Bron is a rim protector at the 5, Bron at the 4, 1-3 need to be shooters, including one guy that can handle the ball and another that can finish a break (fine if it's the same guy). But they need to be able to play functional defense./QUOTE]

You know who would be an awesome fit for Lebron? Porzingis, probably as soon as next year. Can protect the rim and spread the floor.

Tristan Thompson is probably just a little too short; if he was 6-11 maybe he could protect the rim a little better.

 

[Knicks411]

My wife is from Cleveland / is a Cavs fan. Watched the game last night with her and my MIL, and after the discouraging loss they both suggest that the best thing for their team would be to move Irving in the offseason to try to pick up either a marquee shooter or a couple of role players to compliment Lebron.

Irving is a great scorer, generally subpar playmaker, and poor defender. Individually, a great offensive weapon, but on a team where the ball needs to be in Lebron's hands 99% of the time, it can't also be in Irving's hands, who also needs to predominate the ball to maximize his effectiveness.

I think Love is the guy to move. I agree with a lot of what you're saying, but Lebron isn't getting any younger, and I think there is a lot of value in having another guy who they can run the offense through either when Lebron sits or when they want to ease the workload on him.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

Cleveland has a huge defensive problem. Uncle Drew apparently can get buckets, but can't stop anyone.

I'm going to say this again, the perfect lineup for Bron is a rim protector at the 5, Bron at the 4, 1-3 need to be shooters, including one guy that can handle the ball and another that can finish a break (fine if it's the same guy). But they need to be able to play functional defense.

OR, if they aren't going that way, they need to go HUGE to get every single offensive board.

Kevin Love really doesn't have a place in this series I don't think after watching game 1. And Kyrie needs to be much better on defense. MUCH better. GSW was 12/19 on shots where Kyrie was the defender. The second most shots against someone on the Cavs? K Love with 7/12. LeBron was 3/9.

Bron and company were getting to the rim via the baseline last night. I think Bron has to just make a commitment to pounding it inside and trying to attack the rim. Kick it out when he gets doubled or tripled down there and hope for the best. They are outmatched, but Bron is still the best overall player in the game.

Wiggins could have been the guy to finish the break.

It would be awesome if Lebron accepted that he should be a power forward. As you say, it's the clearest way to put a scary team around him.

 

[Alsacs]

Love is like Chris Bosh both are out of their places with Lebron. Bosh accepted the role more than Love has.

Both are PFs who don't get the ball in the post because Lebron drives so much so they have to be perimeter orientated PFs.
If Cleveland could trade Love for Melo it would be a better fit for both guys. Love would be the PF he was in Minnesota on NYK with KP next to him. Melo could roam the perimeter and make open shots with Lebron.

 

[Knicks411]

Love is like Chris Bosh both are out of their places with Lebron. Bosh accepted the role more than Love has.

Both are PFs who don't get the ball in the post because Lebron drives so much so they have to be perimeter orientated PFs.
If Cleveland could trade Love for Melo it would be a better fit for both guys. Love would be the PF he was in Minnesota on NYK with KP next to him. Melo could roam the perimeter and make open shots with Lebron.

The difference is Bosh is a million times better on the defensive end. He was real good guarding pick and rolls.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

The difference is Bosh is a million times better on the defensive end. He was real good guarding pick and rolls.

Tangent - wouldn't it be weird if the Bostrich is done?

 

[Knicks411]

Tangent - wouldn't it be weird if the Bostrich is done?

It's insane to think it could be the case but I feel like there's a good chance he is.

 

[Cusefan0307]

Cleveland has a huge defensive problem. Uncle Drew apparently can get buckets, but can't stop anyone.

I'm going to say this again, the perfect lineup for Bron is a rim protector at the 5, Bron at the 4, 1-3 need to be shooters, including one guy that can handle the ball and another that can finish a break (fine if it's the same guy). But they need to be able to play functional defense.

OR, if they aren't going that way, they need to go HUGE to get every single offensive board.

Kevin Love really doesn't have a place in this series I don't think after watching game 1. And Kyrie needs to be much better on defense. MUCH better. GSW was 12/19 on shots where Kyrie was the defender. The second most shots against someone on the Cavs? K Love with 7/12. LeBron was 3/9.

Bron and company were getting to the rim via the baseline last night. I think Bron has to just make a commitment to pounding it inside and trying to attack the rim. Kick it out when he gets doubled or tripled down there and hope for the best. They are outmatched, but Bron is still the best overall player in the game.

The did commit to pounding it inside. They missed 28 shots in the paint. That is crazy. I'm sure that won't happen every game in this series, but Splish Splash isn't going 8-27 either.

 

[OrangeDW]

I've seen players just walk away after getting worse. I'm pretty sure we saw it just last week right? When Draymond kicked Adams. No?

A flagrant foul. You can't be serious?

Good for Adams, but so what? It's still not an out of line reaction by Iguadala, given the circumstances.

And yeah an intentional foul that ends with a reckless chop to the nuts is flagrant worthy in my opinion. It was ridiculous. Just because the guy is a known spaz doesn't mean it's ok.

 

[OrangeDW]

Let me guess--you must be a cleveland fan. That's the only possible explanation for rationalizing away what Delly did.

He. Hit. Him. In. The. Junk.

Iguodala showed unbelievable restraint, despite getting in his face. And it drew the correct response from the officials. Nobody just walks away after getting drilled in the "lower midsection" -- especially when said contact comes on a BS defensive play on a fast break.

Unreal.

Yup, that's the thing...an accidental nutshot could happen on a certain type of play where it would be "understandable". This play was not one of them. There was zero reason for that to happen.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

It's insane to think it could be the case but I feel like there's a good chance he is.

If he is, I think the Heat get some serious cap relief, which could make things really interesting.

 

[Knicks411]

If he is, I think the Heat get some serious cap relief, which could make things really interesting.

From what I've read/heard; he wants to play, but Miami is a little more reticent.

If my counting is right, Miami has about $48 million in salaries for next year, but nearly half of that is Bosh. Of course that's only for 5 guys under contract, and they need to take care of Wade and I assume they're going hard for Whiteside. But they could be major players this summer

 

[OttoinGrotto]

From what I've read/heard; he wants to play, but Miami is a little more reticent.

If my counting is right, Miami has about $48 million in salaries for next year, but nearly half of that is Bosh. Of course that's only for 5 guys under contract, and they need to take care of Wade and I assume they're going hard for Whiteside. But they could be major players this summer

Deng's up too.

 

[Knicks411]

Deng's up too.

Yeah the guys they have under contract are Bosh, Dragic, Richardson, McRoberts, and Winslow.

i kinda thought maybe they'd let Deng walk

 

[Cusefan0307]

How about these moves if the Cave lose? A package of Irving to NYK for Melo and love is shipped off to make room for Paul.

 

[OrangeFoo]

How about these moves if the Cave lose? A package of Irving to NYK for Melo and love is shipped off to make room for Paul.

Love is younger, more athletic, a better rebounder and probably as good of a shooter as Melo. Why would the Cavs do that deal?

If Lebron wants to win another ring he needs to beat the Warriors and OKC proved that the only way to do that is with athletic length that can guard the Warriors 1 on 1... The problem with that of course is that outside of Westbrook there isn't another guard who can defend the Warriors while still putting enough points to beat them. Maybe Lebron can convince Westbrook to join?

I think Lebrons best bet is that the Warriors lose some of their secondary pieces to free agency because I don't think anyone is taking them down as they are constructed unless Lebron can get Anthony Davis and Westbrook to join him or some other crazy combo like that.

 

[OrangeDW]

Love is younger, more athletic, a better rebounder and probably as good of a shooter as Melo. Why would the Cavs do that deal?

If Lebron wants to win another ring he needs to beat the Warriors and OKC proved that the only way to do that is with athletic length that can guard the Warriors 1 on 1... The problem with that of course is that outside of Westbrook there isn't another guard who can defend the Warriors while still putting enough points to beat them. Maybe Lebron can convince Westbrook to join?

I think Lebrons best bet is that the Warriors lose some of their secondary pieces to free agency because I don't think anyone is taking them down as they are constructed unless Lebron can get Anthony Davis and Westbrook to join him or some other crazy combo like that.

Melo is a more versatile player than Love on both ends of the court though.

 

[Fireball Jr.]

I've seen players just walk away after getting worse. I'm pretty sure we saw it just last week right? When Draymond kicked Adams. No?

A flagrant foul. You can't be serious?

Go watch it again. He didn't make a fist. Open palm.

Like I said, I don't like the guy either. He looks like a weasel and I hate his game. But there is nothing here.

Draymond quietly kicked Kyrie Irving in the 1st quarter. Everybody miss that?

Delly's a convenient target.

I think flopping Draymond and his kicks are a menace to society. Stephen Adams and his family jewels would agree. Draymond Green flopped and nearly kicked Kyrie Irving in the face

 

[OrangeDW]

Delly's a convenient target.

I think flopping Draymond and his kicks are a menace to society. Stephen Adams and his family jewels would agree. Draymond Green flopped and nearly kicked Kyrie Irving in the face

They are both dirty. I dislike them both. Green is a good player at least, though. But yeah, his flailing is stupid and dangerous. Hope the league starts cracking down on it.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

Delly's a convenient target.

I think flopping Draymond and his kicks are a menace to society. Stephen Adams and his family jewels would agree. Draymond Green flopped and nearly kicked Kyrie Irving in the face

Yeah, playing like that is beneath Green's talent, for sure. I think it's part of his personality though to just be a chippy guy like that. On the one hand you'd like to say he should just knock it off, but professional athletes are often wired differently. Maybe he's a uniquely versatile talent because his personality is that way?

Anderson Varejao said that Delly has to play the way he does because it's the only way he can stay in the NBA. So what's worse? A talented player that's somewhat dirty, or a borderline talent that's somewhat dirty? As I don't love a ton of dirtiness in the game, to me the marginal talent is worse. If that's what he brings to the table, I don't want it and don't want to see it. At least with the more talented player you get a lot of other things and the dirtiness is just a component of their game, not the primary thing they bring to the table.

 

[Ghost]

Delly's a convenient target.

I think flopping Draymond and his kicks are a menace to society. Stephen Adams and his family jewels would agree. Draymond Green flopped and nearly kicked Kyrie Irving in the face

Agreed. Just suspend him already. He's easy to hate.

 

[Ghost]

Yeah, playing like that is beneath Green's talent, for sure. I think it's part of his personality though to just be a chippy guy like that. On the one hand you'd like to say he should just knock it off, but professional athletes are often wired differently. Maybe he's a uniquely versatile talent because his personality is that way?

He's from Michigan State, they're all suffering from deficient personalities coming out of there...most are a safety hazard to society in general.