NBA Playoffs

[Fireball Jr.]

They need to move on from Love and from Kyrie. But the bigger issue is allowing LeBron to run the team. Everything else is a symptom of weak leadership in the organization. Until they fix the org, the rest of the stuff will just be moving deck chairs on the Titanic.

LeBron is an amazing talent, but they would have been better off staying put with Wiggins, firing Blatt immediately when Bron decided to return and getting in an established coach that would command respect.

Everyone has opinions like everyone has you-know-whats, but Zeke from Cabin Creek -- who was a pretty fair player (and whose teams lost 8 of 9 Finals) and has a pretty fair record as an exec and is still relevant and no whining old man talking about the "good old days" -- probably has at least as much a grip on reality as any of us posters.

 

[Fireball Jr.]

The game was so bad I watched the Kingston Trio reunion and then the Joan Baez 75th birthday special on PBS.

The former, ouch! The latter, nice! Joan's still got mad game,

 

[Knicks411]

People underestimating the Warriors because of their style of play is akin to old school football guys that don't understand the hurry up spread.

I think this has a lot to do with it. Remember last year when a jump shooting team couldn't win a title?

 

[Cusefan0307]

I think this has a lot to do with it. Remember last year when a jump shooting team couldn't win a title?

I listened to Mike and Mike a bit the past few days, just to hear their worthless opinion. Like a lot of people, they refuse to give the Warriors credit. It's all about what the Cav's aren't doing. I want Golden State to sweep just to see what the narrative will be.

 

[jordoo]

I listened to Mike and Mike a bit the past few days, just to hear their worthless opinion. Like a lot of people, they refuse to give the Warriors credit. It's all about what the Cav's aren't doing. I want Golden State to sweep just to see what the narrative will be.

I do feel that the Cavs under-performed in the first two games and that they could have done some things differently strategy wise. That said I don't think its enough because the whole thing with the Warriors is that they do what they do so well that no one has been able to stop them the last couple of years. They are a great team that plays an enticing style. You would think NBA people would pump them even more to bring new fans into the NBA.

 

[Cusefan0307]

I do feel that the Cavs under-performed in the first two games and that they could have done some things differently strategy wise. That said I don't think its enough because the whole thing with the Warriors is that they do what they do so well that no one has been able to stop them the last couple of years. They are a great team that plays an enticing style. You would think NBA people would pump them even more to bring new fans into the NBA.

I don't know if Cleveland's underperformed. I just don't think they are good enough to compete with this team. They have lost 7 in a row going back to last years finals. 5 of those losses were by double digits. The average scores in these games are 107-88.

Cleveland has scored 100 against the Warriors once going back to last year and that was game 1 last year that went to overtime.

 

[Alsacs]

I listened to Mike and Mike a bit the past few days, just to hear their worthless opinion. Like a lot of people, they refuse to give the Warriors credit. It's all about what the Cav's aren't doing. I want Golden State to sweep just to see what the narrative will be.

ESPN cares about the following
Stephen A. Smith
Lebron James
NFL
Whatever makes them look like they are look forward thinkers
NFL
Any property they own
Lebron James
Trolling Tom Brady
Complaining about Cam Newton



I respect greatness and greatness is what the Warriors are all about. However, in the past decade I want to say 2006-2007 ish H0T Takes have ruined sports. Being a contrarian is what these executives knows brings ratings. The reason is because our culture has become so stupid and their are so many channels that being negative attracts frustrated people. I refuse to listen to live sports radio and ESPN Sportscenter because of this. If a podcast is good you can listen. ESPN has sold its soul of being good in for attracting the low information viewer who wants to get mad at any slight on his favorite player or team.


If Michael Jordan was in his prime nowadays the media would be spending 24/7 destroying him and trying to tear him down for ratings. The Atlantic City trips versus the Knicks in the 92 and 93 would have caused him to be called selfish, incapable of thinking of winning, a loser and the hottakes would have fueled the news cycle.

Shaq was the really the tipping since him all stars have been broken down instead of propped up. In the 80's and early 90's we as a society made the stars likable. Nowadays you have to be like Tim Duncan or Derek Jeter and being completely quiet to avoid being torn down or be the golden boy like Peyton Manning has been his entire career.

I really hate ESPN and how they have ruined enjoyment for sports.

 

[Alsacs]

I listened to Mike and Mike a bit the past few days, just to hear their worthless opinion. Like a lot of people, they refuse to give the Warriors credit. It's all about what the Cav's aren't doing. I want Golden State to sweep just to see what the narrative will be.

ESPN cares about the following
Stephen A. Smith
Lebron James
NFL
Whatever makes them look like they are look forward thinkers
NFL
Any property they own
Lebron James
Trolling Tom Brady
Complaining about Cam Newton



I respect greatness and greatness is what the Warriors are all about. However, in the past decade I want to say 2006-2007 ish H0T Takes have ruined sports. Being a contrarian is what these executives knows brings ratings. The reason is because our culture has become so stupid and their are so many channels that being negative attracts frustrated people. I refuse to listen to live sports radio and ESPN Sportscenter because of this. If a podcast is good you can listen. ESPN has sold its soul of being good in for attracting the low information viewer who wants to get mad at any slight on his favorite player or team.


If Michael Jordan was in his prime nowadays the media would be spending 24/7 destroying him and trying to tear him down for ratings. The Atlantic City trips versus the Knicks in the 92 and 93 would have caused him to be called selfish, incapable of thinking of winning, a loser and the hottakes would have fueled the news cycle.

Shaq was the really the tipping since him all stars have been broken down instead of propped up. In the 80's and early 90's we as a society made the stars likable. Nowadays you have to be like Tim Duncan or Derek Jeter and being completely quiet to avoid being torn down or be the golden boy like Peyton Manning has been his entire career.

I really hate ESPN and how they have ruined enjoyment for sports.

 

[Alsacs]

I listened to Mike and Mike a bit the past few days, just to hear their worthless opinion. Like a lot of people, they refuse to give the Warriors credit. It's all about what the Cav's aren't doing. I want Golden State to sweep just to see what the narrative will be.

ESPN cares about the following
Stephen A. Smith
Lebron James
NFL
Whatever makes them look like they are look forward thinkers
NFL
Any property they own
Lebron James
Trolling Tom Brady
Complaining about Cam Newton



I respect greatness and greatness is what the Warriors are all about. However, in the past decade I want to say 2006-2007 ish H0T Takes have ruined sports. Being a contrarian is what these executives knows brings ratings. The reason is because our culture has become so stupid and their are so many channels that being negative attracts frustrated people. I refuse to listen to live sports radio and ESPN Sportscenter because of this. If a podcast is good you can listen. ESPN has sold its soul of being good in for attracting the low information viewer who wants to get mad at any slight on his favorite player or team.


If Michael Jordan was in his prime nowadays the media would be spending 24/7 destroying him and trying to tear him down for ratings. The Atlantic City trips versus the Knicks in the 92 and 93 would have caused him to be called selfish, incapable of thinking of winning, a loser and the hottakes would have fueled the news cycle.

Shaq was the really the tipping since him all stars have been broken down instead of propped up. In the 80's and early 90's we as a society made the stars likable. Nowadays you have to be like Tim Duncan or Derek Jeter and being completely quiet to avoid being torn down or be the golden boy like Peyton Manning has been his entire career.

I really hate ESPN and how they have ruined enjoyment for sports.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

I do feel that the Cavs under-performed in the first two games and that they could have done some things differently strategy wise. That said I don't think its enough because the whole thing with the Warriors is that they do what they do so well that no one has been able to stop them the last couple of years. They are a great team that plays an enticing style. You would think NBA people would pump them even more to bring new fans into the NBA.

The Warriors, maybe better than any team since the three point line, score in bunches. You can go from up 4 to down 6 or down 2 to down 11 in a heartbeat. And those scoring explosions will happen once or twice a game. Just a small crack turning it over or missing shots you should make means they're taking it down and raining threes on you.

The only way to counter that is by playing great basketball, and there just aren't many teams even at this level capable of playing that high to overcome the Warriors in a 7 game series.

 

[Alsacs]

I don't know if Cleveland's underperformed. I just don't think they are good enough to compete with this team. They have lost 7 in a row going back to last years finals. 5 of those losses were by double digits. The average scores in these games are 107-88.

Cleveland has scored 100 against the Warriors once going back to last year and that was game 1 last year that went to overtime.

Warriors beat the Cavs by like 30 in January in Cleveland this year.
They are just a bad matchup for this Cavs team. Against the Spurs I think the Cavs lose but its a lot more competitive because Parker can't defend Irving and I think they would cancel each other out.

I think the Cavs beat OKC. I think the Thunder were lucky this postseason and the Cavs would beat them with HCA.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

ESPN cares about the following
Stephen A. Smith
Lebron James
NFL
Whatever makes them look like they are look forward thinkers
NFL
Any property they own
Lebron James
Trolling Tom Brady
Complaining about Cam Newton



I respect greatness and greatness is what the Warriors are all about. However, in the past decade I want to say 2006-2007 ish H0T Takes have ruined sports. Being a contrarian is what these executives knows brings ratings. The reason is because our culture has become so stupid and their are so many channels that being negative attracts frustrated people. I refuse to listen to live sports radio and ESPN Sportscenter because of this. If a podcast is good you can listen. ESPN has sold its soul of being good in for attracting the low information viewer who wants to get mad at any slight on his favorite player or team.


If Michael Jordan was in his prime nowadays the media would be spending 24/7 destroying him and trying to tear him down for ratings. The Atlantic City trips versus the Knicks in the 92 and 93 would have caused him to be called selfish, incapable of thinking of winning, a loser and the hottakes would have fueled the news cycle.

Shaq was the really the tipping since him all stars have been broken down instead of propped up. In the 80's and early 90's we as a society made the stars likable. Nowadays you have to be like Tim Duncan or Derek Jeter and being completely quiet to avoid being torn down or be the golden boy like Peyton Manning has been his entire career.

I really hate ESPN and how they have ruined enjoyment for sports.

I think it depends on what medium you consume. The NBA podcasts with Lowe, Strauss, Elhassan and those guys are huge fans of good hoops wherever in the NBA they can find it and they love talking about the Warriors.

 

[Knicks411]

Can someone post a list of what ESPN cares about?

 

[Ward]

The Warriors, maybe better than any team since the three point line, score in bunches. You can go from up 4 to down 6 or down 2 to down 11 in a heartbeat. And those scoring explosions will happen once or twice a game. Just a small crack turning it over or missing shots you should make means they're taking it down and raining threes on you.

The only way to counter that is by playing great basketball, and there just aren't many teams even at this level capable of playing that high to overcome the Warriors in a 7 game series.

That's another thing that in retrospect the Thunder did so well. They maintained an incredibly high level of focus basically all game long that limited GSW from getting on many of those spurts.

Cleveland will play pretty tight locked in defense for about a quarter and a half then pat themselves on the back for a few possessions and next thing you know they go from being up 7 to down 2 in about 2 minutes.

 

[kirbivore]

A lot of NBA Experts, writers, and fans tried to discredit the Warriors title last year because they didn't face teams that were "strong enough' according to those people either due to injury or early exits in the playoffs. Dumbest thing I ever had heard.

It wasn't their fault the Spurs and Clippers lost early. Those teams weren't good enough. They are proving it this year.

Early this season Popovich was chirping about the Warriors not having to play them. He looked silly after the Spurs got ragdolled in the 2nd round again.

 

[kirbivore]

I will say that I think the LeBron hate by some clouds thinking and holds him to standards that aren't always rational. Like those who try using his 2-4 record in the Finals as a knock but don't acknowledge 3 of those 4 series losses came when his teams didn't really stand a chance. Or act like giving him a supporting cast that performs in the Finals that's comparable to other championship teams supporting cast is an unreasonable ask.

I'll give you 2007. The Eastern conference was historically bad and somebody had to lose to the Spurs that year. I'll entertain last year with the injuries. So which Heat team had no chance? The 2011 team that lost to Dallas, or the 2014 team that lost to the Spurs after beating them the prior year?

 

[Ward]

I'll give you 2007. The Eastern conference was historically bad and somebody had to lose to the Spurs that year. I'll entertain last year with the injuries. So which Heat team had no chance? The 2011 team that lost to Dallas, or the 2014 team that lost to the Spurs after beating them the prior year?

2014 Heat team that was starting Rashard Lewis and an extremely hobbled/limited Wade against a Spurs team that had the season's best record and also broke the NBA playoff record of most postseason wins by 15 or more.

Minus Lebron, 5 of the remaining 12 guys on that Heat roster (3 of their top 8 rotation guys including 1 starter) weren't even in the league the following year and of the 7 who still were one of them was James Jones.

Lol, awful kind of you to "entertain" that last year LeBron was outgunned when he played against an analytically all time great team with a second banana of Matthew Dellavedova.

2011 is the only year he was favored in the finals and lost. He was a mess that series.

 

[Cusefan0307]

2014 Heat team that was starting Rashard Lewis and an extremely hobbled/limited Wade against a Spurs team that had the season's best record and also broke the NBA playoff record of most postseason wins by 15 or more.

Minus Lebron, 5 of the remaining 12 guys on that Heat roster (3 of their top 8 rotation guys including 1 starter) weren't even in the league the following year and of the 7 who still were one of them was James Jones.

Lol, awful kind of you to "entertain" that last year LeBron was outgunned when he played against an analytically all time great team with a second banana of Matthew Dellavedova.

2011 is the only year he was favored in the finals and lost. He was a mess that series.

Outside of 2007, all of those other teams were built specifically for him to succeed. I think that's what frustrates a lot of the so called "detractors". Those teams weren't seen as deficient until after they lost.

 

[Knicks411]

Outside of 2007, all of those other teams were built specifically for him to succeed. I think that's what frustrates a lot of the so called "detractors". Those teams weren't seen as deficient until after they lost.

And sometimes the other guy wins.

Really, the 2011 finals is the one he should get knocked for. That team should have won that series and while he didn't play terribly in that series, he wasn't Lebron and if he was, they probably win.

 

[Ward]

Outside of 2007, all of those other teams were built specifically for him to succeed. I think that's what frustrates a lot of the so called "detractors". Those teams weren't seen as deficient until after they lost.

That's fair. Though I think last year if they started the season with the group they had in the Finals not many people, if any at all, would've thought they were a legit championship contender. The finals roster would've been viewed as deficient when compared to championship caliber teams.

2011 you have no argument from me here. After the big 3 they filled out the roster with what they could get but they still had enough to win a championship if LeBron plays even mediocre instead of awful by his standards. Wade was great in that Finals.

2014 I think relativity comes in to play. They had a good team and were legit contenders coming off back to back championships. However, I think in the form they were in come time for the Finals the Spurs were just better. They lost to a better team that was playing at their peak. Spurs were a great team and shot at an unreal clip from 3 in games 3-5. They shot 76% from the field one half! Meanwhile, Wade was hurt, awful and offered no help, Lewis wasn't really making shots and looked like he had cement blocks for feet on defense, Battier was done then Cole and Chalmers both shot 14% from 3 for the series.

 

[Alsacs]

That's fair. Though I think last year if they started the season with the group they had in the Finals not many people, if any at all, would've thought they were a legit championship contender. The finals roster would've been viewed as deficient when compared to championship caliber teams.

2011 you have no argument from me here. After the big 3 they filled out the roster with what they could get but they still had enough to win a championship if LeBron plays even mediocre instead of awful by his standards. Wade was great in that Finals.

2014 I think relativity comes in to play. They had a good team and were legit contenders coming off back to back championships. However, I think in the form they were in come time for the Finals the Spurs were just better. They lost to a better team that was playing at their peak. Spurs were a great team and shot at an unreal clip from 3 in games 3-5. They shot 76% from the field one half! Meanwhile, Wade was hurt, awful and offered no help, Lewis wasn't really making shots and looked like he had cement blocks for feet on defense, Battier was done then Cole and Chalmers both shot 14% from 3 for the series.

If we are going to make excuses from Lebron then we should include the following.

2013 he doesn't win that championship if Ray Allen doesn't make that crazy 3 in game 6 and Spurs choke at the FT.

Also, 2012 was a lockout shortened season. Only 66 games and Derrick Rose led the Bulls to the 1 seed before blowing out his leg in game 2 of the first round.

Lebron only has 1 championship in a 82 game season.

 

[Fireball Jr.]

Can someone post a list of what ESPN cares about?

In triplecate, if possible. Thanks.

 

[Fireball Jr.]

I think it depends on what medium you consume. The NBA podcasts with Lowe, Strauss, Elhassan and those guys are huge fans of good hoops wherever in the NBA they can find it and they love talking about the Warriors.

Please, let's not muddle a misguided rant with facts.

 

[Alsacs]

Please, let's not muddle a misguided rant with facts.

In my "rant" I said podcasts are good. Please don't muddle that fact up.
I was talking about sports radio and ESPN. Not podcasts.

 

[Ward]

If we are going to make excuses from Lebron then we should include the following.

2013 he doesn't win that championship if Ray Allen doesn't make that crazy 3 in game 6 and Spurs choke at the FT.

Also, 2012 was a lockout shortened season. Only 66 games and Derrick Rose led the Bulls to the 1 seed before blowing out his leg in game 2 of the first round.

Lebron only has 1 championship in a 82 game season.

I can't tell if this is a legit post or a satirical one like the PFT Commenter shtick - which if it's the latter is pretty funny.

 

[Knicks411]

I can't tell if this is a legit post or a satirical one like the PFT Commenter shtick - which if it's the latter is pretty funny.

I thinl Phil Jackson is the only person who holds the 99 title against Duncan like this

 

[Alsacs]

I can't tell if this is a legit post or a satirical one like the PFT Commenter shtick - which if it's the latter is pretty funny.

I am not a fan of Lebron James but I was being like Skip Bayless in that post. He is one of the top 10 players of alltime if he retired.

Obviously all great players need role players to step up Kerr won the 97 Finals. Lakers had Fisher, Celtics had Dennis Johnson