NBA Playoffs

[MikeSU02]

Lebron isn't going anywhere.
Derozen to the Lakers seems obvious.

I want Durant to go to the Warriors as I like that team.
Spurs want to try and get Durant well that wouldn't be the move if he leaves OKC go to GS.
Other moves I expect in FA.
Noah to Minnesota
Gasol to Boston
Conley to NYK
Whiteside to Miai

Spurs will get 1 of 2 of Conley and KD, imo.

I really like Noah to Minnesota.

 

[RF2044]

Wouldn't be surprised to see Gasol land in SA.

 

[Knicks411]

No you're not. Curry played all season with a purpose, got hurt, and ran out of steam in the Finals. Lebron had in-season drama and despite that knew he just had to come out of the East to have a chance, and turned it to 11 in the Finals.

We saw Curry's best for a much longer stretch of time than we saw Lebron's best.

Agree with that, but early in the season my line was basically that someone might be better over the course of a long season, but if I needed to win a 7 game series I would pick Lebron. For whatever reason I thought Lebron lost a step (which maybe he has), but it's clear now that his best is still a level above anyone else's best.

This is a really cool stat (collection of stats?), but I think it's mainly just a result of the small ball than anything else. LeBron played 42 minutes per game in the Finals. Guys taller and or heavier than him:

Bogut: 9 minutes per game
Ezeli: 9 minutes per game
Varejao: 7 minutes per game
Love: 23 minutes per game
Thompson: 32 minutes per game
Channing Frye: 8 minutes per game

In those minutes, the only guy that had any chance of beating Lebron in anything was Thompson, and the only chance Thompson had was rebounding since Thompson is one of, if not the worst shot blocker in the league. Still, even if the big men had played decent minutes and LeBron only led the series in points, assists, and steals, he was still unbelievable in this series.

Yeah that's part of it. It just speaks to his all around brilliance. Even take last night, the guy had a 27-11-11 with one of the greatest defensive plays you'll ever see, and it wasn't even like my takeaway is he played a fantastic game. That's just what he is.

 

[longislandcuse]

The East has to get better. All respect to Lebron for this Finals win but I am beyond sick of him getting a free pass to the Finals year after year.

 

[SoBeCuse]

Agree with that, but early in the season my line was basically that someone might be better over the course of a long season, but if I needed to win a 7 game series I would pick Lebron. For whatever reason I thought Lebron lost a step (which maybe he has), but it's clear now that his best is still a level above anyone else's best.



Yeah that's part of it. It just speaks to his all around brilliance. Even take last night, the guy had a 27-11-11 with one of the greatest defensive plays you'll ever see, and it wasn't even like my takeaway is he played a fantastic game. That's just what he is.

Well said. I also thought the majority of his game wasn't fantastic then look at the stat line like you say. The block was just sick. Just look at where he came from on the court to track that down. It was like LBJ speed of five years ago. His court vision is exceptional when he swings the ball or makes those sometimes almost blind skip passes without hesitating. Many of us and the media take for granted his all around skillset and bball IQ. Then off the court of course he is a model dude. I've had some experience dealing with the LBJ Family Foundation and it's all class.

 

[Alsacs]

Magic Johnson and the 80's Lakers had just as weak a Western conference as Lebron James has had this decade in the East.
Nobody complained then so I don't blame Lebron for dominating the East like Magic.

 

[MikeSU02]

Magic Johnson and the 80's Lakers had just as weak a Western conference as Lebron James has had this decade in the East.
Nobody complained then so I don't blame Lebron for dominating the East like Magic.

Could have had Houston as a formidable opponent... but cocaine is a helluva drug.

 

[Fireball Jr.]

... cocaine is a helluva drug.

True dat!

 

[Melancer46]

I would guess DDR is either Toronto or Lakers. I don't think he fits that well with GSW, only because he is ball dominant and cannot hit threes that consistently.

What about some under-the-radar options like Crabbe and Fournier? Versatile, can hit threes, etc.

My personal belief is that this is basically their one chance at squeezing one more all-star caliber player into their cap space before Steph needs a new deal. Using it on a role player would be a poor use of it IMO. Crabbe and Fournier are fine and all, but at the $15+ million that guys like Crabbe likely get, I'd rather take a guy like DeRozan and just trade him later if he turns out to not fit in too well. He certainly isn't the shooter that they'd love to have, but if they're going to be playing as much small ball as they do, they can probably afford to have a guy like DeRozan that isn't a good shooter, but is a very good scorer (and just hope that his improvements shooting the ball this year aren't a fluke).

If the plan is to blow the cap space on a guy like Crabbe or Fournier, they might as well just match the offers on Barnes instead IMO. Despite how horrific he was in the Finals, I'd rather have him than Crabbe or Fournier.

 

[Fireball Jr.]

Well said. I also thought the majority of his game wasn't fantastic then look at the stat line like you say. The block was just sick. Just look at where he came from on the court to track that down. It was like LBJ speed of five years ago. His court vision is exceptional when he swings the ball or makes those sometimes almost blind skip passes without hesitating. Many of us and the media take for granted his all around skillset and bball IQ. Then off the court of course he is a model dude. I've had some experience dealing with the LBJ Family Foundation and it's all class.

His skills on the court aside, he's a leader, a player who was able to even help an erstwhile knucklehead like JR to see the light, grow up and see how good things could be if he just checked himself before he wrecked himself. He knew LeBron has no time for b.s (although the shoe-untying was classic) and he was on a short leash.

LeBron convinced a self-assured, cocky kid, Kyrie, he could be Uncle Drew and still share the rock and share the spotlight. I don't think Tristan Thompson, as great as he's been, would be performing at this level without the on-and-off the court influence of his "big bro."

And people put so much into every facial expression, every sound bite, all that sports-talk and sports-fan fodder, I thought, fwiw, it was pretty telling that Kevin Love was the first teammate to grab LeBron in a big bear hug at the buzzer and flash a huge cheshire cat grin and hold onto LBJ for dear life.

I apologize to Love, I wanted him waived a few games ago, traded to Starbury's team in China. He didn't hit some shots that woulda been nice to see go in last night, but he was aggressive, all-out on the boards and, at crunch time, went out on the perimeter and manned up against Curry and shut his little non-shimmying tush down. He threw up an awful shot with a big guy with a no-d rap on him.

I've been a believer since LeBron was in high school. We've watched him grow up, he's now an old head with flashes of gray in his beard, but he has plenty of tread left, and, while I don't know him personally, he's always struck me as a good guy, family man. all things considered, a special athlete and individual.

What's not to like about this?

 

[44cuse]

Agree with that, but early in the season my line was basically that someone might be better over the course of a long season, but if I needed to win a 7 game series I would pick Lebron. For whatever reason I thought Lebron lost a step (which maybe he has), but it's clear now that his best is still a level above anyone else's best. Yeah that's part of it. It just speaks to his all around brilliance. Even take last night, the guy had a 27-11-11 with one of the greatest defensive plays you'll ever see, and it wasn't even like my takeaway is he played a fantastic game. That's just what he is.

LeBron is really REALLY frigging good.

44cuse

 

[Fireball Jr.]

After 15 years of devoting way too much energy to defending this kid from a b.m.-hole town where I lived a year or two too long as a wild but ambitious kid fresh outta journalism school, I am retiring as a LeBron defender. The time is right, my work is done. LeBron James has an Instagram message for all the doubters

 

[HOFCeluck]

The East has to get better. All respect to Lebron for this Finals win but I am beyond sick of him getting a free pass to the Finals year after year.

The Warrriors first two opponents were 41-41 and 44-38 and had a combined 28-32 record against the East. The Cavs first two opponents were 44-38 and 48-34 with a combined 34-26 record against the West. Who had it tougher?

 

[Cusefan0307]

The Warrriors first two opponents were 41-41 and 44-38 and had a combined 28-32 record against the East. The Cavs first two opponents were 44-38 and 48-34 with a combined 34-26 record against the West. Who had it tougher?

Agree with that, but theres no way you can compare OKC to Toronto.

 

[HOFCeluck]

Agree with that, but theres no way you can compare OKC to Toronto.

That's why the conference's finals were left out

 

[OrangeXtreme]

 

[Fireball Jr.]

Agree with that, but theres no way you can compare OKC to Toronto.

Cavs would've had home-court against OKC, I woulda come out of gambling retirement and gladly invested at least a g in the Cavs taking down the Thunder in five, six at the worst. LBJ has owned Durant and Westbrook in the post-season, but I'm thrilled the way it turned out.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

The Warrriors first two opponents were 41-41 and 44-38 and had a combined 28-32 record against the East. The Cavs first two opponents were 44-38 and 48-34 with a combined 34-26 record against the West. Who had it tougher?

The Warriors.

 

[HOFCeluck]

The Warriors.

In the face of such exhaustive data, who am I to argue?

 

[Cusefan0307]

Cavs would've had home-court against OKC, I woulda come out of gambling retirement and gladly invested at least a g in the Cavs taking down the Thunder in five, six at the worst. LBJ has owned Durant and Westbrook in the post-season, but I'm thrilled the way it turned out.

I'll let you have your day Fireball as the Cavs won, but it's insane to think OKC is worse than Toronto.

 

[Fireball Jr.]

I'll let you have your day Fireball as the Cavs won, but it's insane to think OKC is worse than Toronto.

These are the moments when the wiser, more-mature Fireball Junior pauses for a moment and says to himself, "Bro, why are you corresponding, under a pen name, with omniscient people whose communication skills are not evolved enough to be able to take issue with a stupid sports take without categorizing it as 'insane?"

Mi amigo, read my lips and post and open your mind, ears and whatever else is required to capisce: I did not say OKC is/was worse than Toronto, I said the Cavs woulda beaten OKC in five, six games. My "insane" notion is nothing more than a gut feeling, conjecture based in part on home-court advantage, Durant and Westbrook's post-season history with LeBron, and a feeling -- nothing more -- that OKC mighta been spent and shot their wad in the West final.

As it was, OKC shot its wad prematurely, which I'm glad they did, because that gave the Cavs the chance to demonstrate just how "insane" a notion it would be that Cleveland could become the first team in NBA history to come from being down 3-1 and win three in a row, including two close-out away games, against the vaunted Warriors.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

In the face of such exhaustive data, who am I to argue?

Correct.

People say stars matter in the NBA and stars win you a playoff series. The Warriors faced better stars in their Western conference matchups than the Cavs did in their Eastern conference matchups.

Throw the records out the window - the Warriors had the tougher road. The West remains the tougher road regardless of who you play.

 

[Fireball Jr.]

Nice, a story with a happy ending. Wonder if civilization will last long enough for ESPN to redo the ending of the Buffalo Bills documentary. Four Falls of Buffalo - ESPN Films: 30 for 30

 

[Cusefan0307]

I kind of just want to vomit at the fact everyone today is talking about Durant to the Bay area. That's just a team that needs minor tweaking and a healthy Curry and still will be great. Durant to the Dubs would be more vomit worthy than when Lebron/Dwade and Bosh got together.

 

[Fireball Jr.]

Cool vid, if I could ask LeBron or anyone else one question, though, it'd be: where'd Swish lose his shirt? My guess is the "rest stop" the Cavs entourage took in Vegas on the long flight home.