14-15 NBA Playoffs Thread

[miami_fan]

This Cavs D is impressive.

[Groundhog]

Delly!

[kingfc22]

Warriors have ZERO rhythm on offense. Just forcing shot after shot.

And if Dellavadova is going to outplay Curry, well then...

[miami_fan]

How many times have Warrior possessions consisted of one MAYBE two passes and shoot?

[kingfc22]

This game's a wrap. Crazy to think this could be 3-0 if Shumpert's shot falls to end game 1.

[RainMaker]

Golden State has been exposed

[Logan]

Know it's dumb but this is where I miss having Bill Simmons being an active podcasting presence.

[miami_fan]

I was just going to call for Blatt's job having Lebron on the bench.

[stevew]

Ain't over yet

[bhlloy]

Here comes the shitty refereeing

[kingfc22]

Originally Posted by stevew

Ain't over yet

Blatt gave them hope by sitting James. Should have kept the pedal down and rest him at the end of the 4th if they wrapped it up.

[kingfc22]

David Lee providing what Bogut and Festus cannot with this matchup.

[stevew]

Originally Posted by Logan

Know it's dumb but this is where I miss having Bill Simmons being an active podcasting presence.

Yeah.

I feel disconnected from series. Also end up having to work so I'm stream only and it's iffy.

[stevew]

Originally Posted by miami_fan

I was just going to call for Blatt's job having Lebron on the bench.

That'll be when they hack-a-Tristan 4 straight possessions.

[Neon_Chaos]

Oh look. That 20-point lead just evaporated.

[kingfc22]

At least Curry found his shot again.

[kingfc22]

Ehhhh...NBA refs for the win. Geez. Every year just so bad.

[bhlloy]

How much are these morons getting paid?

[stevew]

Fucking refs

[stevew]

Originally Posted by bhlloy

How much are these morons getting paid?

Literally like 250k/season.

[kingfc22]

Did like watching the two in the front row get wiped out.

[stevew]

Tommy Boy Crawford

[RainMaker]

Originally Posted by kingfc22

Did like watching the two in the front row get wiped out.

Delladova diving at even the fans knees

[nol]

I don't think Draymond Green has necessarily cost himself any money with this series, but he's definitely shown why any other team expecting to pay him the max and have him be one of the top 2-3 scorers would be making a mistake.

Also, how many more games do the Cavs need to win for LeBron to be Finals MVP? I don't think it's any more than 1.

[murrayyyyy]

Was having that debate somewhere else nol. I don't think james can lose the MVP at this point. I don't care if the Warriors win 3 straight, Lebron is the performance everyone should remember.

[Chief Rum]

Originally Posted by murrayyyyy

Was having that debate somewhere else nol. I don't think james can lose the MVP at this point. I don't care if the Warriors win 3 straight, Lebron is the performance everyone should remember.

As great as LeBron has been, if the Warriors win three straight and Curry has three very good to great games, he will be the MVP.

[albionmoonlight]

I tend to let these things play out, but I'll call it now: LeBron over Darko was the right choice.

[Brian Swartz]

I officially do not understand basketball any more. I've never been more shocked by anything in the NBA than this series.

[miked]

I mean, I understand that he's scoring a ton of points, but he's barely shooting 40%. Is that good? Taking 35 shots a game to hit 12 or so? In game 2 where he "carried" the team he shot 30% from the field. I don't watch a ton of NBA games, but if good players took close to 35 shots a game (not superstars) could they score 30+?

[Eaglesfan27]

Originally Posted by albionmoonlight

I tend to let these things play out, but I'll call it now: LeBron over Darko was the right choice.

[nol]

Originally Posted by miked

I mean, I understand that he's scoring a ton of points, but he's barely shooting 40%. Is that good? Taking 35 shots a game to hit 12 or so? In game 2 where he "carried" the team he shot 30% from the field. I don't watch a ton of NBA games, but if good players took close to 35 shots a game (not superstars) could they score 30+?

That last part is definitely true in average circumstances (some random regular season game in March), but getting that many shots up against the league's best defense in the playoffs is easier said than done - just look at James Harden's (definitely not just a good player) stats from last round to see how the turnovers start to pile up when a player takes on that much of an offensive load.

For that reason, the combination of points plus distributing is much more impressive than points alone. In game 2, LeBron had the ball in his hands for 15 minutes of game time while the Warriors team had it for 19 - this is just as big a part of what Cleveland's doing defensively this series as anything happening once Golden State actually gets the ball. He's basically putting up the numbers from Westbrook's stretch of the season that vaulted him into the MVP conversation, but James is doing it against the Warriors in June rather than the Sixers in February while playing much better defense as well.

[Logan]

Haven't looked at the numbers but I'm guessing that if LeBron just took the same amount of shots he did during the season when he had Love and Irving to help carry the load, his team would be down 0-3 at this point.

[murrayyyyy]

Originally Posted by miked

I mean, I understand that he's scoring a ton of points, but he's barely shooting 40%. Is that good? Taking 35 shots a game to hit 12 or so? In game 2 where he "carried" the team he shot 30% from the field. I don't watch a ton of NBA games, but if good players took close to 35 shots a game (not superstars) could they score 30+?

Jordan took 43 shots in a game against Phoenix in 93(The triple OT one). He averaged over 33 shots a game that series. Taking a lot of shots seems to tarnish a legacy I guess... Game 2 was also the first 35+, 15+, 10+ triple double in the NBA finals since James Worthy in 98. He is 3 NBA finals triple doubles behind Magic and just 1 away from taking the all time playoff record of 8 30-10-10 playoff performances. I'm more impressed by the back half of those numbers than the front part. If he was taking too many shots then he shouldn't be in double digits in assists (plus, he has no help, who is scoring?).

Pretty sure the 93 finals is the highest average a player has had in the NBA finals at 41 ppg.

[Alf]

Originally Posted by kingfc22

David Lee providing what Bogut and Festus cannot with this matchup.

Yeah, totally agreed. At least they put the ball inside the paint and even if David Lee isn't shooting, the ball then goes outside and gives "the freaking shooters" better position and rhythm to hit their outside shots.

[JonInMiddleGA]

The whole finals thing is just weird to me. If the Cavs win my "Bron just made the stupidest decision ever" take can rightfully be beaten over my head ... and yet if they do pull it off under the current circumstances it's a way better story in the grand scheme of things.

It's genuinely possible that he's even better than I thought he was and I already had him as the clear cut 2nd best to ever play the game. Even with this I don't propel him past MJ but ... well just damn, this borders on insane.

[Chief Rum]

My apologies to Groundhog, but I have been debating all series long so far which Aussie I would more love to punch in the face.

[Arles]

For you Game of Thrones fans:

[whomario]

Originally Posted by miked

I mean, I understand that he's scoring a ton of points, but he's barely shooting 40%. Is that good? Taking 35 shots a game to hit 12 or so? In game 2 where he "carried" the team he shot 30% from the field. I don't watch a ton of NBA games, but if good players took close to 35 shots a game (not superstars) could they score 30+?

Lebron this series (and much of the playoffs) is kind of like an elite Running Back from back when. He opens up everything else for the Cavs on offense. Sometimes they take advantage of it, sometimes just the RB and a stout defense are enough.

The Warriors have the luxury to revolve their entire defense around stopping Lebron, probably as much as anyone in history had that luxury. And they don´t deviate from that by an inch, even with Lebron shooting the ball crappy and posting subpar shooting percentages in general. That´s why no one is concentrating on it too much. As opposed to, say, the recent Spurs matchups with Lebron, where they got away with essentially guarding him 1:1 and also sagging off him.

Watching the games, this is maybe the most impressive feat over a 3 game playoff stretch i can recall.

That being said, the Cavs role players play their butts off and doing their part (its just that they are naturally limited, which is no shame). Dellavedova was insane the last 2 games, hope he´s really fine for game 4 (had to be hospitalized for Dehydration/Exhaustion after Game 3).

IMO, Curry needs to concentrate on being a Point Guard quite a bit more.

[EagleFan]

The singer must have money on the over for the time for the national anthem...

[JPhillips]

Did we just see LeBron's dick?

[EagleFan]

WTF, the last two threads that I have read are talking about dudes dicks (the jail break one and this one)...

[miami_fan]

So it is still three pointers or bust for the Warriors? Not even going to attempt going near the basket?

[kingfc22]

Warriors finally dictating the pace of the game which usually gives them an advantage.

[miami_fan]

THANK YOU!

[JPhillips]

How can Crawford make that call from that position?

[kingfc22]

Originally Posted by JPhillips

How can Crawford make that call from that position?

Because he's Joey F'n Crawford

[kingfc22]

James might need stitches if that's a deep cut.

[bhlloy]

If the NBA can't find a better ref than Joey Crawford, fucking embarrassing. He makes Joe West look competent and professional.

[RainMaker]

Can we move cameras away from the baseline? I think technology has advanced enough where cameras can zoom in more than a few feet.

[miami_fan]

Originally Posted by RainMaker

Can we move cameras away from the baseline? I think technology has advanced enough where cameras can zoom in more than a few feet.

He probably would have hit one of the extra seats that the owners would put in their place.