2016 NBA Off-Season Thread

[DJ]

Free agency is over.....I haven't seen much on Twitter recently.

 

[lebron23james]

Still solid players dont forget Jr. And he played with kyrie in game 1. Which the warriors won

Yeah in OT, who knows how the series would have gone

 

[trojanfan12]

I don't see how you can even argue that Cleveland's roster was more prepared to win than Miami's was in 2014. That just isn't even close to being true. Cleveland's roster was good enough to get LeBron interested in a return, not good enough to be an attractive FA destination for any other star player.

The Cavs had put together a roster of good young players who improved every year. They just needed someone to lead them. Lebron went because of the potential of that roster. If memory serves, it was mentioned in that letter someone wrote for him. Additionally, he went because he could also force Gilbert to trade for Love.

So, while the Cavs may not have been as good as the Heat, they weren't devoid of talent, they just needed to be shown how to win. He then brought in what he needed to make the roster better, which wasn't that difficult in a the weak East.

There was nothing "heroic" about his return. He saw an opportunity to be in a better situation with younger players and an owner who would hand over the keys to the car...and he took it.

I don't blame him either. I'd do the same thing if given the chance.

 

[Hambombs]

Yeah in OT, who knows how the series would have gone

Warriors would still win in 6 or 7

 

[lebron23james]

Warriors would still win in 6 or 7

I doubt it, because we went up 2-1...Delly ended up in the hospital with exhaustion lol...we had like a 6 player rotation

 

[Hambombs]

I doubt it, because we went up 2-1...Delly ended up in the hospital with exhaustion lol...we had like a 6 player rotation

We would still win..'kyrie isnt as good last year

 

[Kold]

#DWadeWatch

 

[trojanfan12]

I think Scott deserved one more year POST-KOBE to show what he could do with the Diaper Dandies......and now Deng and Mozgov.

I thought that to a certain extent too. Problem is that, whether it was deserved or not (and most of it was), there was too much negativity around Byron.

 

[lebron23james]

The Cavs had put together a roster of good young players who improved every year. They just needed someone to lead them. Lebron went because of the potential of that roster. If memory serves, it was mentioned in that letter someone wrote for him. Additionally, he went because he could also force Gilbert to trade for Love.

So, while the Cavs may not have been as good as the Heat, they weren't devoid of talent, they just needed to be shown how to win. He then brought in what he needed to make the roster better, which wasn't that difficult in a the weak East.

There was nothing "heroic" about his return. He saw an opportunity to be in a better situation with younger players and an owner who would hand over the keys to the car...and he took it.

I don't blame him either. I'd do the same thing if given the chance.

Seeing what happened to bosh he really left at the perfect time. If he stayed they have wade and bosh and no money left over. It would have been pretty bad imo. Irving is only 24 he could easily become the best player in the league. He was the #1 clutch player in the last 5 minutes of games before lebron even came over. It could be argued that he gave and will give lebron more help than lebron had in miami, 27 ppg for Irving in the finals. Love could have played better and maybe he will next year....Lebron never had rebounding in Miami either, this was his first regular season he didn't have to lead the entire team in points, rebounding and assists.....

With that said it wasn't like he joined gs or the spurs u know what i mean

 

[WiggyRuss]

2nd leading scorers in nba finals/championship history

2016 Kyrie Irving 27.1
2002 Kobe Bryant 26.8
1958 Cliff Hagan 25.3 ( pettit 29.3 )
2001 Kobe bryant 24.6
1986 Larry Bird 24.0 ( Mchale 25.8ppg )
1985 James Worthy 23.7
1971 Oscar Robertson 23.5
1963 Tom Heinsohn 23.3 ( Jones 24.6 )
1966 Sam Jones 22.9
1974 Dave Cowens 22.7
1979 Dennis Johnson 22.6 ( Gus Williams 29.0ppg finals, playoffs leader too..wtf? )
2012 Dwyane Wade 22.6
1959 Tie* Sharman/Ramsay 22.5 ( heinsohn 24.2 )
1962 Sam Jones 22.1 ( russell 22.8 )
1983 Andrew Tony 22.0 ( Julius Erving 3rd option in playoffs and finals )
1957 Bill Sharman 21.8 ( Heinsohn 24.0 )
1987 Kareem Abdul Jabbar 21.7
1980 Magic Johnson 21.5
1995 Clyde Drexler 21.5
1989 Isiah Thomas 21.3
1993 Scottie Pippen 21.2
1988 Magic Johnson 21.1
1968 Bailey Howell 21.0
2004 Chauncey Billups 21.0 (Hamilton playoff and finals leader. )
1992 Scottie Pippen 20.8
1991 Scottie Pippen 20.8
1990 Joe Dumars 20.6
1976 Dave Cowens 20.5
1978 Bob Dandridge 20.4
2008 Ray Allen 20.3
1997 Scottie Pippen 20.0
1972 Jerry West 19.8
2013 Dwyane Wade 19.6
2005 Manu Ginobili 18.7
1969 Sam Jones 18.7
1970 Dick Barnett 18.6
2010 Pau Gasol 18.6
2009 Pau Gasol 18.6
1977 Bill Walton 18.5
1960 Frank Ramsay 18.4 ( Heinsohn 22.4 )
1964 John Havlicek 18.4
2007 Tim Duncan 18.3
1965 John Havlicek 18.2
2011 Jason Terry 18.0
1982 Kareem Abdul Jabbar 18.0
2014 Kawhi Leonard 17.8
1967 Wilt Chamberlain 17.7 ( Hal Greer 26.0ppg. would have been mvp )
1961 Bill Russell 17.6 ( heinsohn 22.0 )
1984 Dennis Johnson 17.6
1951 Bob Davies 17.0
1999 David Robinson 16.6
1973 Willis Reed 16.4
1952 Jim Pollard 16.4
2015 Andre Iguodala 16.3
1998 Scottie Pippen 15.7
1996 Scottie Pippen 15.7
2000 Kobe Bryant 15.6 ( *19.0 minus the 2 point injury game )
1981 Larry Bird 15.3 ( ....................wtf? )
1953 Jim Pollard 14.4
2003 Tony Parker 14.0
2006 Antoine Walker 13.8 ( Shaq only averaged 13.7 )
1956 Neil Johnston 13.6 ( Arizin 27.6 )
1950 Jim Pollard 13.6 ( mikan 32.1 )
1994 Vernon Maxwell 13.4
1955 Kerr 12.2 ( schayes 19.0 )
1975 Jamaal Wilkes 11.5
1954 Pollard 10.8 ( Mikan 18.1 )

Kyrie is #1

thats actually a kind of crazy stat.....especially since the series went to 7 games. Id think it would have been a guy in a 4-5 game series where getting such a high average was not so difficult. Kyrie really had his way with the Warriors defense.

 

[WiggyRuss]

I thought that to a certain extent too. Problem is that, whether it was deserved or not (and most of it was), there was too much negativity around Byron.

not only that but Walton was such a good option....just like the Cavs dont fire Blatt unless they had what they felt was a great option in Lue....if there was any doubt about firing Scott, the fact that you got Walton puts that to bed really quickly....

i think Scott just couldnt adapt to todays young players.

 

[trojanfan12]

Seeing what happened to bosh he really left at the perfect time. If he stayed they have wade and bosh and no money left over. It would have been pretty bad imo. Irving is only 24 he could easily become the best player in the league. He was the #1 clutch player in the last 5 minutes of games before lebron even came over. It could be argued that he gave and will give lebron more help than lebron had in miami, 27 ppg for Irving in the finals. Love could have played better and maybe he will next year....Lebron never had rebounding in Miami either, this was his first regular season he didn't have to lead the entire team in points, rebounding and assists.....

With that said it wasn't like he joined gs or the spurs u know what i mean

I agree. In hindsight, he definitely left at the right time. Ironically, him leaving may be the best thing that could have happened to the Heat, just as leaving the first time was the best thing that could happen to the Cavs. Him leaving allowed the Cavs to get some very good young players via the draft. Leaving Miami means they can move forward with a re-build (assuming Bosh isn't coming back).

 

[WiggyRuss]

if I am down 1 point with 7 seconds left on the clock....im not sure there is that many more guys in the NBA id rather have than Kyrie.....honestly...i dunno if there is any.

No one is more elusive or less predictable and has excellent finishing ability at the rim, in mid-range and behind the arc like he does- and he is obviously fearless.....and he can get to wherever he wants to on the court with the leagues best handle.

I dont think Kyrie is top 10 yet...because he needs to improve his defense if hes gonna get there...but i think hes knocking on the door.

 

[lebron23james]

thats actually a kind of crazy stat.....especially since the series went to 7 games. Id think it would have been a guy in a 4-5 game series where getting such a high average was not so difficult. Kyrie really had his way with the Warriors defense.

Plus this was his 1st finals series not counting last years 1 game....pretty impressive considering it was his first time on the big stage

 

[DJ]

I thought that to a certain extent too. Problem is that, whether it was deserved or not (and most of it was), there was too much negativity around Byron.

Yeah.....just not sure what to think about an unproven young coach......














despite it being Luuuuuuuuuuuuuuuke.

 

[WiggyRuss]

Plus this was his 1st finals series not counting last years 1 game....pretty impressive considering it was his first time on the big stage

his game 1 last year was one of the best games i had seen him play in a Cavs uniform as well....you can tell that he upped his defense during the playoffs....that SHOULD mean he could do more in the regular season...buuuuuut i dunno , we shall see if thats in the cards. No one that watched him could say he didnt up his game on that end.

 

[DJ]

Bosh retired then?

 

[WiggyRuss]

Yeah.....just not sure what to think about an unproven young coach......














despite it being Luuuuuuuuuuuuuuuke.

shows what you know.

The last 2 coaches to win the NBA Finals were rookie coaches shit for brains. Only you Dj, lol.

 

[lebron23james]

I agree. In hindsight, he definitely left at the right time. Ironically, him leaving may be the best thing that could have happened to the Heat, just as leaving the first time was the best thing that could happen to the Cavs. Him leaving allowed the Cavs to get some very good young players via the draft. Leaving Miami means they can move forward with a re-build (assuming Bosh isn't coming back).

Yep, and the funny thing is had he stayed put the cavs would have been stuck in the middle of the road, winning too many games to never had been able build the team through the draft...and too many old players on bad contracts

I still wonder tho how Wiggins would have been instead of love, but i haven't followed him as much this year....

 

[Mecca]

Mecca, on FB in a sports group I'm in......one of the guys compared playing in the NBA to slavery. Rich, white owners trading black men like cattle. I'm as pro black as you can get without being black and I facepalmed the fuck out of myself on that one. I had to bite my fingers to keep from responding and typing what I really wanted to.

100 million dollar slavery?

Do people not realise we are talking about a game?

These Dudes are not out curing cancer, bringing world peace.