Series Thread: 1) Toronto Raptors vs 4) Cleveland Cavs

[Heatles84]

I just don't think Casey in anyway is deserving of his MVP. With Cleveland's struggles and the injury to Heyward in game 1 of the season, it was wide open for the Raptors to be a #1 seed. I think it's an amazing job by Stevens to develop the talent he had an keep Boston as a viable contender without Heyward; and still with Kyrie having knee issues later on in the season. As well as Snyder losing Heyward to free agency only to draft Mitchell and have Utah playing better than they did last year where most predicted they wouldn't even be in the playoffs.

 

[WiggyRuss]

Yup. Harden's deserving of his MVP. But in terms of who's been the most playoffs from game 1, it's Lebron by a mile.

These Aren’t Your Regular-Season Cavs

this is a really interesting article about the Cavs.

The Cavs best lineup and one of their most used lineups: Played together ZERO minutes during the regular season.


If this Cavs team all came back- and they added someone with the Brooklyn pick- I see no reason why this Cavs team would not be, if not better than Boston or Philly- right there with them.

 

[WiggyRuss]

The Cleveland Cavaliers that swept the top-seeded Toronto Raptors out of the postseason in dominant fashion looked completely different from the Cavs team that eked out 50 wins in the regular season. And with good reason: The bulk of Cleveland’s postseason minutes have gone to, quite literally, a different team. Through the first two rounds of the playoffs, the Cavaliers have leaned heavily on a five-man lineup that had never shared the court before.

In the team’s series against the Pacers and Raptors, Cleveland’s most-used lineup has been George Hill, J.R. Smith, Kyle Korver, LeBron James and Kevin Love. So far this postseason, they’ve logged 110 minutes together. That’s 110 more than they played together in the regular season. Compared to the Toronto Raptors, whose most-used lineup in the playoffsOG Anunoby, DeMar DeRozan, Serge Ibaka, Kyle Lowry and Jonas Valanciunas.

logged 801 minutes together in the regular season, Cleveland looks like it’s experimenting on the fly. But it’s working. Cleveland’s most-used postseason lineup is outscoring opponents by 41 points, good for third-best in the playoffs.

The Cavs’ second-most-used lineup this postseason, which features José Calderón in place of George Hill, is also without precedent. Cleveland is the only remaining team in the playoffs that has given more than 20 percent of its postseason minutes to a lineup that didn’t see any time together in the regular season.Although it should be noted that only about half the total playoff field gave more than 20 percent of the team’s minutes to any one lineup of any description. In addition to the Cavs, the Raptors, Pelicans and Rockets have all leaned heavily on a single lineup.


Midseason trades and injuries are the primary reasons for this. Right around the time Cleveland acquired George Hill at the trade deadline, Kevin Love missed 20 games with a fractured hand. By the time Love had returned from injury, J.R. Smith had been moved out of the starting lineup to run the team’s second unit. A short while later, Kyle Korver took a leave of absence to deal with a family issue and a nagging foot injury. The lineup had no opportunity for chemistry-building before the playoffs. And even then, George Hill missed three games during their series with the Pacers due to back spasms.

Having Hill in the lineup unlocks a major component of Cleveland’s offense. Not only does it give the Cavs another person (besides James) to bring the ball up the court, it also allows Hill and Love to run a pick-and-roll that creates defensive mismatches that are easier to exploit than the mismatches created by the James and Love version of the pick-and-roll. After last night’s game, Love said in the postgame press conference, “And for me personally, setting a 1-5 pick-and-roll, that was something that I missed, especially in the first series when [Hill] was out with his back.”

 

[Shanemansj13]

LOL what a joke.

They need to call it Regular Season Coach of the Year Award then.

 

[WiggyRuss]

@trojanfan12 a very good illustration of how having shooteres around LeBron kills.

Lowe: Love and Korver aren't just watching LeBron

THIS is just another GREAT GREAT article showing how Love, and Korver- two smart veteran basketball players that can shoot- just take extreme advantage of LeBron's genius:

As he walked the ball up after a Toronto Raptors basket with five minutes left in what would go on to be the most catastrophic Game 1 loss in the history of a franchise that specializes in Game 1 losses, LeBron Jamesturned back to Kevin Love and muttered instructions out of enemy earshot: "Go get Kyle."

Kyle Korver had almost reached his starting position in the left corner as James whispered to Love. He's not sure if he even saw the conversation. When Korver does notice LeBron pausing to chat with Love, he can guess the subject matter: "Go get Kyle."

"If I see Bron talking to Kevin, I know what's coming," Korver says. "Other times, I'm the last to know. It's not like he can call out the play. You have to hide it."

The play is this: Love jogging over as if to set a pick for LeBron, only to veer suddenly toward the corner and hammer Korver's man with a pindown screen. It is the meanest version of a set that has spread into almost every playbook.

It also became the first building block in a unique partnership between Love and Korver that grows more complex with every game -- an improvisational off-ball dance of circles, zig-zags, and screens set in every direction until the defense falls in on itself. LeBron lords over the action from the top of the arc, waiting to fire the ball to whoever pops open.

 

[WiggyRuss]

********
Korver would be threatening running off screens from Bismack Biyombo. Using a screener who can shoot 3s and post up is unfair. Trap Korver, and Love fades to the corner for a quick-trigger triple. Switch, and Love bulldozes a little guy.

"You can't put a 5 on Love," McMillan says. "You just can't."*************************

 

[Shanemansj13]

These Aren’t Your Regular-Season Cavs

this is a really interesting article about the Cavs.

The Cavs best lineup and one of their most used lineups: Played together ZERO minutes during the regular season.


If this Cavs team all came back- and they added someone with the Brooklyn pick- I see no reason why this Cavs team would not be, if not better than Boston or Philly- right there with them.

I agree, depending on who they get in the draft and if they get everyone back. I mean if Hood steps up they could be very dangerous. Porter was projected to the Cavs but it looks like he keeps climbing the board, I would love to get him next to Lebron at SF. I still really like Mikal Bridges, he has size, can shoot and is already a really good defender

 

[Heatles84]

They need to call it Regular Season Coach of the Year Award then.

That's what it is now and I still don't even think he should've won that. Just give it to D'Antoni then. Because CP3 missed chunks of the season and the Rockets still kept humming along.

 

[WiggyRuss]

I agree, depending on who they get in the draft and if they get everyone back. I mean if Hood steps up they could be very dangerous. Porter was projected to the Cavs but it looks like he keeps climbing the board, I would love to get him next to Lebron at SF. I still really like Mikal Bridges, he has size, can shoot and is already a really good defender

maybe Nick Gilbert can deliver a top 3 pick I think the rest of the league would SHIT themselves if the Cavs somehow ended up with the pick that could become Doncic or Ayton. lol

in all likelihood itll be someone like either Porter, Bamba, Young, Sexton, Bridges.

Ayton, Bagley, Jackson, Doncic seem locked in to the top 4 now if you ask me.....


if they somehow pull a top 3 pick out of their ass- that can be a MAJOR MAJOR trade asset. A holy-shit sorry Boston and Philly you need to wait 3-4 more years trade asset.

 

[trojanfan12]

@trojanfan12 a very good illustration of how having shooteres around LeBron kills.

Lowe: Love and Korver aren't just watching LeBron

THIS is just another GREAT GREAT article showing how Love, and Korver- two smart veteran basketball players that can shoot- just take extreme advantage of LeBron's genius:

As he walked the ball up after a Toronto Raptors basket with five minutes left in what would go on to be the most catastrophic Game 1 loss in the history of a franchise that specializes in Game 1 losses, LeBron Jamesturned back to Kevin Love and muttered instructions out of enemy earshot: "Go get Kyle."

Kyle Korver had almost reached his starting position in the left corner as James whispered to Love. He's not sure if he even saw the conversation. When Korver does notice LeBron pausing to chat with Love, he can guess the subject matter: "Go get Kyle."

"If I see Bron talking to Kevin, I know what's coming," Korver says. "Other times, I'm the last to know. It's not like he can call out the play. You have to hide it."

The play is this: Love jogging over as if to set a pick for LeBron, only to veer suddenly toward the corner and hammer Korver's man with a pindown screen. It is the meanest version of a set that has spread into almost every playbook.

It also became the first building block in a unique partnership between Love and Korver that grows more complex with every game -- an improvisational off-ball dance of circles, zig-zags, and screens set in every direction until the defense falls in on itself. LeBron lords over the action from the top of the arc, waiting to fire the ball to whoever pops open.

Why are you posting stuff that I already know and never claimed doesn't work?

I never said that surrounding Lebron with shooters doesn't work and I never said you don't need shooters.

What I said was that there is more than 1 way to use Lebron's skills to prevent double teams.

An offense based on ball movement also prevents double teams because the ball doesn't stick in anyone's hands long enough for a double team to get there.

This results in open shots all over the court and could make Lebron even more efficient since he wouldn't have to work as hard for his shots and assists.

 

[trojanfan12]

They need to call it Regular Season Coach of the Year Award then.

It is a regular season award. All of those awards, MVP, COY, ROY, etc., etc. are regular season awards.

I'm not saying he deserved the award, but based on the Raptors regular season performance, he deserved to be in the conversation.

Now, if you're saying that these awards shouldn't be voted on until after the playoffs are over...that's a different conversation.

 

[DJ]

Won 500 on getting 3rd place in the MLB pick 'ems.....

 

[TurnUpTheHeat]

 

[DJ]

Saw this in a sports group on FB....


One has to go.....


Magic
MJ
Kobe
James

That's a tough choice. I'd probably say Kobe.

 

[DJ]

And they may fire him....LOL.

 

[Wamu]

And they may fire him....LOL.

Not sure how many times a COY got fired right after the season but I do remember the Nuggets fired George Karl after he won the award in '13.

 

[TurnUpTheHeat]

Saw this in a sports group on FB....


One has to go.....


Magic
MJ
Kobe
James

That's a tough choice. I'd probably say Kobe.

Its actually an easy choice.

 

[trojanfan12]

Its actually an easy choice.

Yeah it is.

Kobe's a great player no doubt. But Magic, MJ and Lebron are arguably the 3 best players in league history. I don't think I've ever seen Kobe higher than 5th or 6th on anyone's all time list.

You might be able to make a small case for Kobe over Lebron because when talking about just pure, stone cold, I'll step on my grandma's head to win a game maniacal desire to win, he's the only guy who rivals MJ.

But that's the only way a case can even be made for Kobe and that's not much to go on. Especially since Lebron has gotten better in that regard over the years.

 

[Wamu]

Yeah it is.

Kobe's a great player no doubt. But Magic, MJ and Lebron are arguably the 3 best players in league history. I don't think I've ever seen Kobe higher than 5th or 6th on anyone's all time list.

You might be able to make a small case for Kobe over Lebron because when talking about just pure, stone cold, I'll step on my grandma's head to win a game maniacal desire to win, he's the only guy who rivals MJ.

But that's the only way a case can even be made for Kobe and that's not much to go on. Especially since Lebron has gotten better in that regard over the years.

I saw this the other day. LeBron had 2 playoff buzzer beaters against the Raptors & almost had a 3rd in that series.

MJ had 3 in his career.

Kobe had 1.


It was mentioned on First Things First. Also I thought for some reason all 3 of them had more game winning playoff shots like that.

 

[Wamu]

Its actually an easy choice.

Are you talking about potato salad or macaroni salad?