2015-16 NBA Eastern Conference OFFICIAL THREAD

[bksballer89]

Yeah I agree with @TurnUpTheHeat .

If you're goal is to outshoot the Warriors in a best of 7, that is a death sentence and you will likely be dismissed in 5 games at most

 

[WiggyRuss]

Exactly.
Within a week you don't go from 'not ready for playoffs', to 'being in form'.

I didn't see any of yesterday's game, but I saw the shooting stats.
Any team that shoots 18/37 from downtown, is more than likely going to win.
Shot making is contagious but so is shot missing.
I personally don't think any team wants to get into a 3 point shooting contest with the Warriors in a 4/7 though.
Pretty sure that wouldn't be Spurs mentality.

the thing is you can just see their offense coming around. Adding Frye- another knock-down 3 point shooter certainly helps....

They have Smith, Delly, Frye, Jefferson, and Kyrie all shooting VERY VERY well from the 3pt line. They are moving the ball well.

LeBron looks GREAT. He really does. He looks way healthier and athletic and is making moves and plays that he was not doing last year. Its undeniable if you watch the Cavs. That is huge.

Not only that- but Kyrie Irving only started playing on Dec. 20th. He had to get his legs under him- but ever since the last 2 games of January- he has averaged like 24 points a game on OVER 50% shooting....show me how many guards in the NBA can do that not named Steph Curry. Not many.


They really look like they are rounding into shape lately.

Since Lue took over they are scoring 108 points per 100 possessions- up from 101 under Blatt. We are beginning to see this great offense that we all knew they were capable of.

 

[WiggyRuss]

itw as such a good move to get rid of Blatt- it would have just been hanging over the Cavs heads- especially after that last second Toronto loss- the Memphis game- etc....it was a distraction the team just didnt need----

and Lue seems to have a much much better grasp on the overall psyche of the team. He is making the Cavs play the right way- and while that takes time and might involve sacrificing a game or two downthe line - he is doing that and its working.

I just cant wait for the playoffs to start. It should be a lot of fun.



and really- i am blown away by how LeBron has looked the past couple weeks. Last year i rarely saw chase down blocks- i saw a ton of layups on fast breaks where i used to see dunks....his aggresiveness in the paint just did not seem the same.

Now? I have seen him make some plays the last couple weeks that I have not seen him make in a long time. Its really encouraging. Its obvious he is doing a good job taking care of himself. I cant wait to see what he has i nstore for the playoffs.

 

[gordontrue]

Everything came together for the Cavs yesterday. Everything. Great team defense, beautiful ball movement, post offense from Love, Frye and JR stretching the floor, Kyrie looking like himself. Most of all, the defense.

They also shot very well... better than you can reasonably expect game to game. But they were getting great looks from moving the ball... and even if they miss several of those 3's... I still think they win handily.

 

[WiggyRuss]

Everything came together for the Cavs yesterday. Everything. Great team defense, beautiful ball movement, post offense from Love, Frye and JR stretching the floor, Kyrie looking like himself. Most of all, the defense.

They also shot very well... better than you can reasonably expect game to game. But they were getting great looks from moving the ball... and even if they miss several of those 3's... I still think they win handily.

doesnt lebron look really athletic and energized? I swear- the dunks and breakaways and blocks- ----- lsat year- so many times on breakaways he would just lay the ball up.....hes putting on a freaking show lately...i thinkthat bodes very well for the Cavs.

having a LeBron who can do those sort of things is huge-- for whatever reason last year he just didnt seem like THAT GUY- at least during the regular season.....now? Ive seenh im do some crazy things lately- that Jr Smith alley oop he had to go get vs. the Lakers was insane- as was that stutter step slam on Kobe--- and theneven last night he had osme great dunks....

I feel really good of where LeBron is at...much better than last year- and thats potentially scary

 

[gordontrue]

doesnt lebron look really athletic and energized? I swear- the dunks and breakaways and blocks- ----- lsat year- so many times on breakaways he would just lay the ball up.....hes putting on a freaking show lately...i thinkthat bodes very well for the Cavs.

having a LeBron who can do those sort of things is huge-- for whatever reason last year he just didnt seem like THAT GUY- at least during the regular season.....now? Ive seenh im do some crazy things lately- that Jr Smith alley oop he had to go get vs. the Lakers was insane- as was that stutter step slam on Kobe--- and theneven last night he had osme great dunks....

I feel really good of where LeBron is at...much better than last year- and thats potentially scary

Yep, Ive noticed that too, especially the last couple weeks. A few games ago he had 2 fast break dunks in a row where he jumped from outside of the key.

 

[WiggyRuss]

looks like Ben Simmons is signing with Rich Paul- chose LeBron's company to represent him.

lets force him to Cleveland 4 years from now Rich!!!! give the Sixers or Lakers or Phoenix 4 years and come play with a 28 year old KI, 31 year old Love, 36 year old LeBron

 

[ChrisGar15]

looks like Ben Simmons is signing with Rich Paul- chose LeBron's company to represent him.

lets force him to Cleveland 4 years from now Rich!!!! give the Sixers or Lakers or Phoenix 4 years and come play with a 28 year old KI, 31 year old Love, 36 year old LeBron

LSU coach & program is an embarrassment. It is stupid they wouldn't play more games in NIT or CBB. (or whatever it is called) Simmons screwed up going there.

 

[WiggyRuss]

LSU coach & program is an embarrassment. It is stupid they wouldn't play more games in NIT or CBB. (or whatever it is called) Simmons screwed up going there.

it would make mel augh if all these Lakers fans who dont like LeBron and Rich Paul had to deal with them for Simmons--- or whoever gets the first pick for that matter.

that is a big time coup for Paul and LeBron's company to get Simmons. He did screw up going to LSU- should have gone to Kentucky or osmething....

 

[WiggyRuss]

A week that began with a debacle -- Cleveland losing at home to a Memphis squad missing all of its recognizable firepower -- ended with the Cavs inflicting the Clippers' second-worst home loss in Chris Paul's six seasons in L.A. Since Tyronn Lue took over for David Blatt as head coach Jan. 23, LeBron & Co. rank second in the league in offensive efficiency in offensive efficiency in that span behind only Golden State.

 

[lakersrule]

A week that began with a debacle -- Cleveland losing at home to a Memphis squad missing all of its recognizable firepower -- ended with the Cavs inflicting the Clippers' second-worst home loss in Chris Paul's six seasons in L.A. Since Tyronn Lue took over for David Blatt as head coach Jan. 23, LeBron & Co. rank second in the league in offensive efficiency in offensive efficiency in that span behind only Golden State.

Worse winning % with Lue and their defense has declined.

 

[lakersrule]

it would make mel augh if all these Lakers fans who dont like LeBron and Rich Paul had to deal with them for Simmons--- or whoever gets the first pick for that matter.

that is a big time coup for Paul and LeBron's company to get Simmons. He did screw up going to LSU- should have gone to Kentucky or osmething....

Who cares who they sign with? Rookie contracts are locked in anyway.

 

[LAD]

Pau needs to leave that shit show.

I guess the grass isn't always greener, eh?

 

[LAD]

"We came out and took care of business," James said. "We're getting into form right now. We've got a great rotation going right now. The guys are healthy and we're just trying to play the game the right way."

"Channing coming out and making those threes kind of became contagious," Cavs coach Tyronn Lue said. "LeBron set the tone early with his pace, getting rebounds, pushing it. It wasn't all for himself. He got the other guys involved making sho

The true test will come when they play a good structured team.

 

[gordontrue]

The true test will come when they play a good structured team.

Short of playing the Spurs or Warriors... a road game against the Clippers is about as tough as it gets.

Clippers are top 6.

Cavs won't face a team that good until the playoffs... possibly the Raptors in the ECF and/or the Warriors, Spurs, Thunder or Clippers in the Finals.

 

[LAD]

Short of playing the Spurs or Warriors... a road game against the Clippers is about as tough as it gets.

Clippers are top 6.

Cavs won't face a team that good until the playoffs... possibly the Raptors in the ECF and/or the Warriors, Spurs, Thunder or Clippers in the Finals.

Not necessarily imo. Clippers don't really defend well for long durations. It's why they've lost 4th quarter leads similar to OKC.

But I'm not talking about a team just based on record. I'm talking about a team that actually plays together & runs plays. I'm talking about a team that plays defense throughout the game. Like what Memphis did against them without their main guys.

 

[WiggyRuss]

Short of playing the Spurs or Warriors... a road game against the Clippers is about as tough as it gets.

Clippers are top 6.

Cavs won't face a team that good until the playoffs... possibly the Raptors in the ECF and/or the Warriors, Spurs, Thunder or Clippers in the Finals.

For what it's worth, the Cavs are 5-1 against the Clippers, Spurs and Thunder this season.

 

[gordontrue]

Not necessarily imo. Clippers don't really defend well for long durations. It's why they've lost 4th quarter leads similar to OKC.

But I'm not talking about a team just based on record. I'm talking about a team that actually plays together & runs plays. I'm talking about a team that plays defense throughout the game. Like what Memphis did against them without their main guys.

So "true test" is the Grizzlies' bench?

 

[Mecca of the “B” Team]

They probably don't have the pieces to make it work anyway, but OKC should have moved heaven and earth for him at the trade deadline. Gasol is exactly the type of player that team is missing. If they can convince Durant to stay for even just 1 more year, OKC needs to do everything they can to sign Gasol this summer.

He'd be great for the Cavs too.

 

[LAD]

So "true test" is the Grizzlies' bench?

No, A team that plays defense consistently and doesn't get side tracked with iso ball. It just so happened that's what the grizzlies were able to do without their main guys. There are plenty of teams capable that don't have a record in the top 3-5 in either conference.

And I'm not saying that the Cavs aren't good...what I'm saying is that we've heard this story before and once they were tested they didn't look so good anymore. Only time will tell.