2015-16 NBA Eastern Conference OFFICIAL THREAD

[WiggyRuss]

He doesn't want to get it.

By his logic, Draymond Green is a Center too since he played that position in the finals.

who that the Cavs are competing with would cause a big time mismatch with Thompson at center?

 

[TurnUpTheHeat]

why cant you mix and match those guys against hte Spurs and Warriors? I think the Cavs front court matches up EXTREMELY well with both of those teams.

Let me rephrase
If you mix and match, but don't get production from Moz or Andy, then your chances of winning decrease that much more.

 

[WiggyRuss]

Let me rephrase
If you mix and match, but don't get production from Moz or Andy, then you you're chances of winning decrease that much more.

gotta remember- LBJ will be playing some power forward too this year- ESPECIALLY with the addition of Richard Jefferson, and the Cavs back court depth.

The Cavs can fill the court from Pg, Sg, to SF with some really good players and have James and Love at PF and C --- or James and Thompson at PF or C...these are some of the lineups i want to see them tinker with over the next few months.

PG Delly
SG Kyrie
SF Smith/Shump
PF James
C Love

or

PG Kyrie
SG Mo
SF Smith/Shump
Pf James
C Thomspon

etc......

teams just cant handle that small ball style with all the Cavs depth- and I dont know too many teams that could punish them for playing Thompson or Love at center because not many teams have that kind of frontline.

still waiting on a team that would make the Cavs say- wow- we just cant play Thompson at center right now .

 

[WiggyRuss]

again....waiting on any of you guys to tell me a team that the Cavs are competing with where Thompson would be in big trouble playing center. It really just does not exist in todays MODERN NBA....like i said--hed struggle against DeAndre probably....other than that?.....Maybe Pau?- but Pau is getting older and Thompson played him really well at times last year....

 

[trojanfan12]

Thompson is absolutely the type of guy that CAN make it work- ESPECIALLY in todays NBA....

The Cavs are playing him at center because they have to. They can get away with it for awhile, but it's not a good long term solution. It will cost them against better centers. It won't hurt them much in the regular season because it's 1 game and move on. But in the playoffs, when they are facing the same team a minimum of 4 times, it'll take a toll.

If they see the Spurs in the finals, they'll really be in trouble.

In the finals, they might be able to get away with it vs. GSW because of their style of play. But not the Spurs.

 

[TurnUpTheHeat]

gotta remember- LBJ will be playing some power forward too this year- ESPECIALLY with the addition of Richard Jefferson, and the Cavs back court depth.

The Cavs can fill the court from Pg, Sg, to SF with some really good players and have James and Love at PF and C --- or James and Thompson at PF or C...these are some of the lineups i want to see them tinker with over the next few months.

PG Delly
SG Kyrie
SF Smith/Shump
PF James
C Love

or

PG Kyrie
SG Mo
SF Smith/Shump
Pf James
C Thomspon

etc......

teams just cant handle that small ball style with all the Cavs depth- and I dont know too many teams that could punish them for playing Thompson or Love at center because not many teams have that kind of frontline.

still waiting on a team that would make the Cavs say- wow- we just cant play Thompson at center right now .

Still waiting for you to quit being a pussy and take the bet.

 

[Mecca of the “B” Team]

who that the Cavs are competing with would cause a big time mismatch with Thompson at center?

Probably only the Spurs.

Nobody is disputing that.

My original statement said that he can get away with playing Center in this small ball era.

But, he's a pf.

 

[Mecca of the “B” Team]

Thompson is absolutely the type of guy that CAN make it work- ESPECIALLY in todays NBA....

15-20 years ago playing a 6'10" guy at center would be a problem....today---having a 6' 10" center that IS so damn fast and mobile like Thompson- that can switch onto a guard and play them solidily in a big and roll situation is basically the KEY to a good defense in todays NBA where the pick and roll and spacing is everything.

Sure- when you get against a Cousins or Marc Gasol there might be issues- but how many guys are like that in the whole NBA? A guy like Aldridge that is mostly a mid-range guy Thompson can DEFINITELY cover. For a team like Golden State? having a center like Thompson i believe is a HUGE advantage- especially when they go with their most devastating lineup with Draymond at center.

Who in the NBA that the Cavs would face in the East or the Finals even has a center that would cause Thompson to be moved out of that position? Im trying to think- and i really cant think of it----DeAndre Jordan is one if the Clips could make the Finals....other than that? Who is out there on a team the Cavs are competing with that would force the Cavs to move Thompson off the center position? I cant name one- which to me- totally proves he is more than capable of playing the position well.

I have not seen a post that stated anything different.

He can play Center in Today's NBA outside of maybe 1 or 2 guys.

 

[WiggyRuss]

Probably only the Spurs.

Nobody is disputing that.

My original statement said that he can get away with playing Center in this small ball era.

But, he's a pf.

i dont think the Spurs even would. Its not like Aldridge is Al Jeff in his prime and gonna go on the low block and out-man Thompson. I actually think Thompson is one of the best equipped players in the league to play against an Aldridge type-big-man-mid-range shooter- and as good as Duncan is- hes not getting on the low block and putting up 25 on Thompson.

I can see maybe the Bulls and maybe the Clips causing the Cavs to rely more on Mozgov- but if a hobbled Cavs team can run the Bulls like that last year- and the Bulls hardly look great this year- and Pau is a year older, and Noah has lost a step- im not that worried.....

If Clips made the Finals Thompson would have a very hard time against DeAndre.....

but against Horford and the Hawks- hed be effective, against Whiteside and the Heat hed be effective, against Adams or Kanter hed be effective, against Aldridge hed be fine, against Bogut hed be effective

 

[trojanfan12]

He doesn't want to get it.

By his logic, Draymond Green is a Center too since he played that position in the finals.

Exactly. The fact that he thinks that Mozgov, Varejao and TT match up with Aldridge, Duncan, West, etc. shows that he never will.

 

[WiggyRuss]

I have not seen a post that stated anything different.

He can play Center in Today's NBA outside of maybe 1 or 2 guys.

exactly...especially with their different skill sets- thats why i never understood why people thought Thompson and Love couldnt coexist together.

 

[Mecca of the “B” Team]

The Cavs are playing him at center because they have to. They can get away with it for awhile, but it's not a good long term solution. It will cost them against better centers. It won't hurt them much in the regular season because it's 1 game and move on. But in the playoffs, when they are facing the same team a minimum of 4 times, it'll take a toll.

If they see the Spurs in the finals, they'll really be in trouble.

In the finals, they might be able to get away with it vs. GSW because of their style of play. But not the Spurs.

This..

 

[WiggyRuss]

Exactly. The fact that he thinks that Mozgov, Varejao and TT match up with Aldridge, Duncan, West, etc. shows that he never will.

uhh. might want to add a little guy named Kevin Love to that.....as well as the fact that LBJ can and will play PF against them as well

Love, LBJ (in bits), Thompson, Mozgov, Varejao is as good or better than any frontcourt in the NBA.

 

[Mecca of the “B” Team]

Exactly. The fact that he thinks that Mozgov, Varejao and TT match up with Aldridge, Duncan, West, etc. shows that he never will.

Don't forget fat Boris.

 

[Mecca of the “B” Team]

uhh. might want to add a little guy named Kevin Love to that.....as well as the fact that LBJ can and will play PF against them as well

Love, LBJ (in bits), Thompson, Mozgov, Varejao is as good or better than any frontcourt in the NBA.

Uh.....You think that's better than Duncan, Aldridge, West and Leanord?

Nobody is shutting Bron down.

But, Kahwi gives him bell on both ends of the court.

Bron is your only quasi advantage and that's only by a hair.

Otherwise....

Aldridge > Love

75year old Tiiiiiiiiiiiimy > Tristan

West > Andy

Fat Boris = Mozgov

 

[WiggyRuss]

I think we are in for a fun game on Thursday night. The Spurs really wanted that win last year. The minute totals for the Spurs guys were so-un-Pop-like last time it was kinda evident. That was EASILY the best regular season game in the whole NBA last year- the @Spurs game- where KI had the NBA-Season high in points. Should be fun.

 

[trojanfan12]

Don't forget fat Boris.

Him too. Bonner plays his role well also. That's the problem the Cavs will have. All of those guys bring something different and they all play their roles perfectly. Can throw Kawhi Leonard in there too. I don't think anyone in the league can match up with the Spurs bigs.

 

[WiggyRuss]

Uh.....You think that's better than Duncan, Aldridge, West and Leanord?

Nobody is shutting Bron down.

But, Kahwi gives him bell on both ends of the court.

Bron is your only quasi advantage and that's only by a hair.

Otherwise....

Aldridge > Love

75year old Tiiiiiiiiiiiimy > Tristan

West > Andy

Fat Boris = Mozgov

i dont buy that at all- but the Spurs are loaded....as we saw last year- the guy the Spurs really have no answer for anymore is Kyrie.

Who on the Spurs guards Kyrie- or even slows him down? With Leonard on LBJ- the Cavs will seriously need other guys to step up big time- luckily- Tony Parker just cant even effect Kyrie at all- he can get whatever he wants whenever he wants on the Spurs back court defenders.

Lets see how Aldridge does running around the perimeter trying to cover Love- because we KNOW Duncan wont be doing that.

 

[Mecca of the “B” Team]

exactly...especially with their different skill sets- thats why i never understood why people thought Thompson and Love couldnt coexist together.

I can only speak for Myself...

I didn't think it would work better cause I assumed Tristan was going to the bench, which he did initially.

As the starting Center, they work well.

As you said, they have very different skill sets and won't clash like Noel/ Okafor or Drummond/ Monroe.

Honestly, Outside of Boogie and the Gasols, he should be fine.

I would be more worried about him checking the elite PF s in the league.

 

[WiggyRuss]

Spurs losing Corey Joseph hurts in that way too- he at least was a decent defender with some size...

Danny Green is simply not NEAR fast enough or athletic enough to cover Kyrie. TP with all his little injuries, and all the miles on his body is simply not anywhere in the same stratosphere as KI speed wise anymore and just has no chance of staying in front of him....

If the Cavs face the Spurs in the Finals - and the Cavs win- I would probably expect KI to be the MVP....