2015-16 NBA Eastern Conference OFFICIAL THREAD

[TurnUpTheHeat]

oh yah....the teams goal is to win the title- anything less will be a major disappointment....if they have their roster they hsould be in good shape.

Love, Kyrie, and LeBron are 42-4 when they suit up together according to the reporter talking to LeBron last night.

last years Spurs/Cavs game in San Antonio was the best game of the year in the regular season.....i gotta say- i LOVED when Kyrie shot a 3 right in Leonards face as regulation ended to tie the game....KI doesnt quite look all the way back- but hes getting there.

the Cavs NEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEED KI vs. the Spurs that is for sure.

I remember last years game very well.
Kyrie was on fire, but despite all of it, if Leonard makes 1 ft it's over in regulation.
If you recall, James thought it was over and took an intentional T with a couple to go.

 

[TurnUpTheHeat]

oh yah....the teams goal is to win the title- anything less will be a major disappointment....if they have their roster they hsould be in good shape.

Love, Kyrie, and LeBron are 42-4 when they suit up together according to the reporter talking to LeBron last night.

last years Spurs/Cavs game in San Antonio was the best game of the year in the regular season.....i gotta say- i LOVED when Kyrie shot a 3 right in Leonards face as regulation ended to tie the game....KI doesnt quite look all the way back- but hes getting there.

the Cavs NEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEED KI vs. the Spurs that is for sure.

I remember last years game very well.
Kyrie was on fire, but despite all of it, if Leonard makes 1 ft it's over in regulation.
If you recall, James thought it was over and took an intentional T with a couple to go.

 

[bksballer89]

Didn't see that one. If it was a reach in type play, those nearly always get called, even when there is no contact. Bottom line, the NBA is the hardest of the sports to referee. These guys are so big and so athletic and operate is such a small space, it's an impossible task. That's why I never bitch about them and just hope they make the same calls both ways.

I use to bitch about them years ago but unless it is an obvious missed call that and is the reason my team was defeated I just let it go. The only game that had me hot this season was when WSH beat Miami and WSH got away with an obvious double dribble late in the game on a play which resulted in a 3 and iced the game as it put WSH up 5 with seconds remaining.

 

[trojanfan12]

I use to bitch about them years ago but unless it is an obvious missed call that and is the reason my team was defeated I just let it go. The only game that had me hot this season was when WSH beat Miami and WSH got away with an obvious double dribble late in the game on a play which resulted in a 3 and iced the game as it put WSH up 5 with seconds remaining.

Yeah, I don't even bitch about stuff like that anymore. I figure it's my teams fault for allowing themselves to be in position to lose a game on 1 call.

 

[WiggyRuss]

besides of course having a talented roster-

the Cavs do 2 things really well- that give them an edge over the long haul.

they shoot a lot of 3's and make a lot of 3's- and they get a lot of offensive rebounds. When you can add extra points and extra possessions with offensive boards- and you take care of the ball and limit turnovers- i dont care who you are- you can win major games.

 

[WiggyRuss]

how do you say "pure brilliance" in Russian?

Cleveland Cavaliers' Timofey Mozgov rides a bear in commercial to promote winter hat giveaway (video)

 

[gordontrue]

how do you say "pure brilliance" in Russian?

Cleveland Cavaliers' Timofey Mozgov rides a bear in commercial to promote winter hat giveaway (video)

I need one of those hats

 

[WiggyRuss]

Growing into an MVP: The ongoing lessons LeBron James is teaching Kyrie Irving

great article by Jason Lloyd on the relationship between LeBron and Kyrie. Best one I have read in a while. - this is about half of it.....if u dont want to read it or dont care- please skip obviously.


DALLAS: An hour after the formal portion of practice ended on Monday, LeBron James and Kyrie Irving remained on the floor shooting 3-pointers and free throws. Shooting contests from the wing, the corner and the top of the arc, then more free throws, then more 3-pointers. They’d shoot two 3-pointers at a time then rotate. And then do it all again.
Teammates stood around waiting patiently, then not so patiently. Mo Williams did three separate, lengthy interviews about his academy, the floor on which Irving and James continued shooting and shooting and shooting. Williams was done, but his teammates weren’t.
Patience wore thin. Other teammates began grumbling. The guys kept shooting.
“I will never leave the court without him,” James told the Beacon Journal. “Meaning if he’s the only person in there shooting, I’m not going to leave. I’m not. And he knows that.”
This has become a common scene this season, both as Irving was working his way back from offseason knee surgery and since he has returned to games. They frequently do it after home practices, when everyone has their own vehicles and can leave when they want. But when they do it on the road, the rest of the players and staff are at the mercy of the King and his protégé.

Such as last month in Orlando, Fla., when the two stars staged a similar lengthy shooting clinic. Most of the rest of the players had already showered and returned to the bleachers waiting while Irving and James were still shooting and sweating. When Monday’s extra shooting session dragged on and on, an assistant coach walked back into the gym after it was over and snapped at James.
“They can leave us. They don’t have to wait for us,” James later told the Beacon Journal. “We know the way back.”
That’s exactly why James and Irving are doing this: So they know the way when it matters. Such as the fourth quarter of a tie game at Dallas when James stormed down the lane for a dunk, or overtime when James had the ball in his hands and flipped it back to Irving for a deep 3-pointer to clinch a victory.
“At the end of the day, late in games, the ball is going to be in our hands,” James said. “We’ve got to be able to trust each other and our teammates have to be able to trust us. If they see us working like they always do, it gives them more trust in us. And then we have to come through for them.”
One and one
The relationship between James and Irving is now strong and still growing, yet their path here is unique and complex. Irving walked into a franchise reduced to rubble because James left.
One of the first questions Irving had to answer following the draft lottery, the night the Cavs won the first overall pick and the chance to draft him, was about replacing James in Cleveland.
Those questions chased him for years. He always thought they were ridiculous and responded the same way: “I’m Kyrie Irving, I’m not LeBron James.” Sounded good enough in theory, but the fact remained Irving was here because James was not.
Irving’s first three seasons were difficult. He was an immature kid thrust into the alpha dog role trying to do it all himself. His relationship with the media was volatile at times. Many of the problems could be traced back inadvertently to James’ departure.
Then one summer afternoon, all of that changed. James announced his return and within months Irving went from the alpha dog to the youngest player on the team. He still is.

 

[bksballer89]

Really thought the Heat had a solid chance to win tonight vs the Clippers....Only to find out Dragic is out until next Tuesday and Whiteside is likely still out as well

 

[ManuForever]

its gonna happen at some point- and thus far this year - this is the first year where i have seen a substantial drop off in BOTH Parker and Duncan.....doesnt mean a lot right now but its certainly something to keep your eye on.

Um...parker has been playing WAY BETTER this season than last season...we watching the same games?

 

[ManuForever]

oh just so beautiful....all time record for points in that Arena- belongs not to Duncan, or Parker, or Kobe, or Durant etc. etc. etc.---belongs to THE Kyrie Irving.

You are so gay for kyrie.

 

[WiggyRuss]

Really thought the Heat had a solid chance to win tonight vs the Clippers....Only to find out Dragic is out until next Tuesday and Whiteside is likely still out as well

the Clips didnt have Blake or DeAndre--- and Whiteside DID play.

 

[bksballer89]

the Clips didnt have Blake or DeAndre--- and Whiteside DID play.

Yeah that was probably the worse performance of the year outside of the game in Detroit back in November. The 2nd half was an absolute shit show. Really missed Dragic last night. Season high in turnovers.

 

[bksballer89]

Losing to Utah absolutely ruined this trip. Must win Friday to avoid a disaster trip. Only good thing is the other East teams (excluding Cleveland) are as up and down as Miami so the Heat are still just 2 games out of the 2nd seed.

2-4 wouldn't be the end of the world. I expected 2-4 or 3-3 but I felt good about the Clippers game after the way we played on Monday in GSW and how we played in the first half last night.......then the 2nd half happened

 

[WiggyRuss]

Losing to Utah absolutely ruined this trip. Must win Friday to avoid a disaster trip. Only good thing is the other East teams (excluding Cleveland) are as up and down as Miami so the Heat are still just 2 games out of the 2nd seed.

2-4 wouldn't be the end of the world. I expected 2-4 or 3-3 but I felt good about the Clippers game after the way we played on Monday in GSW and how we played in the first half last night.......then the 2nd half happened

you guys blew it by not pumping up your record when everyone was healthy. Now that you have injuries- and a very rough schedule- it could get a little ugly. YA gotta make hay when the sunshines- especially with the Heats roster.

Its just lucky for the Cavs that their ugly part of the schedule has coincided with them getting healthy for the most part.

 

[TurnUpTheHeat]

you guys blew it by not pumping up your record when everyone was healthy. Now that you have injuries- and a very rough schedule- it could get a little ugly. YA gotta make hay when the sunshines- especially with the Heats roster.

Its just lucky for the Cavs that their ugly part of the schedule has coincided with them getting healthy for the most part.

Why do you continue to compare the Cavs to the Heat?
We weren't/aren't good enough to pump up our record.
McBob is garbage, who can't ever stay healthy.
We have little to none dependable outside shooting except for Bosh.
Heat will prob make the playoffs, but so will 6 other teams in the EC who have no shot to beat the Cavs 4/7 if James is healthy.

 

[WiggyRuss]

and hey--- im starting to buy Tyler Johnson as a nice little bench player...he is shooting really nicely from outside too (though he only takes 2 attempts per game from 3)- as is Bosh...Bosh at 38% from 3...Whitesie at 60% is rpetty crazy... 12, 11, 4, 60 % shooting is really good-- probably only 5-7 centers id rather have...

Wade at a career low 45% is a little concerning i would think....

 

[WiggyRuss]

Why do you continue to compare the Cavs to the Heat?
We weren't/aren't good enough to pump up our record.
McBob is garbage, who can't ever stay healthy.
We have little to none dependable outside shooting except for Bosh.
Heat will prob make the playoffs, but so will 6 other teams in the EC who have no shot to beat the Cavs 4/7 if James is healthy.

what happened to having a ridiculous deep team that went 12 deep? Whath appened to Chris Anderson "basially being the same thing as Tristan Thompson"- what happened to Dragic and Irving being " a matter of preference", what happened to Whiteside being "possibly the most dominant center in the game"....??

 

[WiggyRuss]

Haslem is cooked
Amare is cooked
Anderson is cooked and expensive and the Heat are trying to get rid of him ASAP
you say McBob is garbage...

and its obvious- the 3 pt shooting is very lacking...

Riley could have done a better job building some depth here..ESPECIALLY in the front court it looks like....all 4 of those front court bench players are not good....

Like i said the other day- the Cavs have been thriving - obviously because of LeBron- but when you look at the team numbers- offensive rebounding and 3 pt shooting are very good on the Cavs....extra possessions and extra points- if you eliminate EVERYTHING ELSE- and just look at those 2 things---- extra possessions from great offensive rebounding- and having a 3 pt advantage- i believe gives the Cavs a 4-5 point handicap everytime they go out on the floor (except against the teams that are equally or better at the 3).


Heat have been developing some nice perimeter guys in Johnson and Winslow- but like you said- a vet 3 point shooter on the perimeter-and a reliable bench big- would go a LONG way on that team.

 

[WiggyRuss]

i know the world is down on Anderson Varejao- but this extra time to get healthy and rest has been good for him. Im telling you- the guy can still play- and if he got some run and knocked the rust off- i think he could shoot 55%, play some solid defense, take some charges, and clean up on the glass pretty nicely.

I actually think he would be a great fit on the HEat- especially because he moves so well and works so well in the pick and roll. Dragic would love him- an actual big that can move without the ball and create some lanes.