2019 NBA Finals Thread.

[nuraman00]

I think the keys for Toronto are that they use their length to get rebounds and deflections, along with guarding the perimeter.

If they do that, this can be a good series. That's how teams with less offensive talent win, by not making those other mistakes. Cut down on turnovers, etc.

Toronto usually doesn't commit many turnovers, so they better not start.

I think they need to use a combination of Leonard and Lowry on Curry. If Leonard spends too much time on someone else, he'll be spending it on a lesser threat.

I'll say Warriors in 5, but I'll leave open the possibility of a long series, if Toronto can keep their defense up.

Leonard is good enough to be the best player in the series.

Golden State in 5.

Toronto
Golden State
Golden State
Golden State
Golden State

MVP: Green

Much like Iguodala in 2015, the MVP will go to the player who does everything and is impacting the game all-around.

 

[nuraman00]

Paul Pierce has Toronto in 6, Jalen Rose has Toronto in 7, and Chauncey Billups just says Toronto will in if Durant doesn't play.

Do you like the new Finals montage intro?

They haven't had one in a few years.

I like the old one better, but this is also good.

 

[nuraman00]

I forgot to ask for the prediction of which corporate movie would be overplayed in commercials.

In 2010, it was Grown Ups 2.

It looks like it's Men In Black 4 this year.

 

[nuraman00]

Leonard has committed a bad foul on Curry, grabbing his back.

Danny Green has also bricked more 3's than he's made.

Toronto needs to play better, even though it's a tie game 9 all.

 

[nuraman00]

Toronto up 21-25 after the first.

But the negatives are that Golden State has 4 offensive rebounds, and more free throws (6-6). Toronto has to fix those if they're going to win.

 

[nuraman00]

49 - 59 halftime.

Gasol and Van Fleet's defense may be the keys to the lead so far.

The negatives are 7 offensive rebounds by Golden State, 13-13 FTs, and 3 fouls on Leonard.

 

[nuraman00]

Toronto finally does what they haven't yet today, which is start a quarter strong.

Usually the 3rd quarter is the Warriors best quarter.

 

[nuraman00]

Toronto didn't do a good job finishing the 3rd quarter.

 

[nuraman00]

Toronto still didn't rebound well enough, and the Warriors got too many free throws. Those are still things they could have done better.

 

[MHSL82]

Finals MVP:

Game 1:

MVP1: Pascal Siakam
MVP2. Kawhi Leonard
MVP3: Steph Curry
HM4: Marc Gasol
HM5: VanFleet
HM6: Klay Thompson
HM7: Draymond Green

To me, winning team matters so maybe I’d normally change the order above but had it this way for that reason. Expectations matter, so Klay’s performance was normal, but would have been good for others. VanFleet is Sixth Man.

 

[nuraman00]

Did you watch?

 

[nuraman00]

Wow.

The radio shows I was listening to were saying that it was a must win for Toronto.

They also said that even if Golden State was down 0 - 2, and only 17% of Finals teams or so have come back, that Golden State would probably be one of them.

Toronto can have Lowry score more, and Leonard play better.

We don't know if Siakam can do this again. In the 2014 Portland - Houston series, Aldridge scored 40 in game 1 at Houston. He was able to do it again in game 2.

Can Siakam be like that?

Golden State can defend better, and not leave Gasol so open, or have Curry switched on Gasol.

 

[nuraman00]

Leonard has taken some horrible shots.

It's interesting that Cousins has ended up on Leonard several times.

Toronto isn't rebounding well enough, and turning over too much. They even traveled.

 

[MHSL82]

Heard on the radio and I was saying that they can’t change their game plan because of how well Siakam played in game one because that would just leave Leonard open more.

 

[nuraman00]

"Powell" sounds too much like "Pau" when Mike Breen says it. I know, it's Marc that's on the Raptors, and not Pau, but since they're brothers, it wouldn't be the first time someone called them by the wrong name. I think siblings accidentally get called by one of their siblings names, from their parents, at some point in their lives? Even if they aren't the same gender, I think some parents still make that mistake.

 

[nuraman00]

Heard on the radio and I was saying that they can’t change their game plan because of how well Siakam played in game one because that would just leave Leonard open more.

They're just playing better defense, so far, and not letting Siakam get open. While still guarding Leonard.

 

[nuraman00]

Are Lowry and Van Fleet ever on the floor together?

I'd be interested to see how the perimeter defense of Van Fleet, Lowry, and Leonard are. I wonder if there's any data from this season with that lineup.

 

[nuraman00]

106-101, a little over a minute left in the 4th.

I don't believe in Toronto.

 

[nuraman00]

Did you like the final 51.7 seconds of game 3? That's when Jeremy Lin played.

 

[MHSL82]

Did you like the final 51.7 seconds of game 3? That's when Jeremy Lin played.

Haha, now he can say he played in the NBA finals and he won.