Series Thread: 2nd Round: Cleveland Cavs vs Toronto Raptors

[gordontrue]

Again, I don't take records at face value. And I don't think the Cavs have had a harder path to the Finals then the Warriors in previous years (you could make an argument about year 1). For one, OKC was a better team that the Dubs have faced in the playoffs over the last 2 years (not counting these playoffs yet or the Cavs in the Finals) then anything the Cavs have faced prior to the Finals.

The point being, and is the general consensus with anyone really is that the West is indeed the better conference. This has been this way for years now and was a constant theme even when Lebron was in Miami. Don't understand why this is such a sore subject for Cavs fans to accept that their path may be easier to get in the Finals. Lebron doesn't control the geography of his team and the decisions that teams in the East make.

Yes, the West has been the better conference. But that hasn't translated to a tougher path - at least not in the playoffs - for the Warriors. Partly because of upsets like the Spurs last year, partly because the Warriors have had better seeding, and partly because of key injuries.

Its not a sore spot... I just disagree, and I have plenty of numbers to back it up.

 

[Mecca]

********* Off Topic Alert **********

I feel a little less sorry for Melo if this is true.

But, Phil is still a Turd.


Apparently it was an ultimatum from Carmelo Anthony that led to Mike D'Antoni's resignation in New York.

D'Antoni made that claim in a long profile published by ESPN, which highlighted his current successful campaign in Houston and included a line that "Anthony said the team needed to choose between him and D'Antoni."

"I just went in and quit," D'Antoni said.

 

[LAD]

The East and West conference had identical strength of schedules last year.

Its perfectly acceptable to compare season records across conferences when that is the case. West has been stronger at the top, thinner in the middle, and weaker at the bottom. Overall... statistics say a record in 1 conference would be the same as in the other.

No this is not true. It has everything to do with the COMPETITION level per team.
Utah, Cavs & Toronto had the same exact record at the end of the reg season, yet the Cavs were the #2 seed, Raps were the #3 see while across the conference Utah was the #5 seed. That tells us that the top of the Eastern Conference had less wins than the top of the Western Conf. The Cavs' overall record would've landed them at the #5 seed if we only looked at the top teams regardless of their geographic location.

Not same, same my friend.

 

[LAD]

I am thinking that if the Cavs are as great a team as some think, and they play in the weaker Conference, they should be besting the Dubs in terms of season records. But, they have never had a better reg season record than the Dubs.

Obviously the difference maker in the post season has been LBJ. His ability to take his game to the next level is why they continue to win & get to the Finals. After adding KD this season the Dubs can now match that level of intensity.

 

[WiggyRuss]

The West is more rounded. Think about teams that have a chance in the West (previous two years):

West: Spurs, Thunder, Clippers
East: Raptors, maybe Hawks

There's more competition in the West then there is in the East. There are more cream puffs in the East, which is why taking records alone at face value is foolish.

in the last 3 years - i can remember one team that the Warriros beat who was any good in the West---- the Thunder last year.

Every other team was just as sorry as the Eastern Conference teams or had significant injuries.

Dont you agree?

 

[DorianRo]

Whoever comes out of the west will ALWAYS Have it a bit tougher (even if they sweep) because the quality of playoff teams in the West are just better. Teams are better in the playoffs and play a higher level than those in the East.

Not much stock can be put in the Regular season. If it was, Cleveland would be in trouble in the post season judging by how they played the last few months of the regular season. The post season is a different animal. The ebb and flows of games change. The Game slows down.

So just because some east teams have some regular season advantage over West teams, doesn't matter in the playoffs.

Warriors make it look easy because they are so good, but most of the West teams in the playoffs this year would cakewalk through the East teams

 

[Mecca]

in the last 3 years - i can remember one team that the Warriros beat who was any good in the West---- the Thunder last year.

Every other team was just as sorry as the Eastern Conference teams or had significant injuries.

Dont you agree?

Didn't Portland win a game last year?

 

[WiggyRuss]

Didn't Portland win a game last year?

do you have ap oint?

 

[Heatles84]

in the last 3 years - i can remember one team that the Warriros beat who was any good in the West---- the Thunder last year.

Every other team was just as sorry as the Eastern Conference teams or had significant injuries.

Dont you agree?

Possibly. I think the teams the Warriors faced were slightly better, but not by a significantly wide margin.

 

[Heatles84]

Yes, the West has been the better conference. But that hasn't translated to a tougher path - at least not in the playoffs - for the Warriors. Partly because of upsets like the Spurs last year, partly because the Warriors have had better seeding, and partly because of key injuries.

Its not a sore spot... I just disagree, and I have plenty of numbers to back it up.

Warriors have had to deal with injuries as well, especially playing without Steph for a particular period where they had to close Houston out last year and play against Portland half the series without arguably their best player at the time.

We know if Lebron goes down at the midway point of a series, Cleveland's fucked.

 

[Shanemansj13]

Whether you want to use stats or record the fact is the Cavs path isnt any worse than the Warriors. I mean the Warriors havent even played the Spurs the last 2 years. That is a break in itself

 

[Shanemansj13]

Warriors have had to deal with injuries as well, especially playing without Steph for a particular period where they had to close Houston out last year and play against Portland half the series without arguably their best player at the time.

We know if Lebron goes down at the midway point of a series, Cleveland's fucked.

Even if they lose Kyrie or Love it will hurt A LOT. The Warriors could lose KD and still win a title...ohh they have. What a luxury that is lol

 

[WiggyRuss]

Warriors have had to deal with injuries as well, especially playing without Steph for a particular period where they had to close Houston out last year and play against Portland half the series without arguably their best player at the time.

We know if Lebron goes down at the midway point of a series, Cleveland's fucked.

I mean- Cleveland did make it through long periods of time without Kyrie and Love as well. Kyrie missed games before the Finals started--- Love missed 2 series....if you aggregate it all- the CAvs def. had worse injury luck the last 2 years by a significant margin.

 

[WiggyRuss]

Even if they lose Kyrie or Love it will hurt A LOT. The Warriors could lose KD and still win a title...ohh they have. What a luxury that is lol

well- against LeBron without Love and Kyrie

i mean- that was some bogus shit- Iggy gets the MVP award just because the defense can load up on LeBron and he had the primary assignment...

wow---- you let Delly and Mozgov and Jr do whatever they wanted while you tripled lebron....really? thats worth a Finals MVP? you gotta be fucking kidding me.

 

[Heatles84]

I mean- Cleveland did make it through long periods of time without Kyrie and Love as well. Kyrie missed games before the Finals started--- Love missed 2 series....if you aggregate it all- the CAvs def. had worse injury luck the last 2 years by a significant margin.

They did. As long as you have Lebron, you'll be fine. I've always said that Cleveland taking those two out (Irving and Love) become a much better defensive team and allowed Cleveland to make it really competitive with the Dubs in '15.

 

[larryjohn]

They did. As long as you have Lebron, you'll be fine. I've always said that Cleveland taking those two out (Irving and Love) become a much better defensive team and allowed Cleveland to make it really competitive with the Dubs in '15.

In 2015, that made sense. (Delly, TT now in)
This year the subs would be DWill & Frye -- not much difference on D.

 

[Mecca]

do you have ap oint?

That you are full of shit, as usual?

 

[Mecca]

Even if they lose Kyrie or Love it will hurt A LOT. The Warriors could lose KD and still win a title...ohh they have. What a luxury that is lol

.....yeah, I can concede this point to you.

I think that the Draymond is the only guy that they could lose that would diminish their chances of winning a title.

If Durant is off, Klay can pick up his scoring.

If Klay is not defending well, Iggy or Dray can pick up his slack.

Nobody else on that Team can do what Draymond does and Durant is not a necessity, he's a luxury.

 

[Mecca]

well- against LeBron without Love and Kyrie

i mean- that was some bogus shit- Iggy gets the MVP award just because the defense can load up on LeBron and he had the primary assignment...

wow---- you let Delly and Mozgov and Jr do whatever they wanted while you tripled lebron....really? thats worth a Finals MVP? you gotta be fucking kidding me.

Who do you think should have gotten MVP?

Not Curry.

Both teams won a chip when the other wasn't at their best.

The Cavs players lost were obviously more detrimental.

Let's see who wins the next round in the trilogy.

 

[bksballer89]

Who do you think should have gotten MVP?

Not Curry.

Both teams won a chip when the other wasn't at their best.

The Cavs players lost were obviously more detrimental.

Let's see who wins the next round in the trilogy.

we need answers wiggy