Series Thread: 4 Atlanta Hawks (48-34) vs. 1 Cleveland Cavaliers (57-25)

[gordontrue]

It's because Love and Irving are liabilities on defense. Defense kept you in the series last time around. Personally, I hope it's Cleveland at full strength with the Warriors. You'll finally grasp what many on this board have been talking about.

You know, TT & Delly are still getting a lot of minutes even with a healthy Love & Irving, right?

I mean, James Jones played 20 MPG a game throughout the Finals for crying out loud. Mike Miller was getting significant playing time. Did that help the Cavs defense? Is that what allowed them to hang with the almighty Warriors?

Mozgov played 30 MPG. And that was with TT & LeBron playing like 45 MPG.

If healthy, the Cavs don't have to choose between playing the offensively talented Love & Irving... or the defensively talented TT & Delly. They'll likely take the secret hidden option of playing all of them! As much or as little as they want, according to the matchups!

Maybe, in the end, I will grasp what this board has been talking about. Or maybe, just maybe it will be the other way around.

I, like you, hope we get to see.

 

[WiggyRuss]

You know, TT & Delly are still getting a lot of minutes even with a healthy Love & Irving, right?

I mean, James Jones played 20 MPG a game throughout the Finals for crying out loud. Mike Miller was getting significant playing time. Did THAT help the Cavs defense? Is THAT what allowed them to hang with the almight Warriors?

Mozgov played 30 MPG. And that was with TT & LeBron playing like 45 MPG.

If healthy, the Cavs don't have to choose between playing the offensively talented Love & Irving... or the defensively talented TT & Delly. They'll take the secret hidden option of playing all of them! As much or as little as they want, according to the matchups!

Maybe, in the end, I will grasp what this board has been talking about. Or maybe, just maybe it will be the other way around.

I, like you, hope we get to see.

yah i think people fail to get that

Delly had to go to the hospital because he passed out on the way to his car after the 2nd finals game he was so tired...lol...he HAD to play- otherwise it was James Jones or Marion or Miller or Mozgov (who actually was solid last year)....

now...Delly, Thompson, Shumpert, Jefferson, Smith, Frye...those are the 6 CAvs that play, depending on matchups and circumstance- outside of the Big 3.....

thats a lot better than LeBron never leaving the floor, delly playing till he is passing out on his feet, shumpert playing big minutes even though he cant put his arm over his head his shoulder is so bad, Mozgov getting big minutes, JAMES JONES getting big minutes....MIKE MILLER sitings!, lol.

 

[WiggyRuss]

Well, there shouldn't be any excuse for the Cavs this time around then. If you lose, this team will never win.

i definitely dont think thats true

Barnes is a FA, Bogut needs a K soon, Ezeli is a FA i think, Iggy is getting older.....Yes the Warriors do have Green, Curry, Thompson all signed up long term- but after this season a lot of that team is up in the air...

The Spurs arent gonna have Ginobili, Duncan, Parker forever- and while Leonard and Aldridge is a nice place to start its not overwhelming to say the least- im taking Bron and one of the Cavs other 2 over Leonard and LA anyday.

 

[WiggyRuss]

You know, TT & Delly are still getting a lot of minutes even with a healthy Love & Irving, right?

I mean, James Jones played 20 MPG a game throughout the Finals for crying out loud. Mike Miller was getting significant playing time. Did that help the Cavs defense? Is that what allowed them to hang with the almighty Warriors?

Mozgov played 30 MPG. And that was with TT & LeBron playing like 45 MPG.

If healthy, the Cavs don't have to choose between playing the offensively talented Love & Irving... or the defensively talented TT & Delly. They'll likely take the secret hidden option of playing all of them! As much or as little as they want, according to the matchups!

Maybe, in the end, I will grasp what this board has been talking about. Or maybe, just maybe it will be the other way around.

I, like you, hope we get to see.

for some reason they think Love and Irving are replacing Delly and Thompsons minutes....maybe SOME of them- but for the most part- Love and Irving are replacing the minutes of James Jones, Mozgov, Mike Miller, Marion, Perkins, etc.....i sure see that as a good thing.

 

[gordontrue]

for some reason they think Love and Irving are replacing Delly and Thompsons minutes....maybe SOME of them- but for the most part- Love and Irving are replacing the minutes of James Jones, Mozgov, Mike Miller, Marion, Perkins, etc.....i sure see that as a good thing.

Exactly. Looking at it that way... the impact on defense is nothing compared to the impact on offense.

Of course the Warriors are the favorite and they are a very, very good team.

I just think the "no shot" stuff is absurd. Apparently a 5 game improvement for the Warriors means that the Cavs won't be able to hang with them anymore... despite the fact that the Cavs would have a much, much better roster than they did last year in the Finals.

 

[WiggyRuss]

Amin Elhassan, ESPN Insider: Which Whiteside shows up? When he's active and engaged, he's an intimidating presence in the paint and an elite finisher offensively. When he's disinterested or overly concerned with his own personal well-being, the layup lines commence undeterred and the offense bogs down. He's got an advantage over his counterparts Valanciunas and Biyombo, but only if he's out there playing the right way.



even most heat fans can admit that Whiteside has holes in his game and is a big defensive liability in the pick and roll and is nothing close to a sure thing to invest a max contract in. I fully agree that Whiteside is extremely talented--- but as for effect on the game? Thompson is just better - effects the game in more ways more consistently- never hurt- never whining....its not rocket science guys.

 

[Heatles84]

You know, TT & Delly are still getting a lot of minutes even with a healthy Love & Irving, right?

I mean, James Jones played 20 MPG a game throughout the Finals for crying out loud. Mike Miller was getting significant playing time. Did that help the Cavs defense? Is that what allowed them to hang with the almighty Warriors?

Mozgov played 30 MPG. And that was with TT & LeBron playing like 45 MPG.

If healthy, the Cavs don't have to choose between playing the offensively talented Love & Irving... or the defensively talented TT & Delly. They'll likely take the secret hidden option of playing all of them! As much or as little as they want, according to the matchups!

Maybe, in the end, I will grasp what this board has been talking about. Or maybe, just maybe it will be the other way around.

I, like you, hope we get to see.

Well then, you guys should have no problem with the Warriors or Spurs. Also, the Warriors ownership has proven they want to win, I'm sure they'll try to keep that team around. Also, I have more optimism for the Dubs with Jerry West at the helm making roster decisions.

 

[Heatles84]

Exactly. Looking at it that way... the impact on defense is nothing compared to the impact on offense.

Of course the Warriors are the favorite and they are a very, very good team.

I just think the "no shot" stuff is absurd. Apparently a 5 game improvement for the Warriors means that the Cavs won't be able to hang with them anymore... despite the fact that the Cavs would have a much, much better roster than they did last year in the Finals.

The Warriors were never really able to get into their groove given that the Cavs had a pretty damn good defense in the playoffs last season. It's great that the Cavs are deciding to shoot a shit ton of 3's. Play the exact same game that the Warriors do and get into a run and gun battle with them. Can't wait to see that shit.

 

[tlance]

I think the problem is that many assume that Kyrie + Love automatically improve the Cavs more than the Warriors improved from last season to this season. I simply don't believe that to be true. The Warriors are a lot better when healthy.

Also, the Cavs are getting along today, but when happens when some real adversity hits? Trouble is, we may not see that until the Finals. They would be best served by being pushed to the brink by one of the East teams. Not sure that will happen.

 

[Heatles84]

Amin Elhassan, ESPN Insider: Which Whiteside shows up? When he's active and engaged, he's an intimidating presence in the paint and an elite finisher offensively. When he's disinterested or overly concerned with his own personal well-being, the layup lines commence undeterred and the offense bogs down. He's got an advantage over his counterparts Valanciunas and Biyombo, but only if he's out there playing the right way.



even most heat fans can admit that Whiteside has holes in his game and is a big defensive liability in the pick and roll and is nothing close to a sure thing to invest a max contract in. I fully agree that Whiteside is extremely talented--- but as for effect on the game? Thompson is just better - effects the game in more ways more consistently- never hurt- never whining....its not rocket science guys.

Nope. Whiteside needs to improve in P&R defense as well as his post defense. You make it seem like he's a scrub. If Thompson can get $85 mil, Whiteside can and deserves more. Thompson is an elite rebounder, and that's it. Whiteside does everything else, including rebounding better. Also, please show me where Whiteside hurt the Heat in the last series. We're still waiting on your prediction that he's going to have a meltdown and cost this team.

 

[gordontrue]

Well then, you guys should have no problem with the Warriors or Spurs.

I'm definitely not going that far. That's just swinging to the other side.

I see the potential series as a competitive one.

 

[Heatles84]

I'm definitely not going that far. But I absolutely believe the series would be competitive.

It would be competitive, I'm not saying the Dubs or Spurs sweep the Cavs, don't get me mistaken. However, I'm not convinced you're winning a 7-game series with either team.

 

[gordontrue]

I think the problem is that many assume that Kyrie + Love automatically improve the Cavs more than the Warriors improved from last season to this season. I simply don't believe that to be true. The Warriors are a lot better when healthy.

Also, the Cavs are getting along today, but when happens when some real adversity hits? Trouble is, we may not see that until the Finals. They would be best served by being pushed to the brink by one of the East teams. Not sure that will happen.

And I think people forget how good the Warriors were last season. 67 wins. Dominant from start to finish. They weren't treated the same as this year because they didn't have a championship in their built and weren't chasing the Bulls record. But they were incredibly good.

If you think the Warriors improvement > the addition of Love & Irving to a team... then you definitely fall into the category of people I think are overvaluing the Warriors improvement and undervaluing what Love & Irving mean to the Cavs. Which is fine, of course, that's just my opinion.

 

[gordontrue]

It would be competitive, I'm not saying the Dubs or Spurs sweep the Cavs, don't get me mistaken. However, I'm not convinced you're winning a 7-game series with either team.

I'm not convinced the Cavs would win either. I'm just convinced they would have a decent shot at winning.

To me saying "There is no way Team X can beat Team B in a 7-game series" = "the series won't be competitive". If its competitive and goes 6-7 games, anything can happen.

 

[TurnUpTheHeat]

We've been hearing all season long about how the Cavs have no shot in the Finals. This despite the fact that the Cavs were competitive in the Finals last year without 2 of their top 3 players.

We shall see.

I'm on record for never having said no shot.
Of course they have a shot.
Thing is, the more than likely have to win 2 road games.
It would be stupid to say they can't steal 1 being as though James has won a road game in 21 straight series.
2 though is much harder, and thats assuming they only lose once at home.

Let's just say it would be an upset for them to win it all, but I now think they have a better chance to win it all then they do to lose to anyone in the East, which is a change for me.

 

[TurnUpTheHeat]

I'm not convinced the Cavs would win either. I'm just convinced they would have a decent shot at winning.

To me saying "There is no way Team X can beat Team B in a 7-game series" = "the series won't be competitive". If its competitive and goes 6-7 games, anything can happen.

Does anyone really want to get into a 3 point shooting contest with the Warriors?
That's all the Cavs basically do, which prob is a real bad idea if Curry is healthy.

 

[TurnUpTheHeat]

Well, there shouldn't be any excuse for the Cavs this time around then. If you lose, this team will never win.

James knows that.
There will/would be changes.

 

[TurnUpTheHeat]

if and when LeBron makes like 4-5 straight Finals with the Cavs we will get 1 or 2 ...dont worry ! be happy The runner up GOAT aint going out with 2 rings...

You're nuts.
You better win now.
The new salary cap will allow many teams to improve.
Too bad you're not one of them.

Where's your fucking math lesson on that?

#keeponworryingaboutheheat
#runneruptrophy

 

[Shaqdaddy11]

Bit off topic, but how come there hasn't been any activity in the Cavs board for over 5 months?

It seems like all the cavs fans want to do is have a pissing contest with the rest of us but nobody really cares enough to actually talk sense about the team.

 

[lakersrule]

Kevin Love is a horrible defender. He will be completely exposed on that end of the court by Golden State or San Antonio. He was lost in pick and rolls during the one game I watched between Cleveland and Golden State. They may be better on offense but they are certainly worse on defense. Currently, they are tops in Offensive Efficiency but last in Defensive Efficiency among the teams still playing. That should worry Cleveland fans.