Series Thread: ECF: Boston Celtics vs Cleveland Cavs

[TurnUpTheHeat]

he cried his way from a 3 time NBA finalist and champion to a new team because he didnt like lebron getting all the credit--- dude was averaging 25 points a game and getting some of the most shots in the league.

he is cryrie....the guy threatened to have knee surgery if the cavs didnt trade him just because he was mentioned in a massive blockbuster that wouldve landed the cavs george and bledsoe etc....

i mean give me a break.

I think the guy is unbelievably talented but hes a little bit of a nut and a little bit of a cry baby.

Or, maybe he knew he had no shot to be all NBA playing next to James which greatly limits his next contract?

 

[WiggyRuss]

If Lebron stays they are essentially going to have the same team as they have this year. Lebron played more minutes than anyone else in the league as a 33 year old.

Do you think he wants to do that again next year? Do you really think that the Cavs are the presumptive favorite to win the East again next year if Hayward and Kyrie are healthy and someone like Paul George goes to Philly? I sure don't.

Nance and Clarkson are, at best, supplementary players and at worst negative impact players. George Hill is getting paid 17 million next year to be about the 20-25 best PGs in basketball. JR Smith is essentially stealing paychecks these days. Korver is Korver.

Maybe if Tristan Thompson elevates his game to one of the top 10 big men in the game, it's possible they could beat those other 2 teams but that's a big ask.

i realize you do not watcht he Cavs on a nightly basis but i think you underestimate the upheaval the Cavs had this year--- LeBron has said on multiple occasions its like they have had 3 seasons--- the IT injury, Love's injury, trading half the team, Lue being out for long stretches, trying to get everyone assmilated etc.

A relatively stable year, a full training camp with all the players, adding a potential impact guy with the pick, and a mid level exception guy, will really make the season go just soo soooooo much smoother. This season was as disruptive as one I can ever remember.

for shits sake the lineups they are playing in the palyoffs they barely were able to paly together with at all during the regular season. Some teams have their core around for years and its hugely important in the playoffs--- the CAvs had theirs together a couple weeks.

Plus- I know for a fact the Cavs wanted to sit lebron more this year- entire games- but he insisted on playing- he wanted to play all 82---- so shit.

 

[Wamu]

Well that is an inevitiability. Where it is next year or the year after or maybe the year after. It is the House that Bron built and it likely be a long time before they become a dominant team again, unless they strike gold in the draft again.

If he leaves the Cavs I hope he ends up in Houston. I don't want to see him in a Philly uniform.

 

[DirtDirtDirt]

he cried his way from a 3 time NBA finalist and champion to a new team because he didnt like lebron getting all the credit--- dude was averaging 25 points a game and getting some of the most shots in the league.

he is cryrie....the guy threatened to have knee surgery if the cavs didnt trade him just because he was mentioned in a massive blockbuster that wouldve landed the cavs george and bledsoe etc....

i mean give me a break.

I think the guy is unbelievably talented but hes a little bit of a nut and a little bit of a cry baby.

All true

kyrie strikes me as a guy that would rather lose and be Batman, than win and be Robin

And all we talk about is how great he is, and although I agree, I think maybe he should start taking criticism for destroying his teams chances of winning a title in 2 out of the last 3 seasons

 

[Raw_Bee808]

If he leaves the Cavs I hope he ends up in Houston. I don't want to see him in a Philly uniform.

Nah, him going west would put too much of the leagues star power over there and it's already unbalanced as it is. Plus, if he went to Philly it would just pour gasoline on the rivalry with the Celtics and the league needs some of that, IMO.

 

[Wamu]

Nah, him going west would put too much of the leagues star power over there and it's already unbalanced as it is. Plus, if he went to Philly it would just pour gasoline on the rivalry with the Celtics and the league needs some of that, IMO.

Phuck Philly. I don't want them getting any better.

 

[flyerhawk]

i realize you do not watcht he Cavs on a nightly basis but i think you underestimate the upheaval the Cavs had this year--- LeBron has said on multiple occasions its like they have had 3 seasons--- the IT injury, Love's injury, trading half the team, Lue being out for long stretches, trying to get everyone assmilated etc.

Regardless of the upheaval, look at the roster as currently constructed. Between players who are constantly hurt(Love,Hill) and players who never been more than role players(Korver, Clarkson, Nance) what do the Cavs really have? Hill, Love, Smith and Korver aren't going to get better next year.

You are the only person who thinks that the Cavs bench is any good.

A relatively stable year, a full training camp with all the players, adding a potential impact guy with the pick, and a mid level exception guy, will really make the season go just soo soooooo much smoother. This season was as disruptive as one I can ever remember.

Kyrie certainly caused a lot of problems for the Cavs. But ultimately the Cavs are saddled with some undesirable contracts. Hill at $19 million next year is just ridiculous. Thomson at 17. The Cavs can only sign a 5 million MLE which limits the type of player they could bring in.

for shits sake the lineups they are playing in the palyoffs they barely were able to paly together with at all during the regular season. Some teams have their core around for years and its hugely important in the playoffs--- the CAvs had theirs together a couple weeks.

You are completely relying on a belief that this team is actually far greater than the sum of their parts and are limited solely by lack of playing time. That is dubious proposition given that of the Cavs starting 5 only one of them was a new player. Arguing that what was holding back the Cavs was properly integrating their bench players is a dubious argument.

 

[flyerhawk]

If he leaves the Cavs I hope he ends up in Houston. I don't want to see him in a Philly uniform.

I totally get that. I sure as shit wouldn't want to see Lebron in Boston. Or any other star for that matter. They are too good for my tastes as it stands.

 

[TurnUpTheHeat]

If he leaves the Cavs I hope he ends up in Houston. I don't want to see him in a Philly uniform.

Can you envision CP3, Harden and James coexisting?

 

[DJ]

As bad as things were last night.....it was just a 6 point deficit several times where a quick spurt would have made it a real ballgame. The Cavs only won by 9.

The Cavs won but it wasn't nearly as bad as game 3.

 

[Wamu]

I totally get that. I sure as shit wouldn't want to see Lebron in Boston. Or any other star for that matter. They are too good for my tastes as it stands.

I don't think you have to worry about LeBron in a Celtics uniform. But it looks like the Boston/Philly rivalry will be relevant again for the 1st time decades.

Social media back in the 80's.

 

[Wamu]

Can you envision CP3, Harden and James coexisting?

Now that you mention it probably not.

 

[TurnUpTheHeat]

All true

kyrie strikes me as a guy that would rather lose and be Batman, than win and be Robin

And all we talk about is how great he is, and although I agree, I think maybe he should start taking criticism for destroying his teams chances of winning a title in 2 out of the last 3 seasons

Thats because his knee is flat, not round.

 

[Shanemansj13]

only problem is they cant keep all these guys....next year is the only year

then kyrie is up for a max contract---- Horford and Hayward already have maxes--- you can only have 3 maxes in this league right now.

Rozier will be restricted next year, Brown is getting closer to restricted free agency.....

they have a window of contention coming up- but they cant keep everyone. Smart is gonna be gone thats for sure. Rozier will prob be gone after next year.

Yep the big thing I didn’t mention. They will have to take out the paycheck for Kyrie. Jaylen and Tatum are wrapped up for 2 and 3 years. Rozier and Morris will want to get paid. Smart’s and Larkin’s contract is up. And like I already said, Kyrie has injury issues. So a lot of what if’s but the core is there for 2 to 3 years so that is a big plus.

 

[trojanfan12]

Yeah it's not looking good for Cavs fans. He walks away again & they go from relevant to irrelevant overnight for a 2nd time.

But possibly in a better position to rebuild than when he left the first time.

They may be able to trade Love for picks and end up with another lottery pick to go along with this years #8.

Then, they may be able to start unloading some of their bad contracts as expiring deals.

 

[flyerhawk]

I don't think you have to worry about LeBron in a Celtics uniform. But it looks like the Boston/Philly rivalry will be relevant again for the 1st time decades.

Social media back in the 80's.

View attachment 179587

LOL.

The Sixers have been so shitty for so long, even before the process they were a mostly harmless team, that I kinda forgot how much I really hate the Celtics.

Maybe not Yankees hate level. But it is high on my list. Currently my power hate rankings are..

1. Yankees(2500 weeks at No.1)
2. Celtics
3. Cowboys
4. Duke
5. Penguins
6. Rangers
7 Chelsea
8. ManU
9. Niners
10. Knicks

Niners could make a climb up the rankings this year. Their harmlessness over the past 4 seasons really dropped them down.

 

[Wamu]

But possibly in a better position to rebuild than when he left the first time.

They may be able to trade Love for picks and end up with another lottery pick to go along with this years #8.

Then, they may be able to start unloading some of their bad contracts as expiring deals.

That would be a wise plan. Good thing the Cavs have Dan Gilbert & not Jimmy Haslam for an owner though. Otherwise the Cavs would be screwed no matter what they do.

 

[Shanemansj13]

As bad as things were last night.....it was just a 6 point deficit several times where a quick spurt would have made it a real ballgame. The Cavs only won by 9.

The Cavs won but it wasn't nearly as bad as game 3.

Well yeah. The Cavs only out up 81 shots. 18 turnovers and Love was awful and had 5 fouls early. They didn’t very well for 3 quarters and played awful for 2 quarters. Glad to still win with no Love basically.

 

[WiggyRuss]

Regardless of the upheaval, look at the roster as currently constructed. Between players who are constantly hurt(Love,Hill) and players who never been more than role players(Korver, Clarkson, Nance) what do the Cavs really have? Hill, Love, Smith and Korver aren't going to get better next year.

You are the only person who thinks that the Cavs bench is any good.



Kyrie certainly caused a lot of problems for the Cavs. But ultimately the Cavs are saddled with some undesirable contracts. Hill at $19 million next year is just ridiculous. Thomson at 17. The Cavs can only sign a 5 million MLE which limits the type of player they could bring in.



You are completely relying on a belief that this team is actually far greater than the sum of their parts and are limited solely by lack of playing time. That is dubious proposition given that of the Cavs starting 5 only one of them was a new player. Arguing that what was holding back the Cavs was properly integrating their bench players is a dubious argument.

you are making my point for me. The Cavs intended on guys like Hood and Hill to be starters-- and Nance and Clarkson to paly more minutes than Smith and TT- but the time frame just made it entirely impossible to pull off.

Do you really think Rodney Hood went from a promising young player to complete garbage?

Continuity is so important that the Cavs are running out the lineups that actually have some...for you to think its not a big deal in the playoffs blows my mind. Rodney Hood is not a garbage player- but he had no time to learn a system and is a fish out of water.

The Cavs right now are basically like an Olmypic team- thrown together with a few weeks to work out all the kinks--- that is simply EXTREMELY hard to do - and without LeBron it would have been impossible.

 

[flyerhawk]

Can you envision CP3, Harden and James coexisting?

It hasn't made sense to me since I first heard about it.