Series Thread: ECF: Boston Celtics vs Cleveland Cavs

[WiggyRuss]

I still don't grasp why people bring up the Wizards with you and try to get in your feels.

You've literally come out multiple times and said that the Wizards don't know what they're doing.

I brought up the Wiz and the timberwolves as teams with shit role players that have no balls.

 

[WiggyRuss]

He is playing the offensive role Bosh did, but not as well and he doesn't play quality defense.

I have no doubt Love could still post 24-10 on a bad team, but I also think people around the league are smart enough to realize those numbers aren't as impactful as they were thought to be even 5 years ago.

Give me an athletic, versatile 2 way wing any day over a slowfooted 20-10 guy who can't defend. Love has value to be sure, but not nearly as much as he once did. It is less about his skills and more about how the Warriors and Rockets have changed perceptions on how players are valued.

you are making the argument that in today's NBA a guy that can play the 5 and shoot the 3 at 40% is not as impactful while probably being the best rebounder on the court- and a GREAT big man passer- one of the best in the league.

that is colossally stupid.

if there was ever an era in the NBA that Kevin Love was built for its todays NBA. The matchups he creates with his skillset are exceedingly rare and invaluable.

 

[WiggyRuss]

Take him with a grain of salt.
He TRIES to work people of in a varience of ways, like the Riley stuff.
Won’t work.
We all know Rileys resume.

Whats @WiggyRuss resume that we know?
1. Been banned from multiple sports thread sites for being a dick.

2. Goes into hiding when things don’t go his way.

#douche

we know what Rileys resume was.

Red Auerbach had a good resume...hes dead now.....but I still think he would have been a better GM the last 3-4 years.

There is no debate--- the Heat are in just a terrible position considering (i) they have the least draft capital in the league, and (ii) they have one of the worst cap situations in the league, (iii) they have no star and no avenue to get a star.

As I have said a million times- and anyone that knows the NBA knows this- the worst place to be in the NBA is in the middle- a mediocre team that makes the playoffs and loses in Round 1. Thats the Heat's ceiling and they have no way to improve. Riley could not have painted them into a worse corner if he was actively trying to do it.

For shits sake Tyler Johnson and Hassan Whiteside are eating up almost 45M in cap space for each of the next 2 years.....40% of your cap space for that poo? AND no draft picks? simply awful.

I have no clue how in your right mind you could objectively possibly defend the horrendous job Riley has done since LeBron left.

 

[TurnUpTheHeat]

you are making the argument that in todays NBA a guy that can play the 5 and shoot the 3 at 40% is not as impactful.

that is colossally stupid.

if there was ever an era in the NBA that Kevin Love was built for its todays NBA. The matchups he creates with his skillset are exceedingly rare and invaluable.

Except he’s been known to disappear.
He also has been benched in crucial parts of games.

I’ll ask again, if James leaves, would Gilbert try to build around Love?

 

[WiggyRuss]

There’s a 0% chance the Celtics would trade any of those players for Love.
I was talking this series.
If you put Tatum on the Cavs next to LeBron and Love on the Celts next to Horford, Ill bet on Tatum.

i totally agree-i wouldnt trade tatum or brown or kyrie or hayward for Love....but for THIS series? Love is the 2nd best player on the court.

If the Celtics traded Brown for Love this series they would be much much more dangerous of a matchup.

 

[WiggyRuss]

Except he’s been known to disappear.
He also has been benched in crucial parts of games.

I’ll ask again, if James leaves, would Gilbert try to build around Love?

Wade and Bosh "were known to disappear" at times too- becuase when you play iwth LeBron- sometimes you just arent gonna get the opportunities you would otherwise....or do you forget the especially hilarious/amazing disappearing act Wade pulled that helped convince LeBron to get the fuck outta Dodge?

 

[TurnUpTheHeat]

we know what Rileys resume was.

Red Auerbach had a good resume...hes dead now.....but I still think he would have been a better GM the last 3-4 years.

There is no debate--- the Heat are in just a terrible position considering (i) they have the least draft capital in the league, and (ii) they have one of the worst cap situations in the league, (iii) they have no star and no avenue to get a star.

As I have said a million times- and anyone that knows the NBA knows this- the worst place to be in the NBA is in the middle- a mediocre team that makes the playoffs and loses in Round 1. Thats the Heat's ceiling and they have no way to improve. Riley could not have painted them into a worse corner if he was actively trying to do it.

For shits sake Tyler Johnson and Hassan Whiteside are eating up almost 45M in cap space for each of the next 2 years.....40% of your cap space for that poo? AND no draft picks? simply awful.

I have no clue how in your right mind you could objectively possibly defend the horrendous job Riley has done since LeBron left.

Not sure how you can totally blame Riley since apparently James blindsided him, and intentionally drug out announcing it until after that summers FA signing period was basically finished.

Its also not Rileys fault that Boshs body gave out.

 

[WiggyRuss]

Except he’s been known to disappear.
He also has been benched in crucial parts of games.

I’ll ask again, if James leaves, would Gilbert try to build around Love?

Yes--i would HOPE that Gilbert would trade Love immediately--- like I said- if the HEat wouldve traded Bosh and let Wade leave- right now they could have a guy like Porzingiis, or Mitchell and tons of cap space and be primed and ready to go with the Celts and Sixers for the next half decade--- instead they are a colossal pile of expensive shit.

I would hope that if LeBron left that the Cavs would strip it down to the studs - its what any smart team would do (unless they had a 70+ year old GM that refuses to rebuild for his own selfish reasons). Especially since Love could bring back some assets.

 

[TurnUpTheHeat]

i totally agree-i wouldnt trade tatum or brown or kyrie or hayward for Love....but for THIS series? Love is the 2nd best player on the court.

If the Celtics traded Brown for Love this series they would be much much more dangerous of a matchup.

And I said Love MIGHT end up being the second best player.
He easily also might not be.

 

[trojanfan12]

I feel bad for eems the NBA 'fans' who are living in the middle of one of the great eras in the history of the sport. Just like we look back on the Jordan era, and people who lived through it as adults talk about how great it was watching him, in the future people will look back on the LeBron Era and the Warriors/LeBron Era and say 'wow you saw them play? cool!'

If you aren't appreciating the greatness of the Ws and LeBron, you're missing out. Even if you root against them, you have to recognize what's happening.

^^^THIS^^^

Seems that one should be able to appreciate how good a player/team is even while rooting against them.

The only times I ever rooted for Bird and MJ was when they were on the Dream Team, still appreciate what great players they each were.

 

[TurnUpTheHeat]

Wade and Bosh "were known to disappear" at times too- becuase when you play iwth LeBron- sometimes you just arent gonna get the opportunities you would otherwise....or do you forget the especially hilarious/amazing disappearing act Wade pulled that helped convince LeBron to get the fuck outta Dodge?

Rarely did their defense disappear.
Thats the difference.

 

[WiggyRuss]

Not sure how you can totally blame Riley since apparently James blindsided him, and intentionally drug out announcing it until after that summers FA signing period was basically finished.

Its also not Rileys fault that Boshs body gave out.

Yup...LeBron made Riley trade 2 lightly protected picks for Dragic...he made Riley sign Whiteside and Johnson to cap choking contracts-- he made him sign J. Johnson and Waiters and Onlyk- practically guaranteeing no chance a star could ever sign in Miami even if they wanted to.

Like i said--- I hope that the first thing Gilbert would do if LeBron leaves is to deal Love and everything else thats not nailed down--- go in the tank for 2-3 years--- rent out your cap space to desperate teams for assets-- develop that Brooklyn pick- whoever it may be (and its bound to be an extremely highly rated talent in this loaded draft)

what he shouldnt do is hold onto some misguided hope that this team can compete at the highest level, trade all the teams draft assets and clog up their cap space for years to come in order to get the privilege of getting their ass beat in the first round by a team led by a couple kids. But oh yah---youd rather have the heats roster than the sixers, since simmons and embiid could just be noel and okafor. lo.l.

 

[TurnUpTheHeat]

Yes--i would HOPE that Gilbert would trade Love immediately--- like I said- if the HEat wouldve traded Bosh and let Wade leave- right now they could have a guy like Porzingiis, or Mitchell and tons of cap space and be primed and ready to go with the Celts and Sixers for the next half decade--- instead they are a colossal pile of expensive shit.

I would hope that if LeBron left that the Cavs would strip it down to the studs - its what any smart team would do (unless they had a 70+ year old GM that refuses to rebuild for his own selfish reasons). Especially since Love could bring back some assets.

If the Sixers don’t get James, guess where they are after all the tanking?

A probable first or second round TKO.

 

[WiggyRuss]

And I said Love MIGHT end up being the second best player.
He easily also might not be.

way to go out on a limb...thats a profound fucking take...lol....you should be Stephen A's next partner on his ESPN show.

"Love might be the 2nd best player - or he easily might not be"

dude you just floored me with that hard hitting take. lol

 

[TurnUpTheHeat]

Yup...LeBron made Riley trade 2 lightly protected picks for Dragic...he made Riley sign Whiteside and Johnson to cap choking contracts-- he made him sign J. Johnson and Waiters and Onlyk- practically guaranteeing no chance a star could ever sign in Miami even if they wanted to.

Like i said--- I hope that the first thing Gilbert would do if LeBron leaves is to deal Love and everything else thats not nailed down--- go in the tank for 2-3 years--- rent out your cap space to desperate teams for assets-- develop that Brooklyn pick- whoever it may be (and its bound to be an extremely highly rated talent in this loaded draft)

what he shouldnt do is hold onto some misguided hope that this team can compete at the highest level, trade all the teams draft assets and clog up their cap space for years to come in order to get the privilege of getting their ass beat in the first round by a team led by a couple kids. But oh yah---youd rather have the heats roster than the sixers, since simmons and embiid could just be noel and okafor. lo.l.

Too funny.
Cavs have done that, as we’ve pointed out.

We’ve also pointed out that the last time they won a playoff series without LeBron on the roster was 1992.

 

[tlance]

you are making the argument that in todays NBA a guy that can play the 5 and shoot the 3 at 40% is not as impactful.

that is colossally stupid.

if there was ever an era in the NBA that Kevin Love was built for its todays NBA. The matchups he creates with his skillset are exceedingly rare and invaluable.

No, it isn't.

I said his skill set is valuable. Nobody understands the value of floor spacing around a dynamic play maker better than me. But it isn't as valuable as a 2 way wing like Tatum and Brown because Love's skills only help on 1 side of the court. A defensive pick and roll big like Clint Capella is every bit as valuable, maybe more so depending on the scheme he is used in. Love's skill set fits well with LeBron, but he isn't as impactful as Jaylen Brown or Jayson Tatum. Not how he is being used anyway.

And yet again, you are completely unable to have a basketball conversation without losing your shit.

If you want to know what really is collassaly stupid, it is your blind homerism.

 

[TurnUpTheHeat]

way to go out on a limb...thats a profound fucking take...lol....you should be Stephen A's next partner on his ESPN show.

"Love might be the 2nd best player - or he easily might not be"

dude you just floored me with that hard hitting take. lol

Its way more accurate then you declaring him ‘as is’.

Hes talented enough to be.

Hes inconsitant enough to not be.

Please dont act like James/Love are Durant/Curry.

 

[Iggloo]

I want to take a shower, but I find myself rooting hard for Bron Bron in this one.

 

[Heatles84]

you are making the argument that in today's NBA a guy that can play the 5 and shoot the 3 at 40% is not as impactful while probably being the best rebounder on the court- and a GREAT big man passer- one of the best in the league.

that is colossally stupid.

if there was ever an era in the NBA that Kevin Love was built for its todays NBA. The matchups he creates with his skillset are exceedingly rare and invaluable.

So why is he shit against the Warriors?

 

[TurnUpTheHeat]

No, it isn't.

I said his skill set is valuable. Nobody understands the value of floor spacing around a dynamic play maker better than me. But it isn't as valuable as a 2 way wing like Tatum and Brown because Love's skills only help on 1 side of the court. A defensive pick and roll big like Clint Capella is every bit as valuable, maybe more so depending on the scheme he is used in. Love's skill set fits well with LeBron, but he isn't as impactful as Jaylen Brown or Jayson Tatum. Not how he is being used anyway.

And yet again, you are completely unable to have a basketball conversation without losing your shit.

If you want to know what really is collassaly stupid, it is your blind homerism.

@WiggyRuss never will add defense into equation.
I just threw that at him with the Wade/Bosh comparison.