NBA Finals: Cleveland Cavs VS Golden State Warriors

[tlance]

Agree. It's not as if he suddenly forgot how to play basketball. The Cavs just don't know how to use him. He is playing with 2 ball dominant players in Kyrie and Lebron.

He would actually be a great fit with a team like the Warriors because everything they do is based on ball movement. No one really dominates the ball, so he'd get a chance to get the kind of shots he needs to get a rhythm.

Plus, with Steph and Klay, he wouldn't be relegated to the 3 point line waiting for a chance to shoot. He could actually spend more time playing close to the basket like he did in Minny.

I agree that he could fit better with a team like the Warriors. I think the problem isn't that the Cavs dot know how to use him, it is that using him differently would hurt the production of Kyrie and LeBron, thereby hurting the offense overall.

 

[gordontrue]

Game day bitches!!

"Tides do what tides do - they turn."

 

[bksballer89]

Game day bitches!!

"Tides do what tides do - they turn."

Cavs need a fast start. They will start to feel the pressure if let's say they're down 7 or 8 after 1. FTR I think they win tonight

 

[BloodType49]

Game 3's are notoriously tough, simply put the team w/ its back to the wall will win if talent is close
here’s how I see it go down:

LeBron and Kyrie drive hard…but this time they finish (w/ ref help)
Results:
dubs in early foul trouble (Bogut, Green, and KLay)
The FTs slow the game tempo
Dubs needs to play more careful on D overall
[most importantly] DUbs now need to collapse the pocket more which opens kick-out lanes for Cav shooter

surprise: JR and Frye get hot early

Dubs face a 15 pt deficit mid 2ndQ.

1st half end w/ Dubs down by 20

2nd half refs decide to "even out the fouls"…but overall the FTs slow the game down.
Cav shooters continue their hot streak
Splash bros still ice cold

 

[Black Adam]

Cavs need a fast start. They will start to feel the pressure if let's say they're down 7 or 8 after 1. FTR I think they win tonight

yeah I hear ya. my take though is that the Warriors match that intensity because they KNOW if they win tonight they pretty much have this one in the bag. and considering there weren't a whole lot of signs that this Cavs team could beat 'em AT ALL I think they come out with a killer instinct. truth of the matter is they just need one of these in Cleveland, but with the way we saw Steve Kerr pushing them outta the gate I don't think there'll be any let-up...even in the Cavs' building...

get ready for 3-0...

 

[Shaqdaddy11]

Warriors win by double digits

again

 

[Black Adam]

Warriors win by double digits

again

also, Love is STILL questionable for tonight...and in all honesty I ain't sure if that hurts the Cavs, or HELPS them...

 

[RazorsEdge]

I think the Cavs win tonight, but this series will probably end in 5. It's painfully obvious that Cleveland is not a finals team. I'm starting to come around to this whole bracket idea.

 

[gordontrue]

I made the mistake of listening to sports radio this morning.

My apologies for saying you guys were over reacting and getting ahead of yourselves.

You guys look downright cautious and reasonable in your hot takes compared to the crap I just heard on the radio.

 

[purguy12]

Yup, and I don't see that changing until Rose is off the books.

I know Rose isnt a super star anymore but he is still a top 10 PG. He isnt the issue. Its how this team is built. The problem with rose we need a Livingston type of back up PG for Rose. A guy you can trust to play mins if Rose takes a night off or a couple of games.

 

[purguy12]

Game day bitches!!

"Tides do what tides do - they turn."

There is a game today. I thought NBA season was over already.

 

[RazorsEdge]

I know Rose isnt a super star anymore but he is still a top 10 PG. He isnt the issue. Its how this team is built. The problem with rose we need a Livingston type of back up PG for Rose. A guy you can trust to play mins if Rose takes a night off or a couple of games.

I just mean rebuilding wont start till hes gone. I'm not convinced that Rose and Butler should be playing together at all. My feeling is that Rose will be gone in 2017 and if Butler is still around the team will rebuild and try to compliment him. I like the way Derrick played in stretches this season, but I don't want to sign him again. It's just not worth the risk.

 

[purguy12]

I think the Cavs win tonight, but this series will probably end in 5. It's painfully obvious that Cleveland is not a finals team. I'm starting to come around to this whole bracket idea.

I like the bracket idea also. U still take that top 8 teams in each conference(so conference mean something) but then you re seed and mix them together. In this case Cavs would of been a 3 seed, Houston a 16 seed. 1st rd match ups:
#1 GS vs #16 Houston
#2 Spurs vs #15 Memphis
#3 Cavs vs #14 Dallas
#4 Raptors vs #13 Det
#5 OKC vs #12 Portland
#6 LAC vs #11 Indy
#7 Miami vs #10 Charlotte
#8 Atlanta vs #9 Boston

 

[purguy12]

I just mean rebuilding wont start till hes gone. I'm not convinced that Rose and Butler should be playing together at all. My feeling is that Rose will be gone in 2017 and if Butler is still around the team will rebuild and try to compliment him. I like the way Derrick played in stretches this season, but I don't want to sign him again. It's just not worth the risk.

They can start this year if they really wanted to. It would be a bold move because then the FO would be throwing this up coming season. If they traded Rose and let Noah and Gasol leave they would have enough for 2 max players. They can trade Rose. He has a nice expiring contract and still a productive PG(when he plays). Then you sign 1 max player this year to play along side Butler and next year you sign another one.

 

[RazorsEdge]

They can start this year if they really wanted to. It would be a bold move because then the FO would be throwing this up coming season. If they traded Rose and let Noah and Gasol leave they would have enough for 2 max players. They can trade Rose. He has a nice expiring contract and still a productive PG(when he plays). Then you sign 1 max player this year to play along side Butler and next year you sign another one.

I agree that they could do that, but you and I both know with this FO, it's unlikely.

 

[Flauge]

Also, I do acknowledge that LeBron has signed off on every single move. Unfortunately, he had the least amount of say in arguably the most important piece, Kyrie.

As for Love, even if LeBron assembled the deal and Pushed Cavs management into making it, he was still limited to what was available and what could fit under the cap. Love was the best option of the choices that existed. But again, this does not mean Love was handpicked.

These are fair points. I grant you that. But LeBron choose to leave Miami and Wade/Bosh for Kyrie/Love. I agree with the several posts about Love not being used right and how hard it is to transition from a #1 option to a #3 option pretty much over night. All fair... But Love and Kyrie were never good defenders. Kyrie has always been a ball dominant PG. LeBron put on his GM hat and thought this team would win. He was wrong.

 

[purguy12]

I agree that they could do that, but you and I both know with this FO, it's unlikely.

Oh I know, they never think outside the box or make any bold moves. The only bold move I dont want them to make is Trade Butler. Only chance I do that is if Boston Blows you away with a deal. 2 1st and a young player.
Then you also trade Rose for draft picks. U start all over and we win maybe 10 games next year. LOL

 

[TurnUpTheHeat]

If the Cavs are going to win tonight, then it will be by doing what they were doing against the EC.
Free flowing ball movement and making a ton of 3's.
If they buy into the play bigger/Mozgov nonsense they will be down 0-3.

If the Warriors are to win, the Splash brothers need to have big games.
I doubt the Warriors bench has near the same success on the road.

All being said, most are picking the Cavs.
James says must game....



I say.........




Warriors by 7

 

[trojanfan12]

Ok. I actually agree with most of this. He used his influence to do the best he could with the resources he had in Cleveland. Where I disagree with the "handpicked roster" thing is that it implies that LeBron chose Kyrie. He did not. Kyrie + assets to deal for Love were merely good enough to get him to come back to Cleveland. He chose the city more than he chose the players. Not the ideal situation he would have chosen in terms of winning. What other star caliber player could he have gotten for Wiggins? Sometimes you have to settle for what is available. Love was the best on the market at the time.

Maybe we are arguing semantics, but I think that is a pretty huge difference, IMO. Doing the best with what you are given is not the same as hand picking a roster.

Handpicked meaning Love and the more important role players like JR and Shump. As I said before, no one cares about roster fillers. Of course he didn't pick Kyrie and TT in the sense that he was in Miami when they were drafted. However, he did pick Cleveland because he saw Kyrie as younger version of Wade and TT as a younger version of Haslem.

He also knew that Gilbert was the only owner in the league who would allow him to get the rest of the players that he wanted so that he could re-make the Cavs into a younger version of the Heat. No one else is giving him that kind of power.

Without Kyrie, TT and Gilbert's willingness to hand over the keys, Lebron isn't in Cleveland right now.

Who knows what other star players he could have gotten for Wiggins? He targeted Kevin Love to a younger Bosh. He also knew that Love was likely to leave via FA.

 

[purguy12]

Im still laughing at the Love and Wiggins Trade. LOL Irving and Wiggins and LBJ. Pick and roll all day. JR coming off the bench would be a better situation for them.

People forget GS almost made a trade for Love for Thompson. They made the right call and Cavs didnt.