Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
The play at the end looked like something that could go either way. If you’re playing in the gym and someone calls foul on that you look at them funny and say “what foul?”. Of course Lebron flops around and makes it look worse. Either way, hitting both free throws would have still had the Warriors up 1 with the ball and 26 seconds to go.
Finals preview #1: not much to learn here, both teams missing key ingredients and playing pretty sloppy most of the way.
So what do we still wonder?
1) can D Wade play good enough defense to stay on the floor?
2) can LBJ bring it on both ends for 40 minutes a game?
3) does IT bring enough offensively to justify the. . . rough defensive lineups the Cavs will run?
4) can the Cavs game plan to get TT involved effectively—he looks broken down and Zara is still out
5) does Jeff Green matter?
Cavs will have to adjust to the way the game is called. If its "let them play" they need to remain aggressive with the perimeter defense and expect contact in the paint on offense but play through and finish the shots. Between the 2-3 quarter I saw a stat that Cleveland was 2-27 in the paint and FG% 2 Pters. Hat tip to the Warrior D, but some of those were not questionably shot takes and hands in the face.
If the game is called tightly- they need to attack the rim and get to the Warriors second unit- which is still no picnic but at least you get some of their great offense off the floor.
If its called tightly on the perimeter and let them play in the paint- its over.
D. Wade's minutes are being managed well. I do think he can play defense in spurts and I've watched some Cavs games this year where I've been impressed with his shot blocking and switching. He's a smart guy. He hasn't lost intelligence or basketball IQ.
What I'm hoping for is Thomas playing well in stretches offensively and letting Lebron face less of the scoring load on the offensive end to a point where he can play 40 mins and we see some good minutes on the defensive end. The key has and it always will be making the Warriors specifically Steph work on the other end. Maybe a guy like Thomas creates the same problems that Irving did for Thompson and Curry.
Jeff Green has been great all year. A long athletic guy against the Warriors- he matters...greatly.
TT I'm done with- his head isn't in the game. I wouldn't be surprised if he's in some trade package. He was a big reason the Cavs won in 16 and big reason why they lost in 17.
I was upset with Lue during this game I thought Love should have been in the game and may have impacted some of those bad offensive rebounds that the Cavs gave up when the game was on the line.
I think the Cavs will be better off this June- but will it matter? I think we will see Part 4 and find out.
The play at the end looked like something that could go either way. If you’re playing in the gym and someone calls foul on that you look at them funny and say “what foul?”. Of course Lebron flops around and makes it look worse. Either way, hitting both free throws would have still had the Warriors up 1 with the ball and 26 seconds to go.
Also traditionally and quite rightly the refs don't like fouls to decide the game at the end anyway, so the players should assume there won't be a whistle.
Also traditionally and quite rightly the refs don't like fouls to decide the game at the end anyway, so the players should assume there won't be a whistle.
Yes and No. If the foul negatively impacts a shot or creates a turnover that otherwise wouldn't happen. You need to Whistle the play as part of end of game strategy should play good defense not foul to play good defense
Happens every year, Refs should have called RJ stepping on Durant's foot last year. Some where saying play on there too.
Cavs will have to adjust to the way the game is called. If its "let them play" they need to remain aggressive with the perimeter defense and expect contact in the paint on offense but play through and finish the shots. Between the 2-3 quarter I saw a stat that Cleveland was 2-27 in the paint and FG% 2 Pters. Hat tip to the Warrior D, but some of those were not questionably shot takes and hands in the face.
If the game is called tightly- they need to attack the rim and get to the Warriors second unit- which is still no picnic but at least you get some of their great offense off the floor.
If its called tightly on the perimeter and let them play in the paint- its over.
D. Wade's minutes are being managed well. I do think he can play defense in spurts and I've watched some Cavs games this year where I've been impressed with his shot blocking and switching. He's a smart guy. He hasn't lost intelligence or basketball IQ.
What I'm hoping for is Thomas playing well in stretches offensively and letting Lebron face less of the scoring load on the offensive end to a point where he can play 40 mins and we see some good minutes on the defensive end. The key has and it always will be making the Warriors specifically Steph work on the other end. Maybe a guy like Thomas creates the same problems that Irving did for Thompson and Curry.
Jeff Green has been great all year. A long athletic guy against the Warriors- he matters...greatly.
TT I'm done with- his head isn't in the game. I wouldn't be surprised if he's in some trade package. He was a big reason the Cavs won in 16 and big reason why they lost in 17.
I was upset with Lue during this game I thought Love should have been in the game and may have impacted some of those bad offensive rebounds that the Cavs gave up when the game was on the line.
I think the Cavs will be better off this June- but will it matter? I think we will see Part 4 and find out.
I think you are right about IT if he comes back looking like the guy he was last year. But I don’t know if even that Thomas can offer enough defensive resistance on an already weak defense to justify heavy minutes for his offensive output.
I agree Wade has high BBIQ, but he doesn’t look like he has the athleticism to play plus defense anymore—maybe there are some reserves in the tank . . .
TT is good for rebounds and screens, but Draymond and Zaza have his number (not that they’re alone).
Last night Jeff Green looked unplayable against the Dubs—maybe it was an off-night—maybe it was something more. I don’t see much of an advantage created by him getting minutes in this matchup.
I think you are right about IT if he comes back looking like the guy he was last year. But I don’t know if even that Thomas can offer enough defensive resistance on an already weak defense to justify heavy minutes for his offensive output.
I agree Wade has high BBIQ, but he doesn’t look like he has the athleticism to play plus defense anymore—maybe there are some reserves in the tank . . .
TT is good for rebounds and screens, but Draymond and Zaza have his number (not that they’re alone).
Last night Jeff Green looked unplayable against the Dubs—maybe it was an off-night—maybe it was something more. I don’t see much of an advantage created by him getting minutes in this matchup.
IT hopefully makes the Warriors backcourt chase him around and their bigs to get out position/maybe foul/ maybe give another guy an easier look when he gets to the rim. If at the end of the day we get a few stops and he does the above - it's a plus.
Too many people try to look at a matchup with the Warriors as matching their length and focus energy on stopping them. The Warriors are gonna get theirs when they possess the ball. The Cavs have the get theirs on offensive end and hopefully collapse that D get them in foul trouble or get physical enough (as they did in 16) and frustrate and tire the crap out them
TT was game planned out last year (2 -3 bodies on him when the ball went up) His energy stunk. He was a complete liability on the offensive end missing 3-4 foot putbacks.
Green and Wade are good pieces for the Finals. They scored and defended this year
On side note- I am so sick of this ESPN agenda regarding IT being upset over the trade. The guy is gonna be in the Finals this year -he's gonna be a free agent after this year.
Cavs will have to adjust to the way the game is called. If its "let them play" they need to remain aggressive with the perimeter defense and expect contact in the paint on offense but play through and finish the shots. Between the 2-3 quarter I saw a stat that Cleveland was 2-27 in the paint and FG% 2 Pters. Hat tip to the Warrior D, but some of those were not questionably shot takes and hands in the face.
If the game is called tightly- they need to attack the rim and get to the Warriors second unit- which is still no picnic but at least you get some of their great offense off the floor.
If its called tightly on the perimeter and let them play in the paint- its over.
D. Wade's minutes are being managed well. I do think he can play defense in spurts and I've watched some Cavs games this year where I've been impressed with his shot blocking and switching. He's a smart guy. He hasn't lost intelligence or basketball IQ.
What I'm hoping for is Thomas playing well in stretches offensively and letting Lebron face less of the scoring load on the offensive end to a point where he can play 40 mins and we see some good minutes on the defensive end. The key has and it always will be making the Warriors specifically Steph work on the other end. Maybe a guy like Thomas creates the same problems that Irving did for Thompson and Curry.
Jeff Green has been great all year. A long athletic guy against the Warriors- he matters...greatly.
TT I'm done with- his head isn't in the game. I wouldn't be surprised if he's in some trade package. He was a big reason the Cavs won in 16 and big reason why they lost in 17.
I was upset with Lue during this game I thought Love should have been in the game and may have impacted some of those bad offensive rebounds that the Cavs gave up when the game was on the line.
I think the Cavs will be better off this June- but will it matter? I think we will see Part 4 and find out.
Yeah TT has gone Hollywood after signing that fat contract and jumping on the equivalent kardashian butt.
I've been down on him since the playoffs last year and wow....talk about a decline.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
