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-Before the finals : "The King will destroy Golden St like they did last year."
-After game 1: "We were just getting warmed up, we'll get game 2."
-After game 2: "We were down 0-2 last year, we'll come back once we get home."
-After game 3: "OMG, the NBA needs to stop these superteams, this is not fair."
Cleveland fans weren't saying a thing when they blazed through the Eastern conference playoffs. SMH
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Why did they get Channing Frye for? The Cavs can roll the East without this guy anyway and he eats up space for a good defender which is what they needed.
The Warriors are great because of the Steph Curry Effect !!!!
The defense is terrified of Steph going one on one so they double team him more than they even do Durant.
That's why Durant is playing so great !!! He's playing 1 on 1 most of the time and nobody can guard him,not even LeBron.
Curry just makes everyone around him that much better.
And im tired of Cavalier fans crying about a SuperTeam when the Cavs have the highest payroll in the league.
Lebron literally hand picked this team so what more do you want ? He has a bench full of former starters and at least 3 - 4 Three-point shooters along with his Big 3.
Again,The Warriors got their players through the draft not on some nationally televised decision special.
Draymond green is a freaking 2nd round pick in the draft !!!! Klay & Steph weren't even top 5 picks in the 1st rd.
So what is all this SuperTeam crap coming from ?
They just learned to play great together and took a page out of the Spurs handbook.
They was already a juggernaut before Durant !!!
They beat the Cavs down before Durant !!! They swept the Cavs last year in the reg season and gave them like a 32 point beat down in Cleveland before Durant got there.
We know how the finals played out and many are calling it a fluke because of all the injuries & suspension that happened.
Plus Durant couldn't get pass Curry and the Warriors either. Curry is clearly the best player in the game right now.There's no reason why a team of KD & Westbrook shouldn't have won it all at least 1 time.
But again, this is why KD left Westbrook to come play with Steph.He know his only chance at winning a title was to join the Warriors and to reboost himself as one of the best players in the world.Because before this season, it was all about Mvp Curry vs Lebron as the 2 best in the world.
People forget how these last 3 years went.I remember everyone comparing Steph to Jordan !!! Remember Lebron saying he's unreal !! Him winning the first unanimous Mvp in league history and leading his team to the best regular season record ever.
But forget the past,im not satisfied with this year because Kwahi was freaking hurt !!!!! Not saying Spurs would've won but most definitely would've pushed the Warriors to at least 6 games.
Warriors gotta win back to back titles or all this being the greatest team talk is out the window.
Lebron getting swept twice in the finals is a terrible look but he doesn't have that 4th quarter killer mentality.
He plays great the first 3 quarters and than when it's Micheal Jordan & Kobe time you give the ball up to Kyrie or Korver !!!
The Warriors are great because of the Steph Curry Effect !!!!
The defense is terrified of Steph going one on one so they double team him more than they even do Durant.
That's why Durant is playing so great !!! He's playing 1 on 1 most of the time and nobody can guard him,not even LeBron.
Curry just makes everyone around him that much better.
And im tired of Cavalier fans crying about a SuperTeam when the Cavs have the highest payroll in the league.
Lebron literally hand picked this team so what more do you want ? He has a bench full of former starters and at least 3 - 4 Three-point shooters along with his Big 3.
Again,The Warriors got their players through the draft not on some nationally televised decision special.
Draymond green is a freaking 2nd round pick in the draft !!!! Klay & Steph weren't even top 5 picks in the 1st rd.
So what is all this SuperTeam crap coming from ?
They just learned to play great together and took a page out of the Spurs handbook.
They was already a juggernaut before Durant !!!
They beat the Cavs down before Durant !!! They swept the Cavs last year in the reg season and gave them like a 32 point beat down in Cleveland before Durant got there.
We know how the finals played out and many are calling it a fluke because of all the injuries & suspension that happened.
Plus Durant couldn't get pass Curry and the Warriors either. Curry is clearly the best player in the game right now.There's no reason why a team of KD & Westbrook shouldn't have won it all at least 1 time.
But again, this is why KD left Westbrook to come play with Steph.He know his only chance at winning a title was to join the Warriors and to reboost himself as one of the best players in the world.Because before this season, it was all about Mvp Curry vs Lebron as the 2 best in the world.
People forget how these last 3 years went.I remember everyone comparing Steph to Jordan !!! Remember Lebron saying he's unreal !! Him winning the first unanimous Mvp in league history and leading his team to the best regular season record ever.
But forget the past,im not satisfied with this year because Kwahi was freaking hurt !!!!! Not saying Spurs would've won but most definitely would've pushed the Warriors to at least 6 games.
Warriors gotta win back to back titles or all this being the greatest team talk is out the window.
Lebron getting swept twice in the finals is a terrible look but he doesn't have that 4th quarter killer mentality.
He plays great the first 3 quarters and than when it's Micheal Jordan & Kobe time you give the ball up to Kyrie or Korver !!!
You know how much luck is required for 2 first round picks and 1 second round pick to be starters and all be selected to the All-Star game, while all of them being drafted and still playing for the same team? You truly think management thought all 3 of these guys would punch this high above their weight? I don't doubt Green, Curry, or Thompson's skill set, but there's a whole lot of luck involved there. Outside of Curry's ankle issues 3 or 4 seasons ago, for the most part, he's been fairly healthy. Klay and Draymond have had no injuries to speak of. Teams dream of this type of luck, but very few get to experience it. You also have 3 guys that got up to NBA speed very quickly. Curry has been the talk of the town since 2012-2013 and Draymond and Klay were big upgrades immediately. All 3 have very high basketball IQs, and they all work well playing in their system.
That just doesn't happen often and definitely not this well.
Series has been a let down so far. A straight dud. Congrats to Goldenstate for another championship though. Even Jordan didnt have to play a super team like the Goldstate Warriors. Great for San Francisco
He has to win multiple championships, and the more he wins, the easier people will be on his legacy. Two would look better than one (and personally I believe that's the ceiling for this Warriors team, two more)
Disagree, and don't understand at all why you think this Warriors team with Durant can only win 2 championships. They keep this nucleus together, I could see them going unchallenged really, for the next 3-4 years, minumum.
Quote:
Originally Posted by murksiderock
His decision is not the equal of The Decision. Lebron would have had to choose Boston in '10, who did try to recruit him. A team that eliminated him the previous year, a team that already won a championship and just lost a Game 7 in The Finals just as the Warriors did, that summer. The moves are not even close to being equal. Lebron went to a team (Miami) who had a .500 record since winning a chip four years prior in 06. Durant went to a team that was fresh off setting the regular season win record and nearly repeated as champions. Where is this the same? Lebron wanted to build a team with a proven management that surrounded him with better support. Durant went to a team that was already built to the hilts and didn't like his prospects of having to face this squad again...
And that's just it. Lebron didn't run from the challenge of dethroning the Celtics as a Top 2 team, best in the East. Durant wanted no parts of fighting this Warriors squad. These are not the same...
I think Lebron's "Decision" was worse. He had a dumb, unprecedented, narcisstic TV special to simply announce what team he was joining. They had a ridiculous stage show with him, Wade, and Bosh with smoke and dancers and nonsense to reveal them in the uniforms, which I think is when they did the not 1, not 2, not 3 garbage. Turns out it was just 2, so huge egg on their face. Those Lebron Heat teams actually underachieved considering the rosters they fielded.
That Cavs team Lebron left had been built around him. He was the hometown hero. Durant wasn't from OKC. OKC didn't even used to have a team...much less history and legacy and title starvation there. Lebron had basically been GM there, with great influence on what moves were made to build the team. Durant never had that kind of pull in OKC. Lebron was in a much better situation, and had been posting good records and making progress and deep playoff pushes yearly.
Lebron abandoning the Cavs to go play with with a stacked roster and his buddy Wade, knowing Bosh was going, then later on adding the likes of Ray Allen, and all the role players and veterans they had on those teams....I don't give Lebron credit for not joining the Celtics...I think his choice had more to do with him just not liking the Celtics players, genuine bad blood, than wanting to take some imaginary tougher competitive road, which I don't think forming a Miami superteam was. I can't even imagine him getting along with Rondo, Pierce, and Garnett, and I'm a Celtics fan. He wanted to play with his buddy Wade, and warm weather Miami is a "sexier" move/place to live than cold Boston.
Yeah Miami wasn't doing that well prior to Lebron's arrival, but they didn't JUST add him, they were able to put A LOT around him as well. Durant gave plenty of good years to the Thunder. He had issues with Westbrook. There were key departures such as Harden. He helped lead them to a Finals, and they just weren't good enough...he toiled on for them for years after that. That Thunder team was never truly going to contend the way it was being run. They were always gonna get knocked off by the likes of the Warriors or the Spurs. Durant tried battling the Warriors, and couldn't break through. Circumstances aligned, and he jumped ship. If anything I respect his move more than Lebron. Why it may feel different and worse to you and others if you don't really break it down, is the eye test, because the Warriors he joined were already proven and formed, whereas Lebron went to Miami during an offseason in which they were completely overhauled, added Bosh, etc, so it's not something we'd seen and grown used to.
Bottomline, Durant was clutch at end of game 3 to basically guarantee Warriors win this title, so that will be 1 title, in his first try. Overall the Miami superteams underachieved. If Durant helps lead the Warriors to something like a 3-peat, he'll have achieved something far greater than Lebron ever did in Miami. And he's so much more likeable. And...Lebron has been talked up as 1 of, if not, the greatest by much of sports media and many fans for a very long time...KD never wore that crown. If you the greatest, he shoulda stuck it out in Cleveland and gotten it done by hook or by crook...to me gave the impression he just gave up, quit, and conceded he could never win there..but if your the greatest, he should've been able to break through at least once there.
As we head towards a likely sweep Friday, just want to add...
I called this series after Game 2, earlier in this thread, when there were still people here and all around the sports world saying...yeah but, remember last year! Things could be different in Cleveland!
No....I saw enough to convince me, easily. Cavs were never going to win 4 out of 5 against this team, and now they may not even win 1.
Lebron swept in the Finals, what an embarrassment.
If he can't even MAN/WILL his team, AT HOME, in the FINALS....to ONE win...everyone, fans, and media, need to DROP him down on that all time list.
Can you imagine Jordan towards end of his career leading a Bulls team to a Finals and getting SWEPT? And having the deciding game happen on your court.
Lebron and Kyrie dropped like 40 each, they even got production out of Smith...Golden State continued its turnover issues, refs seriously missed or chose not to call so many calls that should've gone the Warriors way, Warriors never even led by more than about 8 I believe, and Cavs had a lead for awhile in the 2nd half, including up by, I think it was 6, with 3 minutes to go...and the Warriors still won.
Earlier in this thread someone was criticizing the sustained crowd noise of the Warriors crowd...well, how did that Cavs crowd sound when that final buzzer rang? Bwahaha...
What a finish...what a 3 by Durant, and Lebron couldn't save them with a miracle shot.
It should be noted I also called Patriots over Steelers (like that was so difficult, except some here and many elsewhere were actually picking Pitt), and tried to explain to Falcons fans numerous times what they were dealing with, and that they wouldn't win.
You guys need to really make note of my predictions. I have my favorites but I call 'em like I see 'em.
The salary cap has been the tool the major league sports invented to try and stop the building of "super teams". They need to tighten up the rules around this in the NBA. It is terrible for the league when the playoffs are nothing but sweeps and there is no balance or parity in the league. WAY better and more interesting playoffs last year when Durant was on OKC. The regular season is just a big yawner when everyone knows GSW will win it all unchallenged b/c they stack a "super team". Adding Durant to that team was just effing ridiculous. What a joke.
I don't think the salary cap was about parity--it was about preserving owners' profits.
Appreciate greatness. The Cavs could have challenged this Warriors team, but they didn't try to adjust early enough. They finally slowed down in the 2nd half of Game 3, and kept it competitive. Had they come out of the gates in this series trying to play slow (and playing small lineups), this would be a totally different series. They also got much more physical last night.
Quote:
Originally Posted by weezerfan84
My prediction worked and they still lost. You can't get back on defense when you are gassed. Lebron and Kyrie played phenomenal, yet it wasn't enough down the stretch. Just like the Spurs in game 1 of WCF. Kawhi went down and it made things much easier for the Warriors. When I turned this game off with 10 seconds left in the 4th, it was one of my saddest NBA moments. To play that hard and still not get the W hurt. You got the contributions you needed from other players and they sat D Will, because he continues to be ice cold. You do everything right and Durant scores 7 straight to take the lead on a quiet 30 night. Tonight was heartbreaking! I'm mad at Durant, because he has stolen my post season joy. I was cheering hard for the Cavs, because they were playing to win and hustling for a win. I'm really discouraged that the chips didn't fall their way to get the W. Just a demoralizing loss and the Cavs literally made 99.8% of the right calls in Game 3.
They were more physical from the outset, which helped. They slowed down in the 2nd half, which helped. They even got LeBron guarding Draymond more--which helped. They still played TT & Love together too much. The limited minutes for Shumpert is incomprehensible--is he injured? He's been the Cavs best perimeter defender and they played him less than 12 minutes. Why they keep giving heavy minutes to JR Smith is just incomprehensible to me: he's turned back into a pumpkin this series.
They got Draymond in foul trouble for the 3rd time this series. But they keep TT in when Draymond sits--why?
Quote:
Originally Posted by weezerfan84
Yet, it wasn't Lebron who lost the game. The team played the best team basketball of this series. They did everything right. They hustled, they rebounded, they kept the game close and even took the lead in the 4th. They even got the Warriors in foul trouble. The problem was, no team has had the right starting 5 to factor for Durant. D-Will was far and wide a poor addition for the Cavs. He remains scoreless in these Finals. They sat him for the rest of the game early and yet was still able to take the lead. Lebron and Kyrie played unconscious. You can't ask for anything more from them, because on any other day, they would have won that game and their contributions would have been enough. That's the part that seems a bit unfair about this series and definitely that game.
Durant scored 7 points in a row last night down the stretch to finish with a quiet 31. The Cavs squad as assembled had the tools in place to beat the Warriors, before the addition of Durant. The difference between Durant and Harrison Barnes I can't even fathom. Not even close in anything skill wise and only slightly close in height. Durant was so big of an upgrade over Barnes that I can't even fathom it. Without Durant this series is easily 2-1 Warriors or Cavs.
They did a lot more right than they have all series. They still could have done more. It's a demoralizing loss, and it's got to be tough to come out with energy and more adjustments losing Game 3 that way.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mathguy
I wouldn't put Durant ahead of Lebron.
Other than KI, Lebron is getting zero help. He's pulling a much tougher row than Durant.
After you get past the "big two", you have Kevin Love and lol...TT against Draymond Green and the other splash brother?
That's ridiculous how far the drop off is after the first 2 players on each team, GS has an enormous advantage.
Love has been better than Kyrie in this series. He's been less of a defensive liability, and he was better on offense in the first 2 games. Plus Love is rebounding very well. TT is a role player. The Warriors have game planned for his role, and he has no place left on the floor.
Quote:
Originally Posted by moneymkt
LeBron was supposed to drive to the basket late in the game not throw it to Korner for the win.
LeBron made the right play. He had a contested layup, but Korver had enough space for a corner 3 in a game where he has it going.
Quote:
Originally Posted by DRob4JC
I am giving Love credit - he has been a one man crew on the boards battling two or three Warriors.
Shumpert - terrible.
Fake Kyrie, Derron Williams - terrible. He wants to keep up with Kyrie and Curry, but can't.
Korver - signs of life yesterday - but substandard for what they thought they were getting.
Thompson - absent again. 3 rebounds in 22 minutes.
Smith - showed up and was average.
Old Man Jefferson - good effort - he's just old. Having him guard KD regularly is ridiculous (or smart by GSW to make the Cavs switch on defense)
I would like to see Channing Frye in the game - he can shoot and is a longer body.
Ty Lue looking small as the coach. No one is even talking about him.
Shump has been good on defense. The Cavs are not giving him enough run. Derron Williams hasn't been very good for a long time. He's made some shots against Eastern Conference opponents that have been overwhelmed by the Cavs, but the Warriors are not overwhelmed. Korver is not going to get open against this Warriors defense the way he got open in the regular season and playoffs. Insanely, he's been one of the Cavs better defenders this series--that's a big problem. TT needs to play less, and he needs to play center when he's in. Smith had his best offensive game, but he still played horrid defense and committed some awful fouls. R Jeff comes in and gets physical. That's his role and he fills it well. Channing Frye can't play at the same time as TT or Love. I think he should take some of TT's minutes, but it will be ugly on the defensive end. The Cavs have been badly outcoached. Whether it's Lue or LeBron dictating, it's a bad strategy.
Quote:
Originally Posted by eastcoastbias
Draymond is not a bright guy. He almost cost them the OKC series, and he contributed to their demise last year.
I've said since his days at MSU the guy could foul out at halftime if they called the game correctly, but everybody praises his hack body check defense. After all this time in the NBA you would think he could deal with the Refs a little better to get a future call or two in his favor, but he whines about foul calls when he knocks guys to the floor. If their is still a silver lining for Cleveland I hope he's maintaining his cheerleader status in the next game or games.
Draymond is a brilliant player, just full of passionate intensity. The Cavs played far more physically in this game and got called for fewer fouls. The Cavs' failure to take advantage while Draymond has been in foul trouble is maybe their greatest failure of this series.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Blind Cleric
He's not dumb, just very aggressive and passionate. The guy with the not so high basketball IQ is Zaza.
I don't understand why he plays at all. The guy has no skills and made some terrible decisions last night that it appeared even angered his teammates.
For Cleveland to have a good chance in Game 4, he needs to play heavy minutes.
Zaza sets good screens, passes well for a big, and works hard on the boards. He had a couple of bone-headed plays last night, but he's an effective center for what the Dubs need--he's kind of a cut-rate Bogut.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mr. Ryu
I wonder who GM Lebron will request to be traded this year... I feel they could have used Matthew Dellavedova.
I can see Derron, Korver and Shumpert being shown the door. Ty Lue might also see the exit. I bet Lebron will try his best to get Melo and Paul George. I feel Dwade will stay in Chicago to collect his 20million. Chris Paul should go to Spurs.
It will be an interesting draft season this year. What will teams do to beat the Warriors? Also, will the warriors stay intact? A couple of free agents
Melo would be an awful fit. Paul George, however . . .
Kyrie has to go if Paul George comes, though.
The Warriors will stay essentially intact. They'll lose some role players and fill the gaps with free agents. The toughest losses will be Zaza and Ian Clark.
Quote:
Originally Posted by CaliDude1
Also, if they really are considering breaking up the big 3 with a trade they should look at Kyrie. The guy is an excellent scorer. But he relies too much on iso ball. So other players don't benefit from his scoring prowess. He plays very little defense. Plus, his hero ball style makes him a constant injury risk.
I agree with this piece. How many great teams can you think of who played a SG who was a poor defender?
Quote:
Originally Posted by eastcoastbias
Delly at 8-10M a year was too much...the Warriors will face similar decisions in the next couple years. They were fortunate to lock up some of their star a few years back before things got really out of hand.
It becomes a question of if the Warriors stay in tact and/or what IF ANY big piece will the Cavs add.
I think the Warriors will be intact for the remainder of LBJ's greatest years.
Quote:
Originally Posted by eastcoastbias
We can debate this all day, but I say no.
And what has Iggy done besides a nice strip at the end of this past game???
Iguodala has done a nice job of protecting the ball given his ball handling duties, passed well, made himself available to passers, and he's played some great defense.
Quote:
Originally Posted by eastcoastbias
I love Kyrie- he's humble, he has that killer instinct, he's the best finisher in the NBA at the rim. He could fetch a nice return.
If you told me Paul would come here cheap the Cavs net a deal like Irving for George and maybe a nice spare part and it would net the Cavs one more Champioship. I MIGHT and I say I MIGHT take it.
But I am pulling for Irving to lead this team after Lebron moves on
Irving for George would improve the Cavs. The Cavs led by Irving will never be a contender.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mr. Ryu
Curry's contract is almost up and i bet he would want the biggest payday.... Durant is also up in 2018. This team will be bankrupt unless both Steph and KD compromise. I can see Draymond and Klay leave to other teams unless Durant decides to leave in 2018.
They will be deep in the luxury tax. But this is the time to pay luxury tax--while you have an absolutely dominant core in their prime ready to contend for championships year after year. Klay is under contract through 18-19. Draymond through 19-20. KD will exercise his option and sign an extension this offseason. Curry is going to get a big contract. The Warriors have Iguodala's bird rights, so they can go over the cap to keep him, too. They'll use the vet minimum to sign a few ring chasers. They'll probably lose Ian Clark, Zaza, McGee, and Livingston. I'm not sure about McAdoo. McCaw will develop. Hopefully one of Looney & Jones will be ready to crack the rotation. All they need is a ball handler to come off of the bench and a big or two who can set screens and rebound.
Quote:
Originally Posted by weezerfan84
You know how much luck is required for 2 first round picks and 1 second round pick to be starters and all be selected to the All-Star game, while all of them being drafted and still playing for the same team? You truly think management thought all 3 of these guys would punch this high above their weight? I don't doubt Green, Curry, or Thompson's skill set, but there's a whole lot of luck involved there. Outside of Curry's ankle issues 3 or 4 seasons ago, for the most part, he's been fairly healthy. Klay and Draymond have had no injuries to speak of. Teams dream of this type of luck, but very few get to experience it. You also have 3 guys that got up to NBA speed very quickly. Curry has been the talk of the town since 2012-2013 and Draymond and Klay were big upgrades immediately. All 3 have very high basketball IQs, and they all work well playing in their system.
That just doesn't happen often and definitely not this well.
Curry, Klay, and Draymond were fantastic draft picks. They all have the right mindset--they work to become great. They have high BBIQ. They want to win.
Quote:
Originally Posted by 0nyxStation
Series has been a let down so far. A straight dud. Congrats to Goldenstate for another championship though. Even Jordan didnt have to play a super team like the Goldstate Warriors. Great for San Francisco
Its pretty sad that Lebron cant even leave the floor for a 2 minute break. When he does the Warriors go on a 10-0 run immediately.
That's why most of those players won't be back next season like Korver and williams
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