General NBA Discussion

[filip629]

I mean this in the nicest way possible, so please don't take it the wrong way, but it is nice seeing you give LeBron the credit he deserves. James did the things you said he needs/doesn't do tonight. He keeps scoring 40.... Cavs will win the series.

I never said LeBron was a bad player. I just personally think he's overrated. However, I have no problem giving a player his due when he gets the job done. Bron got it done today in a BIG way but he's still got to do it 2 more times. Triple doubles look good on a stat sheets but points and tough D is what it's going to take to knock out GS. If he keeps scoring 40+ over the next 2 games and the D plays like it did today, the Cavs got a legit chance. It'll certainly be an interesting game 6 with Green back on the floor. I think GS' D will be a lot tougher than it was tonight.

 

[guyver1]

I know that GS won 73 games this year but I think those Bulls and Lakers teams are better. Their ability to get to the front of the rim and score in the paint gave them a chance to win every night. GS relies heavily on their perimeter game. When their outside shots don't drop, they can get themselves in a bit of trouble. That said, nobody in their right mind should write off GS in Cleveland. They won it all in game 6 there last year and they have more than enough to do it again this year. I think GS will show up with a killer instinct in game 6. I can see them going all out to avoid a winner take all game 7.

I feel this is Cleveland's last shot at the title with this group of Love, James and Irving. Even if they win it. I see big changes to the Cavs. Possibly Love being traded.

I don't see this GS team going anywhere with this core. In other words, they have the team to win two or three more finals if they lose this series.

So I think Cleveland needs to win this finals

 

[karamazov80]

3s weren't falling for Golden State tonight, and I think that's what made the difference. Credit to the Cavs' defense for stepping up and keeping them from getting into a shooting groove, though.

 

[guyver1]

I never said LeBron was a bad player. I just personally think he's overrated. However, I have no problem giving a player his due when he gets the job done. Bron got it done today in a BIG way but he's still got to do it 2 more times. Triple doubles look good on a stat sheets but points and tough D is what it's going to take to knock out GS. If he keeps scoring 40+ over the next 2 games and the D plays like it did today, the Cavs got a legit chance. It'll certainly be an interesting game 6 with Green back on the floor. I think GS' D will be a lot tougher than it was tonight.

Lebron IMO is talented enough and skilled to bounce back at anytime. Irving was great tonight and that was huge but other than that, Lebron and Kyrie still need help, Love has been crap in this series and the bench is so inconsistent

 

[filip629]

3s weren't falling for Golden State tonight, and I think that's what made the difference. Credit to the Cavs' defense for stepping up and keeping them from getting into a shooting groove, though.

Cavs D was fierce in the 2nd half. Even GS' 2s weren't falling. I think GS scored only 36 points in the second half after scoring 61 in the 1st half. That's a staggering difference and it was all due to the Cavs tenacious D.

 

[filip629]

I feel this is Cleveland's last shot at the title with this group of Love, James and Irving. Even if they win it. I see big changes to the Cavs. Possibly Love being traded.

I don't see this GS team going anywhere with this core. In other words, they have the team to win two or three more finals if they lose this series.

So I think Cleveland needs to win this finals

You could be right but I think GS will find a way to get it done over the next 2 games.

 

[karamazov80]

Yeah, if they had knocked down just 4 of those missed 3s, they would have been in the lead as opposed to trailing for the bulk of that time, and that would have made a huge psychological difference. But they were missing wide open jumpers. I think Cleveland got into their collective heads. They were getting nothing in the paint the way Cleveland locked it down.

 

[guyver1]

3s weren't falling for Golden State tonight, and I think that's what made the difference. Credit to the Cavs' defense for stepping up and keeping them from getting into a shooting groove, though.

I didn't realize how their defense isn't as strong without Green out there blocking so many shots. IMO that factor was missing that we saw in gms 1-4. I really thought GS could function without him, but boy we can see that they weren't the same without him

 

[filip629]

Lebron IMO is talented enough and skilled to bounce back at anytime. Irving was great tonight and that was huge but other than that, Lebron and Kyrie still need help, Love has been crap in this series and the bench is so inconsistent

He's more than talented and skilled enough every time he steps on the court to win games. He just has to get it done. Score 40 or more every game if that's what it takes. We've all seen less talented teams win championships in every major sport because special players came up BIG and lead their teams to the promised land. He's just got to get it done at least ONCE in Cleveland and there's no time like the present.

 

[filip629]

Yeah, if they had knocked down just 4 of those missed 3s, they would have been in the lead as opposed to trailing for the bulk of that time, and that would have made a huge psychological difference. But they were missing wide open jumpers. I think Cleveland got into their collective heads. They were getting nothing in the paint the way Cleveland locked it down.

Yup. The painted area was a dead zone for GS in the 2nd half.

 

[guyver1]

Yeah, if they had knocked down just 4 of those missed 3s, they would have been in the lead as opposed to trailing for the bulk of that time, and that would have made a huge psychological difference. But they were missing wide open jumpers. I think Cleveland got into their collective heads. They were getting nothing in the paint the way Cleveland locked it down.

Lebron hitting all his early jumpers was a good game plan. I'm almost certain GS thought he was going to attack the paint and pass or wild shot like he has been doing in gms 1-4. All Lebron's jumpers really threw GS defense off early

 

[jstep13]

I still think this is an example of how GS being a perimeter shooting team can bite them in the ass. It makes a huge difference if a team starts attacking the paint when Kyrie and James get it going

.

You bring up a good point...GSW is the only team I can think of where that small ball ish actually works...historically, small ball is a great, almost unstoppable force but when the playoffs roll around, shots miss, teams don't back on D and are basically out-muscled in the paint. I'm sure GSW will be okay since, as much as CLE wants, Dray won't be suspended every game.

 

[mfoga]

I don't think the bump stung Bogut, if you watch the slow mo, when he landed his leg was straight like a pole with no bend, kind of like what we see in The NFL when a player lands wrong from a hit. I think all his weight crashed on his knee when his leg planted from the momentum. If his knee was a little bent when he landed, it would have cushioned the impact. That's got to hurt for a big guy like that

The guy rolling into his lower leg doesn't help either.

 

[Darkseed]

Still alive I see.....awesome

 

[BurningRage]

Barnes was terrible. Curry has been outplayed this series. They need to trap Kyrie.

 

[mikedanger]

This series sure is better when Lebron and Kyrie are going...I am really hoping for a game 7

 

[sarakawa]

This series sure is better when Lebron and Kyrie are going...I am really hoping for a game 7

I would like GS to win in 6 but my money would be on the series going 7 now. I pray next game is actually a close one though

 

[jstep13]

GSW won a big game 4 (when CLE needed to step up) in CLE - now Dray is back...I highly doubt both Kyrie and LeBron crank out 40 point games again since it happened like, never, before game 5...

GSW closes it out Thursday...BOOK IT

 

[DinoDB1975]

Hmmmm. I'm not one for omens, but Game 6 is in Cleveland on June 16, 2016.

In the 2015 NBA Finals, the Warriors clinched in Game 6 in Cleveland...on June 16, 2015.

 

[mutant-man]

The other conspiracy (besides more revenue for the league) for extending the series is that, should GS win in Cleveland on Thursday, there will likely be fewer riots in Oakland than if the game itself were held there. Not sure I buy that, but that rumor is floating around