I would build a bridge made out of broomsticks from my island to Cleveland if that happened. It'd be the biggest industrial project in Cleveland in at least a decade.
Theres no chance of a sweep... Cleveland will be tougher than OKC because of Lebron alone. Heat fans here forgot how great ge is....
That is nonsense. None of us forgot how good LeBron is. LeBron has lost 4 finals before you know....Usually to better teams (save for 1). Well, he is facing a better team yet again.
Pat Riley's militaristic approach made impression on LeBron http://espn.go.com/nba/playoffs/201...ents-lebron-struggles-bring-heat-culture-cavs A knockoff Heat culture for a knockoff Heat team. Kyrie playing the role of Wade, Love playing the role of Bosh, Shumpert playing the role of Battier, JR Smith as Mike Miller, James Jones as 6-time NBA Finals participant James Jones, Tyronn Lue as Erik Spoelstra, and starring LeBron James as LeBron James. LeBron is trying to recreate a Rembrandt with finger paint.
It's a joke, but I guess nothing seems funny when you get to experience a joke of the caliber that is Cleveland sports firsthand .
Maybe. The Heat lost their first Finals series with Lebron too. If the Cavs can pull it out then all of the talk from the Heat fans kind of needs to go away. Big IF but it will create a different level to Lebron's legacy if he can win a title in Cleveland.
Tyrone Lue as Erik Spoelstra... you have got to be kidding me lol The other comparisons are still off but comparing Tyronn Lue with Spoelstra... If Tyronn was the coach of this current Heat team, we don't get past the Hornets. Hell, we don't make the transition we made after the all star break with the fast pace offense. Tyronn Lue wouldn't even know what to do with Chris Bosh out and Hassan Injuries. Do you think he would ever put Deng at the 4? Doubtful. The guy is a mannequin at coach letting Lebron do what he wants. Lebron inherited a program Spoelstra built here.
Are you being serious right now? The whole point of my post was that the Cavs are lesser versions of what the Heat were.
Miami lost their first Finals series BECAUSE of LeBron, though. He was a large part of Miami winning two in a row, but it is his poor series that cost them the Mavs series. The Cavs have not lost a finals because of LeBron's poor performance so far. Just their inability to build a great team with a great culture around him.
Guys, this is the kind of enlightened analysis you won't find anywhere other than Magic Johnson. [video=twitter;737845353593114625]https://twitter.com/MagicsTweets/status/737845353593114625[/video] You're welcome for making you smarter.
The Cavs are good, but not as good as the Warriors, and this is an especially bad matchup for the Cavs. Pretty much sums it up, right?
Sounds about right. Kyrie can't guard Steph or Klay. Gonna be real hard to hide him and Love on defense. Iggy can handle LeBron pretty well. Draymond can't be exploited the way the Cavs have been exploiting other bigs. And the Cavs don't rebound nearly as well as OKC. The other issue is the fact that the Cavs work best off dribble penetration...but the Dubs are very well-equipped to contain that one-on-one (Steph and Klay can stay in front pretty consistently). The one wildcard I can envision is that LeBron just locks in on defense and focuses his energy on changing the game in that way. That'd be the key for a Cavs upset, imo, ffor him to do a Scottie Pippen type of impression to wreak havoc against several positions and get out in transition. I just don't think their team defense is good enough even if LeBron is dialed in.
Pretty much. BUT.... If Cavs shoot it out and shots fall..you can steal a game or two that way by playing them even to a close game and let Bron bring you home. That is a formula for a long series. If I am coaching...I play Love (because you have to play your best players), but I play him as the lone big off the bench with the 2nd unit. I start Bron at the #4, and Tristan at the #5. I make sure Bron stays at the #4 throughout the series, and I play my guards and YES...Delly gets a heavy dose of minutes. I would close with this lineup: Delly, Kyrie, JR, Bron, Love. and just try to execute offense down the stretch of close games and win that way. I use Frye as a spacing element only, meaning, no matching up with Dray and spotting him minutes against Mo Speights. The more I look at this I realize that the Cavs are SHORT one wing player from executing the proper strategy to defeat the Dubs. But a good one....a Deng/Batum type.....maybe a Courtney Lee or Joe Johnson type at worse.
Richard Jefferson has been playing pretty well. I know you don't mention everyone, but I didn't know if you were including him.
I have a specific rule. If you are counting on Richard Jefferson...don't. That's why I didn't mention him.
It was pretty devastating that Joe Johnson went to Miami and not Cleveland. He would've provided the Cavs with a lot more flexibility. I sort of wonder if they can hide Love on someone like Barnes and trap Curry if they try to put him in a PNR. It's not a perfect situation - but Barnes trying to convert those 4-on-3s that Green runs is about the best case scenario for stopping GS. This all assumes we get Good Kev and not Bad Kev. Good Kev would probably let you outscore an offense counting on good decisions / dribbling from Barnes. Bad Kev is a blowout loss and a night of subtweets. Also agree on Delly getting time. He's not a spectacular defender or anything - but he's a better shooter and can at least sort of keep an offense running if you need him. Shumpert can't really do those things.
Per Shams Charania, Philly and Atlanta discussing trade centered on Teague and Nerlens Noel Sign that Atlanta is blowing it up a bit? Maybe Korver does become available
Best case to Hide Love is to Hide him on the spacing elements, Frye, and Barnes, or to hide him on the one dimensional types such as Andy (when they use him) or Mo Speights. Flip side on Barnes is that Barnes has a ton of game when asked (which he never is on this team), so you might wake him up, if you put Love on him and Kerr decides to run stuff with him. it's why I think my way of playing him off the bench is the best move. Think of it...you get Minnesota Love with your second unit. THAT is DAMN good.
Not sure I like that move for Philly. That's all you can get for a top notch young big? Nerlens Noel is only 22 and has been in an awful situation. If I am a team with better pieces and see that trade going down...I top it.
Drinking Cavs Game 1 kool aid. Who wants to give me 5.5? Section? Where u at Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Bovada has it at -6. I bet every dime of my postseason profits on the bet I posted earlier. -105 Golden State series game margin -1.5
Cavaliers are 1-4 ATS in the last 5 meetings. Warriors are 5-0 ATS in their last 5 home games vs. a team with a road winning % of greater than .600. Warriors are 9-1 ATS when the spread holds at -5.5 to 6.0 Fin-O...don't do it. Watch a game..hope for a Dubs blowout..then take Cleveland in game 2.
Cavs +6 for the 1k? Yes, I'm serious. Maybe tipsy from the beer but still confident nonetheless. Side note: watching game at Miami Mike's...Dolphins bar in New friggin Jersey...can't make this up.
I bet $1,340.00 on the Dubs -105 for the series at -1.5 games, and you want to bet 1k with me..and at -6 to boot? How do I say Hell No in swahili? I would recommend you don;t do it either. this thing can go 50/50 in game 1, especially with an increasing line. watch a game.
BTW, if nobody got my prediction before..I got Dubs in 5. But if they went 7..I wouldn't be surprised, and my profits for this postseason would go to $0.00 Cavs are good, just have bad luck in the matchup. As for game 1...it's a tossup IMO. I have no opinion. Cavs win this game..series goes at least 6 games.
Oddly enough I like the Cavs smaller lineup even though that goes against conventional wisdom. The realist in me says GS in 6, the fire in the eyes of a fellow Ohio man on a mission has me inspired and rooting hard for them.
Cavs getting hit hard right now but the thing I like about what they are doing is they aren't taking crappy shots after GS makes a big three. They are looking for high percentage shots and not taking the bait to try and play hero ball. Might not save them but its why they aren't down by 15.
Cavs letting a guy who looks like an extra in the movie Car Wash shoot 3-3 Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Cavs can't afford to throw a game away looking for the right lineup. Time for someone on that team to get hot or this could get out of hand.
Ken Mauer looks like Dracula's weird cousin. Just give the ball to LeBron or Irving and get out of the way.
Irving and Love showed up to play. LeBron is erasing Curry. Just get a rebound, and stop missing layups.
