Warriors vs Cavaliers II

[tower912]

Since everyone is healthy (ish)....   Cavaliers in 6. 

[wadesworld]

Warriors in 6.

[GooooMarquette]

If Curry is back to 100% (and he looks awfully close), Warriors in 5.

[naginiF]

I'll take Cleveland in 4. 

Not because of the players on the floor but because the one GS/OKC game i watched (game 6) during a time out they had a shot of the GS huddle and all Kerr said was "we need to move!  we need to move both our bodies and the ball!".  Any coach that just shouts coaching platitudes at his players during aired huddles instead of drawing up plays is bound to cost his team every game - unbelievable he has this job.

[ChitownSpaceForRent]

First time in cheering for LeBron in the finals.

[GooooMarquette]

I'll take Cleveland in 4. 

Not because of the players on the floor but because the one GS/OKC game i watched (game 6) during a time out they had a shot of the GS huddle and all Kerr said was "we need to move!  we need to move both our bodies and the ball!".  Any coach that just shouts coaching platitudes at his players during aired huddles instead of drawing up plays is bound to cost his team every game - unbelievable he has this job.

That's what every coach says when the camera is on him in timeouts.  When the cameras are turned away, they work on game strategy.

[GGGG]

I'll take Cleveland in 4. 

Not because of the players on the floor but because the one GS/OKC game i watched (game 6) during a time out they had a shot of the GS huddle and all Kerr said was "we need to move!  we need to move both our bodies and the ball!".  Any coach that just shouts coaching platitudes at his players during aired huddles instead of drawing up plays is bound to cost his team every game - unbelievable he has this job.

I laffed.

[StillAWarrior]

Cavaliers, please.  Please...please...please.  Four, five, six or seven...makes no real difference to me.  Did you notice I said please?


It's time for my adopted town (25 years now) to win a championship.  Currently, the teams that I rooted for in my youth are the reigning World Series and Super Bowl champs.  It would be really cool to have my "favorite"* teams as the champions in each of the three major sports.


*I count as my favorites the Broncos and Royals (two teams I rooted for and followed when I was a boy) and the Cavs, Indians and Browns.  I know you're supposed to have just one "favorite," but after 25 years here I have developed affection for the local teams but still like the teams I grew up with.  I still struggle with the Browns, though --  probably because they are such a dumpster fire.

[jsglow]

Cavaliers, please.  Please...please...please.  Four, five, six or seven...makes no real difference to me.  Did you notice I said please?


It's time for my adopted town (25 years now) to win a championship.  Currently, the teams that I rooted for in my youth are the reigning World Series and Super Bowl champs.  It would be really cool to have my "favorite"* teams as the champions in each of the three major sports.


*I count as my favorites the Broncos and Royals (two teams I rooted for and followed when I was a boy) and the Cavs, Indians and Browns.  I know you're supposed to have just one "favorite," but after 25 years here I have developed affection for the local teams but still like the teams I grew up with.  I still struggle with the Browns, though --  probably because they are such a dumpster fire.

More than 30 for me but I still find it difficult to cheer for the Bears.  All Pack, all the time.  Love the Bulls (minus Rose), love the Hawks, kinda like the Sox and mostly dislike the Cubs fans.

[brandx]

I'll take Cleveland in 4. 

Not because of the players on the floor but because the one GS/OKC game i watched (game 6) during a time out they had a shot of the GS huddle and all Kerr said was "we need to move!  we need to move both our bodies and the ball!".  Any coach that just shouts coaching platitudes at his players during aired huddles instead of drawing up plays is bound to cost his team every game - unbelievable he has this job.

Your analysis is as lacking in depth as you claim Kerr's coaching is

[StillAWarrior]

More than 30 for me but I still find it difficult to cheer for the Bears.  All Pack, all the time.  Love the Bulls (minus Rose), love the Hawks, kinda like the Sox and mostly dislike the Cubs fans.

I think I'd find it harder to root for the Cleveland teams if I'd grown up with a rivalry similar to the Packers/Bears experience.  The Browns/Broncos rivalry is much more of a "thing" here in Cleveland than it is back home -- largely because of two or three games before I moved here.  As it is, the Browns have been the hardest local team for me to adopt.  I think that's due largely to the fact that they suck so bad.  Ten or so years ago I surprised myself when, without thinking, I found myself rooting from the Browns in a game against the Broncos.  But since that time they've become a very difficult team to root for because they are so horribly managed.  I do root for them, but I'm definitely more of a fan of the Broncos.

[MU82]

I think this is a good time for the Klay Thompson haters to reiterate that he's not all that good.

Oh, there's been him carrying the team in several playoff games -- most notably the Game 6 elimination game -- with Curry out or at less than full speed. And the fact that Thompson actually plays defense. And that he rebounds and passes well.

But I guess he's still not so hot.

[wadesworld]

I think this is a good time for the Klay Thompson haters to reiterate that he's not all that good.

Oh, there's been him carrying the team in several playoff games -- most notably the Game 6 elimination game -- with Curry out or at less than full speed. And the fact that Thompson actually plays defense. And that he rebounds and passes well.

But I guess he's still not so hot.

I used to think Thompson was good but maybe not as good as his numbers suggest due to playing with Curry, etc.  But the guy is as good as his numbers are.  When you can shoot like he can, get his shot off in as small of windows as he can, get his shot off as quickly he can, and is as tall as he is, there is not much a defense can do to stop him.

The most impressive part of the past 2 games he has played to me is how clutch he has been.  He hasn't just made a lot of shots, he has made a lot of very important shots.  And when he hasn't hit the clutch shot, Curry has, even when Curry wasn't shooting well.

I think if this series started 2 weeks early or even a week earlier the Cavs would take it.  But I think the Warriors are back.

[ChitownSpaceForRent]

I think this is a good time for the Klay Thompson haters to reiterate that he's not all that good.

Oh, there's been him carrying the team in several playoff games -- most notably the Game 6 elimination game -- with Curry out or at less than full speed. And the fact that Thompson actually plays defense. And that he rebounds and passes well.

But I guess he's still not so hot.

Relax, he stared game 7 shooting 0-7 and only shot 7-19 in the game, which would be the stat line he would normally have is he played without Curry, game 7 was all Curry. Can he put up some gaudy numbers? Absolutely but if he was the star of the back court is efficiency would hit James Harden type numbers.

[brandx]

Since I was one of the biggest boosters for Klay at the beginning of the year (and was called on it here, as he's only good cuz Steph is around), I will take GS in 6 games.

I say this because of another player that I was attacked about over my comments - Kevin Love. I said he was overrated when the cavs traded for him and I still feel the same. I have said that Green is a better player - which I still believe and I think that position may be the difference in the series. Maybe Love will prove me wrong, but I doubt it. My guess is that one of the main objectives of GS will be to expose Love's defense. It is not just bad - it is absolutely brutal. The Love/Irving duo is completely unable to defend the pick and roll. In fact they are the worst duo in the entire NBA and it is not even close.

If you think GS took advantage of Adams and Kanter on the switches, wait until it is Love in that position.

Has anyone also noticed the physical play so far? It's nice that the refs are letting them play?

[ChitownSpaceForRent]

Since I was one of the biggest boosters for Klay at the beginning of the year (and was called on it here, as he's only good cuz Steph is around), I will take GS in 6 games.

I say this because of another player that I was attacked about over my comments - Kevin Love. I said he was overrated when the cavs traded for him and I still feel the same. I have said that Green is a better player - which I still believe and I think that position may be the difference in the series. Maybe Love will prove me wrong, but I doubt it. My guess is that one of the main objectives of GS will be to expose Love's defense. It is not just bad - it is absolutely brutal. The Love/Irving duo is completely unable to defend the pick and roll. In fact they are the worst duo in the entire NBA and it is not even close.

If you think GS took advantage of Adams and Kanter on the switches, wait until it is Love in that position.

Has anyone also noticed the physical play so far? It's nice that the refs are letting them play?

I still think GS wins but to reverse the scenario look what Adams and Kanter did to the Warriors interior defense. Love can have that same effect.

[GooooMarquette]

I think if this series started 2 weeks early or even a week earlier the Cavs would take it.  But I think the Warriors are back.

Agreed.  The window of opportunity was open - and the Thunder did a great job of exploiting it - but the Warriors seem to be back.  At this point, I think the return of Curry and the scare against the Thunder probably turned this from a 7-game series into a relatively quick 5-game series win for GS.

[wadesworld]

I still think GS wins but to reverse the scenario look what Adams and Kanter did to the Warriors interior defense. Love can have that same effect.

Love floats around the perimeter so I think this matchup is even better for the Warriors.

Adams is going to be the best center in the NBA for a long time.  Maybe not numbers wise, but the guy is a big time problem for opponents.  And he's 22 years old.  Scary.

A friend brought up a coworker posing the question of, "If you have to start a franchise (so not just 1 season) today with either James Harden or Steven Adams, who would you take?"  Him and the other 2 friends I was with both laughed that the question was even brought up and said Harden without even thinking about it.  I take Adams without even thinking about it.  The biggest mistake Donovan did, and he coached a really good series except the end of game 6 and 2nd half of game 7, was completely limiting Adams's minutes in the 2nd half last night.

Tristian Thompson is a poor man's Adams, Love is better than Serge but not defensively, LeBron and KD are fairly comparable at this point, Irving is no Westbrook.  Cavs need to continue to shoot about 90% from 3.  I don't see it.

[tower912]

It went 6 last year without a healthy Irving or Love and with Curry at 100%.   Steph's injury along with the presence of Love and Irving swing the balance.   

[brandx]

I still think GS wins but to reverse the scenario look what Adams and Kanter did to the Warriors interior defense. Love can have that same effect.

I disagree.

Adams is 7' and Kanter is 6'10. Love is closer to 6'8". The damage he will do is shooting 3s.

[mu03eng]

It went 6 last year without a healthy Irving or Love and with Curry at 100%.   Steph's injury along with the presence of Love and Irving swing the balance.

Assuming I give a $hit Irving shows up for every game. Irving is the only one that can guard Steph, does Irving have it in him to play two way ball for the entire series(or stay healthy), especially if a game doesn't go their way and LBJ gets all starey.

I love Love, but his skill set plays into the warriors hands. I think he's a killer rebounder which is a weakness for GS, but he floats on the perimeter too much on offense which will help the interior defense a ton for GS.

The only way I see Cleveland winning is if they can get hot again from 3 and really spread the ball around which will open the driving lanes for LBJ and Irving.

[brandx]

On a related note, I'd be interested in opinions here on whether the Warriors should try to sign Durant. There has been talk that KD would like to go to GS or SA when he would have a better chance to win a title.

My feeling is that he would not make GS a better team, but I would be interested in the opinions of others here.

[MU82]

Relax, he stared game 7 shooting 0-7 and only shot 7-19 in the game, which would be the stat line he would normally have is he played without Curry, game 7 was all Curry. Can he put up some gaudy numbers? Absolutely but if he was the star of the back court is efficiency would hit James Harden type numbers.

I'm not even the hugest Thompson fan. I just think it's funny how easily some dismiss such a good player.

Are you one of those who doesn't think "clutch" matters? If so, I get your point. If not, Thompson came up huge these last two games. He started 0-for-7 ... which means he finished 7-for-12, fueling the comeback and delivering a few daggers once the Warriors were ahead.

I would take him over Harden -- who doesn't play a lick of defense and who dribbles until the clock says 2 and then fires -- ESPECIALLY if I had other good-to-great players on my team.

Can you imagine Curry getting "held" to 8-10 shots a game by being Harden's teammate? You'd have to, because I'm pretty sure Harden would be too selfish to change his game.

[wadesworld]

It went 6 last year without a healthy Irving or Love and with Curry at 100%.   Steph's injury along with the presence of Love and Irving swing the balance.

Last year Love being out was addition by subtraction.

Curry also improved his game by a lot more than anyone else in this entire series, and LeBron isn't as good as he was last year.

[wadesworld]

On a related note, I'd be interested in opinions here on whether the Warriors should try to sign Durant. There has been talk that KD would like to go to GS or SA when he would have a better chance to win a title.

My feeling is that he would not make GS a better team, but I would be interested in the opinions of others here.

Durant would make any team in the history of the sport a much better team.

He will sign a 1 year contract with OKC, and then probably a long term contract with OKC after that.  If not OKC, then LAL after next year.  But I put that at about a 5% chance.