NBA '17

[GGGG]

The Heat team with MJ in place of LBJ sweeps the Mavs.

MJ's Bulls didn't sweep anyone in the Finals.  They wouldn't have swept the Mavs.

Don't get me wrong, the Mavs are the weakest team that LBJ faced in the Finals, but they weren't terrible.  They finished with just one less win than the Heat did that year. 

[WarriorDad]

Michael was 1-9 in the playoffs without Scottie Pippen.  It matters who you play with.

[wadesworld]

Michael was 1-9 in the playoffs without Scottie Pippen.  It matters who you play with.

I guess you’ve never heard of this cat named Dwyane Wade...

You’re right. It does matter who you play with.

[forgetful]

So, who gets finals MVP?

[Dr. Blackheart]

So, who gets finals MVP?

Durant

[forgetful]

Durant

I agree.  See if they give it to him.  Kind of a down game scoring wise, but a triple double tonight and played great D again.

[wadesworld]

Curry.

[wadesworld]

Hey LeBron, what’s the Warriors record against you in NBA Finals?

#3-1

[MU82]

Cavs rolled over like a cheap hooker.

[forgetful]

Cavs rolled over like a cheap hooker.

That surprised me.  I thought they would come out and fight.  Thought they would win this one for sure.

Glad I don't bet on sports, I would've lost.  The Cavs didn't show up at all.

[tower912]

Thank goodness that is over.    Cleveland knew they were beat. 

[MU82]

Interesting article about how LeBron could wind up with the Celtics.

https://www.theringer.com/nba/2018/6/8/17440192/lebron-james-boston-celtics-offseason

If this really is possible, this is LeBron's best move by far - by far - and sets up several years of intriguing Celtics-Warriors Finals.

[MUEng92]

I'll preface this saying I did not stay up all night brooding over this. It's more observational.

I am always annoyed with the lack of travel calls in the NBA but it's always been that way and you just deal with it.

However, LeBron stepping across the free throw line before the ball reaches the rim/net on every free throw without being called for a violation is stunning.  I don't recall any other NBA player doing it.  It's so obvious, not to mention unnecessary.  I don't remember him ever gaining an advantage by doing it, but it is a clear and obvious violation.

[GGGG]

Lane violations aren't called all the time in the NBA.  In fact, the NBA mentioned one in the last two minute report on Hill's end of game miss in game one by Green.

[forgetful]

Watching the playoffs, the one thing that drives me nuts about the NBA, is the refusal to call offensive fouls (I was shocked they called 2 on Lebron in this game).  The other is the absurd grabbing, pushing etc., instead of actually setting picks in a legal manner.

Players like Lebron, Giannis, Harden, commit offensive fouls on most of their drives, by either driving their shoulder in and through a defender in position, to give them space to score, or by blatantly pushing off with the off arm, extending the arm as they push with the forearm. 

Harden/Lebron/Giannis (others) shoot so many FTs because they are actually more likely to call a defensive foul, when the offensive players lower their shoulder and initiate contact to displace a defender.  To me at least it defeats some of what I like about basketball.

To me, bully-ball, is boring, and against the rules (note I hated Shaq for the same reason).  It isn't the players fault the NBA disregards the rules, but in my opinion it partially ruins the game. 

[rocket surgeon]

Watching the playoffs, the one thing that drives me nuts about the NBA, is the refusal to call offensive fouls (I was shocked they called 2 on Lebron in this game).  The other is the absurd grabbing, pushing etc., instead of actually setting picks in a legal manner.

Players like Lebron, Giannis, Harden, commit offensive fouls on most of their drives, by either driving their shoulder in and through a defender in position, to give them space to score, or by blatantly pushing off with the off arm, extending the arm as they push with the forearm. 

Harden/Lebron/Giannis (others) shoot so many FTs because they are actually more likely to call a defensive foul, when the offensive players lower their shoulder and initiate contact to displace a defender.  To me at least it defeats some of what I like about basketball.

To me, bully-ball, is boring, and against the rules (note I hated Shaq for the same reason).  It isn't the players fault the NBA disregards the rules, but in my opinion it partially ruins the game.

That’s been my observation for some time as well.  It’s like when a foul is finally called, the players look aghast.

    Speaking of traveling, there was an instance between the Celtics and the. A s I believe and the Celtics dude with the “man-bun” comes down with the rebound in the middle of the lane, off balance, falls back and takes 4-5 steps backwards to regain his balance, everyone just sort of stop and wait for the whistle, there was none so he throws up a shot...sowishhhhhh.  I mean the dude was going to just toss the ball to the ref and head back  up court. Oh well, traveling...no matta eyn’a? 

[MU82]

The other is the absurd grabbing, pushing etc., instead of actually setting picks in a legal manner.

This is my pet peeve. NBA players are allowed to literally grab opponents while they set screens. They stick out their legs and their butts. They shove.

Every once in awhile, a player gets called and he can't believe it - and I don't blame him because it's so rarely called. But it's NEVER called down the stretch of games, freeing the screen-setters to all but mug their opponents.

If it was just in the NBA, I'd shrug my shoulders about it, but it has filtered down to the college level. I watched every Illinois game the year they went to the national title game, and nearly every pick James Augustine set was a moving screen. That was 2005, and it's only gotten worse. And then the refs will suddenly decide to call one or two, leaving everybody baffled.

Thankfully, based on personal observations, it hasn't filtered down to HS yet. HS refs call moving screens pretty often.

[GGGG]

Sorry but I love the NBA.  I think pretty much everything about it is superior to anything else basketball wise.  Outside of Marquette and the NCAAs, I rarely watch college basketball.  A snoozefest. 

[MU82]

Sorry but I love the NBA.  I think pretty much everything about it is superior to anything else basketball wise.  Outside of Marquette and the NCAAs, I rarely watch college basketball.  A snoozefest.

I like the NBA, too. I just don't think they should let screen-setters break the rules several times every possession.

[forgetful]

Sorry but I love the NBA.  I think pretty much everything about it is superior to anything else basketball wise.  Outside of Marquette and the NCAAs, I rarely watch college basketball.  A snoozefest.

Sometimes great things could still improve. 

Would prefer for the game to be played and officiated according to the rules of the game. Would improve the NBA in my opinion if they cleaned up a few of the more obvious indiscretions; e.g. grabs, holds, bully-ball, whining to refs, that make it harder to watch.

Obviously other things like traveling, star-bias are never going to go away, but the things above are more recent additions and could be cleaned up pretty easily. 

[MU82]

NBA Finals ratings were down from other Cavs-Warriors series.

Belmont Stakes ratings were down from the last 2 bids for the Triple Crown.

NASCAR ratings well down.

Apparently, all kinds of sports fans are mad at NFL players protesting.

[MUfan12]

I like the NBA, too. I just don't think they should let screen-setters break the rules several times every possession.

Has to be some happy medium between what the NBA allows and the college game, where if you move a quarter-inch the ref blows the whistle.

[MU82]

Has to be some happy medium between what the NBA allows and the college game, where if you move a quarter-inch the ref blows the whistle.

Reasonable point.

[wadesworld]

Interesting that just about every player that was traded to or from the Cavs in all their trades over the last 12 months was better away from the Cavs, with the exception of maybe Larry Nance Jr. whose production was pretty much the same.

Clarkson, Hill, Hood, Crowder, IT, Wade, and even Kyrie were better away from Cleveland than they were in Cleveland.

[tower912]

MJ, greatest of his generation.    LeBron, greatest of his generation.