BMO = GOAT
Member
What can the Cavs do tbh? Do they stick with the game plan of not getting beat by the 3s and just give them easy layups. Or just let them run wild from the 3pt line? Live by the 3, die by it as well.
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NBA Finals 2017 |OT| Same As It Ever Was
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Galactic Barret
Member
What does UFC have to do with Basketball?
*giggle*
This series is off to a great start. Hopefully, Cavs make some adjustments, TT gets back to being a glass-eater, their bench maybe does something. There is little hope for K. Love to be effective, I think. Perimeter defense is too strong, their re-switching off of traps, like they have been doing all playoffs. LBJ can't make those same cross-court passes he made against BOS.
Dubs can definitely get cockier and sloppier, 4 TOs is really low, but I don't see how they can defend effectively in the full-court enough to stop players from getting into a rhythm. I'm at a loss.
A beautiful night of basketball. And it will only get better as the series goes on.
Maybe take defensive possessions off on Klay, throw an extra defender at Durant when he gets into the post. Then, you run the risk of Klay getting into a rhythm, and KD can't pass effectively out of double-teams. Everyone else was defended well, made a few tough shots (Fucking Zaza!), Curry pulled-up from 6ft outside the 3 line.
Its one games, but I just don't see any effective plan.
Bam Bam Baklava
Member
Not to defend the post you quoted, because the dude is clearly trolling.
Poor sample against bad opponents. Look at the season stats.
nogoodnamesleft
Banned
NOT A HOT TAKE (lol) but REALISTICALLY if Klove is a non factor again offensively these playoffs (apart from boards, a lot of boards) would Cleveland be smart to trade him?
No, im not saying hes wack or trash, but he SEEMINGLY is ineffective against Golden State as things are and golden state are probably going to be in the finals for some years to come barring injuries or a complete drop off a cliff.
No, im not saying hes wack or trash, but he SEEMINGLY is ineffective against Golden State as things are and golden state are probably going to be in the finals for some years to come barring injuries or a complete drop off a cliff.
What the fuck? Love had been the opposite of ineffective aside from this game. He's been deadly from 3 (40+%) and been a monster on the boards. Can't ask for more from him, really.
I get what you're saying but it's hard to make trades like that when there aren't many guys who can do what he does for them. They thrive on the spacing he provides them.
LeBron+shooters (Smith/Shump/Korver/Frye/Love/Irving) is a formula that works because up till now most teams can't stop him that p&r from either getting to the rim or finding an open man.
But the Dubs can do both. They made life tough for him in the paint all game and gamelanned well to takeaway that skip pass to the corners that he loves to throw (which explains his poor turnover numbers).
All this to say the Dubs are just that good.
I get what you're saying but it's hard to make trades like that when there aren't many guys who can do what he does for them. They thrive on the spacing he provides them.
LeBron+shooters (Smith/Shump/Korver/Frye/Love/Irving) is a formula that works because up till now most teams can't stop him that p&r from either getting to the rim or finding an open man.
But the Dubs can do both. They made life tough for him in the paint all game and gamelanned well to takeaway that skip pass to the corners that he loves to throw (which explains his poor turnover numbers).
All this to say the Dubs are just that good.
nogoodnamesleft
Banned
You can do both, the problem is that the Cavs haven't been a strong defensive team so you get heaps of those wide open dunks by Durant since they get lost or are preoccupied with stopping Golden State from running the score with their 3 point shooting.
Golden State are much stronger defensively and run the best transition offense so whenever the Cavs turn the ball over, its an automatic free bucket for Golden State.
The Cav's defense can't be fixed overnight but they've got to roll the dice and let some of the Warriors shoot more. You can't let Durant get so many open buckets because he's going to hit every single one of them. The other solution is to adopt the Spurs strategy to take their time and actually make their shots. If they make their shots, the Warriors get far less opportunities in transition - this means Kevin Love can't go shooting 30% again this series.
TheGreatMightyPoo
Banned
LeBron showing that overrated D.
They could not have 20 turnovers.
They had 0 steals.
The Warriors have 4 turnovers.
They had 12 steals.
Scary thing is Klay and Draymond went 6 of 28.
Golden State can play better.
Also don't forget LBJ has lost the 1st game in the last 6 finals. He is 3/5 after that for wins.
Cleveland must not try to out shoot or out Warrior the Warrior's. They need to slow down the game. Tristan Thompson had 0 points and 4 rebounds. Defense creates offense and the Cavs did not do that tonight.
All this time we've been buggin over both team's offense and no one considered how good Golden State can be defensively.
Trade him for what though? Melo? Love is better than him at this point. And Knicks wouldn't want to do it either.
Not to mention that they have the highest payroll in the league. Team is way tied up in salary.
Love is the Cavs only real valuable trade asset (LeBron and Kyrie are untouchables) and I'm sure Griffin will entertain offers, but I'm not sure who you can realistically get for him that gives you a legit chance against these Warriors.
nogoodnamesleft
Banned
Knicks would trade Melo for Love in a heartbeat
Cracklox
Member
I'm not gunna agree either way but I will say the part about him struggling against the warriors is weird. Especially last year, though he did cop one in the noggin that probably didn't help.
Going back as long as I can remember the warriors have never been a particularly strong team inside defensively relying on a lot of 'small ball', and you would think Love would be able to exploit that. The guy CAN play, he just chooses odd times to go missing.
Having said all that at least he controlled the boards tonight
Yes we do. Because unlike most people with crazy recency bias, I don't judge a player based solely on his most recent 5 games. He put up 60 points in like 30 minutes in a game this year. He singlehandedly won game 6 of the Western Conference Finals last year. And however poorly he's been shooting lately, he still has played great defense and the opposing team still has to respect his shooting ability.
He'd get eaten in the post. Green/Durant combo are capable enough to defend today's post players and I don't remember Kevin Love being particularly good at passing out of double teams.
Gully State
Member
Because he's a liability on defense and his strengths on offense are completely mitigated by Draymond who despite his height is an elite post defender on top of being able to chase guards around the perimeter.
Klay was the main reason, but Curry did put up 28 with the essential game winner to make a 2 possession game with 10 seconds to go. And we know how much game winners matter considering the media the past week heh...
Bam Bam Baklava
Member
Channing Frye didn't play tonight.
Cracklox
Member
Focusing on the one positive tonight for Cleveland. Lebrons dunk over JaVale lol.
Dude jumped off 2 feet for that. Damn near any poster I can think of Lebron creating, he goes off one foot.
Yah, thought about the Draymond factor after I posted. That'd do it. Though you'd think he'd be able to muscle dudes around inside a bit for some easy put backs at least, but he seems to struggle there as well. Guy was a beast on the offensive boards in Minnesota too
Dude jumped off 2 feet for that. Damn near any poster I can think of Lebron creating, he goes off one foot.
Yah, thought about the Draymond factor after I posted. That'd do it. Though you'd think he'd be able to muscle dudes around inside a bit for some easy put backs at least, but he seems to struggle there as well. Guy was a beast on the offensive boards in Minnesota too
and yet RICHARD JEFFERSON did
I don't understand Lue man
give all of RJ's minutes to Shump ffs
M_A_C
Member
perfect
MegaManTrigger
Banned
Durant played fantastic tonight. Literally was the best man on the court. Are you saying he's just a champion because he was carried to a ring if he plays this way all series?
As a Warriors fan, I think the Cavs should go back to playing like they did in 2015. Play at a glacial pace, have LeBron and Kyrie hold the ball for 20 seconds to avoid turnovers, and ensure that the Warriors don't get out in transition at all costs. Oh and never play Love and Thompson together at the same time.
It probably won't work as well because the Cavs don't really have the defensive personnel anymore, but I think playing at a fast pace and trying to outscore the Warriors is not going to work, it just plays into the Warriors getting out in transition and reining dunks and 3's on 'em.
Cracklox
Member
Don't wanna weigh in too much on the KD poop shenanigans, but the above quote (can't find where the original post was from) citing Karl Malone as an example probably isn't the best. I mean he did try something similar at the end of his career by joining Kobe and Shaq, and it didn't work.
I mean he obv was far from his prime, but that team was expected to steamroll everyone too so
I mean he obv was far from his prime, but that team was expected to steamroll everyone too so
It's funny because Durant going down the best route in order to win is the definition of being competitive. He did exactly what was necessary within his means to get his best chance at winning. He optimized, he's playing the best basketball of his career, and he stands poised to achieve ultimate victory.
What Durant did - and is doing - is only not competitive in a scrub mentality sort of way.
GravityInsanity
Member
Rihanna after game 1 lol.
https://twitter.com/dydyklay/status/870495470992318465
https://twitter.com/dydyklay/status/870495470992318465
Don't forget the Cavs didn't play well defensively in games 1 or 2 last year. Clearly the Warriors are at another level competition wise to what the Cavs faced in the East. They eventually locked in games 3 thru 7 with their communication and switching and limited the layups and wide open threes.
Now obviously Kevin Durant is around this year so I doubt the Cavs can keep them below 100 but surely they will get better with more effort, discipline and communication.
And playing slow is not the solution. Durant gives the Warriors a half court threat that bails them out against good defense and the Warriors are simply a better half court defensive team. Cleveland needs to play fast enough that LeBron and Kyrie can take advantage of their transition play and get some open looks for their shooters, but do so without committing a ton of turnovers like they did in game 1. It's a tough balance to strike but they did it extremely well in games 5 and 6 last year.
sf2fanatic
Member
Lol KD playing off that RiRi stare down
panthapanda
Member
Game 3. If Cleveland doesn't steal 1 and go home and lose... the flood gates will open.
When a team is on the verge of elimination.
RBelong2Us
Member
Klay shot 18% and Dray shot 25% , game was still a rout.
Hard to see Cavs stopping Warriors going forward . The lane was just open all game, it was too easy at times. Cavs can't get the ball out of both Curry and KDs hand, they have to pick their poison each game and hope it works.
Cavs look old, there's no threat on the floor to stop the Warriors. LBJ can't just do it all, warriors are literally running up and down the floor all game and this dude can't keep pace if he has to play nearly 45min a game.
Hard to see Cavs stopping Warriors going forward . The lane was just open all game, it was too easy at times. Cavs can't get the ball out of both Curry and KDs hand, they have to pick their poison each game and hope it works.
Cavs look old, there's no threat on the floor to stop the Warriors. LBJ can't just do it all, warriors are literally running up and down the floor all game and this dude can't keep pace if he has to play nearly 45min a game.
This is what im thinking too but i wonder if the cavs come out with this level of intensity on sunday that gets a few of the guys jawin with each other.
As fun as it was to watch this game tonight, i like when you can feel that animosity between the teams
FeenixRising
Banned
Draymond was actually asked that question, he said the game seemed respectful now but down the line he expects it to turn ugly.
ryutaro's mama
Member
Every year the same thing. Winner of Game 1 is a lock to win it all, other team is done.
Then losing team wins Game 2 and suddenly the pendulum swings...
Sigh...
Then losing team wins Game 2 and suddenly the pendulum swings...
Sigh...
MegaManTrigger
Banned
The problem is 2015 and 2016 GSW didn't have KD to expand their offense into ridiculous levels. Idk what adjustments can make up for the fact that Cleveland will continually have to guess if GSW wants the transition 3 or the easy 2 pointer, never mind that they can try to take away the 3pt line in general, and GSW will STILL find a way to attack the rim. A superhuman Lebron isn't enough anymore. Maybe Ty Lue and the coaching staff are looking into something that I haven't noticed yet. That's the difference between the three GSW teams.
Cracklox
Member
Ya, its all pretty shocking. Breaking news! Home team wins at home!
Still predict the Dubs to do this fairly easy though
darkwing-buck
Member
Someone call Delly.
DasPenguin
Member
I don't know how much the Cavs can realistically do defensively in this series. Their defense hasn't been very good all year and now they are facing a western conference all star team. KD is the biggest difference maker compared to last season. Cavs can't guard him and they can't key on Curry like last season.
GS has to shoot poorly and turn the ball over a lot for the Cavs to have any chance of winning.
ProfessorMoran
Member
The problem is Ty Lue isn't even a real coach, he's just LeBron's errand boy, LBJ runs the team, don't expect Lue to come up with something special.
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