What is the formula?
I sort of agree.
I honestly appreciate Lebron a lot more these days, though. Just how good he is. I rooted against Miami after he joined, but now I'm just glad I've gotten to watch him play.
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NBA Playoffs |OT| AKA Derrick Rose's family time
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I honestly appreciate Lebron a lot more these days, though. Just how good he is. I rooted against Miami after he joined, but now I'm just glad I've gotten to watch him play.
ryutaro's mama
Member
WE ALREADY WON
Atomic Playboy
Member
Score more points than them. Also, get a guy who is willing to be kicked in the dick in consecutive games to fire up your squad.
Have a bunch of 7-foot super athletes playing suffocating defense and grabbing every rebound combined with two of the best five players in the NBA.
Oh wait... all that and they still lost?
Diprosalic
Banned
it was close, only 34 points win for GS.
Ehh this is simple perspective. They played Kyrie on his second and like 10th game back after a layoff of months. GSW fans have been crying about Curry's little knips this whole last series. Calm down.
ryutaro's mama
Member
Well, they SHOULD have won.
esmith08734
Member
Refer to your previous post. GS loses the game and series if Klay doesn't have an incredible performance, according to you.
RockTurtle
Member
When the Heatles filled arenas with a bunch of haters, was some of the most entertaining times to be a basketball fan
ryutaro's mama
Member
Uh...that is called being clutch. He didn't luck into playing big. The moment called for it and he rose to the occasion...on the road...in a win or go home scenario.
What are you even saying, my dude?
Wait rambis is a Cavs fan?? For some reason I always assumed you were an old school Lakers fan because of the username :lol
But what is the formula specifically that OKC laid out?
It honestly was. One of those "don't know what you've got until it's gone" things for me. Miami's Big 3 era was great theater for the league.
There isn't a "formula" to beating GS since they've only lost, what, 25 times in the last two seasons? But, we do know that the Warriors "struggle" when teams with super athletes can switch every pick, grab every rebound, and play suffocating defense. That's their Achilles heal and that's why the Cavs were so successful against them in the Finals last season.
But this Cavs team is terrible defensively. Would anyone be surprised if Kyrie and Love are benched during the fourth quarters? That's the only way I can see the Cavs pull off the upset.
But this Cavs team is terrible defensively. Would anyone be surprised if Kyrie and Love are benched during the fourth quarters? That's the only way I can see the Cavs pull off the upset.
Diprosalic
Banned
yeah and CLE has none of that, they played small ball to win in the east, good luck trying that in the finals.
they are going to get exposed so hard, it will be a sight to see.
Lionel Richie
Member
This isn't how this works. There isn't a formula, there was a very good team playing in a very high level that matched up very well with the Warriors.
And still lost.
i3allistic
Member
i'm calm homie, just funny how many excuses come out from Cleveland...even if Curry was hurt he still drop 30, and even if he was out for almost 3 weeks, the warriors still took care of business ....but whatever, can't wait til thursday and see how a healthy kyrie plays ...
ryutaro's mama
Member
But Kyrie and Love, man. And Tyronn Lue.
I'm not even joking when I say this...I think
New Laker Head Coach
esmith08734
Member
I understand what a good game is. If Klay has a relatively normal game, the Thunder win the game and series. That's what I am saying.
I am not really sure how a team that loses 9 games all season, loses 3 in a week, and relied on a god-tier performance to catapult them into a game 7, is not considered to be exposed and beatable, especially when the team they were losing to were heavy underdogs.
ryutaro's mama
Member
Because they won three straight against the team that supposedly exposed them when they had to.
What is THAT so hard to understand?
1) The Warriors won
2) OKC has two of the top five players (not a formula you can replicate)
3) OKC had just trounced a 67-win team. Pitching them as lowly underdogs is disingenuous.
4) The Warriors won three straight do-or-die games. Anyone can win a game or two (even Toronto!) but winning a series is very different.
MushroomSamba
Member
For what it's worth, the Thunder were playing out of their minds for a stretch. They were heavy underdogs to the Spurs too, then rolled them after that Game 1 blowout. If a superfreak team like the Thunder playing to their full potential couldn't put the Warriors away, I have a hard time seeing the Cavs do it either.
Playoffs are about superstars and matchups. Look at the regular season matches even. OKC lost the games but they were always closely contested. In the playoffs OKC was playing to the matchups and winning them because they are on paper the better team in almost every matchup. When it comes to actual playing and style, GS trumped themZ simple as that.
ryutaro's mama
Member
You know what "formula" the Warriors figured out about the Thunder? The spammed the fuck out of getting that switch exploit onto Adams with Klay and Steph and they burned them in the last 6 minutes of the 4th.
OKC SHOULD have had an answer for that and they didn't. Why not?
OKC SHOULD have had an answer for that and they didn't. Why not?
CopperPuppy
Member
If [INSERT PLAYER] didn't play so well in [INSERT GAME], [INSERT PLAYER'S TEAM] would have lost.
Hard-hitting analysis.
Not a cavs fan lol.
Curry had a negative sprain/strain and only had to rehab 3 weeks. Kyrie had to have surgery and had to rehab 4 months. It'd be borderline idiotic to compare the two. We don't have to wait long 😊
i3allistic
Member
kyrie had lebron and love ....while steph had dray and klay ....still couldn't make it competitive? that what im trying to say son
I kept telling my wife how bad I felt for Adams and Serge on those switches. They were playing solid defense but it's impossible for them to stay with Steph and Klay. Masterful job by Kerr setting up those mismatches. Donovan just took out Adams down the stretch, which played into GS's hands since that diminished OKC's rebounding advantage.
Steph and Klay are just unbelievable. Even with Durant on them, they were still able to drive to the basket or find open shots. Defensive principles break down in a hurry when you can't stop the other team's guards.
I'm sure Cleveland will be just fine, though....
They did. They went to a small line up that had been working previously. Only now the law of averages began to play out and poor 3 point shooters like Roberson, Westbrook, and Ibaka weren't making those shots. And with Adams out of the game they weren't getting offensive rebounds to make up for their poor shooting. All those long misses lead to long rebounds, and transition 3s for the Warriors. Literal 6 point swings because a Roberson missed 3 was leading to a Klay made 3. And the collapse began.
johnny_park
Member
I think the Warriors will win but I wouldn't be surprised if Cleveland wins. They took the Warriors to 6 games last year without Love and Kyrie.
They took GS to six games because they slowed down the pace and played hard-nosed defense. Similar to how Memphis beat GS twice.
It can be like that if you're trying to work someone new in. That was one of their first time all playing together since early in the playoffs the previous year. Both teams have played a lot of games since then and the Cavs look alot different. I don't know what you're trying to gain from them but it might be foolish to try and hang on to that sliver.
ryutaro's mama
Member
Exactly. I think the Cavs have a shot but the Warriors just come at you in swarms. You never know when a guy like Iggy will blow up...or fucking Speights...or Livingston, not to mention their superstar core 3.
When I hear people pining the Cavs chances on a consistently road cold Love or streaky Frye...or Kyrie and his no defense playing ass...I just don't understand how someone thinks the Cavs get 4 wins against this team but we shall see.
This is all correct.
Xia, we can get this moved to off-topic right?
MushroomSamba
Member
Yeah, I agree. Cavs should go back to their approach from last finals...slow down the game, grab all the boards, get second and third shot opportunities, scrappy defense...
Not sure how that works with their current personnel, given that Love and Kyrie are below average defenders. They make up for it with more scoring punch, but I think GS has the tools to shut them down at the perimeter.
If that's the case, I wonder if Lue has the balls to not only limit Kyrie and Love's minutes, but implement a play style that goes directly in the face of what got them through the playoffs up to this point.
Gully State
Member
Oh yeah ...oops...can you move this to off-topic?
That banner is dope breh. Did you make it?
Gully State
Member
I wish I were that artistic...I just plagiarized some cool art and copy and pasted stuff..
I don't see how the Cavs can score enough to keep up with the Warriors. Love, Kyrie, and JR Smith (lol) are good 3 point shooters, but when Curry and Thompson get going they just pull away.
Haha, well whatever works! Looks good.
XiaNaphryz
LATIN, MATRIPEDICABUS, DO YOU SPEAK IT
Finals thread up here: http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1226092 and Offseason thread up here: http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1207898
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