Game Thread 2017 NBA Championship - Cavs vs Warriors

[PDXFonz]

I had hoped that at the very least the finals would be a great matchup between two very good teams. So far it's sucked and left a bad taste in my mouth.

 

[Minstrel]

3-1

This year, Curry isn't hurt and Harrison Barnes is...Kevin Durant.

I don't really expect the Cavs to come back, but stranger things have happened.

 

[BigGameDamian]

 

[Pinwheel1]

This year, Curry isn't hurt and Harrison Barnes is...Kevin Durant.

I don't really expect the Cavs to come back, but stranger things have happened.

There were a lot of calls the warriors got they won't get in Cleveland. I expect the next two games to be much more entertaining. But even last year with a gimpy Curry and no Durant they were up 3-1. If Green does not get suspended we are talking potential 3-peat. Although as I argued last year I don't think Durrant would have joined the Warriors if they were coming off two straight chips. The loss gave Durant the justification (in his mind) to join the best team in basketball.

 

[Minstrel]

Although as I argued last year I don't think Durrant would have joined the Warriors if they were coming off two straight chips. The loss gave Durant the justification (in his mind) to join the best team in basketball.

I think you're right. I vaguely recall Durant saying the same thing.

Yeah, here it is:

“It felt like that whole thing was set up for me to leave,” he says, “especially after they blew a lead in the finals, because I damn sure wasn’t going there if they’d won. But after Game Seven, I called up my agent and said, ‘Damn, dude, Golden State – what if?’ ”

So, I guess, the Warriors got the greatest consolation prize in league history?

 

[Minstrel]

 

[Chris Craig]

I think you're right. I vaguely recall Durant saying the same thing.

Yeah, here it is:



So, I guess, the Warriors got the greatest consolation prize in league history?

So who do the Cavs get this summer

 

[Chris Craig]

There were a lot of calls the warriors got they won't get in Cleveland. I expect the next two games to be much more entertaining. But even last year with a gimpy Curry and no Durant they were up 3-1. If Green does not get suspended we are talking potential 3-peat. Although as I argued last year I don't think Durrant would have joined the Warriors if they were coming off two straight chips. The loss gave Durant the justification (in his mind) to join the best team in basketball.

I commented earlier, wondering whether the favor of the refs will switch to the Cavs as the series moves to Cleveland. I guess it depends on the storyline the NBA wants. Do they want to draw out the finals, raise up the ratings, and make more money or are they invested in having the Warriors sweep the playoffs officially asserting complete dominance over the NBA (though they've already pretty much done that)?

Does anyone know the ratings difference between game 1 and game 2? Did they drop? Signifigantly?

 

[Pinwheel1]

I commented earlier, wondering whether the favor of the refs will switch to the Cavs as the series moves to Cleveland. I guess it depends on the storyline the NBA wants. Do they want to draw out the finals, raise up the ratings, and make more money or are they invested in having the Warriors sweep the playoffs officially asserting complete dominance over the NBA (though they've already pretty much done that)?

I don't believe the refs and the front office discuss things in advance of each game. I am not a conspiracy theorist. I just think the refs are influenced by the crowd and how star players use it effectively to their advantage. For example if someone holds on to Lebron's jersey....the crowd will be all over it. When Steph takes 3 steps before making a pass....they might at least think about calling it..... as the crowd goes crazy.

 

[Minstrel]

I also don't believe refs are part of some grand conspiracy. I think they call the game differently for stars, not due to league directive, just subconsciously. Kobe Byrant would get a different call, for the same thing, than someone like Steve Smith.

Both teams have stars and Cleveland has the biggest.

 

[Chris Craig]

I also don't believe refs are part of some grand conspiracy. I think they call the game differently for stars, not due to league directive, just subconsciously. Kobe Byrant would get a different call, for the same thing, than someone like Steve Smith.

Both teams have stars and Cleveland has the biggest.

The Warriors have more stars that's the issue. Maybe we will see the rise of more superteams, especially should the warriors go on to win. This is going to mess up the league for years to come.

 

[Minstrel]

The Warriors have more stars that's the issue. Maybe we will see the rise of more superteams, especially should the warriors go on to win. This is going to mess up the league for years to come.

There's often a team with "more stars." The Heatles had more stars than their opponents. The Jordan/Pippen/Rodman Bulls had more stars than their opponents. Even two-star teams like the Shaq/Kobe Lakers had more stars than most of their opponents.

I don't think it's suddenly a problem. The Warriors are just the latest. The Warriors didn't invent the concept of stars--it's not like teams are going to say, "Hey, look at the Warriors' success! Should we add a bunch of stars to our team?" It's hard to build a team like the Warriors. It probably either will never happen again or not for a generation.

 

[Blazers Roy]

There's often a team with "more stars." The Heatles had more stars than their opponents. The Jordan/Pippen/Rodman Bulls had more stars than their opponents. Even two-star teams like the Shaq/Kobe Lakers had more stars than most of their opponents.

I don't think it's suddenly a problem. The Warriors are just the latest. The Warriors didn't invent the concept of stars--it's not like teams are going to say, "Hey, look at the Warriors' success! Should we add a bunch of stars to our team?" It's hard to build a team like the Warriors. It probably either will never happen again or not for a generation.

In the past teams were limited by the salary cap to only have 3 max contract players + mid level player + bunch of minimum salary players.

The Warriors basically got away with 4 max contract players + 1 player who makes starter money + 2 mid level players + min salary guys.

The NBA fucked up and they took advantage of the situation.
We don't know if the NBA will fuck up like this again, but i'm guessing they will because this whole shitstorm was pretty easy to foresee yet Silver didn't want to anger anybody in the players union.

Also, it's important to add that the Heat and the Lakers were not THAT overpowered:
-The Lakers were given 1 chip courtesy of the Blazers (in 7 games) and 1 chip from the refs.
-The Heat lost 1 chip to the Mavs, barely won one against the Spurs and lost shamefully against the Spurs the following year. It's kinda funny to compare Wade and Bosh to Curry,Klay and Green to be honest.

 

[Minstrel]

In the past teams were limited by the salary cap to only have 3 max contract players + mid level player + bunch of minimum salary players.

The Warriors basically got away with 4 max contract players + 1 player who makes starter money + 2 mid level players + min salary guys.

A lot of that was just great drafting. The NBA salary cap was never really intended to deprive teams of homegrown players. Getting Kevin Durant was definitely due to a fluky circumstance, but a lot of things had to line up, not just the cap spiking up (for example, the Cavaliers weren't able to add another max salary--lots of teams weren't). I really wouldn't count on that (the best team in the league with their stars no longer on rookie contracts being able to add a max superstar) happening again.

My main point, though, was I don't really see what long-lasting effects this will have. The Warriors didn't invent the concept of superteams and their success isn't going to suddenly lead to the rise of more of them. It's hard to stack a roster like this (once in a generation hard, maybe once in a lifetime hard)--there's really nothing repeatable about this that the rest of the league can emulate. So yes, the Warriors are probably going to be dominant for at least the next 3 years, but once they start to fade, things are going to return to normal.

 

[Dom McBlazer]

They came out guns a blazing in this game and still lost.

Defense was still a problem.

 

[Minstrel]

Defense was still a problem.

Defense will always be a problem for them. James is their only two-way player. The rest of their players are offense-only (Irving, Love, Korver, Frye, Williams), defense-only (Thompson, Shumpert) or invisible (JR Smith).

They survived last year because Curry wasn't 100% and Harrison Barnes gave them someone they could ignore so James could help all over the court. With a healthy Curry and Durant forcing James to guard him, all their defensive minuses are being exposed.

I suppose Richard Jefferson has some use on both ends, but he's so old, he can't really be a difference-maker.

 

[GlydingCJ3s]

You can easily tell Thompson is dating a Kardashian

 

[Dom McBlazer]

Pertaining to his latest comments, either Ty Lue is insane or is just trying to throw smokescreens.

 

[Chris Craig]

Defense will always be a problem for them. James is their only two-way player. The rest of their players are offense-only (Irving, Love, Korver, Frye, Williams), defense-only (Thompson, Shumpert) or invisible (JR Smith).

They survived last year because Curry wasn't 100% and Harrison Barnes gave them someone they could ignore so James could help all over the court. With a healthy Curry and Durant forcing James to guard him, all their defensive minuses are being exposed.

I suppose Richard Jefferson has some use on both ends, but he's so old, he can't really be a difference-maker.

James looked so exhausted after both games. He can't do it all himself and he doesn't have three other stars to help him

 

[Minstrel]

James looked so exhausted after both games. He can't do it all himself and he doesn't have three other stars to help him

He has two other stars, but they're not as good as the Warriors' stars and they're offense-only. Yeah, there's only so much he can do.

At this point, his best defensive asset is the ability to play free safety and put out fires his teammates start. But covering Durant, he can't do that.

 

[BoBoBREWSKI]

Hoping the Cavs can win tonight to keep the series somewhat interesting and brake the hated Warriors perfect playoff run.

 

[Dom McBlazer]

James looked so exhausted after both games. He can't do it all himself and he doesn't have three other stars to help him

But....isn't this the team LeBron wanted?

 

[Chris Craig]

Have a feeling the Cavs are going to win tonight

 

[Chris Craig]

This is the kind of game I like to see. Hopefully the Cavs can keep it up.

 

[KingSpeed]

Hopefully LeBron doesn't have to miss next game because of concussion protocol!

 

[Chris Craig]

They better give the Cavs the other point from Lebrons 3...only gave him 2

 

[Chris Craig]

Fuck Cavs falling apart...more of the same

 

[Scalma]

I don't care what anyone says, warriors don't scare me. They're a good team in a league full of average ones.

 

[Mediocre Man]

Im trying to watch, but the constant bitching to officials on EVERY SINGLE FUCKING PLAY sucks.

 

[ripcityboy]

I don't care what anyone says, warriors don't scare me. They're a good team in a league full of average ones.

Any team can be beaten if they face a tough matchup and the key players have a crappy series, but the difficulty is that the Warriors have three superstars. What are the odds all three crap the bed at the same time? One can carry the team while the other are neutralized. But man, what an upset if that were to happen.