AROUND THE NBA - April/Playoffs

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santeesioux said:
This was the season everyone was acting like the East had finally closed the gap against the West with the West having a down year, but I'd still take the top 5 West teams over any other team in the East after the Cavs.
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Yep, the East got off to a fast start against the West this season, which resulted in a flurry of articles in December and early January about how the East had caught and passed the West, but by the end of the year, the Eastern Conference had a losing record against the Western Conference for the 16th time in the last 17 years.

BNM
 
I'm not sure that Cleveland coasted--in the first half of the season, there were various articles about how frustrated LeBron James was over how the Warriors were playing relative to the Cavaliers. He apparently exhorted his team to raise their level and said that the Warriors have the hunger of a team that lost the Finals, not the Cavs. The picture painted was of a James who despaired of being able to catch the Warriors and match their level, which doesn't sound like a star allowing his team to slack in the regular season.

I think the Cavaliers are essentially the team they were through the regular season. An insanely hot shooting stretch will make any team look like they've activated super saiyan mode but, as Boob-No-More said, they're not likely to sustain that going forward and a team like the Warriors will chase them off their preferred shots on the perimeter, making it even harder for them to shoot the lights out.
 
Minstrel said:
I'm not sure that Cleveland coasted--in the first half of the season, there were various articles about how frustrated LeBron James was over how the Warriors were playing relative to the Cavaliers. He apparently exhorted his team to raise their level and said that the Warriors have the hunger of a team that lost the Finals, not the Cavs. The picture painted was of a James who despaired of being able to catch the Warriors and match their level, which doesn't sound like a star allowing his team to slack in the regular season.

I think the Cavaliers are essentially the team they were through the regular season. An insanely hot shooting stretch will make any team look like they've activated super saiyan mode but, as Boob-No-More said, they're not likely to sustain that going forward and a team like the Warriors will chase them off their preferred shots on the perimeter, making it even harder for them to shoot the lights out.
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Many good points in that post, but they aren't exactly the same team they were early in the year. They added Channing Frye at the deadline in place of Anderson Varejao - a career .024 3-point shooter (no, that's not a typo, it's 2.4%, as in 1 for 42). Frye gives them one weapon they lacked - a big man who can space the floor, and he's been killing it in the playoffs.

But again, he hasn't faced a defense like GSW that will definitely make him work MUCH harder for those shots.

BNM
 
@Tunchi

You want Lowry cause you think he's better? More effecient than Lillard? Please respond to this message after you see the stats.

Lillard has never shot less than 41.9% during a season. Lowry's career percentage is 41.9%

Lowry has had 3 seasons of shooting less than 41% (Not including his rookie year where he played 10 games). Lillard has had only one season where he shot less than 42%.

Lillard: 37% 3 point shooting. Lowry: 35.6%

Last season, Lowry shot .8% better than Lillard (42.7% and 41.9%).

in 2015-2016 - Lowry had 47 games of 40% or better, Lillard had 45. Lowry had 35 games of 45% or more. Lillard had 30.

Lowry and Lillard each had 29 games of shooting less than 40%.

Lowry has had 12 games of shooting between 20-30%. Lillard had 6.

Lowry had 8 games shooting between 30-35%. Lillard had 7.

You can never, ever say again that one is feast or famine and the other is not and that one would be better on this team. EVERY day Lillard is better for this team, WITH his flaws. Lowry is JUST as feast or famine as Lillard. And I didn't even get into individual numbers (FGA/FGM).

So now that you have been proven wrong by multiple people multiple times. If you do not respond with a "whoops, I was wrong" then you are a certified troll.

Have a great day!

http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/l/lowryky01/gamelog/2016/ <--- Kyle Lowry

http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/l/lillada01/gamelog/2016/ <---- Damian Lillard
 
I miss Channing Frye. We'd be in the WCF right now if we had him this year.
 
Strenuus said:
@Tunchi

You want Lowry cause you think he's better? More effecient than Lillard? Please respond to this message after you see the stats.

Lillard has never shot less than 41.9% during a season. Lowry's career percentage is 41.9%

Lowry has had 3 seasons of shooting less than 41% (Not including his rookie year where he played 10 games). Lillard has had only one season where he shot less than 42%.

Lillard: 37% 3 point shooting. Lowry: 35.6%

Last season, Lowry shot .8% better than Lillard (42.7% and 41.9%).

in 2015-2016 - Lowry had 47 games of 40% or better, Lillard had 45. Lowry had 35 games of 45% or more. Lillard had 30.

Lowry and Lillard each had 29 games of shooting less than 40%.

Lowry has had 12 games of shooting between 20-30%. Lillard had 6.

Lowry had 8 games shooting between 30-35%. Lillard had 7.

You can never, ever say again that one is feast or famine and the other is not and that one would be better on this team. EVERY day Lillard is better for this team, WITH his flaws. Lowry is JUST as feast or famine as Lillard. And I didn't even get into individual numbers (FGA/FGM).

So now that you have been proven wrong by multiple people multiple times. If you do not respond with a "whoops, I was wrong" then you are a certified troll.

Have a great day!

http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/l/lowryky01/gamelog/2016/ <--- Kyle Lowry

http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/l/lillada01/gamelog/2016/ <---- Damian Lillard
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Good job you got me. I lost this one
 
PtldPlatypus said:
Scoff all you want, but there appears to be a bit more "there" there than people initially expected.

http://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/i...yronn-lue-has-created-a-monster-in-cleveland/
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Interesting article, but according to this quote:

"The goal of any team built the way the Cavs have been built is to win a championship. And to do that, you have to play Western Conference basketball."

It sounds like they are going to try to beat GSW at their own game and that sounds like a fool's errand to me. Yes, they are making more 3-pointers per game and shooting a higher 3FG% in the playoffs than GSW, but is that sustainable? I don't believe it is. Here's why:

The regular season represents a much bigger sample size. CLE is hot right now, but at some point, they will start regressing to the norm.

2015-16 Regular Season:
GSW: .416 3FG%, 13.1 made 3-pointers per game
CLE: .363 3FG%, 10.7 made 3-pointers per game

GSW is a MUCH better 3-point shooting team than not just CLE, but the rest of the entire league and the margin is ridiculous. Of course, GSW's .416 team 3FG% led the league, but the second best team was at .375 3FG%. The difference between GSW and the second best 3-point shooting team was greater than margin between the 2nd best team and the 28th best team. It's just ridiculous how much better GSW is at shooting the 3 than the rest of the league.

As mentioned, CLE is shooting lights out from downtown right now and is shooting a higher percentage and making more 3-pointers per game in the playoffs than GSW. So, right now, CLE is outplaying the Warriors at their own game, so far, in the playoffs:

2015-16 Playoffs:
GSW: .407 3FG%, 12.2 made 3-pointers per game
CLE: .455 3FG%, 15.7 made 3-pointers per game

From those numbers, it looks like GSW's 3-point shooting is down ever-so-slightly, from the regular season and CLE's is WAY up. But, here's the thing, GSW has been without their best 3-point shooter, the best 3-point shooter in the history of the word, for half of their 12 games, and in two of the six games he's played, he played less than 20 minutes. Here's GSW's playoff 3-point shooting numbers in the 6 games they've played with, and without, Steph Curry:

2015-16 Playoffs (with Steph Curry):
GSW: .441 3FG%, 14.3 made 3-pointers per game

2015-16 Playoffs (with Steph Curry):
GSW: .370 3FG%, 10.0 made 3-pointers per game

You can see what a huge impact Steph Curry has on GSW's 3-point shooting. With him, they are a bit better than their regular season numbers and much closer to CLE's current playoff numbers. Without him, they are, very much like CLE was in the regular season, a slightly better than average 3-point shooting team.

Based on past performance, and a much larger sample size, I think it's more likely that GSW will continue to shoot the 3-ball at around their regular season averages, as long as Steph Curry is capable of playing. Based on past performance and a much larger sample size, CLE is currently on a hot streak that does not appear to be sustainable long term. The question is, can they sustain it for 7 more games? I don't believe they can, especially against GSW's defense, that was second in the league defending the 3-pointer at .332 opponent 3FG%.

BNM
 
So what if the Cavs swept the east and then got swept by OKC or GSW. Really doubt that happens, but it would be funny.

Anyways I don't need that to happen to know that the west is still much better than the east.
 
Fonzthecpt1 said:
So what if the Cavs swept the east and then got swept by OKC or GSW. Really doubt that happens, but it would be funny.

Anyways I don't need that to happen to know that the west is still much better than the east.
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It'd be even funnier to see the Cavs sweep the Raptors then sweep the west, the NBA would explode lol
 
Boob-No-More said:
Interesting article, but according to this quote:

"The goal of any team built the way the Cavs have been built is to win a championship. And to do that, you have to play Western Conference basketball."

It sounds like they are going to try to beat GSW at their own game and that sounds like a fool's errand to me. Yes, they are making more 3-pointers per game and shooting a higher 3FG% in the playoffs than GSW, but is that sustainable? I don't believe it is. Here's why:

The regular season represents a much bigger sample size. CLE is hot right now, but at some point, they will start regressing to the norm.

2015-16 Regular Season:
GSW: .416 3FG%, 13.1 made 3-pointers per game
CLE: .363 3FG%, 10.7 made 3-pointers per game

GSW is a MUCH better 3-point shooting team than not just CLE, but the rest of the entire league and the margin is ridiculous. Of course, GSW's .416 team 3FG% led the league, but the second best team was at .375 3FG%. The difference between GSW and the second best 3-point shooting team was greater than margin between the 2nd best team and the 28th best team. It's just ridiculous how much better GSW is at shooting the 3 than the rest of the league.

As mentioned, CLE is shooting lights out from downtown right now and is shooting a higher percentage and making more 3-pointers per game in the playoffs than GSW. So, right now, CLE is outplaying the Warriors at their own game, so far, in the playoffs:

2015-16 Playoffs:
GSW: .407 3FG%, 12.2 made 3-pointers per game
CLE: .455 3FG%, 15.7 made 3-pointers per game

From those numbers, it looks like GSW's 3-point shooting is down ever-so-slightly, from the regular season and CLE's is WAY up. But, here's the thing, GSW has been without their best 3-point shooter, the best 3-point shooter in the history of the word, for half of their 12 games, and in two of the six games he's played, he played less than 20 minutes. Here's GSW's playoff 3-point shooting numbers in the 6 games they've played with, and without, Steph Curry:

2015-16 Playoffs (with Steph Curry):
GSW: .441 3FG%, 14.3 made 3-pointers per game

2015-16 Playoffs (with Steph Curry):
GSW: .370 3FG%, 10.0 made 3-pointers per game

You can see what a huge impact Steph Curry has on GSW's 3-point shooting. With him, they are a bit better than their regular season numbers and much closer to CLE's current playoff numbers. Without him, they are, very much like CLE was in the regular season, a slightly better than average 3-point shooting team.

Based on past performance, and a much larger sample size, I think it's more likely that GSW will continue to shoot the 3-ball at around their regular season averages, as long as Steph Curry is capable of playing. Based on past performance and a much larger sample size, CLE is currently on a hot streak that does not appear to be sustainable long term. The question is, can they sustain it for 7 more games? I don't believe they can, especially against GSW's defense, that was second in the league defending the 3-pointer at .332 opponent 3FG%.

BNM
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Yep, now that CLE's 3-point shooting has regressed to the norm, they are looking very beatable. Currently shooting 3-17 and .313 3FG% for the series.

BNM
 
Man, remember when Kevin Love was considered an elite player in the league? Five points on 2 for 8 shooting and 2 rebounds at the half. Invisible.
 
Lowry is killing!! Their about to be 2 games from the finals

Wow
 
Boob-No-More said:
Yep, now that CLE's 3-point shooting has regressed to the norm, they are looking very beatable. Currently shooting 3-17 and .313 3FG% for the series.

BNM
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Toronto's plan has been great the last couple of game. Basically playing a zone and pressing the Cavs higher knowing Biyombo is back there. Forces Cavs off 3 point line and then they recover forcing fade aways
 
Wow

Lowry 35 points and now 2 games from reaching the NBA finals
 
I think it's obvious that the Raptors are better than Lillard.
 
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