Fun Friday: More Cavs Warriors
Last week on fun friday we discussed the NBA Finals. I went out on a limb and predicted Cavs in seven. The comments were full of predictions, with a slight preference for the Warriors but not a landslide by any measure.
Last night the series kicked off with a drubbing as the Warriors won by 22 points and took every quarter and blew the game open in the third quarter.
It sure makes it clear how good this Warriors team is. My prediction of a Cavs victory looks worse today than yesterday for sure.
Does last night’s drubbing change anyone’s view of how this series will go?
Comments (Archived):
The Playoffs are endless. It’s June. Warriors in 6. Still pissed about last year
I think I said warriors in 6. I revise to warriors in 5.
Don’t count Cleveland out. The home court is a big advantage for any team in the final. Weren’t they down 3-1 last year?
NFL in 97 days. That is all. Have a nice day.
Heathen.
The game was won based on turnovers. Warriors had only 4 vs. 20 for Cavs, resulting in 21 points for Warriors vs. 6 for Cavs, off of turnovers. This tells me Cavs can recover.
What causes turnovers?Commitment on D from crazy athletic players:- KD & Dray hound The King when he is handling the ball.- Klay, Iggy, Livingston hound Kyrie when the Cavs run Steph into hard screens- JaVale keeps the rim clean and challenges KLove 3sThe Ws D won the game last night. Can the Cavs dig in (like last year) on D?
William Mougayar:Note to self and the Cavs they need to recover like now. Right now.
Game #4 was incredible.
William Mougayar:Based upon the Warriors body of work and assembled All-Star talent we can’t envision Cleveland duplicating that performance on the Warriors home floor. (Would be a joy to witness)But the science (statistics) tell a different story.We move more on logic and less on emotion when viewing anything out of our control.Monday will be a blowout based upon statistics. Removing emotions and biases.
Last year, Warriors won game 1 by 15 and game 2 by 33. Doesn’t change anything bc it’s a whole different game if the cavs clean up the turnovers that led to uncontested Durant dunks
That is one of the adjustments Cavs need to make. Warriors will counter by passing around the ring for open three or drive and dish or get to the line. Cavs cannot limit 2s and defend the 3 point line consistently. Agreed that Cavs will be more competitively if they can limit turnovers.
Dubs showed they are a good team but Cavs did not play their best. I think Warriors will take the series as they have a serious chip about handing Cavs the series last year. Dray will keep himself in check this series. Cavs need great consistent performances from LeBron, Kyrie and Love to have a fighting chance. Their hope for a win comes from JR, Iman or Tristan having a lights out game offensively AND being able to take out two of Warriors core four. One or two guys from Warriors bench will always deliver a big game because of the way they run their offense and substitution patterns. Cavs not coached that way. Cavs can’t beat Warriors the way they played in prior series and Game 1. Need to begin to make adjustments in Game 2 and 3. Won’t win Game 2 but may be able to win Game 3. If so, there is a series. If Dubs gets to 3-1 or 3-2, they will play lock down and not let Cavs back in like last year. Dubs in 5. Go Warriors!!
I think both teams can play better. I hope we get at least one game with both teams playing at their potential. That would be something to watch. Some amazing talent in these finals.
Nope.23 is still the best player on the floor until KD does this 4 games out of 7.Team w best player always has a chance.Turnovers are not random – Ws D & 3s are still better. than Cavs. I think I said Ws in 6 and that still feels right. Winning in BelieveLand won’t be a walk in the park.
Sticking with Warriors in 6 too.
Too true, #23 Draymond Green is frequently the best player on the floor.
Not last night.He could not have thrown it in the Pacifc if you had tied him to the end of the Santa Monica Pier.Same for Klay.Those cats heat up, Cavs are in big trouble.
Cleveland looked so dominant against the East…just a reminder of the weakness of the Eastern Conference. I’ll admit I am biased, but with both teams at full strength, the Warriors being more focused than last year, and with the Warriors having home court, I think it will be Dubs in 5.
Tougher to still say Preds in 6 but I’m doing it anyway.
My views remain the same: LeBron is the best player in the league, enough to win some games single-handedly. But the warriors have assembled maybe the most talented team in NBA history. Warriors in 6.
Rob Larson:You need NBA classics and take the entire casual fan team on USV with you.Modern NBA team best assembled. (Qualifier, asterisks)
Love the classics. Celtics & Lakers in 80s were loaded like no team in the modern age until now. The 2017 warriors tops them in my opinion.
Rob Larson:We had to arrive at a moment of thinking logically verses defending what we actually viewed during the 80’s and 90’s in all sports. When older people reference a goldern era they consider a monumental moment in time they are actually attempting to defend a capsule in time they want to preserve. The modern era is more advanced and better conditioned then what preceded, so yes 50 year old Magic, Bird, MJ can’t beat any of the modern day NBA players unless they are on a Phil Jackson assembled team.Mic drop.
I don’t know how there’s any question whether the Dubs are the most talented in history. They set the NBA record for wins and then removed their worst player in exchange for an MVP in prime form. Doesn’t mean this series is over, but the talent level is off the charts.
I think LBJ is the best player on the floor, but he’s not so much better that he alone can win it for the Cavs. Kyrie is 3 or 4 for me behind Durant, maybe Curry. But if you rank the rest of the teams, how many Cavs are in the top 8, top 10? I think the Ws have too much depth on O and D.
I’ll bite:1. LeBron2. KD3. Kyrie4. Steph5. Draymond6. Kevin Love7. Klay8. Tristan9. JR10. Javale McGeeThis list is complicated, though, because Steph, Draymond, or Klay all have the potential to be #2 at any given moment. Going to be interesting this year to see who has more depth off the bench.
Hmmm.List is also complicated by style of play and officiating. In today’s game, I would rank KD over LeBron. But, historically, The King is likely more durable and more versatile (what would KD do with a Malone @ the 4?)1. The King2. KD3. Steph4. Kyrie5. Kawhi6. Harden7. Russ8. The Freak9. Paul George10. DrayPG13 and The Freak need their commitment to D to be tested in big games. Russ & Harden have proven they will dig in on D.
Haha why does your list feature non Dubs/Cavs players? I’m not actually putting JaVale McGee in the top 10 list of active NBA players….
” But if you rank the rest of the teams, how many Cavs are in the top 8, top 10? “Took that to mean the entire NBA.In the series, 1. King2. KD3. Steph4. Kyrie5. Dray6. Klay7. Love8. Iggy9. Tristan10. Livingston
Could have been clearer in my comment, but intended to rank the teams head to head, “how does the warriors 3rd best player compare to the cavs 3rd best”, and so on…
Ah, yeah, I was looking more at the first part of his statement. Interesting that you put Iggy and Livingston in there, as non-starters. I could be convinced of that argument, although I think Iggy is too far past prime and I’m taking JR over Livingston. Tristan is severely underrated in my opinion. His stats don’t reflect the x-factor he brings with second-chance points. He would be an absolute terror with the Dubs for that reason. Interesting recent article on that: http://www.espn.com/nba/sto…
I’m predicting Cavs in 6 games. Lebron has lost game 1 every time he’s won the title and I don’t believe this time will be any different. KD and Curry actually have to play at this high level every game to win. Klay has suffered in the playoffs and the Cavs had an uncharacteristic amount of turnovers (20). LBJ and Kyrie perform best when they have faced a bit of adversity and people start to count them out. They will even the series heading to Cle for game 3, I feel.
Didn’t change my mind but it’s definitely going to be tough for Cleveland. GS won the first two last year by a combined 40+.
FRED:You went on a limb. After one away game.Gheez!The typical casual fan.Nothing new to report.It was Lebron with no help against four All-Stars.
Game one means nothing. Let’s talk after game three:) It’s all about GRIT who has more and on that only time will tell…
I say the Lebron racist incident has rattled him enough to create a bad outcome.http://www.cleveland.com/en…The only question is was this intentional – a way for someone to try to throw the game?
“”Racism is an issue in America, but it’s primarily an issue for the poor. It’s not LeBron James ‘ issue,” Whitlock, who is black, said about racist graffiti being sprayed on James’ property.”What a ridiculous thing to say. LeBron literally acknowledged in his comments that he’s okay, his family is okay, and that’s all that matters. He didn’t play the victim card. He said that if something like this keeps the dialog alive, then so be it. LeBron’s response was nearly perfect. It also happened at a house that he rarely visits and that his family wasn’t in at the time. Doubt this rattled him much at all.Edit: Want to note that I think Whitlock’s statement was ridiculous…not yours.
I don’t know about that Ryan. In this video at the press conference he is specifically saying that no matter how much money or fame you have you are still subject to racism. He might have made the other statement later but that is what he said initially at a press conference.http://www.cnn.com/videos/s…Here is what appears to be a transcript, seems clear to me:http://ftw.usatoday.com/201…The fact is both poor and wealthy blacks have it tough. But I don’t think you can compare in any way the two situations. Not even close. In Lebron’s case the graffiti was cleared up so quickly (by a maintenance team) there wasn’t even time for someone to film it with their cellphone.As far as the impact I will say this. I know almost nothing about sports. But what I do know is that players are definitely subject to superstition, emotion and a host of psychological issues that guide how well they play. So the way I see it, this is definitely the type of thing that could rattle someone enough to make them not play as well. And if we can assume the perp was a sports bettor and the act wasn’t just random we can also figure that they were thinking the same thing. Possibly.
He said, “No matter how much money you have, no matter how famous you are, no matter how many people admire you, being black in America is tough.”He didn’t say it’s equally tough to be black and poor. He’s been there. He knows. He was making a point that racism tends to fly under the radar sometimes now, but it doesn’t actually magically go away under any circumstance. The graffiti is proof.
No change to my view that the Warriors will win the series…BUT, let’s not forget last year’s finals and the scorelines…anything can happen here.Game 1: Warriors 104, Cavs 89Game 2: Warriors 110, Cavs 77Game 3: Cavs 120, Warriors 90Game 4: Warriors 108, Cavs 97Game 5: Cavs 112, Warriors 97Game 6: Cavs 115, Warriors 101Game 7: Cavs 93, Warriors 89
If KD keeps playing like last night it’s over. What I don’t understand is why the NBA let’s a player like KD go to what is arguably the best team in the league. How does that contribute to making basketball interesting and why do the owners stand for it? The Warriors seem like a totally stacked deck.
.The Warriors in what will look like a cakewalk — Kevin Durant v Harrison Barnes.Barnes is a damn good player. He has blossomed in Dallas. He was a ten point guy who did not deliver his average performance in the playoffs. Shot 16% in the last three games last year. Folded down the stretch.Durant is a great player, can change the momentum of any game, and can light it up at the top end with no limit. He’s a 27 point guy who will score and play even bigger in the playoffs.The Cavs are looking to stop Steph which opens the game for Durant. Durant will take advantage of anything you give him. Unlike Barnes, he can handle and drive, finishing at the rim like a lion.The Warriors are a different team than last year. Last year they were damn good, but the addition of Durant makes them killers.When you win, you recover quicker.When you lose, the loss eats at you. Lebron will run out of gas in the tank come game #4.JLMwww.themusingsofthebigredca…
“When you lose, the loss eats at you. Lebron will run out of gas in the tank come game #4.”This is a very odd take, given LeBron’s response to last year’s 3-1 deficit.
.Fair play to you. It is a little odd as you note.I think LeBron has a big load to carry.JLMwww.themusingsofthebigredca…
This is a fair point, but Ws shot themselves (as JLM notes, Barnes in particular wilted under the pressure) out of the end of that series and were still in it.I also think KD is one of the few bigs who can handle The King 1:1 on D.Did not see any strolls to the rack from LeBron last night. Saw a lot of KD forcing him into tough finishes at the tin.There is a lot of D in KD and it is wildly underrated. Sort of like Kawhi’s under the radar offence.
Agreed. As a huge Cavs fan, I think the Warriors will take this series. I was just pointing out that counting on LeBron to run out of steam is unlikely.
Who ya got?This Warriors teamv. 72 Win Bulls team?v. The best Showtime Lakers team (86/87)?v. The best Celtics team of the 80s?v. The Bad Boy Pistons?v. The Bucks team that had Oscar and Kareem?Anything before that probably wouldn’t even play with the worst team now.
.I am not a sufficient student of the NBA to give a credible answer.JLMwww.themusingsofthebigredca…
Man you sound like someone who just experienced his first 40% 24-hour downswing in crypto! First 2 quarters were close and home court on game 1 is a huge advantage. I’m rooting for the cavs and hope for a good series
Knew all along Warriors are a far superior team in all facets of the game vs. Isolation. Isolation isn’t there game, but can use Durant when necessary. Brand of basketball is how the game should be played. Add in Thompson’s shooting and barring a complete melt down, the Warriors will be your NBA champions. Also, in the Finals for the next 3 to 4 years.
I predicted Warriors in 6. I now amend that prediction to Warriors in 5. BTW, do give my old post a read if you haven’t – I also had a lot of suggestions re: Coinbase.
Asking the tough questions: Can James Jones carry LeBron to another championship?
Warriors looked locked in, no doubt… hungrier, more active on D, simply in-synch… Cleveland looked out-of-sorts… trying to do too much, one on one offense, too may turnovers, terrible help defense… that being said, lest we forget the Warriors pretty much blew out the Cavs last year in Game 1 as well (104 to 89)… hit series is far from over…
Everybody but everybody on ESPN talking about LeBron and his legacy prior to this game. Somehow they all forgot to ask KD how much he wanted a ring? Didn’t matter because last night KD answered that question. And, as mentioned by various commentators, the Dubs have another gear left. I was actually shocked how good the Warriors looked in the first half despite missing a ton of easy shots. Ball movement and fluidity reminded me of another dominant team and almost everybody on this thread is probably too young to remember- the old Boston Celtics featuring Bill Russell. Yes, I think the Cavs will play better but i will be shocked out of my Nike’s if the Warriors don’t continue to roll. Get used to this- this Warriors team is going to be dominant for a while, just like the old Celtics club. Oh yes, something else also: NEWS FLASH: life isn’t fair.
Feels like Vegas knew more than the average bettor again.
Not really. Still favor Warriors.
Tangential NBA post:https://youtu.be/V_h7Lm7C9Nk