Dolfan in NYC Posted May 28, 2015 Share Posted May 28, 2015 ...won't begin for a friggin' week. Game 1: - Thu. June 4, Cleveland at Golden State, 9 p.m. ET, ABC Game 2: Sun. June 7, Cleveland at Golden State, 8 p.m. ET, ABC Game 3: Tue. June 9, Golden State at Cleveland, 9 p.m. ET, ABC Game 4: Thu. June 11, Golden State at Cleveland, 9 p.m. ET, ABC Game 5 *: Sun, June 14, Cleveland at Golden State, 8 p.m. ET, ABC Game 6 *: Tue, June 16, Golden State at Cleveland, 9 p.m. ETM, ABC Game 7 *: Fri, June 19, Cleveland at Golden State, 9 p.m. ET, ABC * = if necessary This is going to be great. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goodhelmet Posted May 28, 2015 Share Posted May 28, 2015 My initial thought was this would benefit Cleveland so Kyrie can get healthy but after those last 2 games, it looks like Curry and Thompson could use the time off as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shadow Posted May 28, 2015 Share Posted May 28, 2015 They're making us wait for a week for the main event? That's some first class BS. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JRGoldman Posted May 28, 2015 Share Posted May 28, 2015 I am excited. When the Cavs last made the finals, I think everyone in Cleveland sort of knew that the real test was Detroit, and were looking at the finals as valuable experience. Granted things went a little south after that, but now they are back and I think this team could do some damage. I don't know if they can win, I think Golden State is really in an elite class right now, especially with health and their uncanny ability to not take concussion tests. I do think that the series is closer than people think, even without Love. I think that the Cavs have some matchups that can end up being problematic for Golden State. I would like to see them go ultra big for stretches and see how that works: JR, Shump, Lebron, Thompson and Mozgov. I think that lineup covers Golden State really well, actually. JR and Shump have been very strong against perimeter players, it gives Lebron the chance rest a little on defense as Barnes or Iggy will not post up or run him through endless screens. Draymond Green is a solid offensive player, but Thompson is equal athletically, and Mozgov and Bogut can have their own private war down low that will have almost zero bearing on the other 8 people playing basketball. Did you know that Mozgov one time put up 23 and 29 against Bogut? That is bonkers. That's like 75 and 100 for a normal person. I think we will see Lebron on Curry for short stretches defensively, although I would be hesitant to use that long term. I think Blatt may even try to hide Irving on Barnes for a bit and see if he can get away with it. Barnes has improved his shot a ton this year, but I think you live with him taking shots in this matchup, even if they are decent looks. Offensively, the Cavs have Lebron James. I think Draymond is a good defender, but I don't think he can check Lebron for 40 minutes without issues. Lebron had his best game of the year against Golden State. If Draymond does D up Lebron, he won't be a big part of the Warriors offense. Kyrie is a question mark. If he is 90% healthy, he can really help put pressure on GS for 48 minutes. I am worried about bench heavy units. I don't see how the Cavs can use James Jones in the series. He will just get demolished. Livingston is so long he really creates matchup problems if he is at the point. Dellavedova is 6'4", but he won't be able to do anything against Livingston in the high post. Obviously the Cavs will miss Love, but I don't think his impact in this series would have been as great as it would have been against Chicago. Bizarrely, Tristan Thompson's offensive rebounding has been so good that other teams have had to adjust and body him constantly, which has created a similar amount of spacing to Love playing on the perimeter. It's going to be tough for both teams to game plan and adjust. Lebron seemingly gets his no matter what, and gets others involved. The Cavs have a ton of capable shooters right now, and even more if Irving is game ready. No one this whole year has been able to effectively defend the Warriors. Even though it doesn't feel like it, the Cavs do have the experience edge. No one on Golden State has been to the finals before. Granted, the last team with no finals experience was the 91 Bulls, who absolutely smoked the Lakers. Lebron, Jones, Miller, and Marion all know what it's like and will hopefully act as a guiding force. Above all else, I think that the finals has the two best teams in it. We should see a good series. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greggulator Posted May 28, 2015 Share Posted May 28, 2015 There are no losers here. Great matchup between two great, starved fan bases. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Posted May 28, 2015 Share Posted May 28, 2015 A fantastic Finals on paper that will make ABC executives cry into their appletinis. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lawful Metal Posted May 28, 2015 Share Posted May 28, 2015 Cavs in 4. Not bitter. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimbo Posted May 28, 2015 Share Posted May 28, 2015 Cavs in 4. Not bitter. I want a GS win, but I think the Cavs make quick work of them. I honestly wouldn't be surprised if they won in 5. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Fowler Posted May 29, 2015 Share Posted May 29, 2015 GS in 6. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spritenaut 32 Posted May 29, 2015 Share Posted May 29, 2015 I never thought I would root for the Cav's, but..... here we are. I'm not even a Lebron superfan, but, if he can win with Love watching from the bench and a banged-up and possibly unavailable?) Irving, more power to him. Gonna be a fun ride and a long-suffering franchise gets to hoist the trophy no matter what. On paper, I feel like Golden State is a little better, but Cleveland has Lebron on a mission to give his hometown a title. Not sure I want to bet against that under any circumstance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlie M. Posted May 29, 2015 Share Posted May 29, 2015 The game can be cruel. The game does not care about personal missions. Everything measureable points to this Golden State team being among the all-time greats. No one wants to say it before they win because that's what they do but I think we'll be looking back years from now on this as the start of multiple championships for Curry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TimLivingston Posted May 29, 2015 Share Posted May 29, 2015 Golden State in 5. Not just Draymond who's going to draw LeBron. It'll be him, then Barnes, then AI. With Bogut behind them, they'll force LeBron into being an outside shooter for the time being, as Mosgov doesn't get out of the paint much. They'll try some pick and rolls, but Bogut's not going to step out because he doesn't care about Mosgov's shot. The Cavs are gonna have to do what the Rockets did in Game 4 of the WCF: Bombs away and hope to hell people get hot. I'll tell you my fear in this series: That sneaky Aussie fuck doing his "hustle roll" for a loose ball right into Steph's ankles. I swear to god if that happens at Oracle, people will riot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J.T. Posted May 29, 2015 Share Posted May 29, 2015 GS in Seven. The true MVP of this sport is Riley Curry. What and adorable child and what a kickass dad Steph is for being brave enough to share some spotlight with his kid. As a black person, I have to say that the Curry family's consistency of high yellow family members is astounding. There is obviously some genetic engineering or something going on. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Burgundy LaRue Posted May 29, 2015 Share Posted May 29, 2015 The troll in me wants Curry to keep bringing his daughter to the post-game podium, so the whiners who complain about Riley being there can keep hating. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J.T. Posted May 29, 2015 Share Posted May 29, 2015 The troll in me wants Curry to keep bringing his daughter to the post-game podium, so the whiners who complain about Riley being there can keep hating. These are the same people that criticized Joe Flacco for skipping a game to be at the birth of his kid. I hate the Ravens but Joe made the right decision. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JRGoldman Posted May 29, 2015 Share Posted May 29, 2015 Golden State in 5. Not just Draymond who's going to draw LeBron. It'll be him, then Barnes, then AI. With Bogut behind them, they'll force LeBron into being an outside shooter for the time being, as Mosgov doesn't get out of the paint much. They'll try some pick and rolls, but Bogut's not going to step out because he doesn't care about Mosgov's shot. The Cavs are gonna have to do what the Rockets did in Game 4 of the WCF: Bombs away and hope to hell people get hot. I'll tell you my fear in this series: That sneaky Aussie fuck doing his "hustle roll" for a loose ball right into Steph's ankles. I swear to god if that happens at Oracle, people will riot. I think you are probably right about GS's plan for Lebron moving forward, but I think my point still stands that none of those guys can consistently hang with Lebron. I also think that the Cavs will use the pick and roll with Irving and Lebron much, much more than they will with a big man, which was very hard for Atlanta to guard last round (and that is with Dellavedova in place of Irving). I also think that if Golden State switches Green off Lebron, he will immediately go to the post like he has against smaller defenders the last two rounds. He may against Green as well because he does have a height advantage. I think it's a little rich that Warriors fans are insinuating planned dirty play from the Cavs. Draymond Green and Bogut are consistently toeing the line between basketball play and intentional irritant. Please keep in mind that I am not saying that anyone on Golden State has ever tried to injure anyone, but Bogut has a reputation for a very good reason, and Green's play on Mike Conley when he went for his face while on the ground was appalling. People have this idea that Golden State is this finesse team because of Curry and Thompson, but they are pretty chippy behind all that. The Cavs will be equally physical, and I'm not sure that the Golden State fans will care for it much. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Schneider Posted May 29, 2015 Share Posted May 29, 2015 Harrison Barnes is strong as fuck, he basically hung in the post with ZBo when the Warriors made the defensive shift after game 3, LeBron is a good post player, but he isn't as strong as Zach Randolph. The Warriors have four guys they can plausibly throw at LeBron to ware him down (Iggy, Barnes, Green, Thompson), they can always keep a fresh guy on him, this is something no other Cavs opponent could do. As long as the Warriors stay healthy they should win relatively easily. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Burgundy LaRue Posted May 29, 2015 Share Posted May 29, 2015 Klay Thompson officially diagnosed with a concussion, and is now in the 'care' of the NBA Concussion Protocol team. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Niners Fan in CT Posted May 29, 2015 Share Posted May 29, 2015 I've seen LeBron struggle against Boris Diaw. I've seen him struggle against Paul Pierce. It can be done in spurts but obviously he's going to get his. The key will always be controlling the shooters and I guess if Kyrie turns back into Kyrie. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Fowler Posted May 30, 2015 Share Posted May 30, 2015 I saw, somehow, Kyle Singler dominate Lebron on both ends for a five plus minute stretch earlier this year. He's human. But his best is still better than anyone else. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Niners Fan in CT Posted May 30, 2015 Share Posted May 30, 2015 Warriors are so deep though. If Kyrie is healthy I think it's a close series. If not, LeBron will have to be superhuman. Maybe he will. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlie M. Posted May 31, 2015 Share Posted May 31, 2015 Amusing convo on one NBA podcast I listened to recently. If the Cavs DO win, does Kevin Love wear the ring in public? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
muhammedboehm Posted May 31, 2015 Share Posted May 31, 2015 Amusing convo on one NBA podcast I listened to recently. If the Cavs DO win, does Kevin Love wear the ring in public?Yes cause no one in LA will know the difference anyway 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J.T. Posted June 1, 2015 Share Posted June 1, 2015 FiOS has arrived at my crib just in time for the NBA Finals. My woman and I will be pleased. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RandomAct Posted June 2, 2015 Share Posted June 2, 2015 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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