NBA 2015 Playoffs Thread

Chanur_sl said:

Warriors looked pretty rusty for most of this game. I don't think the Cavs have much chance now that Golden State shook it off.

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I don't think it was rust so much as Finals nerves. Warriors had zero guys with finals experience and it showed - it was to be expected, I thought the first game might go that way. One of the comparisons I had to this series going in was the 91 Finals. The Bulls had just had a stellar season - many thought they were better than the Lakers, but even that Jordan-led team seemed to have those first finals game nerves (coincidentally it was the last team to win it all that didn't have a single player with finals experience). The Lakers had Magic, and he led them to a narrow game 1 win on Chicago's home court. But once those game 1 nerves were gone, the Bulls handled the Lakers in that series.

I hope this series goes the same way haha---(the Warriors obv. filling the Bulls role). I think the Warriors had those nerves last night, didn't play their best ball, and were fortunate to get a win.

Props to Mo Buckets for leading the charge to get them back in the game. The Cavs were really playing some good D early on, the Warriors were feeding it by making poor choices and taking a lot of bad shots. Speights came in and just started scoring like it was a preseason game - buckets and smiles. He changed the tone. He's kinda like the Warriors' JR Smith - the difference is, Speights is our 8th/9th man and when he's having an off night you don't have to play him.

Slaythe_sl said:

Blatt doesn't seem to interested in playing the old guys on his team, but let's not forget that Miller is just two years removed from playing a pretty pivotal bench role on a championship team. He also played 20 MPG for an entire season with the Grizz last year. He has pretty severe back issues at this point in his game, but I have a hard time believing he couldn't be a more reliable option to stretch the floor than say JR Smith is.

Same can be said about Marion, who has been a workhorse of a player pretty much his entire career, played 30 MPG for 4 full seasons with Dallas up until last year and now can't see the court.

You don't find too many coaches that intentionallygo youngin the playoffs. You can't fault the production we've seen from Thompson and Mozgov, but I would spread some of the heavy minutes he's giving James Jones and JR Smith around to these two players without much hesitation.

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Agree totally. You have to question Blatt not trying to get Marion and Miller some minutes while cakewalking through the East. I can't believe neither of them can contribute 5-10 solid minutes a night. Team is just spread too thin.

This sucks. Finals is basically going to be Lebron having to pretend he's superman. Unless he goes Super Saiyan this won't even be interesting.

Gilgamel_sl said:

This sucks. Finals is basically going to be Lebron having to pretend he's superman. Unless he goes Super Saiyan this won't even be interesting.

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If anyone is going to go Super Saiyan, it's gonna be Steph Curry

fuuuuuuuuuuuck

Yea. That sucks for the cavs.

Brutal

Awful loss for the Cavs. Losing two out of three of their best players in the postseason. Absolutely devastating. Well, if there was a team other than Cleveland (I am not a fan but, shit, I really wanted to see that city FINALLY win something) I would have liked to win it's Golden State. They did things right, built their team from the ground up, hired a fantastic coach despite overwhelming bullshit and racism cries and turned that team into a stellar squad. Shit man... the Bay Area has been a title haven of late.

Think it was First Take this morning that was talking about people who were close to Kyrie that were upset he even played in the close out game vs. the Hawks. Not sure why but I get the feeling he will be injury plagued his whole career which is sad. Look at all the good point guards who were hurt this season, Westbrook, Paul, Rose, Irving, those are all in the top 5....it's pretty to watch them do their thing but seems like a recipe for disaster to play like they do.

Drakurii_sl said:

Think it was First Take this morning that was talking about people who were close to Kyrie that were upset he even played in the close out game vs. the Hawks. Not sure why but I get the feeling he will be injury plagued his whole career which is sad. Look at all the good point guards who were hurt this season, Westbrook, Paul, Rose, Irving, those are all in the top 5....it's pretty to watch them do their thing but seems like a recipe for disaster to play like they do.

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Yeah he has been injured, what, every single year since arriving at Duke? So, I agree. It's too bad since he's such a great player when healthy but he seems to be made of glass.

Drakurii_sl said:

Think it was First Take this morning that was talking about people who were close to Kyrie that were upset he even played in the close out game vs. the Hawks. Not sure why but I get the feeling he will be injury plagued his whole career which is sad. Look at all the good point guards who were hurt this season, Westbrook, Paul, Rose, Irving, those are all in the top 5....it's pretty to watch them do their thing but seems like a recipe for disaster to play like they do.

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Westbrook wasn't injury prone until fuckface ran into his knee 2 years ago. Never missed a college or NBA game.

Generol_sl said:

Yeah he has been injured, what, every single year since arriving at Duke? So, I agree. It's too bad since he's such a great player when healthy but he seems to be made of glass.

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Missed a year of high school ball with an injury as well.

Unfuckingbelievable really. Losing 2 of your top 3 players during the playoffs to these types of injuries? Such horse shit.

Karma

PigBenis_sl said:

Unfuckingbelievable really. Losing 2 of your top 3 players during the playoffs to these types of injuries? Such horse shit.

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The most Cleveland way possible to lose a championship. I don't know how Ohio goes on with only Ohio State doing all the lifting.

I'm starting to believe Cleveland truly is cursed. I mean... wow... look at all the shit that has happened at awful times for that city in terms of sports titles. There are quite a few things to say the least.

Generol_sl said:

I'm starting to believe Cleveland truly is cursed. I mean... wow... look at all the shit that has happened at awful times for that city in terms of sports titles. There are quite a few things to say the least.

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I hear you. I know it doesn't make them feel any better but they weren't going to win anyway in an likelihood.

I just look at it as it's Ohio, outside of LeBron there isn't a line of superstars waiting to go there. Love just swooping in to grab what he thought was an instant title before heading off to a prime destination....maybe L.A., regardless of the reasons, here is LeBron carrying another Cavs team to the finals only to lose most likely. He'll be 2 and 4 so we can finally put to rest the who is the GOAT.