NBA Playoffs 2016

[The G Man]

I re-watched from Cleveland up 8 early in the third quarter to the end. Iggy and Green both played great defense and hustled like crazy. They both stripped LeBron a foot from the basket. Cleveland played very poor defensively. In one bad play, Thompson screened for Curry. Thompson's man ran to Curry to trap leaving Thompson all alone for an easy three. On another possession, Curry ran down the court down the left side and nobody guarded him. Two passes later, he hit a wide open three.

If Irving had sat for the first four minutes of the fourth quarter, like Curry, the Cavs would have had a better shot. Likewise, JR, who at no point was effective, should not have played the entire second half.

I agree with Steve about Barnes' good game. On one exchange, LeBron ran in on a miss and dunked right on Barnes, whose response was to run down the court get a nice pass and hit the three.

Fatass stupid comment of the night-- Because of the comeback in the OKC series, Steve Kerr didn't have to tell his team they still could win the series after getting blown out in game three. Yeah, if not for that, he would have had to say, "Hey, we're only up 2-1 but we aren't out of it."

CH Steve- I'd rather have Doris Burke in the booth than Fatass.

[walto]

Just wanted to add that I that the officiating was atrocious last night. I'm surprised there wasn't a full-fledged rumble. It reminded me of scenes from Slapshot.

[walto]

Fatass stupid comment of the night-- Because of the comeback in the OKC series, Steve Kerr didn't have to tell his team they still could win the series after getting blown out in game three. Yeah, if not for that, he would have had to say, "Hey, we're only up 2-1 but we aren't out of it."

He's a complete dipshit, but I don't think that's what he actually said. If you DVRed it, listen to it again.

[jon abbey]

sorry if I've said these here already but they should try to trade Kyrie for Chris Paul (to me this makes sense for both teams, Kyrie lets the Clippers build a younger core with Blake and Jordan) and Love for maybe Avery Bradley and Jaw Crowder, if he even still has that much value.

Thompson
LBJ
Crowder
Bradley or Smith
Paul

Smith or Bradley
Shumpert
Frye
Jefferson

re-sign Mozgov or add a different bench big guy, and that's a way better team to go to war with than CLE has had the previous two years.

[jon abbey]

Just wanted to add that I that the officiating was atrocious last night. I'm surprised there wasn't a full-fledged rumble. It reminded me of scenes from Slapshot.

I liked it, it was kind of old school. if they had called it normally, everyone would have been on the bench in foul trouble and we would have gotten to see clearouts of McAdoo vs. Frye.

[The G Man]

sorry if I've said these here already but they should try to trade Kyrie for Chris Paul (to me this makes sense for both teams, Kyrie lets the Clippers build a younger core with Blake and Jordan) and Love for maybe Avery Bradley and Jaw Crowder, if he even still has that much value.

Thompson
LBJ
Crowder
Bradley or Smith
Paul

Smith or Bradley
Shumpert
Frye
Jefferson

re-sign Mozgov or add a different bench big guy, and that's a way better team to go to war with than CLE has had the previous two years.

It would have to be something like Paul and Crawford for Irving and Shumpert to pass the Trade Checker. I don't think the Clippers would do it even though Irving is seven years younger than Paul. LeBron would have to change his style of play if he became Paul's teammate. Paul needs the ball and LeBron doesn't move much without it. If they play together one day, it will more likely be LeBron signing with the Clippers but if he did that before winning a championship in Cleveland, his reputation would take a huge hit.

I really hope that Durant comes East before 2017-18. It would help competitive balance and he and LeBron could go up against each other at least four times/season.

[Captain Hate]

Nut shot.
https://twitter.com/CampSanderson/statu ... 6283163649

There really should've been a double technical on this, especially since it happened right in front of the addled zebra. Yes I don't want a bunch of bench players in at the end of a game but some of the non calls like JR fouling Iggy (and automatically raising his hand) at the end of the half and Jefferson getting hammered on a drive you just have to call.

[Captain Hate]

LeBron would have to change his style of play if he became Paul's teammate. Paul needs the ball and LeBron doesn't move much without it. If they play together one day, it will more likely be LeBron signing with the Clippers but if he did that before winning a championship in Cleveland, his reputation would take a huge hit.

I agree that CP3 and LBJ wouldn't automatically be a great fit. As far as his reputation taking a hit, at some point the Cavs have to be thinking post LeBron and I wouldn't bear him any animosity if he went somewhere else as long as he did it in a classy way. Although obviously I don't speak for all Cleveland fans.

If he does stick around I would see his best chance of winning it all if some relatively minor move by Griffin produced unexpected chemistry like the Bullets did in the late 70s when they added Bob Dandridge to the Unseld/Hayes team that was mucking around the playoffs for years.

[walto]

Nut shot.
https://twitter.com/CampSanderson/statu ... 6283163649

There really should've been a double technical on this, especially since it happened right in front of the addled zebra. Yes I don't want a bunch of bench players in at the end of a game but some of the non calls like JR fouling Iggy (and automatically raising his hand) at the end of the half and Jefferson getting hammered on a drive you just have to call.

I agree. Letting them play is one thing, letting them fight is another.

Also, I think the team Jon projects above needs a bit more bench talent. The fall-off is cavernous when any of the three stars sit. And two of them will be pretty old.

[SqDanceCallingSteve]

Tristan Thompson is a f*cking beast. I'm looking forward to seeing what the Dubs did in the second half to somewhat constrain him.

TT had five OR in the first half, one in the second.

Kerr had Draymond put a body on TT instead of going for the rebound. Dubs were also helped by Lue keeping him on the bench for extended minutes, in search of offense. Since they scored 42 in the second half, it didn't work out all that well for him.

[The G Man]

GS with Draymond at C is +53 on 81 possessions, -24 on 111 possessions the rest of the time.

[The G Man]

This is insane!https://streamable.com/g898?t=5.5

How can Iggy guard LeBron and Love at the same time? Watch!

[The G Man]

“Steph, you guys want to trade for Love now?"

[walto]

Anybody know how much the league loses per game not played in a Finals? Assuming it's a truckload, I'm going to predict they suspend Draymond a game for his repeated ball attacks.

[Captain Hate]

Terry Pluto on game 4

http://www.cleveland.com/pluto/index.ss ... ry_55.html

[The G Man]

Terry Pluto on game 4

http://www.cleveland.com/pluto/index.ss ... ry_55.html

Very good column but I wish he would have questioned Lue's lack of confidence in his bench in playing LeBron, Irving, and JR practically the whole game.

[walto]

Terry Pluto on game 4

http://www.cleveland.com/pluto/index.ss ... ry_55.html

A few posts above SqD provides the answer to his #18 question. And his lovefest with Love is getting old, I think. It's not a matter of McRae, Jefferson, etc.--of course he's better than those guys (compare the salaries): the comparison should be with Wiggins. That was the screw up. Nobody sane says love isn't a solid NBA player. Pluto needs to concede he's nothing more than that.

[Captain Hate]

Terry Pluto on game 4

http://www.cleveland.com/pluto/index.ss ... ry_55.html

Very good column but I wish he would have questioned Lue's lack of confidence in his bench in playing LeBron, Irving, and JR practically the whole game.

You're right about that; for some reason I thought he had but then went back and reread it. I sent him an email about how bad the officiating was and, assuming he responds, I'll mention that.

[jon abbey]

Green suspended for game 5.

[Captain Hate]

Here's a link for that:

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2645 ... wed-by-nba

I think the league handled it correctly including a technical on LeBron. I also think the Warriors have enough fire power to close them out anyway and will probably use this as motivation.