**2015 Official NBA Playoffs Thread**

[dirk digler]

Updated: 5-28


Schedule

NBA Finals: Golden State vs Cleveland Cavaliers

Game 1: Thursday, June 4, Cleveland at Golden State, 9 p.m., ABC
Game 2: Sunday, June 7, Cleveland at Golden State, 8 p.m., ABC
Game 3: Tuesday, June 9, Golden State at Cleveland, 9 p.m., ABC
Game 4: Thursday, June 11, Golden State at Cleveland, 9 p.m., ABC
Game 5*: Sunday, June 14, Cleveland at Golden State, 8 p.m., ABC
Game 6*: Tuesday, June 16, Golden State at Cleveland, 9 p.m., ABC
Game 7*: Friday June 19, Cleveland at Golden State, 9 p.m., ABC

[Hootie]

of course LeBron has played better playoff games ... he has the 2nd, 3rd and 5th best postseason's ever. And he's 30.

[Hammock Parties]

Originally Posted by chiefzilla1501

For the first 45 minutes of the game, this was one of the best games of LeBron's career, if not the best just because of the stage it was on.

Bullshit.

This is a new level of deep throating for you pathetic Lebron strokers. Get some perspective.

[Hootie]

if LeBron does this over the course of a 7 game series ... it may go down as the greatest individual performance in a Finals ever

it's certainly on pace

[chiefzilla1501]

Originally Posted by Stop, Chiefs

Bullshit.

This is a new level of deep throating for you pathetic Lebron strokers. Get some perspective.

James Jones was hitting setup 3 pointers
Mozgov was playing off of LeBron in the attack

There was literally nobody on the court who could set up their own shot. JR Smith can, but he couldn't today. Shumpert and Delly didn't even dent it. The +10 in rebounding helped set up 2nd shot opportunities. I'll give them that. But
for the first 45 minutes, it was literally a one-man show on offense.

LeBron has played some "bad by LBJ standards" games in this playoff run. But this was flat-out brilliant.

But yeah, I'm not going to at all defend how he played the final 2 minutes and then into OT.

[OldSchool]

Originally Posted by Hootie 2.0

I love the excuses.

Guess what. If JR Smith or Shumpert or Dellavedova make a few of their wide open 3s they missed over the course of the game ... it's the same ****ing thing. If Klay isn't so awesome tonight, perhaps the Cavs win a blowout? Steph was awful, but Klay was awesome. It all evens out.

You can't just say, "LeBron is lucky because Steph was awful!" That's so stupid.

We didn't say it was just because Steph was terrible. The refs were also significantly one-sided in favor of the Cavs, 40 FTA (Cavs), to 25 FTA (Warriors), not to mention them letting Mozgov get away with blatant travels which made a big difference in a game that ended up going into OT. It's very suspect and smells of the NBA trying to influence the outcome of the game in order to avoid a sweep.

Also, Thompson was pretty good but he was hardly at his best in this game. Neither he nor Curry were anywhere close to their average in 3-point percentage (Klay averaged a bit over 40%, Curry a little over 44%).

[New World Order]

Originally Posted by Hootie 2.0

if LeBron does this over the course of a 7 game series ... it may go down as the greatest individual performance in a Finals ever

it's certainly on pace

You mean if GS keeps shooting horribly from the floor?

Ain't gonna happen

[ohiobronco2]

Originally Posted by OldSchool

We didn't say it was just because Steph was terrible. The refs were also significantly one-sided in favor of the Cavs, 40 FTA (Cavs), to 25 FTA (Warriors), not to mention them letting Mozgov get away with blatant travels which made a big difference in a game that ended up going into OT. It's very suspect and smells of the NBA trying to influence the outcome of the game in order to avoid a sweep.

Also, Thompson was pretty good but he was hardly at his best in this game. Neither he nor Curry were anywhere close to their average in 3-point percentage (Klay averaged a bit over 40%, Curry a little over 44%).

I think the refs were pretty terrible in the Warriors favor in the most critical stretches of the game. Let's not forget Green holding LeBron down on the jump ball at the end. The no call at the rim at the end of regulation the refs didn't want to call because they didn't want a game to end on free throws. Also, I'm pretty sure the GS is a jump shooting team, I don't know if they initiate a lot of contact with their style of play. Over the course of the season, they were 26th in the NBA in free throw attempts per game, the Cavs were 11th. So if there is a bias against them, it's been there all year.

[ohiobronco2]

Originally Posted by New World Order

You mean if GS keeps shooting horribly from the floor?

Ain't gonna happen

Perhaps the Cavs defense has a little something to do with that.

[saphojunkie]

Originally Posted by Stop, Chiefs

Bullshit.

This is a new level of deep throating for you pathetic Lebron strokers. Get some perspective.

My god... Your basketball takes are actually worse than your football takes.

[Hammock Parties]

Originally Posted by saphojunkie

My god... Your basketball takes are actually worse than your football takes.

No, I'm not just a pathetic LeBron fanboy.

Legendary =/ 11/34

[ARROW2]

Originally Posted by chiefzilla1501

Sigh. Okay, let me break it down for you then. Here's his performance this playoff series within ~2 minutes + OT. In closer games (note: if LeBron missed a shot but got FTs, I did not include):
BOSTON
1-2
0-1
0-0 (3 turnovers)

CHICAGO
0-1 (1 turnover)
0-2
0-1 (2-2 FTs)
2-3 (2-2 FTs) [Game winning shot]
0-1 (2-2 FTs)

Atlanta
1-4 (2-2 FTs)
0-0 (1-2 FTs, 3 turnovers). OT = 1-4 (1 turnover)

GOLDEN STATE
0-2. OT = 1-4 (2 turnovers)
0-3 (2-2 FTs). OT = 0-3 (3-4 FTs)

That's 6-31 FGs (12 regulation games + 3 OTs). That's 9 turnovers in 24 regulation minutes. That's 2-11 in OT minutes. That's < 0.5 points per minute (regulation + OT). Apart from an incredible shot to close one Chicago game, he's been rough in the closing minutes in the 2015 playoffs.



And I've acknowledged his superhuman performance. And that maybe no player in history could have carried the Cavs to the final minutes with a chance to win.

But separate that from the final minutes. He did NOT play well the final minutes of this game and into OT. And stop blaming that shit on his teammates. He missed a makeable game-winning shot. He went into a "pound the ball" strategy on more than half of his possessions, which doesn't allow your teammates to do anything.

No player in history? Don't give in to the the sheep. That is simply not true and there is no way that can even be proven, that is strictly OPiNION. They make everything this dude does out to be the best thing they ever saw. It really gets on the nerves..

[ARROW2]

Originally Posted by Hootie 2.0

This is what is hilarious to me.

LeBron literally cannot sit more than a few possessions or the Cavs are ****ed.

Not only that, but his usage rate on offense this series is going to set an NBA record. He's the entire offense. He either has to create his own shot, or create a shot for someone else. Every single time. That is the Cavs offense.

My favorite piece was called "Jordan's Moment." I've linked it in this thread previously.

Tex Winter says to Phil Jackson in game 6 of the 1998 NBA Finals something like, "gee Phil, Jordan sure is loafing it on defense tonight." and Phil responds with, "well Tex, he's got to get some rest SOMEWHERE, somehow."

What he's done in this first 2 games of this series is right up there with MJ in terms of impressiveness in the NBA Finals. The difference is, Jordan could always dig deep and hit those shots at the end. LeBron hasn't. LeBron has never been a closer like that, though. Nobody has. Again, if you're comparing LeBron to Michael in that sense, then sure, he's a "choker." But so has every superstar since Michael. Kobe is worse in big moments than LeBron. I linked that article a few pages back, too. And it's not like either guy is a choker. They aren't. They just don't make low percentage shots look easy like MJ did. No one does. No one probably ever will. Michael is a once in a lifetime cold blooded killer.

...but in terms of talent? LeBron is the greatest ever. He's showing everyone why in this series. No one has ever done what LeBron does on the court.

He's leading a team with two Knicks castoffs (who played with Melo who couldn't win a damn game), a Denver nobody, Matt Delavedova (which, to his credit, was fantastic tonight), Tristan Thompson ... and James Jones.

Jordan had Pippen + Grant/Rodman
Kobe had Shaq or Gasol/Odom/Artest

LeBron? What he's doing this series is every bit as impressive as what MJ did in 98 with his injured squad ... only LeBron doesn't even have a Kukoc.

This thread is pathetic. There are literally about 5 or 6 trolls that just lurk around and hope LeBron misses shots so they can talk about how big of a choker he is ... while he's on pace to have the greatest Finals performance of all-time.

I mean, if LeBron somehow steals this series in 6 or 7 (I give it about a 10% chance), it might be the greatest underdog story in Finals history. This 1 title would be the most impressive title on a resume ever.

If LeBron pulls this off? I don't care anymore. I'm the biggest MJ mark ever. If LeBron does this? He's the GOAT.

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!!!! Stop, you're killing me.....because they beat THIS warriors team? As if they are a dynasty with multiple HOFs. GS is not anything special. Record be damned. All I can do is shake my head. You are too far gone up Lebron's ass for me to even say anything.

[ARROW2]

Originally Posted by Hootie 2.0

LeBron, with his insane usage rate, is probably going to continue to shoot under 50%. He had to force a lot of shots, something he's NEVER had to do, because no one (outside of JR Smith) can create their own shots other than LeBron.

For reference, Jordan was 15-35 in game 6 of the 1998 NBA Finals in his greatest masterpiece ever. This included missing shot after shot in the early part of the 4th quarter because his legs were gone and he was leaving everything short (hence the ridiculous follow through on his classic game winner). And not only that, but he didn't play defense in this game to conserve energy on offense (since, like LeBron, he was the Bulls on offense due to injuries), as evidenced by his 1 rebound and 1 assist.

LeBron doesn't have that luxury.

He has to play lockdown defense against one of the best offensive teams in recent history, while being his team's point guard, while having to either create every shot for himself or for his teammates. He had 16 boards and 11 assists. And 39 points.

This is a 1 man team. This 1 man team almost took 2 games from GS in the league's toughest arena.

By all means ... link me to the last Finals team that had a starting lineup comparable to MATT DELAVEDOVA / IMAN SHUMPERT / TRISTAN THOMPSON AND TIMOFEY MOZGOV?

The Cavs got Shumpert + JR Smith + a 1st round pick for DION WAITERS.

LeBron is not only the best player in this world, but he's the guy that gets the absolute most out of every player on his team. That's 1/2 of his greatness.

I still see GS in 6. I truly hope CLE can somehow win this ... because it'll be the greatest accomplishment I've ever seen in sports.

yawn

[ARROW2]

Originally Posted by OldSchool

Oh please, a 1-man team. I don't give two shits about name recognition, Mozgov and Thompson have played at a superior level to any of the Warrior's bigs so far in this series and it's really not close.

So the Cavs don't have a significant advantage in the paint? 55 rebounds to 45 say otherwise.

Exactly, when LeBron wins, it's all him, when he loses, he has no help.


When Kobe wins, it's not him at all, when he loses, it's all on him.



Repeat over and over until you are transformed.

[ARROW2]

Originally Posted by OldSchool

Oh please, a 1-man team. I don't give two shits about name recognition, Mozgov and Thompson have played at a superior level to any of the Warrior's bigs so far in this series and it's really not close.

So the Cavs don't have a significant advantage in the paint? 55 rebounds to 45 say otherwise.

You didn't hear? LeBron snagged all 55 rebounds, set every pick, made every hustle play, covered every Warrior, made every substitution, all by his lonesome.