NBA thread 2017-18 v. I dub thee champions

[jingle.boy]

The thing I hate that he does is his soccer player-like reactions to fouls sometimes.  Dude took a forearm to the head the other night, and reacted like it was an elbow from Jon Jones.

[jingle.boy]

Toronto should've just stayed home and forfeited these two games.  Great time to put forth the worst performances of the entire season.  4 points in the first 6 minutes?  Close the half giving up a 16-2 run (aided a little bit by some Cleveland friendly officiating).  11 turnovers?  Sloppy fucking play.  They look like a high-school team.

[Azyiu]

Toronto should've just stayed home and forfeited these two games.  Great time to put forth the worst performances of the entire season.  4 points in the first 6 minutes?  Close the half giving up a 16-2 run (aided a little bit by some Cleveland friendly officiating).  11 turnovers?  Sloppy fucking play.  They look like a high-school team.

The Canadian custom services should have detained LBJ for beating their Raptors... that way the Raptors might have a shot at tying the series up, lol! 

All jokes away, I am done with watching this series... not just game 3, but this series. 

[TAC]

The Canadian custom services should have detained LBJ for beating their Raptors... that way the Raptors might have a shot at tying the series up, lol! 

They could've gotten him on any number of charges...Stealing, Bullying, Giving 5 guys a wedgie at one time....

[jingle.boy]

Wow.  I had a feeling that LeBron was going to carry them over the finish line and preserve the victory.  Crazy winning bucket.   

Well... when you give up a 16-4 run to start the game, and a 16-2 run to end the 1st half, it's amazing that it came down to a buzzer beating shot.

As I said, the couldn't have picked a worse time to play the worst they have all season - never lost 2 in a row at home, and the only team not to lose 3 in a row all season.  DDR was ice-cold.  Sooooo disappointing.

[KevShmev]

Toronto deserved a better fate after fighting their way back like that, but LeGOAT hits them with a dagger.  Unbelievable.

[King Postwhore]

Now I'm wishing the C's had Irving & Hayward.

[jingle.boy]

Just depressing to see the Cavs playing better than they have all season, while the Raptors are worse than they have been all season - and still it should be a 2-1 series and took a buzzer beater to win tonight.  Again... not calling ref-conspiracy, but what the hell were the refs reviewing on that Lowry/Lebron tie up... but not reviewing the Love's flagrant-1 from game 1 (which would've more than likely secured a Raptor victory).  Lots of other questionable calls - going both ways, but seemed to me that Cleveland had the edge in that department again this game - including a re-called continuation bucket Ibaka had in the 1st half, and an all-ball strip Ibaka had on LeBron.  Not saying the Raptors didn't have a few go there way, but Cleveland was the net-beneficiary.

[KevShmev]

Just depressing to see the Cavs playing better than they have all season, while the Raptors are worse than they have been all season - and still it should be a 2-1 series and took a buzzer beater to win tonight.  Again... not calling ref-conspiracy, but what the hell were the refs reviewing on that Lowry/Lebron tie up... but not reviewing the Love's flagrant-1 from game 1 (which would've more than likely secured a Raptor victory).  Lots of other questionable calls - going both ways, but seemed to me that Cleveland had the edge in that department again this game - including a re-called continuation bucket Ibaka had in the 1st half, and an all-ball strip Ibaka had on LeBron.  Not saying the Raptors didn't have a few go there way, but Cleveland was the net-beneficiary.

Hmmm, I wonder who saw that coming...

Why not?  They've only got a .600 winning percentage for the season. 

The Cavs were a mess for a while before all of the trades, but James' Cavs have shown that they know how to crank it up once the playoffs start.  Remember when the Hawks were the 1 seed a few years back and allegedly a real threat to block LeBron from getting to the finals?  And then they got swept.  That is what this year's Raptors feel like.

  The 'non' all-world Warriors took them down rather easily last year. 

What do you mean the 'non' all-world Warriors?  That was a 73-win team that added Kevin Durant.  One could argue that last year's Warriors was the greatest single season team ever assembled. 

Until I see otherwise, I just assume that LeBron will go all-world when he has to and the only way to take his team down is to have a ridiculously stacked team, which no one in the East has.  If the Celtics were healthy, I think they could have been the one team to take 4 out of 7 from the Cavs, but they are missing their two best players.

 

[jingle.boy]

Touche.  Your man-love for James seems to have rubbed his smugness on to you as well.   

[KevShmev]

Nah, just having a little fun with ya.  When the Raptors tied it up, I was kinda hoping they would win the game so we'd get a more competitive series...and then the shot happened.

[gabeh1018]

If the Celtics and cavaliers wrap things up tomorrow night, does anyone know  when the ECF starts and if they will play on Friday, May 11? Thanks

[Lonk]

I’m Assuming if both teams win tomorrow, they will play Saturday or Sunday.

[TheOutlawXanadu]

In truth, I don't think the Raptors are quite as bad as they look. They are a 59-win team that is playing 10% below their regular season level, which is due in part to the 50-win Cavs playing 10% above their regular season level. At the end of the day, they two teams are somewhat comparable ground, except that one of them has the best player in the sport and he is firing on all cylinders.

[jingle.boy]

In truth, I don't think the Raptors are quite as bad as they look. They are a 59-win team that is playing 10% below their regular season level, which is due in part to the 50-win Cavs playing 10% above their regular season level. At the end of the day, they two teams are somewhat comparable ground, except that one of them has the best player in the sport and he is firing on all cylinders.

I agree.  It took 3 buzzer beaters (end of Reg AND OT missed by the Raps in Game 1; a ridiculous shot made by Lebron) for 2 of the Cavs victories.

Hey, some team has to be the first to come back from 3-0 down, right!?!?!  Maybe both Philly and Toronto can do it simultaneously, cuz I can't cheer for either Cleveland or Boston if that's the ECF

[TAC]

You love Boston. 

[jingle.boy]

You love Boston. 

Your teams can go choke on a sack of flaccid dildos.

[Destiny Of Chaos]

I don't hate this Boston team....at all. Love Brad Stevens, and like the players on the team.

There's no way I'd root for the LeBrons over this Boston team and no way I'd want Draymond Green getting another ring at their expense.

[jingle.boy]

I don't hate this Boston team....at all. Love Brad Stevens, and like the players on the team.

There's no way I'd root for the LeBrons over this Boston team and no way I'd want Draymond Green getting another ring at their expense.

Push comes to shove, I'd rather not see another Warriors/Cavs final, so I'll be rooting against them - but that DOES NOT mean I'm rooting FOR Boston.   

[TAC]

I don't hate this Boston team....at all. Love Brad Stevens, and like the players on the team.

There's no way I'd root for the LeBrons over this Boston team and no way I'd want Draymond Green getting another ring at their expense.

Push comes to shove, I'd rather not see another Warriors/Cavs final, so I'll be rooting against them - but that DOES NOT mean I'm rooting FOR Boston.   

Um yeah...technically it does. 

[bosk1]

Not in English.

[jingle.boy]

I don't hate this Boston team....at all. Love Brad Stevens, and like the players on the team.

There's no way I'd root for the LeBrons over this Boston team and no way I'd want Draymond Green getting another ring at their expense.

Push comes to shove, I'd rather not see another Warriors/Cavs final, so I'll be rooting against them - but that DOES NOT mean I'm rooting FOR Boston.   

Um yeah...technically it does. 

Oh trust me, I'm rooting against BOTH of them if that's the ECF.  Sadly, one of them must win.

[TheOutlawXanadu]

Boston is going to be so good next year, assuming full health. Which is probably a risky assumption. But if it happens, they will be loaded.

[TAC]

They are going to have to make a decision on Rozier vs Smart.

[jingle.boy]

They are going to have to make a decision on Rozier vs Smart.

Hopefully they make a ..... smart decision.

[jingle.boy]

Good on the 6rs to come thru.  Raptors... not so much.  Once again, give up a big run to close out the 1/2, and now the game is pretty much out of reach.      

Serve me up a cup of homer-crow.  Cleveland is on fire - 64%!?!  All starters in double-digits.  Do the Raptors even defense??

Time to flip it over to the Jets game.  Just please - PLEASE - don't let it be ANOTHER Warriors/Cavs final.  Anything but that.

[King Postwhore]

This C's fan hates to say it but I think it will happen again.

[bosk1]

So angry/disappointed in the Raptors.  Way to lay down.  :/

Just please - PLEASE - don't let it be ANOTHER Warriors/Cavs final.  Anything but that.

You know, I actually don't mind and would kind of like seeing LeBron perennially get beat by the same team and have to live with that.

[jingle.boy]

So angry/disappointed in the Raptors.  Way to lay down.  :/

Just please - PLEASE - don't let it be ANOTHER Warriors/Cavs final.  Anything but that.

You know, I actually don't mind and would kind of like seeing LeBron perennially get beat by the same team and have to live with that.

I think it was a combo of lay down, and beat down.  The Cavs were not simply making easy shots.  They were 60% from the field, 45% from 3-pt - hell, Smith was 100%; Korver was 75%.  That fadeaway by Lebron OVER THE TOP OF THE BACKBOARD was just sick, and indicative of the entire series.

I hope the murmurs of blowing up the team don't happen - look at where Atlanta is now after doing that.  It was mentioned that the Raptors were the youngest of the 8 remaining teams, and with Lowry/DDR still locked up for 2 and 3 more years respectively, there's still reason to feel good - plus, who knows where Lebron will land next year.

Sadly, it's only going to get tougher with Boston and Philly both set to improve next year.  This year was likely as good a chance as any to come out of the east - yet the Cavalier wall stood tall.

[Nekov]

I don't think the Raptors will be able to blow the team even if they want to. There aren't many teams that have available cap space, and the ones who do are probably going to use it trying to lire free agents. Also, who's gonna give the raptors picks for their players? Other than Lowry and DDR, the other players don't have a ton of value.
I would bring in a new coaching staff, make some small adjustments to the team and go from there. Then, if it doesn't work you can blow up the team all you want.

[TheOutlawXanadu]

So angry/disappointed in the Raptors.  Way to lay down.  :/

Just please - PLEASE - don't let it be ANOTHER Warriors/Cavs final.  Anything but that.

You know, I actually don't mind and would kind of like seeing LeBron perennially get beat by the same team and have to live with that.

LeBron can be an arrogant prick, but you make him out to be the most unlikable athlete that ever lived.

Off the top of my head, I can think of quite a few guys who are more insufferable. For whatever reason, I get most annoyed by the guys who are straight-up rude to reporters. I totally understand that it must be annoying to get asked the same questions over and over, but Popovich and Westbrook are consistently a-holes.

[King Postwhore]

3 of the 4 teams are up 3-1. In all 3 losses there was one key note to bring up.  Scott Foster was the head ref in all 3 games. 

Do you know who was Scott Foster's friend a decade ago who called him 136 times one year?  Tim Donaghy.  Sounds very fishy.  Get what? He didnt ref in the Cavs/Raptors series.

[bosk1]

Hmm, I didn't know that.  But you know what's really fishy to me?  Sardines.  Those little bastards are as fishy as it gets.

[King Postwhore]

And get them off my pizza.  They are only allowed in my caeser salad.

[bosk1]

You're thinking of anchovies, not sardines.  And to that I say: No way.  They are great on pizza.  But it's gotta be the right combo.  They go well with pepperoni or sausage.  But you can't just have them out there doing their own thing.