2014-15 NBA thread v. 2015-16 thread now playing

[bosk1]

I don't think Kerr is a bad coach.  And I don't put all this on Curry either.  The team as a whole seems to have suffered from that mentality.  And I think it is understandable.  But still, their mission now is to fix it.

[KevShmev]

If I am Golden St., I am double and tripling LeBron every time he touches the ball.  Make someone else beat you, for goodness sake.

[Azyiu]

True, for some reasons the Dubs just don't seem capable of breaking through what they've done enough to counter what the Cavs are doing to them defensively. Or really disrupt LeBron at all, if they can't do either tonight, they might as well start sizing up the Cavs for their championship rings.

[bosk1]

True, for some reasons the Dubs just don't seem capable of breaking through what they've done enough to counter what the Cavs are doing to them defensively. 

I know reasonable minds may differ, but I disagree that the Cavs are shutting the Warriors down defensively.  Sure, the Cavs defense is MUCH better than I thought.  And they are definitely doing a top-notch job.  But the thing is, the Warriors got a LOT of good looks and open shots in games 2 and 3, and just missed them.  I credit the Cavs for making ball movement difficult and contesting shots.  But the Warriors missing so many open looks is completely on them.  And as close as those two games were, making those open shots is the difference between winning and losing those two games.

[KevShmev]

True, but the Cavs slowing down the pace has thrown the Warriors off their game, and that can contribute to missed shots, even when uncontested.  The Warriors just look uncomfortable and uninspired.

Having said that, I expect them to come out firing tonight and take an early lead. 

[bosk1]

True, but the Cavs slowing down the pace has thrown the Warriors off their game, and that can contribute to missed shots, even when uncontested.  The Warriors just look uncomfortable and uninspired.

Having said that, I expect them to come out firing tonight and take an early lead. 

True.  One subtle yet huge thing that a commentator on the radio pointed out this morning (I forget his name, but he is the commentator for the Raptors) is that the Warriors have begun converging on LeBron and/or the rim when shots go up, so they do not give LeBron a second shot.  Sounds like a legit strategy, right?  Except for the fact that that takes away from the Warriors being halfway up the court and being able to push the pace, as is their style.  So that one subtle thing seems to be hugely taking them off their game.

[Azyiu]

True, but the Cavs slowing down the pace has thrown the Warriors off their game, and that can contribute to missed shots, even when uncontested.  The Warriors just look uncomfortable and uninspired.

Having said that, I expect them to come out firing tonight and take an early lead.

Bingo! I think that's threw the Dubs off more than intense D! And that slow paced game reminded me of the Grizzlies series. Even without Conley for half the series, the Dubs had difficulties handling them for quite some time until they decided to speed the game up since Game 4.

[j]

Warriors made some adjustments and came to play tonight, Iguodala especially.  Livingston had a good game too.  Weird that Curry and Thompson still haven't really gotten going though.

-J

[Azyiu]

What's up with LeBron flashing? Maybe ABC and/or the NBA need to issue an apology?

[lonestar]

Boom. Bring it home tied..

[orcus116]

What's up with LeBron flashing? Maybe ABC and/or the NBA need to issue an apology?

This reads like ABC actually planned it and how I'm imagining it being reported. I didn't see it happen but I can't imagine it's nothing more than Lebron doing something on camera candidly.

[KevShmev]

If I am Golden St., I am double and tripling LeBron every time he touches the ball.  Make someone else beat you, for goodness sake.

Looks like Golden St. listened to me.

Seriously though, the Cavs looked spent last night.  I think their monumental effort in the first three games took its toll last night.  It's good for them to have two days off before Game 5.  And the Warriors finally looked like the Warriors last night. 

[Azyiu]

Another thing not talked about after the game last night was Iggy mocking Lebron   

[Cable]

Lol, Kirk Hammett of course using wah for the national anthem. Pretty cool overall though.

[Azyiu]

Small ball vs. small ball doesn't seem like the Dubs have the advantage all of a sudden...

[King Postwhore]

I know I sound old but dann, can we see a traveling call?   Damn both team tacking extra steps. 

[Cable]

I know this is the Finals/playoffs, so defense rules. And I didn't watch hardly any reg. season basketball. But geez, is Steph Curry always this sloppy? He is pretty sound all in all, but I swear I just see WTF passes and dribbling after seeing him do a bunch of other solid things.

[black_biff_stadler]

Lol, Kirk Hammett of course using wah for the national anthem. Pretty cool overall though.

It's a rock lead guitar part. Hendrix wouldn't have dreamed of doing the national anthem without it and that's one of his biggest influences so why wouldn't he use it?

[KevShmev]

Hey look, the "We think can just show up and win" Warriors team is back.

They had the stats and wins to go down as one of the best teams ever, but even if they win this, this pedestrian performance here in the finals disqualifies them from being in that convo now, IMO.  Not that the Warriors or their fans will care, because hey, a championship is still a championship.

[Cable]

Lol, Kirk Hammett of course using wah for the national anthem. Pretty cool overall though.

It's a rock lead guitar part. Hendrix wouldn't have dreamed of doing the national anthem without it and that's one of his biggest influences so why wouldn't he use it?

The version wasn't anything like Hendrix's, it was very much like Satch's, wah and all. Hendrix doesn't relate to this playing of the anthem at all IMO.

I was just drawing attention to Kirk using wah for something, it's his standard sound yes. Hetfield didn't use it however, and he was playing rock guitar counter melodies to Kirk. I do not really understand how lead rock guitar automatically = wah requirement.  Kirk has played plenty of melodies without it, so maybe I was just thinking it would have played some of it without it.

[black_biff_stadler]

I didn't say it was like Hendrix's, I said he was an influence so yeah he does relate. Hetfield either never uses wah or seldom does and he was mostly playing rhythm. Power chords usually don't sound good with wah (Home being a rare exception.)

[Cable]

It did not sound anything like Hendrix's, where as Satch's it sounded nearly the same. Satch plays it basically as written with wah, as did Kirk. Hendrix got 4 minutes out of it?

Hetfield did a fair amount of harmonizing with Kirk during it.

And Bulls On Parade. 

[black_biff_stadler]

I'm not fuckin saying Hendrix's rendition was an influence, I'm saying he, as a guitarist, was an influence on his playing in general and he happened to use wah in his SSB performance.

[KevShmev]

James and Curry are both playing lights out, and you guys are talking about Metallica?

[FlyingBIZKIT]

 

[Cable]

Curry's best game so far this Finals. My point about his TOs still stands. But he poured it on at the end.

[KevShmev]

His timeouts? 

[Jamesman42]

Turnovers?

Lebron's back must be in pain from carrying that team.

[Azyiu]

I think LBJ should win the Finals MVP regardless of who wins the series. 

[Nekov]

I think LBJ should win the Finals MVP regardless of who wins the series. 

Probably but we all know it's not gonna happen. What I would love to see is Iggy getting the finals MVP, he's been playing lights out.

[Azyiu]

Probably but we all know it's not gonna happen. What I would love to see is Iggy getting the finals MVP, he's been playing lights out.

Speaking of Iggy, with his very poor FT shooting in Game 5, do you think the Cavs would go Hack-a-Iggy to break the Dubs' rhythm in Game 6?

[Nekov]

Probably but we all know it's not gonna happen. What I would love to see is Iggy getting the finals MVP, he's been playing lights out.

Speaking of Iggy, with his very poor FT shooting in Game 5, do you think the Cavs would go Hack-a-Iggy to break the Dubs' rhythm in Game 6?

Not really. Given how they're only using 7/8 players going hack-a-Iggy would probably get them in some serious foul trouble. Unless Blatt is willing to use some of the bench players specifically for that purpose but I don't see that happening.

[Azyiu]

Not really. Given how they're only using 7/8 players going hack-a-Iggy would probably get them in some serious foul trouble. Unless Blatt is willing to use some of the bench players specifically for that purpose but I don't see that happening.

Good point, and I totally forgot about the Cavs' short rotation... speaking of which, I kind of miss watching Marion play. Sadly he looks kind of out of shape to me, I am just not sure if he can last 5 mins out there at the Dubs' pace. 

[KevShmev]

I think LBJ should win the Finals MVP regardless of who wins the series. 

He'll get major consideration now, and probably even a lot of votes, but after last night, it's Curry's to lose (assuming a Warriors series win).

[Azyiu]

He'll get major consideration now, and probably even a lot of votes, but after last night, it's Curry's to lose (assuming a Warriors series win).

Either way, his ego reminds me why I never become a serious fan of his... Who would call himself the best player in the world? IIRC, neither MJ or Kobe made such a claim.