Around The NBA VI

[Ckay]

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-auYzCs9YyI[/youtube]

[Wavy Q]

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qQ4rJOjSqIg&feature=youtu.be[/youtube]

[Sedale Threatt]

Can't have it both ways... If Curry opened up opportunities for Igoudala, Igoudala opened up opportunities of Curry to have a 'damn good series overall.'
I think you're ignoring the impact Iggy had on the Defensive side too... Curry had little to do with limiting James...

So we've gone from, Thompson and Curry, to just Curry, to just Curry on Offense... Iggy had the toughest Defensive Assignment in the league, AND scored those uncontested points that Curry gifted him... Is that at all starting to sound silly yet?

The right guy won MVP... And it wasn't because Curry let him.

Wasn't really talking about the MVP. I personally would have gone LeBron, then Curry, then Iguodala. But considering the role he played on both ends of the court, I don't have a problem with it. He had a quality, difference-making series.

I was more responding to the idea that Curry and Thompson's impact was overrated -- and then even more so at describing them as regular season heroes and one-dimensional. At least in Curry's case, that's absolutely ridiculous.

Even Thompson, who is definitely one-dimensional, and despite a pretty average series, is still important in that you cannot leave him alone under any circumstances. This takes a help defender out of the mix, and that has a positive ripple effect that any good offense, let alone a great one like the Warriors, can capitalize on. And then when you add another, even better shooter in Curry -- who was good to great with the exception of one atrocious game -- that Cleveland chose to trap aggressively until the bitter end, and the effects should be pretty obvious.

That's how Iguodala gets to feast on wide-open 3s and unclogged lanes to the rim. That's how Green gets the opportunities to rack up a triple-double, with the ball in the middle of the defense and a 4 on 3 or 3 on 2 to dissect. Again, for like the 10th time, full credit to those guys. Just because you're in those positions doesn't mean you can take advantage. Many players wouldn't have, so props to them. That's what separates championship teams from also-rans -- everybody carries their weight. We know that better than anybody with Fish, Fox, Horry, Artest, Harper, etc.

Basketball is a symbiotic game, so I agree with you that it would be false to say it was 100 percent one way. But it's also very clear, given the way Cleveland defended them, that Thompson and especially Curry -- dude averaged 27 ppg on 50 pct w/ a 21.4 game score outside of Game 2 -- had way, way more impact than you're giving them credit for.

[Wavy Q]

Can't have it both ways... If Curry opened up opportunities for Igoudala, Igoudala opened up opportunities of Curry to have a 'damn good series overall.'
I think you're ignoring the impact Iggy had on the Defensive side too... Curry had little to do with limiting James...

So we've gone from, Thompson and Curry, to just Curry, to just Curry on Offense... Iggy had the toughest Defensive Assignment in the league, AND scored those uncontested points that Curry gifted him... Is that at all starting to sound silly yet?

The right guy won MVP... And it wasn't because Curry let him.

Wasn't really talking about the MVP. I personally would have gone LeBron, then Curry, then Iguodala. But considering the role he played on both ends of the court, I don't have a problem with it. He had a quality, difference-making series.

I was more responding to the idea that Curry and Thompson's impact was overrated -- and then even more so at describing them as regular season heroes and one-dimensional. At least in Curry's case, that's absolutely ridiculous.

Even Thompson, who is definitely one-dimensional, and despite a pretty average series, is still important in that you cannot leave him alone under any circumstances. This takes a help defender out of the mix, and that has a positive ripple effect that any good offense, let alone a great one like the Warriors, can capitalize on. And then when you add another, even better shooter in Curry -- who was good to great with the exception of one atrocious game -- that Cleveland chose to trap aggressively until the bitter end, and the effects should be pretty obvious.

That's how Iguodala gets to feast on wide-open 3s and unclogged lanes to the rim. That's how Green gets the opportunities to rack up a triple-double, with the ball in the middle of the defense and a 4 on 3 or 3 on 2 to dissect. Again, for like the 10th time, full credit to those guys. Just because you're in those positions doesn't mean you can take advantage. Many players wouldn't have, so props to them. That's what separates championship teams from also-rans -- everybody carries their weight. We know that better than anybody with Fish, Fox, Horry, Artest, Harper, etc.

Basketball is a symbiotic game, so I agree with you that it would be false to say it was 100 percent one way. But it's also very clear, given the way Cleveland defended them, that Thompson and especially Curry -- dude averaged 27 ppg on 50 pct w/ a 21.4 game score outside of Game 2 -- had way, way more impact than you're giving them credit for.

I'm curious what you mean when you say Klay is one dimensional, he's not the best but he can create his own shot, finishes around the rim well, obviously prolific in 3s, and is a tad under elite level wing defender. His assist numbers aren't great but he's an adept passer as well.

[Sedale Threatt]

I'm curious what you mean when you say Klay is one dimensional, he's not the best but he can create his own shot, finishes around the rim well, obviously prolific in 3s, and is a tad under elite level wing defender. His assist numbers aren't great but he's an adept passer as well.

Speaking strictly on offense. (I do agree that he's a very good defender, borderline All-D.) I don't have the institutional knowledge that comes from watching the same team every night. But I did watch this team a good 20-30 times this year, and in my opinion he's basically an elite shooter with great size. I've never really seen much from him in terms of being able to score consistently off the dribble or creating for others. Doesn't get to the line hardly at all. I also don't think he's got very good b-ball IQ; he's always good for a couple of dumb fouls or some other brain outage whenever I watch him. Curry is much more well-rounded, in my mind, as one of the league's best ball-handlers and a very solid playmaker. Not a pure point guard, of course, but he's a very willing and skilled passer, in addition to being probably the best shooter we've ever seen.

[Wavy Q]

Not arguing that Curry isn't better at basically every facet of the game. Klay doesn't create for others off the dribble but he has decent dribble penetration ability and can finish well, he definitely doesn't draw fouls much simply because he shoots more than he dribble penetrates though.

And yeah Klay is pretty dumb

[EArl]

Delladova reminds me of charlie from its always sunny

[crazyeights]

What did LBJ say about Blatt?

[Mamba Mentality]

What did LBJ say about Blatt?

I don't think this whole controversy is from one specific comment(s). Marc Stein reported that they've butted heads on multiple occasions.

From Stein:

I saw it from close range in my role as sideline reporter through the Finals for ESPN Radio. LeBron essentially calling timeouts and making substitutions. LeBron openly barking at Blatt after decisions he didn't like. LeBron huddling frequently with [assistant coach Tyronn] Lue and so often looking at anyone other than Blatt.

There was LeBron, in one instance I witnessed from right behind the bench, shaking his head vociferously in protest after one play Blatt drew up in the third quarter of Game 5, amounting to the loudest nonverbal scolding you could imagine.

Which forced Blatt, in front of his whole team, to wipe the board clean and draw up something else. [...]

How is any fellow Cavalier going to treat Blatt with something resembling reverence when LeBron treats him like a bench ornament in plain view?

How can LeBron publicly laud his own leadership, as he so often does, when setting that sort of tone?

[crazyeights]

Thanks, Regime.

Man...can't recall Stein writing a negative piece before.

[Sofa King]

What did LBJ say about Blatt?

I don't think this whole controversy is from one specific comment(s). Marc Stein reported that they've butted heads on multiple occasions.

From Stein:

I saw it from close range in my role as sideline reporter through the Finals for ESPN Radio. LeBron essentially calling timeouts and making substitutions. LeBron openly barking at Blatt after decisions he didn't like. LeBron huddling frequently with [assistant coach Tyronn] Lue and so often looking at anyone other than Blatt.

There was LeBron, in one instance I witnessed from right behind the bench, shaking his head vociferously in protest after one play Blatt drew up in the third quarter of Game 5, amounting to the loudest nonverbal scolding you could imagine.

Which forced Blatt, in front of his whole team, to wipe the board clean and draw up something else. [...]

How is any fellow Cavalier going to treat Blatt with something resembling reverence when LeBron treats him like a bench ornament in plain view?

How can LeBron publicly laud his own leadership, as he so often does, when setting that sort of tone?

[Mamba Mentality]

Dray is drunk/high af...he just said that the Cavs suck. Klay's reaction was absolutely hilarious.

[aaron_gray]

aaron gray is retiring?

[Kalidogg24]

I enjoyed this years Finals even though it ended easily for the Warriors in 6 games. As a basketball fan I thought the excitement level was high. It wasn't no Game 7 thriller Lakers/Celtics high but good enough


Here Are the Best Games of the 15' Finals IMO:

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tx3B8YQ7bBc[/youtube]

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=si5phRZBlD4[/youtube]

[Ckay]

wut?! lol
[tweet]https://twitter.com/SBNation/status/612696071202930688[/tweet]

[RJM]

:D
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-auYzCs9YyI[/youtube]

Gentry: "We're gonna be here next year, AD!"
Kerr: "Hey! We're gonna kick the Pelicans' ass[es] next year! Get out of here! You're not on this team anymore! Someone come get this guy!"

I love Steve Kerr. Awesome.

[crazyeights]

Less than a week after the death of Jamie Sangouthai, Lamar Odom has lost a second close friend to a drug overdose, Us Weekly confirms. Bobby Heyward, a producer and writer, died at age 30 on Saturday, June 20. The L.A. County Coroners office confirms that Heyward passed away, but did not confirm an official cause of death.


Read more: http://www.usmagazine.com/celebrity-news/news/lamar-odom-friend-bobby-heyward-dies-drug-overdose-2015216#ixzz3dp4ITzNl

I hope Lamar gets out of all this alive.

[crazyeights]

The Boston Celtics have offered Marcus Smart and picks No. 16 and 28 in the first round to the Philadelphia 76ers for Nerlens Noel and the No. 3 pick.

The 76ers were not interested in the trade offer.

Doubt this is the whole story, but if that was actually an offer...how embarrassing.

[Slava]

I don't think that's enough for Noel let alone the #3 pick.

[EArl]

pretty stupid offer. Smart is garbage compared to the type of PG that they can draft this year.