The Lebron Thread (2015-16 Pt. 3)

[JordansBulls]

I think the Cavs need to go back to the game plan of playing stiffling defense and not try to outgun GSW because it is not working.

[RSCD3_]

I think the Cavs need to go back to the game plan of playing stiffling defense and not try to outgun GSW because it is not working.

Cavaliers half court offense is broke. If they slow the pace they might not break 70...

[nikomCH]

I think the Cavs need to go back to the game plan of playing stiffling defense and not try to outgun GSW because it is not working.

Tbh I don't think there is anything Cleveland can do to win this series. I just had a feeling going in that GS would show why they won 73 games.

[Nbafanatic]

I think the Cavs need to go back to the game plan of playing stiffling defense and not try to outgun GSW because it is not working.

But they are doing the exact opposite of trying to outgun. They are trying to slow the pace of the game and it's not working. They gotta try and play faster.

[Basileus777]

I think the Cavs need to go back to the game plan of playing stiffling defense and not try to outgun GSW because it is not working.

Cavaliers half court offense is broke. If they slow the pace they might not break 70...

Their offense was trash in last years finals too. Though what it comes down to is that they're playing a much better Warriors team that they don't have the personnel to beat.

I think the Cavs need to go back to the game plan of playing stiffling defense and not try to outgun GSW because it is not working.

But they are doing the exact opposite of trying to outgun. They are trying to slow the pace of the game and it's not working. They gotta try and play faster.

They are trying to play fast, it's just hard when you can't get defensive rebounds or stops.

[RSCD3_]

Spurs have the best record in league , postseason wise for MOV in a finals series at 70. They also have the highest per game at +14. The warriors are currently +48 and in 9th place after 2 games, what are there chances of passing that. If it is indeed a sweep they end up tied with the 08 celtics for 6th trailing the 60,61,65 and 81 Celtics and of course the 2014 spurs.

Just though I'd share that

[JordansBulls]

Anyone think that if the Cavs get swept that the NBA may change the playoff format next year or the year after? That way it won't be a walk in the park for one team in a conference and it is fair game all across the board to create far better playoff matches among elite teams?

[tone wone]

They really can't compete with this team can they? Going back to the finals that's 7 straight losses with 5 blow outs. Lebron has looked meek in most these losses too.

Lebron is paying penance for his broke jumper. All year I have felt you guys overrated his post game. He's not scoring down there unless he can get all the way to the rim. His touch outside of layups has been lacking all year and he doesn't take short jumpers. Very little finesses

He looks small in the paint against this team.

[RSCD3_]

Edit: Nevermind was looking at game 1

[bondom34]

Why are you typing this to me? Get lost dude, i don't care about your irrelevant personal insight to my posts concerning the game.

1. I'd change the tone.
2. It was clear trolling.
3. Your really making it harder to like GSW.
4. You were just warned a week ago for trolling, so you come back and do it again.

1. You are off base.

2. Your syntax needs work.

3. You are trolling.

I don't think you know what trolling is. And sorry "you're".

But hey, keep the awesome attitude in life.

[VideoGameJames]

I think the Cavs need to go back to the game plan of playing stiffling defense and not try to outgun GSW because it is not working.

But they are doing the exact opposite of trying to outgun. They are trying to slow the pace of the game and it's not working. They gotta try and play faster.

Every time they've tried to push it, GSW kills them in transition, they don't have the length/athleticism to nullify that like OKC did, they absolutely have to play slower to increase variance, and stop playing the switching D that they're trying. They DO NOT have smart enough defenders to be able to keep it up for the whole game, there is always a break down, and open shots for this Warriors team is a recipe for a quick blowout.

[bondom34]

Why are you typing this to me? Get lost dude, i don't care about your irrelevant personal insight to my posts concerning the game.

1. I'd change the tone.
2. It was clear trolling.
3. Your really making it harder to like GSW.
4. You were just warned a week ago for trolling, so you come back and do it again.

1. You are off base, and morover off topic (what's new ay?).

2. Your syntax needs work.

3. You are trolling.

Actually I'm quite on topic, but keep the trolling going.

Considering you've been called on it and reported, I'll let it go.

[Dr Positivity]

The Warriors are too brilliant on defense and passing and are too brutal a matchup for these Cavs. If they lose will be a fascinating summer for Cleveland since I assume they're forced to pull the plug on Irving or Love. Love will be made out as the obvious fall guy but he's a top 3 passer for his position on the team (behind Lebron and Delly) and he's a top 2 floor spacer with Frye and J.R. Is less spacing and passing really the answer considering how light years ahead the Warriors offensive execution looks this series? If they trade Love for Melo it will be missing the plot big time. Better off with Boston role players.

[JulesWinnfield]

I must be trippin', because I have to be honest.... I look at this Golden State roster and this Cleveland roster and I still am at a loss to explain the significant gap between these two teams, because I don't think that gap exists on pure talent. It obviously exists in reality though.

[ceiling raiser]

I don't want to sound foolish, but...could Love being out maybe not be the worst thing in the world? Cleveland struggled to score anyway, but if he's out in G3 with the concussion:

1) You don't have to give him 24+ minutes.
2) You can play Frye during limited minutes when you would have played Love instead because matchups aren't terrible.
3) Kyrie will be the worst defender on the floor, and it's easier to hide a liability on the perimeter defensively than the interior.

Just spitballing, thoughts?

[IG2]

To me, LeBron's lack of belief in his team's ability to win is very apparent out there. He's playing hard, but his body language and facial expressions defy confidence. Like he's fully aware his team's outclassed and just resigned to the beat down.

[JordansBulls]

To me, LeBron's lack of belief in his team's ability to win is very apparent out there. He's playing hard, but his body language and facial expressions defy confidence. Like he's fully aware his team's outclassed and just resigned to the beat down.

I think he was just hoping he got to play OKC.

[Nbafanatic]

I think the Cavs need to go back to the game plan of playing stiffling defense and not try to outgun GSW because it is not working.

But they are doing the exact opposite of trying to outgun. They are trying to slow the pace of the game and it's not working. They gotta try and play faster.

Every time they've tried to push it, GSW kills them in transition, they don't have the length/athleticism to nullify that like OKC did, they absolutely have to play slower to increase variance, and stop playing the switching D that they're trying. They DO NOT have smart enough defenders to be able to keep it up for the whole game, there is always a break down, and open shots for this Warriors team is a recipe for a quick blowout.

But they stand a better chance to open things up and play closer to what they were playing in the east, to get going, to get hot, to find more open threes, generate long rebounds, so they can unleash Tristan Thompson like a madman on the boards. The Warriors are too smart on the half court defense, they don't overhelp as often like those dumb east teams, so I think the Cavs should try to find more opportunities in semi-transition. I agree with your premise in general, as overall, Cleveland doesn't have the high IQ personell to really do it, I just think the Cavs would stand a better chance this way. The way the Cavs are playing right now they cannot attack at all, they have to get their offense going, as their defense is a lost cause, anyway.

[Clyde Frazier]

[tweet]https://twitter.com/nbastats/status/739653024528883714[/tweet]

[therealbig3]

There's no one problem to point to that will magically fix things. The Cavaliers are just hopelessly outmatched on both sides of the ball. They don't have the defensive personnel to match up with GS...Love and Kyrie get exposed badly against this team every time. And offensively, LeBron's decline as a player is a big deal. I know we try to pretend like it's not, but I'm gonna go ahead and say that it's IMPOSSIBLE for the Cavs to beat anybody actually half decent until he regains his jumper. Otherwise, it's just too hard to score points...he might be able to lift a dreadful supporting cast to something that's not awful, like he did in last year's Finals, but there's a very low ceiling to the team offense against a defense like this, ESPECIALLY with defenders that can match up very well with LeBron. Even with superior offensive talent now, they're struggling to score, and it comes down to LeBron having the same serious flaws he had when he was a kid going up against SA or Boston...except he doesn't have the same motor and insane explosion off the dribble to somewhat combat that. 07/08 LeBron, THAT LeBron could have played better if he had better offensive help...but this LeBron doesn't have the off-the-dribble explosion anymore, and coupled with the lack of a jumper, he just can't do much offensively without ball stopping, grinding the offense to a halt, and just playing generally ugly basketball. All the offensive help in the world doesn't mean **** when he can't do anything off the dribble.

Add to that, Kyrie is one seriously dumb basketball player that hurts the Cavs offense despite his talent, and is a huge liability on defense, and he should just be benched (which I did say should happen, and people thought I was crazy, because it would mess with this "historic" offense). Love has become insanely inconsistent offensively, and his defense is also a huge liability against the Warriors.

I always thought it was crazy that people said that the Cavs were better off without Kyrie and Love against the Warriors, but it looks like they actually match up a lot better. Offensively, you keep the ball out of the hands of a selfish, offense-breaking player, and you replace two defensive liabilities with two plus defenders. The Warriors have some off nights now and then, and you can squeeze out a couple of wins that way. The one area it does hurt though is depth, and the Cavs just got gassed last year after 3 games, and LeBron couldn't do anymore (although, again, if he had a consistent jumper, his life would have been a lot easier, because he wouldn't have had to attack excellent defenders and the teeth of the defense nearly as much as he did).