Around the NBA 8.0

[BigSlam]

Good stuff MKIA. I'm a Duke fan so I have a predisposition to roll my eyes at "teams are better off without Kyrie" theories, but I think it's clear that he's not an ideal PG to start next to LeBron. Kyrie is by far the most effective offensively breaking down off the dribble, and LeBron commands such high usage that it doesn't make sense to pair him with a ball dominant PG.

The ideal PG for LeBron is a Chauncey Billups-esque PG that can shoot the three and facilitate ball movement without needing to dominate the ball.

Mo Williams?


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[qiantom]

It is mainly just defense. If Irving and Love were able to play average defense, there would have been almost no problem at all.

Zach Lowe did a piece on Cavs' defense: http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/15700317/toronto-exposed-cavaliers-weakest-link. Basically Irving and Love are rock bottom in the league as a pick-n-roll defending duo and opponents are running them into twice as many pnrs each game as they averaged in the regular-season.

[fatlever]

It is mainly just defense. If Irving and Love were able to play average defense, there would have been almost no problem at all.

Zach Lowe did a piece on Cavs' defense: http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/15700317/toronto-exposed-cavaliers-weakest-link. Basically Irving and Love are rock bottom in the league as a pick-n-roll defending duo and opponents are running them into twice as many pnrs each game as they averaged in the regular-season.

And this is why I never felt sorry for the Cavs last year in the finals when they had to play w/out Love and Kyrie. James is at his absolute best when its him with the ball surrounded by four other 3&D players. Lebron doesn't need Kyrie to create offense. Lebron doesn't need Love to post up or create offense. He just needs guys to make open 3s, rebound and play defense.

[jbk1234]

Jeremias Engelmann ‏@JerryEngelmann May 22
Cavs Defensive Rating in playoffs
with Irving on the floor: 109.7
with Irving off the floor: 91.6

I'm starting to seriously think CLE might be better without KLove and Kyrie.

Except the advanced stats suggest that we're nowhere near as bad defensively with Love on the floor. They've always said that about Kyrie.

[Braggins]

Kyrie is by far one of the most overrated players in the league. Hes just a slightly better version of Jamal Crawford but the perception of him is that hes a borderline superstar and it has been since he was drafted. I remember getting laughed at for saying Kemba was going to be better than him.

[yosemiteben]

Jeremias Engelmann ‏@JerryEngelmann May 22
Cavs Defensive Rating in playoffs
with Irving on the floor: 109.7
with Irving off the floor: 91.6

I'm starting to seriously think CLE might be better without KLove and Kyrie.

Except the advanced stats suggest that we're nowhere near as bad defensively with Love on the floor. They've always said that about Kyrie.

See the post above the one you quoted about KLove, his problem is on the other end.

[Diop]

its time for OKC to sweep the leg

[Eoghan]

Good stuff MKIA. I'm a Duke fan so I have a predisposition to roll my eyes at "teams are better off without Kyrie" theories, but I think it's clear that he's not an ideal PG to start next to LeBron. Kyrie is by far the most effective offensively breaking down off the dribble, and LeBron commands such high usage that it doesn't make sense to pair him with a ball dominant PG.

The ideal PG for LeBron is a Chauncey Billups-esque PG that can shoot the three and facilitate ball movement without needing to dominate the ball.

Didn't you just describe every LeBron team he couldn't win a championship with? Playing with a ball dominant PG is what LeBron needs more than ever, so that he isn't exhausted in crunch time when his team needs him to take over a game. Playing with a ball dominant PG with zero defense and the basketball IQ of Stephon Marbury is what he's got now.




And I couldn't be happier.

[yosemiteben]

Good stuff MKIA. I'm a Duke fan so I have a predisposition to roll my eyes at "teams are better off without Kyrie" theories, but I think it's clear that he's not an ideal PG to start next to LeBron. Kyrie is by far the most effective offensively breaking down off the dribble, and LeBron commands such high usage that it doesn't make sense to pair him with a ball dominant PG.

The ideal PG for LeBron is a Chauncey Billups-esque PG that can shoot the three and facilitate ball movement without needing to dominate the ball.

Didn't you just describe every LeBron team he couldn't win a championship with? Playing with a ball dominant PG is what LeBron needs more than ever, so that he isn't exhausted in crunch time when his team needs him to take over a game. Playing with a ball dominant PG with zero defense and the basketball IQ of Stephon Marbury is what he's got now.




And I couldn't be happier.

Perhaps, the more I thought about it and as I read that Lowe piece qiantom posted I think I started at the wrong end - where Kyrie kills CLE is on D. I think he's probably ok offensively, it's just inefficient because his value on that end is so redundant with LeBron's in terms of needing the ball in his hands. But it's not like he is really inefficient offensively (honestly I haven't looked up stats on that but I assume it's true).

[fatlever]

The Thunder have finally put it all together and are playing like the team we all expected to see for the past 4 years. And the Warriors haven't really looked like the same team since the last two weeks of the regular season. No way is Curry totally healthy. All the ball movement is gone. Now its just one pass, shoot contested 3. They have no answer for the Thunder's length right now.

I'm cool with a Thunder/Cavs finals. I think the Thunder, the way they are playing, might even be a tougher matchup for Cavs. Imagine what Westbrook will do to poor Kyrie. Thunder could use at least one more defensive wing with size to guard Lebron.

[yosemiteben]

I would so love an OKC - TOR finals. I feel like I'm rediscovering a love of OKC that I had back in the day before I got jaded and thought they were all leaving. I just love the energy and messiness they play with.

[fatlever]

I mean, who the hell on the Cavs is going to slow down Westbrook when he is driving FT to FT at 100 MPH?

[HornetJail]

I mean, who the hell on the Cavs is going to slow down Westbrook when he is driving FT to FT at 100 MPH?

The Cavs won't be able to guard anybody. LeBron is going to be so busy guarding Durant that his offense will suffer. If that series happens, I've got OKC in 5

[TinmanZBoy]

I will take the Goatbrook in my team for any playoff game... man, his energy and play making are out of charts....

[BatumtheGlue]

Westbrook coast to coast fastbreak is like an art in my eyes. What a freak of nature. He's still a dumb guy sometimes tho, lol.

Oh, another frustating night for Green, good for him, good for Silver.

[fatlever]

I can get on board the Thunder bandwagon. It would be a shame if the Durant/Westbrook combo never won a ring together. It could be sweet revenge for their loss in 2012? vs Lebron

[yosemiteben]

I'll be honest, I turned on GSW surprisingly fast. I was kind of already over them in the regular season. I think it was a combination of wanting them to disappoint so Steph starts thinking about leaving and with starting to get rubbed the wrong way by the way they celebrate, especially Green. I got real irked by that interview their GM did about how much better they are as an organization than the rest of the league. I rooted against them in this series in a way totally unlike how I felt about SAS last series.

[TinmanZBoy]

I'll be honest, I turned on GSW surprisingly fast. I was kind of already over them in the regular season. I think it was a combination of wanting them to disappoint so Steph starts thinking about leaving and with starting to get rubbed the wrong way by the way they celebrate, especially Green. I got real irked by that interview their GM did about how much better they are as an organization than the rest of the league. I rooted against them in this series in a way totally unlike how I felt about SAS last series.

not their GM... it was their owner, one of the owners, Joe Lacob.... their GM Bob Myers is really good, and respectful

[TinmanZBoy]

it is a shame that Stephen could not play his Video Game like games in this playoff... he had a couple of good stretches, but far from the level he brought in the regular season... his energy level is just low and the body language is bad

[Braggins]

I got real irked by that interview their GM did about how much better they are as an organization than the rest of the league.

I agree with the rest of your post too, but this sentence especially. That interview was the worst.