Around the NBA 8.0

[BatumtheGlue]

Go Cavs! I don't have any problem with Lebron or Steph. Draymond is the only reason why i'm rooting for the Cavs.

[Vanderbilt_Grad]

I like the 76s / Hawks trade. If I were building a young up and coming team, I would really want an experienced PG to get them started going in the right direction ... someone who could help them be better on the court. I think that Teague can do that for them. I like it even better for the Hawks.

Finals ... I'm pulling for the Warriors.

[jtsmith]

Delly playing below the belt again

[Eoghan]

Delly hit Iggy's land down under.

[jtsmith]

Delly hit Iggy's land down under.

at the balls but nowhere near the ball

[jtsmith]

Love it when I see stats like this... JR Smith 33 mins 0 points.

[fatlever]

so much fun seeing Livingston hitting those mid-range pull-ups.

[BatumtheGlue]

Warriors bench won them that game. Gotta give props to Iggy, Livingston, and Barbosa.

[Diop]

i think Lebron has really hurt himself with his stupid super teams idea.

the coach ends up having to try and wedge these "stars" together, instead of just building a team around him.

he would be better surrounded with 3 & D and some role players.
its what made the Bulls teams so good, the combination of players fit perfectly.

i think part of it was the criticism he used to get in his first playoffs in Cleveland for passing out of winning shots. he probably wanted stars to share the burden and blame. He should of ignored that crap, part of the hype coming out of high school was his point guard skills and vision, occasionally the best shot is to draw the defenders and give you teammate an open shot. Heck MJ did it a couple of times, thats how Kerr had a career.

[fatlever]

i think Lebron has really hurt himself with his stupid super teams idea.

the coach ends up having to try and wedge these "stars" together, instead of just building a team around him.

he would be better surrounded with 3 & D and some role players.
its what made the Bulls teams so good, the combination of players fit perfectly.

i think part of it was the criticism he used to get in his first playoffs in Cleveland for passing out of winning shots. he probably wanted stars to share the burden and blame. He should of ignored that crap, part of the hype coming out of high school was his point guard skills and vision, occasionally the best shot is to draw the defenders and give you teammate an open shot. Heck MJ did it a couple of times, thats how Kerr had a career.

I agree 100% and its been my take on Lebron since he originally left Miami. Having more stars on his team is great in the regular season and early playoff rounds. It allows him to coast a little and rest when needed, while still making it to #1 or #2 seed every year. But in the finals, there just isn't really a need for guys like Kyrie, Wade, Love and Bosh. They are just massive luxuries. It worked in Miami, twice, because the sheer amount of talent just trumped everything else. Bosh was probably the best fit of all of the stars he's played with, but was obviously underused as a 3rd option. Wade is redundant to Lebron in the 4th quarter of a close game and Wade doesn't help space the floor. Kyrie is redundant as a guy who needs the ball, but hurts Lebron on the defensive end. Love is great as a catch and shoot big man who creates space, but again, not a plus defender.

I like how you said he also needed someone to share the blame. I think that's also very accurate.

Lebron with 3 elite roll playing catch and shoot defenders, an elite roll man/rim protector + a very high level back up point guard who can create offense would be all he would need to win. And in that sense, elite roll players and rim protectors can be viewed as stars as well, Lebron just keeps picking the wrong stars. Yet here is he, again, 6 years in a row. He should have retired with 10 rings, he'll scratch and claw his way to 4.

[fatlever]

Can you imagine Lebron surrounded by 2 Avery Bradleys types at guard, a Kyle Korver type at small forward and a rim protector like Gobert at center?

[BatumtheGlue]

Maybe the Cavs should start Delly, Shumpert, Lebron, Frye, and Mozgov if they lose the next game, lol.

[Eoghan]

I thought Cleveland did a good job except for denying 2nd chance points. Love missed a ton of shots he should've made and GSW had trouble guarding him. They did a good job of switching to keep a little guy from guarding Love but Love should've scored more or the Cavs need to anticipate the switches and whip the ball around better. They were just a little too dogged about posting up Love. Kyrie turned into a blackhole at times but I don't think he hurt the team too much. They asked for GSW's others to beat them and that's basically what happened, Livingston turned into MJ with all those midrange J's.

[JMAC3]

The Media is going to overreact to game 1, but if you take a look at the stats. I thought Cleveland played a pretty good game and had a good game plan.

Cleveland held Steph and Klay in check and forced others to beat them. Unfortunately Barbosa and Livingston had their best games of the season. Couple that with Cleveland not getting anything outside of their big 3 and its gonna be a rough game.

However, Cleveland was outscored by 15 points and still won the rebound battle by 13 which is pretty unusual. The team that makes more shots normally wins the rebound battle because their are more misses to collect. Also, they held Warriors three point shooting in check and matched them with only making 2 less threes and at the same percentage. Cleveland also shot twice the amount of free throws, had twice the number of fastbreak points, and still lost. Cleveland just needs to stop turning the ball over so much and I think they will be fine. Love and Irving looked confident and aggressive last night and they played at GS.

I would bet that Warriors bench can not keep outplaying the Cavs bench the remainder of the series. Delly, Frye, Jefferson and Shumpert will play better than the first game. Also, JR Smith was a complete non-factor.

[BlackOutBuzz]

If we're subscribing to regression to the mean then yeah, the Warriors bench won't keep that up. But...Steph and Klay will also likely not have a worse game in the series.

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[Diop]

That's also why I liked Boston's big 3 of Allen, Pierce and Garnett.

To me, Garnett, was the ultimate glue man, role player. He didn't want to score a ton even though he could. He was happy defending, setting screens and keeping the ball moving. He was the inside presence they needed without being a black hole.

Allen was one of the all time great catch n shoot players, while Pierce could play the standard "star" role of iso scorer.

I don't know if it was luck or smart management that picked 3 stars that could fit so well

[BigSlam]

That's also why I liked Boston's big 3 of Allen, Pierce and Garnett.

To me, Garnett, was the ultimate glue man, role player. He didn't want to score a ton even though he could. He was happy defending, setting screens and keeping the ball moving. He was the inside presence they needed without being a black hole.

Allen was one of the all time great catch n shoot players, while Pierce could play the standard "star" role of iso scorer.

I don't know if it was luck or smart management that picked 3 stars that could fit so well

Who would be that three in today's game?

Not vets, but young'ish guys in their prime who would gel like that?

Kawhi. Durant. M.Gasol?


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[SWedd523]

That's also why I liked Boston's big 3 of Allen, Pierce and Garnett.

To me, Garnett, was the ultimate glue man, role player. He didn't want to score a ton even though he could. He was happy defending, setting screens and keeping the ball moving. He was the inside presence they needed without being a black hole.

Allen was one of the all time great catch n shoot players, while Pierce could play the standard "star" role of iso scorer.

I don't know if it was luck or smart management that picked 3 stars that could fit so well

Who would be that three in today's game?

Not vets, but young'ish guys in their prime who would gel like that?

Kawhi. Durant. M.Gasol?


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I think Steph/Durant/KAT roughly fill similar roles and would be a hell of a lot of fun to watch together.

Even a poor man's version of Devin Booker/Gordan Hayward/Nerlens Noel would be interesting

[fatlever]

Even though I hate CP3, I always wanted to see him team up with Durant. I have been proposing a CP for RW trade for years. I think CP3 could get Durant so many great looks and RW and BG would be nuts to watch together.

Kawhi next to any ball dominate superstar would work. He's the perfect #2 for any superstar scorer.

KAT is the epitome of the modern day center, he would be great as a #2 next to any superstar scorer.

Klay of course is the perfect 3/D wingman to compliment any superstar who needs space.

trios
Lebron-Klay-Gobert
CP3-Durant-KAT
RW-Kawhi-Davis
Steph-Klay-Green
Lillard-Kawhi-KAT

Bucher was messing around earlier and proposed some fun trades he'd like to see happen. Jimmy Butler for Blake Griffin was one which I found very interesting.

[yosemiteben]

2 - 3 - 4 of Kawhi Leonard, Paul George, LaMarcus Aldridge.