Around the NBA Thread 2016-17

[London2Boston]

Wait...I just realised that James Posey is a coach for the Cavs. Happy for him too I suppose.

[Captain_Caveman]

Ainge better not even call Barnes' agent. Scrub of the highest magnitude.

Stop me if you've heard this before... but I told you so.

He's not a top 20 SF, and I don't even like him over Jeff Green.

I do agree..but I think people are going a bit overboard here. A lot of guys sucked in these finals..including the so called best player in the planet, Curry. It's hard to pin the suck card on Barnes when so many more talented and experienced players **** the bed just as bad as he did.

Thing with Barnes is that the Ws are able to hide him in plain sight. Leads the league in wide open 3-point attempts, and often draws the easiest assignments on both ends. We saw what happened when he was asked to do a little more. I don't like anything about his game other than his ability to knock down wide open 3s, really.

[LarryBirdsFingr]

I'll take crowder please and thank you

[LarryBirdsFingr]

like who tf is gonna guard lebron on this team besides crowder? lol guy isn't going anywhere

[DarkAzcura]

Stop me if you've heard this before... but I told you so.

He's not a top 20 SF, and I don't even like him over Jeff Green.

I do agree..but I think people are going a bit overboard here. A lot of guys sucked in these finals..including the so called best player in the planet, Curry. It's hard to pin the suck card on Barnes when so many more talented and experienced players **** the bed just as bad as he did.

Thing with Barnes is that the Ws are able to hide him in plain sight. Leads the league in wide open 3-point attempts, and often draws the easiest assignments on both ends. We saw what happened when he was asked to do a little more. I don't like anything about his game other than his ability to knock down wide open 3s, really.

I seriously hope people are starting to understand how mediocre Barnes is...but I somehow doubt it.

[soxfan2003]

If both teams were at full strength I'd take cavs every time Golden state had no chance to win that game down the stretch. None. That game was over the second Curry made that behind the back pass that ended up in the third row.

That's fine. That's your opinion. I just find it odd you are so confident in it. GSW wasn't getting blown out here, and the only reason the tides turned in Cleveland's favor was because of GSW injuries and Green's suspension. If you can excuse Cleveland for their injuries last year, why aren't you giving GSW the same benefit of the doubt here considering everything that happened after game 4? Seems inconsistent, IMO.

IMO Irving and Love being out were bigger losses than the Warriors not having Bogut and Iggy being injured. As for Green: He was out but it was 100% his fault. You have Green on your team you have to take the good with the bad.

As for Curry: I guess we have to wait and see if he was injured. All I know is that this is the second finals in a row he played below expectations.

Last year, he was real good and deserved the post season MVP if a Warrior player was going to get it but Iggy got too much credit for defending Lebron and hitting a bunch of wide open shots. Curry and Klay played below reasonable expectations in this series for sure but when you are a PG and the other team is often doubling you and sending players like TT and Lebron at you, it is reasonable to not try to score a ton. Klay has a bit less of an excuse IMHO but hard to blame him when he played out of his mind vs OKC in game 6.

Other than some stupid turnovers, Curry was fine -- just not MVP level -- on offense until this game.

Green being suspended was still huge. Love overall was not a positive factor for the Cavs this series and I was hardly surprised by that since he doesn't match up well against GS or against any really athletic team. It is fair to say Irving was missed last year since despite Delly playing great at times on D, Irving does take much more pressure off of Lebron than Love in a series like this and he puts some pressure on Warriors defense. And Delly fell apart.

Green was a fool going for Lebron's bait and Lebron was a bball genius for baiting him which may have been the move that won the Cavs the championship. If the league hadn't warned him and given him the benefit of the doubt vs OKC, I wouldn't have suspended him. But I agree that he deserved to be suspended. If the league warns you that they will have a short leash, you are a fool to fall for anything/retaliate in a game that is already won.

[BRUNiNHO91]

Thing with Barnes is that the Ws are able to hide him in plain sight. Leads the league in wide open 3-point attempts, and often draws the easiest assignments on both ends. We saw what happened when he was asked to do a little more. I don't like anything about his game other than his ability to knock down wide open 3s, really.

Agreed. But again, let's be fair.. that's all he should have to do. He's good at that.. He shouldn't be asked to be more than a 3 and D role player and he doesn't deserve a max or not even close to it..if that changes down the line nobody knows, but the reality right now is just that. That's no knock on him.. I'm guessing if you put Avery, Marcus or Crowder and asked them to be more than what they are in the finals they would look awful also. I mean Crowder, hurt or not, sucked against Atlanta when we needed him to do more. People just put Barnes in a level that he has never even got close to reaching..

[soxfan2003]

I do agree..but I think people are going a bit overboard here. A lot of guys sucked in these finals..including the so called best player in the planet, Curry. It's hard to pin the suck card on Barnes when so many more talented and experienced players **** the bed just as bad as he did.

Thing with Barnes is that the Ws are able to hide him in plain sight. Leads the league in wide open 3-point attempts, and often draws the easiest assignments on both ends. We saw what happened when he was asked to do a little more. I don't like anything about his game other than his ability to knock down wide open 3s, really.

I seriously hope people are starting to understand how mediocre Barnes is...but I somehow doubt it.

I honestly don't think Barnes is _this bad_ but the whole notion of him as a near max player was a JOKE. Barnes isn't a good defensive player IMHO but he can defend some players with size. I said all along Crowder is better and no team in their right mind given a real choice would give a player clearly inferior to Crowder the max. Crowder could have gone cold/missed shots even playing on a team with Curry/Klay getting tons of defensive attention but at least Crowder would have value on defense. Now Barnes is younger and may get better but its not like Barnes has really improved that much. I would avoid him in FA.

[FlatearthZorro]

Ainge better not even call Barnes' agent. Scrub of the highest magnitude.

Stop me if you've heard this before... but I told you so.

He's not a top 20 SF, and I don't even like him over Jeff Green.

Agreed, especially for 20 mils. U can take a chance at 15, cause he's still young, but yea I'd take Jeffrey on a short team deal for A WHOLE LOT less money than Barnes.....

[DarkAzcura]

Thing with Barnes is that the Ws are able to hide him in plain sight. Leads the league in wide open 3-point attempts, and often draws the easiest assignments on both ends. We saw what happened when he was asked to do a little more. I don't like anything about his game other than his ability to knock down wide open 3s, really.

I seriously hope people are starting to understand how mediocre Barnes is...but I somehow doubt it.

I honestly don't think Barnes is _this bad_ but the whole notion of him as a near max player was a JOKE. Barnes isn't a good defensive player IMHO but he can defend some players with size. I said all along Crowder is better and no team in their right mind given a real choice would give a player clearly inferior to Crowder the max. Crowder could have gone cold/missed shots even playing on a team with Curry/Klay getting tons of defensive attention but at least Crowder would have value on defense. Now Barnes is younger and may get better but its not like Barnes has really improved that much. I would avoid him in FA.

No I don't think he is this bad either, but he's just the definition of mediocre. Earlier in the playoffs I read how some thought Barnes could be an upgrade over Crowder for this team, and I wanted to scream lol. It's not a common opinion, though, so eh.

[tlee324]

Lebron is playing phenomenally, Kyrie is standing out as well. Tristan's hustle has been great, and Shumpert's defense of Curry has been a game-changing factor.... It all gets tarnished when the refs stink up the whole joint, though. If CLE wins tonight, I think it's well-deserved, but the refs' role will always diminish the situation for me.

You honestly feel this is any worse than any other year? I hate LeBron more than the next guy but he has been the man in this series. I'm not going to take that away from him because Curry got called for some fouls. There was actually a real debate as to who the best player in the NBA was - the unanimous MVP or LeBron James. Bad calls or not, that debate is over. It's still LeBron's league. If the Cavs win tonight you have to give LeBron credit.

I do think it was ridiculous to see Curry fouling out as he was getting thrown around the court, but it is what it is. Tonight was good for them and James/Kyrie and they deserve the accolades. Nobody can take it away from them. Ultimately, regardless of the officiating, GSW as a team came apart while CLE rallied around each other, played with a chip on their shoulder, and it worked out great for them.

[tlee324]

I have no idea at all how to respond if some team gives Harrison Barnes a max contract. Ridiculous.

[BannersOnly]

I have no idea at all how to respond if some team gives Harrison Barnes a max contract. Ridiculous.

Scary, isn't it? And yet we had more than a few posters on here the past week saying he was worth giving a max contract by Danny boy. Absolutely embarassing. He's the Avery Bradley of small forwards........nice player, not a star. Yet people on here overrate Bradley too and think he is better than he is LOL. Please.

[djFan71]

Kerr needs to take some big time criticism, he let his team play cocky all season and it ultimately cost them the title. Deep 3's and fancy passes in a championship game?

And that Ezeli substitution in the 4th. That and LeBron's block turned the game. I know you had no bigs, but Ezeli proved in every stint on the court tonight he wasn't ready. Did not deserve Q4 minutes at all. Speights was a better option, even.

Hats off to LeBron & Kyrie. They stepped up big time. Fine work by Lue as well, got some good play out of Love, didn't go Delly at all. Basically went 7 deep, except for the Mo aint' got it cameo. Rode his best guys to the win, while Kerr lost a little trying to sneak minutes with his bigs.

[Captain_Caveman]

Thing with Barnes is that the Ws are able to hide him in plain sight. Leads the league in wide open 3-point attempts, and often draws the easiest assignments on both ends. We saw what happened when he was asked to do a little more. I don't like anything about his game other than his ability to knock down wide open 3s, really.

Agreed. But again, let's be fair.. that's all he should have to do. He's good at that.. He shouldn't be asked to be more than a 3 and D role player and he doesn't deserve a max or not even close to it..if that changes down the line nobody knows, but the reality right now is just that. That's no knock on him.. I'm guessing if you put Avery, Marcus or Crowder and asked them to be more than what they are in the finals they would look awful also. I mean Crowder, hurt or not, sucked against Atlanta when we needed him to do more. People just put Barnes in a level that he has never even got close to reaching..

IMO, he's not a 3 and D player at all. I think dude sorta sucks defensively, actually.

He is a 3 and... player, and a "wide open" 3 and... player at that.

Jae is three times the player for 1/3rd of his salary next year.

[truth18]

So five years from now,will anyone even care or even mention the Warriors 73 win season?

No.

[ConstableGeneva]

So five years from now,will anyone even care or even mention the Warriors 73 win season?

No.

Oh, they'll get mentioned alright. They will be remembered as a footnote in one of the greatest Finals performances of all-time. Lebron just solidified his place in the pantheon of legends by leading his team to an unprecedented comeback from being down 1-3 with a 41, 41, and a triple-double. I hate it and I hate that I have to hear/read about it all summer, but it is what it is. Dumb Dubs.

[truth18]

So five years from now,will anyone even care or even mention the Warriors 73 win season?

No.

Oh, they'll get mentioned alright. They will be remembered as a footnote in one of the greatest Finals performances of all-time. Lebron just solidified his place in the pantheon of legends by leading his team to an unprecedented comeback from being down 1-3 with a 41, 41, and a triple-double. I hate it and I hate that I have to hear/read about it all summer, but it is what it is. Dumb Dubs.

Great points.

And they will also probably be remembered as the biggest chokers in modern American sports history.

This was far worse than the 2001 Mariners, 2006 Mavericks or the 2007 Patriots. Their hubris only adds to the embarrassment.

[EJay33]

Draymond ate Lebron for lunch in the series.

LOL you are so cute when you're mad. Believe me, I hate LeBron James more than the next guy, but he just average 30-11-9 with 2.3 BPG and 2.9 SPG. He had an amazing game 5 on the road and one of the best playoff performances ever in game 6, plus a triple double on the road in game 7 against a 73-win team. No one ate him for lunch. He led all players on both teams in points, rebounds, assists, steals, and blocks in a 7 game series - first time in NBA history that this happened, and it would have happened even if Draymond played one more game. He was probably winning the MVP win or lose. You'd have to have been dropped on your head as a baby to find a way to not give LeBron credit for this championship. He just won a championship for the freaking Cleveland Cavaliers.

You bandwagon fans are all the same, jump to the flavor of the moment

>bandwagon fans
>Warriors

Son, you're trying hard, and that's great, but try harder. I'm no Cavs fan, I just watch the games and I came into this thread before game 7 started and predicted a Cavs game 7 win because a) they are tougher, b) they have the best player, and c) their style of play has historically beaten teams with the Warriors' style of play. It was that simple. It was enough to overcome home court advantage.

how was comic con this weekend? Did you cosplay as Jean Grey?

[EJay33]

This was far worse than the 2001 Mariners, 2006 Mavericks or the 2007 Patriots. Their hubris only adds to the embarrassment.

This part I super agree with. I wanted to root for this team that was changing the game - using the 3PT line like never before and hitting shots from unprecedented distance (Antoine Walker pioneered taking shots from these distances, unfortunately, they never went in). However, Draymond's constant flexing, chest-pounding, and the entire team celebrating shots before they go in - yikes. I ended up really hating them. This is the mid-80s Lakers reincarnated - a bunch of front running bozos. And Curry, I mean, what a fraud. Many actually believed he had overtaken LeBron as the league's best player. Now he requires reputation-saving off-season surgery to save face. And his wife's tweeting - ugh!! Totally unbearable team. It sucks LeBron had to win it and not OKC, but at least we don't have to hear about how the 15-16 Warriors are amongst the greatest teams of all-time.