2018 NBA Playoffs

[priceFTW]

Even during LeBron's run through the East other teams have had hope. Indiana took the Heat 6 games, then 7 games the next year, then 6 games again. Boston took the Heat 7 games. Chicago took the Cavs 6 games. Toronto took the Cavs 6 games. Indiana just took the Cavs to 7. His teams had their share of dog fights. And then whatever team made it out of the West was waiting for them. There was never this sense that no one in the NBA could beat his team. It's not like that with Golden State. They just completely run through other teams.

Because no other team has ever had this type of team.

—Two generational talents who can BOTH play on the ball and off the ball equally well; this by itself is probably unique in NBA history

—Unselfish team on and off the court as they’re all willing to take discounts to keep the cult together.

—Third option who NEVER has to have the ball in his hands and is a top 3 shooter of all time and a good man defender

—Run really good sets; they’re not bombing threes left and right this year. They shoot, as a percentage of their shots, the 15th most amount of threes in the NBA. They don’t even have a bevy of shooters outside of the starting 1st three options. But they get so many easy baskets because of how well they execute their offense.

—Generally speaking, a high IQ team that team rebounds really well.

—No weak defenders. Curry is a neutral defender at worst who’s an excellent rebounder (you saw some of his box outs tonight). Durant and Klay and Iggy and Draymond can or are plus defenders.

—a fourth option who’s a DPOY caliber defender who can also create for others.

What other team even had 4 of these things including the first one? The talent now in the NBA is greater than ever (blows the ‘80s and ‘90s talent out of the water) yet with these characteristics, your hope IS JUST TO PLAY THEM CLOSE.

 

[ajz20]

LBJ is not going to Houston...

Honestly if all he wants is to beat golden state and that is the only priority than Boston is by far the best choice. If that is indeed all he cares about.

Not sure why the other 28 teams would bother playing 82 games for the next for 4 years but the nba is an abomination right now anyways.

 

[SmudgeHog]

LeBrons not winning again unless he takes a major pay cut to match the Warriors. The end. Not here, not anywhere.

The thing is, he's got more money than he could ever spend, and his billion dollar lifetime contract with his shoe company means his nba pay is just random loose change spending money.

So why wouldn't he take a huge pay cut? Because of the precedent it would set, I've been told.

 

[Real Deal]

He's the type of guy you'd love to punch in this face every time he talks

Jordan knew what he was doing.

 

[godfather]

Boston can't get LeBron. They don't come close to having the cap room. Honestly. I think watching this has to be even more demoralizing for LB.

Not sure there's a team he can go to that tops GS. I don't know. Maybe Philly? But they lack shooting IMO. I really don't know. I could obviously see him going to lots of places and make it really interesting, because he is LeBron.

It's just hard to surpass 4 hall of famers, two of them MVP players. Where does anyone have that?

LB is almost God like, but that's even too much for him. Remember, they destroyed us last year with LB putting up a triple double in the finals. And Kyrie still averaging about 30 a game.

This team is just too much sadly.

 

[Rich]

If Klay Thompson extends next summer for cheap then I think you probably do see LBJ take a big pay cut and go to Houston.

Eventually the other stars ate gonna have to admit they can't actually win a title unless they're willing to give away money like the Warriors. You saw Chris Paul do it already. I think LBJ probably will do it too.

 

[priceFTW]

There's no hand-checking or contact allowed. Otherwise, going big and physical would probably work. However, the NBA has taken that style out of the game forever.

There’s plenty of hand checking and grabbing in today’s game. A lot has been made of the rules changes and though they have changed the gene, the effect of hand checking and “physical play” of the “old days” is more mythical than reality.

The rules perhaps did change the way teams play, but mostly it was in reality teams figuring out that post play and ISO midrange play were suboptimal ways to play. You want at least 4 shooters out there (5 is even better), open up space,and drive the ball.

When I watch highlights of even the best teams in the ‘90s (and I watched the ‘80s as a kid and the ‘90s as a teen and young adult), I see teams that would get blown the fuck out of the arena with the way they approached offense. MArk Jackson backing down other guards for 15 seconds, finding teammates for 16 foot jumpers, etc., etc. Teams should have been prioritizing the three ball from the beginning and once they figured out, they’ve put emphasis on ball handling, shooting, skill, and now we’re here.

 

[SK808]

View: https://twitter.com/masanchez10/status/996238779412369408?s=21

LeHump James

 

[ajz20]

If Klay Thompson extends next summer for cheap then I think you probably do see LBJ take a big pay cut and go to Houston.

Eventually the other stars ate gonna have to admit they can't actually win a title unless they're willing to give away money like the Warriors. You saw Chris Paul do it already. I think LBJ probably will do it too.

Lebron only has so many years left at this level. If he is going to take a pay cut to try to create one more super team, he better do out ASAP if that is his desire. I am not sure it is or should be. If I were him I would be fine being a political activist, staying home and finishing my career as a cavalier and taking the team as far as possible as long as ownership was not being cheap.

Don’t worry about the media narrative, do what makes you happy. But again if he wants to beat the warriors the best move to make is to go to Boston for cheap. I don’t think he will or should.

 

[redscoon]

The only way to beat GSW is getting to the line. Slow the pace, set your defense. Eliminate one of the big 3 with fouls. You are going to lose a jumpshooting contest against them long term. Maybe for a game you can get hot and pull it off, but not over the course of a series.

Green and Curry will reach and get into trouble if you can continue to attack. Unfortunately, the Rockets and Cavs are loaded up on guys shooting late shot clock threes after watching isos and not guys who can attack the basket. Not having an effective post game doesn't help matters. Capela is a great piece, but you can only catch so many lobs in a game

 

[SmudgeHog]

LeHump James

 

[ajz20]

The only way to beat GSW is getting to the line. Slow the pace, set your defense. Eliminate one of the big 3 with fouls. You are going to lose a jumpshooting contest against them long term. Maybe for a game you can get hot and pull it off, but not over the course of a series.

Green and Curry will reach and get into trouble if you can continue to attack. Unfortunately, the Rockets and Cavs are loaded up on guys shooting late shot clock threes after watching isos and not guys who can attack the basket. Not having an effective post game doesn't help matters. Capela is a great piece, but you can only catch so many lobs in a game

Right now no team is capable of doing this minus warrior injuries. Maybe Boston two years from now if everything goes there way, but that is a major if. Philly is no where close to golden state, they are light years behind... no one in the west is actually close at all in the short term.

 

[godfather]

Lebron only has so many years left at this level. If he is going to take a pay cut to try to create one more super team, he better do out ASAP if that is his desire. I am not sure it is or should be. If I were him I would be fine being a political activist, staying home and finishing my career as a cavalier and taking the team as far as possible as long as ownership was not being cheap.

Don’t worry about the media narrative, do what makes you happy. But again if he wants to beat the warriors the best move to make is to go to Boston for cheap. I don’t think he will or should.

He's been quoted saying he's got one thing left. And that's go after Jordan.

Any fairy tale of him staying here is just that IMO.

If he really wants to win it all. Then he should take a pay cut and probably join the Rockets or Celtics. Which again, he'd receive a shit of flack. Lots if he did it.

But if he wins it all, the media forgets this shit. He knows better than anyone that.

Honestly, I miss the days when players just fucking competed and didn't just hop on the bandwagon just because they get beat. I know its a different era. And the media is so fucking bad making players feel they got to just leave to be anything.

Sports media so awful.

I don't really think LB has anything else he needs to prove. But I don't think he feels that way. Outside noise still says MJ is better, and I think that bothers him. That's the problem with LB. He cares too much what others think of him.

He can deny it all he wants, but its true. It bothers him.

 

[ajz20]

He's been quoted saying he's got one thing left. And that's go after Jordan.

Any fairy tale of him staying here is just that IMO.

If he really wants to win it all. Then he should take a pay cut and probably join the Rockets or Celtics. Which again, he'd receive a shit of flack. Lots if he did it.

But if he wins it all, the media forgets this shit. He knows better than anyone that.

Honestly, I miss the days when players just fucking competed and didn't just hop on the bandwagon just because they get beat. I know its a different era. And the media is so fucking bad making players feel they got to just leave to be anything.

Sports media so awful.

I don't really think LB has anything else he needs to prove. But I don't think he feels that way. Outside noise still says MJ is better, and I think that bothers him. That's the problem with LB. He cares too much what others think of him.

He can deny it all he wants, but its true. It bothers him.

If all he wants is to win more rings than Jordan and break the nba for good short term just go to the warriors lol.
I mean it is absurd and stupid but technically it would give him the best chance to get to 7 rings.

If that is all he wants then that is the easiest path.
Maybe then the league would be forced into a long work stoppage and some major changes long term that would make it more like the NHL and NFL.

 

[Lets_Nance]

If he really wants to win it all. Then he should take a pay cut and probably join the Rockets or Celtics. Which again, he'd receive a shit of flack. Lots if he did it.
.

And I doubt either team + Lebron can beat a healthy Warriors team anyway. The Warriors not only have top talent, they have top talent that compliment each other.

Lebron on Houston would be a lot like the OKC experiment from this year: weaker than the sum of its parts. And he’s not going to Boston as long as Kyrie is there.

The NBA is going to be boring for a few years.