Cavs vs. Boston -- 2017 Eastern Conference Finals

[ACisKING]

If we switch everything on GS, then what happens when Durant attacks the mismatch? He's not Harrison Barnes.

This to me is the going to be the single biggest question of the Finals. Switching is the only strategy that ever really worked against GSW's motion offense. They have too much shooting and off ball movement to play them any other way. But now they have a guy who can attack mismatches better than anyone they had last year.

 

[Rich]

If we switch everything on GS, then what happens when Durant attacks the mismatch? He's not Harrison Barnes.

Yea the defensive strategy has to change. Tristan and Kyrie ended up on Barnes for long stretches. Durant will punish them where Barnes couldn't.

 

[Jscc]

But now they have a guy who can attack mismatches better than anyone they had last year.

That's how we beat them. So they go out and get KD to do it.

Honestly, i'm not confident with the way Kevin and Kyrie have been playing offensively. They need to attack and attack efficiently for us to have a chance. Hopefully they get it together in the ECF.

 

[AsianDawg]

This means next year we'll have to get a plus defender to put on Durant, and the Arms Race will continue.

Think USA-USSR, but not quite as epic. Back and forth.

 

[Zog]

We'll switch everything vs. GSW, just like we did last year. Trapping them is the exact wrong move due to how many exceptional ball-handlers and passers they have. Trap Curry? He'll get it to Dray, who'll drive and kick to an open KD or Klay for an open 3. Trap someone else, and it's just a permutation of the first scenario.

That's not something we came close to worrying about in the first two rounds, and the back-to-back sweeps are indicative of the trap strategy's effectiveness in certain situations.

You are pretty much echoing my thoughts on trapping. Works fine against lesser teams, but GS will light us up if we trap. And it won't work that well against the Wizards either, as they have a lot more shooting than IND/TOR.

As others have pointed out, switching could be a problem if we just easily let them get Kyrie or Love switched on to Durant. It will be interesting to see what strategy we come up with.

 

[LeeBuckeye]

Utah is hanging with them pretty well considering they have only three good offensive players on their entire team (Gordon, Joe, Hill). Hood has had an awful year (36% FG, 26.1% 3pt) and Joe Ingles can't beat plotting bigs like Zaza and West off the dribble and is generally unable to get shots off. They're not face-guarding Curry or getting physical with Durant just playing solid defense but we will get the benefit of the doubt when holding Curry while he is in motion (he initiates a ton of it and gets away with clear push offs). We needed LeBron and Kyrie to play out of this world last year but our role players hit 3's at a good clip in 3 out of the 4 games. Korver is another guy they will have to game plan against unlike Shump. Klay guards Korver well but then who will guard Kyrie? I'm hoping Steph runs around a ton chasing Korver when he isn't being forced to guard LeBron on switches.

I think we will face Washington (they finally figured out that loading up on the miniature IT pays bigger dividends than staying close to Bradley or Crowder.) Hopefully we get through them healthy and without any suspensions. This will be good series to test our transition defense especially on the perimeter with Otto and Beal who has a similar game to Klay.

 

[OnTheReg]

You are pretty much echoing my thoughts on trapping. Works fine against lesser teams, but GS will light us up if we trap. And it won't work that well against the Wizards either, as they have a lot more shooting than IND/TOR.

As others have pointed out, switching could be a problem if we just easily let them get Kyrie or Love switched on to Durant. It will be interesting to see what strategy we come up with.

Maybe we employ a hybrid approach against GSW? Switch on everything in the first, say, 12 seconds of the shot clock and then, if the ball is in someone's hands for an iso in the back half of the possession, trap the ball and force a turnover or a rushed shot from someone else?

I don't know; this is way above my pay grade and I'm glad it's not my responsibility to figure this out.

The nightmare offense GSW has is why I'm hoping that they face SAS more and more in the WCF. I think GSW will beat them in 5-6 games, but Pop is such a defensive genius that I'm sure Lue will be able to take some good lessons from that series into a Finals match up. I don't trust D'Antoni to come up with a defensive scheme capable of stopping GSW, period.

 

[-Akronite-]

As I've maintained, I hope we face the Wizards. For a few reasons:

1) Fuck Boston. Fuck 'em dry.

2) Fuck Boston. Worth saying more than once.

3) The Wiz are a fun team and John Wall is amazing. I love his game. His duels with Kyrie will be awesome.

4) Bring back the old Washington rivalry finally.

5) The Celtics are scary from a "last time we played them they had a long haired shit-stain yank KLove's arm out" perspective. Fuck that noise.

6) Fuck everything about Boston.

7) Not having to deal with Isaiah Thomas and all the bullshit narrative baggage attached to that fake ass shit team.

If we have to face the Celts, I hope we sweep their asses. But honestly unless we blow them out for four straight games I'd probably get more frustrated watching a Cs series end in 4 than a Wiz series ending in 6.

 

[LeShaq]

Wizards' bench sucks. I'm no longer worried about that team.

Honestly, I think we sweep either Washington or Boston (if we're healthy). Which would be great, because we can use the rest/prep time for the Finals.

 

[JMoneyYourHoney]

4) Bring back the old Washington rivalry finally.

In order for a "rivalry" to exist one team needs to actually beat the other. As far as I'm concerned there is no rivalry with the Wizards.

 

[-Akronite-]

In order for a "rivalry" to exist one team needs to actually beat the other. As far as I'm concerned there is no rivalry with the Wizards.

We played each other 3 years in a row in heated first round series. Yes, we did win every time, why do you think I'm excited to see them again?

 

[buzzdog]

Maybe we employ a hybrid approach against GSW? Switch on everything in the first, say, 12 seconds of the shot clock and then, if the ball is in someone's hands for an iso in the back half of the possession, trap the ball and force a turnover or a rushed shot from someone else?

I don't know; this is way above my pay grade and I'm glad it's not my responsibility to figure this out.

The nightmare offense GSW has is why I'm hoping that they face SAS more and more in the WCF. I think GSW will beat them in 5-6 games, but Pop is such a defensive genius that I'm sure Lue will be able to take some good lessons from that series into a Finals match up. I don't trust D'Antoni to come up with a defensive scheme capable of stopping GSW, period.

I was thinking this exact same thing. Whatever strategy we use we'll have to change it up because they'll adjust. Using multiple strategies in single possessions might be the way to keep them off balance if our guys can keep their assignments straight.

 

[buzzdog]

I'd prefer to face the Wizards for several reasons.

One, I don't want to endure the announcers slobbering all over IT for the entire duration of the series no matter how bad we sweep their asses.

Two, the thug factor is something I'd rather avoid If Boston can't beat us they'll certainly try to injure us. That's just their style.

Third, I do think Wall provides more of a challenge to help sharpen the edge of our defensive game.

 

[deaninja]

Honestly, while I believe the Cavs matchup better against Boston and will have an easier time against them (not that it matters), I'd prefer to face the Wizards for basically non-basketball reasons.

Boston played dirty 2 years ago and still continues to play dirty to this day (as evidenced from the Wizards series). While I think we would beat Boston in at most 5 games, I'm much more fearful that they may injure one of our key players in that series. It doesn't necessarily have to be a Kevin-Love-shoulder-bomb, but even a sprained ankle to Kyrie or someone just from being undercut on a jump shot (or a suspension) would hinder us a great deal in the Finals when we need every advantage we can get.

Wizards play tough but they don't play dirty (at least not to Boston's level). It might be a 6 game series against them, but I'd have fewer fears of a "bush-league" injury occurring against them. Wizards would probably also push the Cavs a bit more than the Celtics to help them get ready for GS, but, honestly, the injury factor is the biggest concern for me.

 

[CLEistheCITY]

Fuck this "push the team to prepare for gsw" bullshit. The cavs have seen GSW the last two years in the finals, they don't need anyone pushing them to know what is coming. Give me the easiest series possible.