Lebron is unreal. What a series. Congrats to him and the city of Cleveland. Tip the cap to Golden State, they had an incredible year. Just a great series. I wanted overtimes in game 7, I wasn't ready for it to end!!!
NBA Playoff Thread
- Thread starter TarHeelMark
- Start date
That was nuts.
LeBron's block on Iggy has to be the defining play of his career.
LeBron's block on Iggy has to be the defining play of his career.
Glad Cleveland won this one...you could see just how much this meant to LeBron at the end, and the Golden State players knew the magnitude too...several of them came over when it was over to congratulate them and saw a lot of the Warriors fans cheering at the end too (although, those winos were probably several bottles in at that point).
Both teams got really tight down the stretch. Seems like they were stuck on 89 points apiece forever. But credit to LeBron...they were running a high pick-and-roll when I said out loud, "Make him shoot it." He nailed the 3-pointer and they never trailed again. Plus the block on the other end means he made two clutch plays down the stretch to lead his team to the win.
See, cool? I can say nice things about him.
That was a great way to end the NBA season.
See, cool? I can say nice things about him.
That was a great way to end the NBA season.
Steph Curry lost the series for the Warriors with some horrible decision making in the 4th quarter. He had 2 terrible passes late and both were stupid passes where he was trying to be tricky. He also took some god-awful shots. I know Curry can make some ridiculous shots, but he can't make everything. I think sometimes he thinks he can. Pulling up and shooting a 27 footer with a guy in your face is usually not the best shot your team can get - evidenced by him not even drawing iron when it bricked off the backboard. Steph made bad plays throughout the series. He had an incredible year and when hot, is a very dangerous player. But LeBron wanted to make the statement that he's the best in the world and he did so in resounding fashion. Curry makes too many bad plays for my liking. Best shooter in the NBA. Not even in my top 5 players in the NBA though.
LeBron is a beast and I guess I'm happy for him and Cleveland. But I'm going to get irritated with the comparisons to Jordan because in my mind, it's still not close. Anyone who tries to argue for LeBron being in MJ's world is either too young to have watched Jordan or is a New York Knicks fan.
LeBron is a beast and I guess I'm happy for him and Cleveland. But I'm going to get irritated with the comparisons to Jordan because in my mind, it's still not close. Anyone who tries to argue for LeBron being in MJ's world is either too young to have watched Jordan or is a New York Knicks fan.
I'll be curious to see if anything leaks regarding Curry's knee in the next few weeks...ie: scoping treatment, something? He did not look the same after the Portland series, to me. Still glad Cleveland won, but I do not for one minute think Curry was even close to 100%.
Did anyone buy LeBron was actually hurt when he rolled around like he shattered his arm with 10 seconds left?
Yes. I've fallen on my wrist hard before and it's scary. Go back and watch after he missed the first FT after that...he was still shaking his wrist trying to get it right. Even if you just pinched a nerve, it royally sucks for a few minutes after.
I was holding a little judgement until I saw the replay, but the way his hand was moving after he hit the ground made me think he was hurt. Might have been the slo-mo effect though.
I'm sure the fall hurt - he did land right on his hand. But I just couldn't help thinking the writhing in pain and rolling around in agony until the entire Cavs bench came over to help him up was primarily to boost his image of a warrior overcoming obstacles to go down in the history books, and secondarily to give him an excuse if he botched both free throws and the Warriors ended up sending it to OT on the other end. I've seen enough of LeBron over the years to know his shtick.
So cynical, but I thought the same things lol.
I'm all for conspiracy theories and all, but if we say this about LeBron, then we also have to say that MJ over-sold his "flu game" for the same reasons. Did he REALLY need Pippin's help walking to the bench or did he just want the cameras to see that he gave his all?
I wouldn't really say its a conspiracy theory - just, as RH pointed out, a cynical view of LeBron and the way the media hypes moments like that.
Sure - I'm sure MJ milked it for the cameras a decent bit in his flu game as well. And you've seen how that game as been remembered through the years - a Herculean effort from Jordan. You think LeBron didn't want one of his own? Although playing a full game with a flu (regardless of how much exaggeration was there) and posting 38-7-5-3 is still more impressive than going 1 of 2 from the line after getting a boo-boo with 10 seconds left in the game.
100% on the media hyping it. ESPN overhypes this just as the Weather Channel hypes even the smallest of storms. They are out to grab ratings, plain and simple.
But I honestly don't see how LeBron was strategically thinking about that in that moment. With 10 seconds left, the entire city on the line, with everything he clearly had poured into delivering on his promise to bring a Championship to his hometown, etc etc etc...just everything surrounding it. I think when he got the ball coming down the lane, his "poster moment" was going to be that dunk over Draymond Green -- not the rolling around on the floor to knock down a measly free throw. To me, that dunk was going to be the defining moment. He went up really hard for that one and I don't at all doubt that he was in a lot of pain when he hit the floor. But thats JMHO, having fallen on mine before...and I only weigh 180lb...nowhere as big as that dude is.
Going off on a tangent though -- seems like a lot of chatter today comparing LeBron to MJ.
Lots of kids grew up (Kobe, and even LeBron himself) aiming to "be like Mike." I highly doubt many kids out there today are aiming to grow up to be the next LeBron. I would argue most are actually trying to "be like Steph." FWIW
Lots of kids grew up (Kobe, and even LeBron himself) aiming to "be like Mike." I highly doubt many kids out there today are aiming to grow up to be the next LeBron. I would argue most are actually trying to "be like Steph." FWIW
Draymond at it again?
http://www.foxsports.com/nba/story/...yrie-irving-in-final-moments-of-game-7-062116
http://www.foxsports.com/nba/story/...yrie-irving-in-final-moments-of-game-7-062116
Green is a chump. Reminds me of a certain punk 8 miles up the road.
I hope this is true b/c Charlotte is apparently in talks about trading up to #12 too...usually, the team that trades up the board loses in the end.
Hearing that it's highly likely that Dwight Howard signs with Charlotte this summer too...have mixed feelings on that one, but WTH, give it a shot.
I've heard rumblings that Boston is sending the #3 pick to Utah for Gordon Hayward. Which would seem to make sense with this trade. A little Butler reunion with him and Stevens.
I'm really hoping that deal ends up happening. Of course, if Philly or LA pulls a fast one and don't take Simmons-Ingram 1-2 then I'd be regretting the trade big time, but if they do what they're expected to do, Hayward is much better than whatever jokers are left after Simmons/Ingram.
Hark,
Buddy Hield is going to be instant-offense. I think he might be more NBA-ready than either of those two going 1-2.
I really don't know what Charlotte were hoping for if they did manage to get the #12 pick.
I'm not crazy about Howard, but I'd be fine with it if it happened. I trust Clifford with just about anyone (within reason).
That'd be a pretty good trade for the Celtics. Pretty much Gordon Hayward or Marquesse Chriss isn't it? I'll take big Gord.
Meanwhile, If Kris Dunn falls to Minnesota... Thibodeau is going to be so happy.
If the Celtics keep the pick, I'd be ok with a Hield selection. He fills the need of knockdown shooter that they're missing now. Jamal Murray is another option, but I think I'd rather have Hield. They also need a big, so Marquese Chriss would be another I'm ok with taking there.
But knowing the Celtics they'll take one of Bender, Dunn, or Brown - which would drive me insane. We already have Smart/Thomas, so no need for another PG (but this would absolutely be a Celtic pick). I don't know much about Bender - but neither does anyone else, people are just thinking he's going to be Porzingis, and I don't want the Celtics to fall into that trap. And IMO, Jaylen Brown is not nearly what he's cracked up to be.
Probably my favorite guy in the draft (from a playing style standpoint). I think he's going to be a superstar.
Charlotte could be the perfect fit for Dwight Howard to get back on track. He seems to be the type to have more success in small market teams rather than playing in the biggest markets with a stronger media presence. He'd be in a similar position in Charlotte as he was with Orlando - a younger team with playoff aspirations but without all the expectations of a Los Angeles or a Houston. Plus, Charlotte is in desperate need of a rim protector and a strong presence inside, and Howard would give them that. I say roll the dice for the right contract (not some multi-year mega deal).
I like the idea of giving the Howard experiment a try, simply b/c Charlotte is stuck in this lower-playoff-seed window right now and the FA market is pretty lame. Keeping Batum is going to be costly, and given his injuries, I'm cringing at that price tag, but the flipside, you simply can't let him walk either.
The catylist to this teams future is MKG -- when he's on the floor, they are simply a much better team, and the record shows it. Dwight would give great rebounding and protection at the rim...but as much as they have relied on Al Jefferson for inside scoring...you're simply not going to get that from Dwight. He has zero post moves (polar opposite of Big Al)...and his FT shooting is even worse.
But I would be open to trying it...what have they got to lose.
He'll play 30 games, Knicks fans will boo him the second he goes down, and the New York circus will continue.
Wow that is huge. Won't be sure if there's enough ball to share between Rose and Melo but if they can coexist, that's got potential
I'd be scared if I'm a Knicks fan. This one, to me, says a few things:
1. Phil can't move Melo (assuming the price is too steep and no one really wants him)
2. Phil feels the anxiety of the fanbase and is desperate to make a splash.
Both of those probably end in disaster.
1. Phil can't move Melo (assuming the price is too steep and no one really wants him)
2. Phil feels the anxiety of the fanbase and is desperate to make a splash.
Both of those probably end in disaster.
Good for them. Smart move. It was a shot to the gut when Utah matched Charlotte's offer to Hayward. He was the perfect fit for this system.
