NBA Finals 2015: Cavs vs Warriors

[Marcus]

Watching them live last night made me see that the Warriors are vulnerable. Yes the Rockets shot lights out, but they also defended the 3 well until the third. I think this will be the toughest matchup for Bogut and green.

Defending the 3 is key, and I trust Blatt knows this because he has been practicing it all playoffs

The Warriors started to look vulnerable when they finally faced a good wing defender in Tony Allen. If Allen doesn't suffer a hamstring injury, that series goes to seven, and it might be the Grizzlies playing the Rockets in the Western Conference Finals instead.

Imagine how they are going to look when their backcourt is being guarded by the likes of Shumpert, James, Delly, and Smith.

 

[Cratylus]

Should it happen this season, I can virtually guarantee that the story of this season will be made into a Disney movie.

The native son, who left his town in infamy, returns home to save his city from 50 years of championship drought...
A successful overseas coach returns to the States to prove to himself that he is good enough to win at the NBA level...
They take a young team with little playoff experience through early season adversity and growing pains, enduring never-ending media sensationalism along the way...
They lose their "heart and soul" player (Andy) to a season-ending injury, only to have their young Canadian PF step in and continue the energy, the grit, and the blue collar attitude on the court...
They trade for an oft-injured player (Shumpert) and a player with a bad reputation (JR Smith) to become key cogs in their system. Along the way, JR matures and learns the value of team and personal sacrifice...
They trade for a big Russian...
They put it all together in the second half of the season...
They make the playoffs, but lose their most versatile big man (Love) to a dirty play injury in the first round...
Next their All-Star PG (Kyrie) becomes hobbled with knee and foot injuries, becoming a shell of what he is capable of when healthy...
The team could've folded at that moment, but instead...
Their backup PG, an Aussie known for being too slow and lacking in athletic prowess steps in, and with his hustle and grit helps improve the team's defense and its resolve...
The native son summons all of the strength and determination he can muster in a "game for the ages"...
This team wins the East and must now face the "best team in the NBA"...
They overcome all odds and achieve the impossible...
The native son and the head coach, while they butted heads at first, developed a mutual respect for each other as the season went on...
The coach, known for his domination in international basketball, takes this ragtag team of aging veterans, of international players, of misfits, of injury-hobbled players, and molds them into a TEAM...
All led by the native son, winning the championship AT HOME in front of the fans of the city who never wavered in their support, despite the history of heartbreaks that they have had to endure...


I mean, you can't make this shit up!

 

[Marcus]

Should it happen this season, I can virtually guarantee that the story of this season will be made into a Disney movie.

The native son, who left his town in infamy, returns home to save his city from 50 years of championship drought...
A successful overseas coach returns to the States to prove to himself that he is good enough to win at the NBA level...
They take a young team with little playoff experience through early season adversity and growing pains, enduring never-ending media sensationalism along the way...
They lose their "heart and soul" player (Andy) to a season-ending injury, only to have their young Canadian PF step in and continue the energy, the grit, and the blue collar attitude on the court...
They trade for an oft-injured player (Shumpert) and a player with a bad reputation (JR Smith) to become key cogs in their system. Along the way, JR matures and learns the value of team and personal sacrifice...
They trade for a big Russian...
They put it all together in the second half of the season...
They make the playoffs, but lose their most versatile big man (Love) to a dirty play injury in the first round...
Next their All-Star PG (Kyrie) becomes hobbled with knee and foot injuries, becoming a shell of what he is capable of when healthy...
The team could've folded at that moment, but instead...
Their backup PG, an Aussie known for being too slow and lacking in athletic prowess steps in, and with his hustle and grit helps improve the team's defense and its resolve...
The native son summons all of the strength and determination he can muster in a "game for the ages"...
This team wins the East and must now face the "best team in the NBA"...
They overcome all odds and achieve the impossible...
The native son and the head coach, while they butted heads at first, developed a mutual respect for each other as the season went on...
The coach, known for his domination in international basketball, takes this ragtag team of aging veterans, of international players, of misfits, of injury-hobbled players, and molds them into a TEAM...
All led by the native son, winning the championship AT HOME in front of the fans of the city who never wavered in their support, despite the history of heartbreaks that they have had to endure...


I mean, you can't make this shit up!

I seriously wish I could rep this more than once.

Can it be 8:30 already?!

 

[KI4MVP]

JT Barrett is hurt and Ohio State is going to get smacked around by the bigger, tougher, more experienced, and more talented Wisconsin team with a Heisman runner-up. Ohio State is too slow and not deep enough to hang with the elite speed of the SEC's best in Alabama. Ohio State has never seen an offense like Oregon's, they will be lucky to stop them, led by the Heisman Trophy winner.

I'm a sports romantic, so the parallels to this years Ohio State football team in their playoffs and the Cavs in their own is pretty cool. Plus you know, the whole Urban Meyer giving the Cavs a pre-game speech a few months ago and all that...

LeBron has been a man on a mission since Ohio State won. That lit a fire under him.

 

[Marcus]

JT Barrett is hurt and Ohio State is going to get smacked around by the bigger, tougher, more experienced, and more talented Wisconsin team with a Heisman runner-up. Ohio State is too slow and not deep enough to hang with the elite speed of the SEC's best in Alabama. Ohio State has never seen an offense like Oregon's, they will be lucky to stop them, led by the Heisman Trophy winner.

I'm a sports romantic, so the parallels to this years Ohio State football team in their playoffs and the Cavs in their own is pretty cool. Plus you know, the whole Urban Meyer giving the Cavs a pre-game speech a few months ago and all that...

I've been thinking about this a lot and have discussed this with a few other people, as well.

And just like that Ohio State team, the Cavaliers are playing by far their best basketball of the season when it matters the most, against opponents that many people had counted them out against before they had even played a single minute, with contributions from unlikely players and great coaching helping to guide the way.

 

[cavsfever]

If we beat the Warriors I think we will have a legit claim to pulling off the greatest NBA Finals upset of all time -- certainly the greatest one in decades.

Let's look first at the differential in regular season records. The Warriors won 67 games, the Cavs won 53. I believe that 14 game differential is the largest differential in regular season records since 1981, when Moses Malone dragged a losing Rockets team to the finals (where the Celtics beat them). So the largest in the current era, pretty much.

But then look at injuries. With a hobbled Kyrie and Kevin out, we are down perhaps 1 1/2 starters. Not sure how to count Kyrie here, but he is clearly far from full strength.

There really haven't been that many true upsets recently in NBA finals. If you look at something like the 2004 finals, which is the closest to a major upset in maybe the past couple of decades, yeah people expected the Lakers to win because they were discounting the East, but the Lakers were weak and the Pistons were underrated. The regular season record differential between those teams was only 2 games.

If we can pull this off this team enters the realm of legend. But that's a big if...

 

[Ohio]

LeBron has been a man on a mission since Ohio State won. That lit a fire under him.

Totally agree. You could tell that meant a lot to him and greatly motivated him.

 

[Gus Zing]

Probably. Didn't have the offensive talent that Houston has, though. But overall I'd agree. They did, however, have a terrible, terrible basketball coach. Looking at all the teams we've played and all the teams the Warriors have played so far, I'd say Flip would be the shittiest coach of the group.

Kind of makes me wonder just how good Wiggins and Towns/Okafor can be under him.

 

[mAo_mAo]

Regardless of that win differential tidbit. This team will be legendary if they win it all because this is Cleveland.

 

[KI4MVP]

seems like a good place to post this - the warriors a bit too overconfident?

 

[BigJ]

seems like a good place to post this - the warriors a bit too overconfident?

Damn.. well it clearly just adds to alot of things i read over at realgm.. there is a thread about if the Warriors will sweep the Cavs.. and while over 80% dont think they will there are still alot of people there giving us no shot at all.

The Warriors have become so overhyped it could be a real advantage. Its never good if a young Team hears thei're own hype. They have no player who has been in the finals before.. not one!!. And the Cavs while hobbled and injured will at the very least fight tooth and nails for every posession.

This is a pretty even series.. GSW can be defended.. take away their 3 and they are very beatable. And we have that Lebron dude who looks as locked in as he did 2012.. wich is scary.

but hell.. we are underdogs now.. many people declared the Cavs dead once Love went out. Most people picked Chicago... then after Chicago was done most people picked Atlanta. Now the same with the Finals.

But im fine with that... let everyone and especially the Warriors think it will be an easy lopsided series. Everyone will be in for a rude awakening.

 

[World B ThAreee]

This one brings a tear every time. When the clock ticks down to zero? CHILLS.

View: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=DkDnu2sT9TQ


I wish I could find Joe Tait's call of that Game 6 against Detroit. I think Ben linked to it way back then. I miss Joe... Hope he is enjoying this run.

 

[FritzLn]

Fifth straight year LeBron is going to the finals. We desperately need kyrie. Scared LeBron just won't have anything when he reaches back

 

[KI4MVP]

Fifth straight year LeBron is going to the finals. We desperately need kyrie. Scared LeBron just won't have anything when he reaches back

We have to win tonight. That gives us 8 days off before game 1 and 2 days off before game 2. That should be plenty of time for LeBron to rest. We just need to win one of those two to take home court advantage away.

 

[Otsego Mar]

All I know is that the national media would be creaming their pants to see GS win it all.

But we won't let them rain on our parade.