Support NeoGAF

[Surfinn]

Its the right thing to do. The guy is way too young and way too talented to be going through so many ankle injuries in such a short time. What Pop should have done was sit him out for game 1 and 2 on top of the last game against the Rockets. By now the ankle would have probably been close to 100% and he would be starting tonight. Then again there is no way of knowing how severe the sprain is.

Seems like now is a lot better time than game 1/2. Had those games gone well and they stole a win from GS, they'd be in good shape (hell, they just about did just that in game 1). He deserved a chance to see how he'd play on the ankle, considering the context. Clearly he's in danger now that he tweaked it like 2 or 3 times in game 1 alone.

Not an easy decision regardless though, I think.

 

[Sanjuro]

If only the Spurs had Gerald Green.

 

[Nafai1123]

Anyone wondering why he's sitting should look at Currys early career. Yeah he managed to get through the ankle injuries but many were worried it could cut his career short. Ankle injuries are no joke and multiple injuries can be very serious. Bummer he's unable to play but it's probably the right decision.

 

[Monochromaticx]

LMA gonna come through

lol

 

[effzee]

I really thought Boston had a shot to steal the game last night but man was I off base.

I think Warriors win the finals in 5. Just too good top to bottom.

 

[Cooter]

We are already having several weeks off before the Finals.

Good one. Yeah, that was a good one.

 

[metalslimer]

I really thought Boston had a shot to steal the game last night but man was I off base.

I think Warriors win the finals in 5. Just too good top to bottom.

Cavs at their best can take it 7 if the Warriors are off somewhat and have a shot. Both teams at their best will have GS in 4-5 though

*knock on wood* It looks like both teams will be completely healthy so there will be no excuses this year. This is the prime year for both teams.

 

[Ronin Ray]

The right decision.

Yep no point risking him at all. 100% the right choice

 

[DJwest]

Leonard out for Game 3; Pop made the decision to sit him out.

Injuries suck man. If a team had a chance to challenge the Warriors in the West, it was the Spurs. Dammit.

 

[BlackNMild2k1]

Cavs at their best can take it 7 if the Warriors are off somewhat and have a shot. Both teams at their best will have GS in 4-5 though

*knock on wood* It looks like both teams will be completely healthy so there will be no excuses this year. This is the prime year for both teams.

Maybe not quite 100% healthy (Iggy and maybe Zaza), but at least we will have a full playable squad, and Dray ain't in T trouble this year, so that always helps.

Even with Kawhi being 100% their chances of winning the series aren't great. I'd much rather they take the long view, given that Kawhi is just starting to enter his prime. It's too early into his window for them to be risking long-term/chronic injury.

I figure if he don't play him today and they get destroyed by the Warriors again, he probably will just sit him on Monday as well.... right?

 

[offtopic]

Makes it hard to tell what the odds on the finals are

Well, tbh it really wouldn't tell us anything if one drops a game...stuff happens. Although many GAFrs would be savaging the losing team about how they just revealed their 'weakness'.

 

[darkwing-buck]

 

[Line_HTX]

Danny Ainge should be investigated for trading his soul to Nets' owner Mikhail Prokhorov for that 1st pick.

;P

 

[El Topo]

Danny Ainge should be investigated for trading his soul to Nets' owner Mikhail Prokhorov for that 1st pick.

;P

It's like a cursed monkey paw.
"You will get the 1st pick....but you will play like a team that deserves the pick."

 

[Hyperactivity]

At the rate this is going, if the dubs continue to not face a serious challenge cavs might end up taking game one.

Cavs just play better with rest while warriors seen to run more of a risk of being rusty. The age difference probably contributes to that.

Warriors just seem to be good, but as good as they've been throughout the playoffs, whole the cavs seem to be picking up momentum

 

[Fjordson]

Cavs look unstoppable. I'm scared.

 

[eBay Huckster]

Cavs look unstoppable. I'm scared.

your team is probably winning the finals in 6.

 

[BlackNMild2k1]

Cavs look unstoppable. I'm scared.

Cavs have faced no opposition since the 1st round.
It's basically been Globetrotting exhibition games since the 1st series w/ the Pacers.

The Raptors bent over an spread cheeks as soon as the Cavs showed up.
and the Celtics fell to their knees and opened wide as soon as Lebron approached them.

Warriors will not be doing any of that. It will actually be a competitive series, and I think the Cavs may be caught off guard when they not only get defended, but need to actually defend too. Dubs ain't missing from all these wide open looks everyone else is getting.

 

[Lionel Richie]

At the rate this is going, if the dubs continue to not face a serious challenge cavs might end up taking game one.

How are the Cavs facing "a serious challenge"? They're playing against the Celtics basically without their best player (IT is banged up and he's been too shit and slow for it not being a factor), not much unlike the Spurs are without their best player.

At least the Warriors faced the top 5 Jazz defense and are now playing the Spurs that even without Kawhi are good on that end. The Cavs are playing shit defenses that don't even give a fuck because they know they have no shot. I know the Cavs just played one of the most impressive games like ever and the Warriors weren't that good for long stretches in the first game against the Spurs but come on.

 

[Vault Dweller 111]

Cavs have faced no opposition since the 1st round.
It's basically been Globetrotting exhibition games since the 1st series w/ the Pacers.

The Raptors bent over an spread cheeks as soon as the Cavs showed up.
and the Celtics fell to their knees and opened wide as soon as Lebron approached them.

Warriors will not be doing any of that. It will actually be a competitive series, and I think the Cavs may be caught off guard when they not only get defended, but need to actually defend too. Dubs ain't missing from all these wide open looks everyone else is getting.

You really think the Cavs will be caught off guard in the NBA finals against the team that they've faced the previous two years?

 

[BlackNMild2k1]

You really think the Cavs will be caught off guard in the NBA finals against the team that they've faced the previous two years?

If they come in thinking that they can just play as they have been.... yeah.
The Warriors will actually contest them, and will provide offense on the other end of the floor as well, which will require them to play top tier defense.

so IF they come in thinking they are a well oiled machine and continue to play like the Warriors were the Raptors or Celtics, they may get caught off guard when their "defense" isn't as effective, and their shots are suddenly more contested.

It'll be a good series, but the Cav's ain't coming into Oakland like they own the place and serving eviction notices.

 

[Hyperactivity]

How are the Cavs facing "a serious challenge"? They're playing against the Celtics basically without their best player (IT is banged up and he's been too shit and slow for it not being a factor), not much unlike the Spurs are without their best player.

At least the Warriors faced the top 5 Jazz defense and are now playing the Spurs that even without Kawhi are good on that end. The Cavs are playing shit defenses that don't even give a fuck because they know they have no shot. I know the Cavs just played one of the most impressive games like ever and the Warriors weren't that good for long stretches in the first game against the Spurs but come on.

The cavs arent facing a serious challenge, but their old players also seem to deal with rust better, and although they haven't faced a serious challenge, the team has been improving and is far better than it was at the start of the playoffs. Whereas, there's a good example of the warriors suffering from rust against a prepared team with momentum.

The cavs aren't just doing whatever they want, they're getting better. If their defense isn't sufficient atm, it will at least be better by the finals, imo

 

[darkwing-buck]

From the playoff games I've seen this season, Warriors seem to have much more talent but the Cavs have a bit more cohesion (Despite Kyrie playing like shit). I got Warriors in 7.

 

[Hyperactivity]

From the playoff games I've seen this season, Warriors seem to have much more talent but the Cavs have a bit more cohesion (Despite Kyrie playing like shit). I got Warriors in 7.

If it goes to 7, something has gone wrong and LeBron is being monstrous. Cavs win a game 7

 

[Tom Penny]

I really thought Boston had a shot to steal the game last night but man was I off base.

I think Warriors win the finals in 5. Just too good top to bottom.

Yeah. A Cavs team that shoots 30+ 3's a game at almost a 45% clip in the playoffs has no chance...It's funny how much everyone underestimates the ludicrous deep shooting they have.

 

[mjp2417]

Cleveland's chance in the Finals is probably predicated on them stealing one of the first two at Oracle. If they do, all of the accumulated pressure that the Warriors are playing under starts to snowball. LeBron and the Cavs really have nothing to lose in the series. He's already done what he absolutely needed to do last year and they are not supposed to win this series. They're playing with house money.

 

[Vault Dweller 111]

Cavs win game 1, 3, 4, and 6.

 

[Tall4Life]

Cavs win game 1, 3, 4, and 6.

But how can that happen when Boston will come back and win 4 games in a row 🤔

 

[Dougieflesh]

Yall think KD will get slandered to the levels of 2011 Finals Lebron if the Warriors lose the finals? People are thirsty for them to lose.

 

[Hyperactivity]

Yall think KD will get slandered to the levels of 2011 Finals Lebron if the Warriors lose the finals? People are thirsty for them to lose.

Depends on who plays well and who plays badly.

 

[Lionel Richie]

The cavs arent facing a serious challenge, but their old players also seem to deal with rust better, and although they haven't faced a serious challenge, the team has been improving and is far better than it was at the start of the playoffs. Whereas, there's a good example of the warriors suffering from rust against a prepared team with momentum.

The cavs aren't just doing whatever they want, they're getting better. If their defense isn't sufficient atm, it will at least be better by the finals, imo

It's tough to judge if the Cavs are getting better because the Celtics rolled over in the last games and Toronto didn't even show up. They're getting, but the soft ass teams they are facing are not going to prepare them for the Warriors. The C's got a lot of open shots in the last 2 games that they just bricked and they lack the size to contest the Cavs on offense.

I don't think the Cavs are getting better, I think they have been playing very very well for all the playoffs just like the Warriors. And I doubt we're going to see Golden State being rusty again, especially against the one team they want to beat more than any other.

 

[friskykillface]

Yall think KD will get slandered to the levels of 2011 Finals Lebron if the Warriors lose the finals? People are thirsty for them to lose.

KD played fine that finals
Brooks was an awful coach
They left Battier open from 3 every play
Mike Miller turned into a god

Cavs still gave the Celtics way toooooooo many open 3's
Do that against the Warriors = RIP

 

[Hyperactivity]

It's tough to judge if the Cavs are getting better because the Celtics rolled over in the last games and Toronto didn't even show up. They're getting, but the soft ass teams they are facing are not going to prepare them for the Warriors. The C's got a lot of open shots in the last 2 games that they just bricked and they lack the size to contest the Cavs on offense.

I don't think the Cavs are getting better, I think they have been playing very very well for all the playoffs just like the Warriors. And I doubt we're going to see Golden State being rusty again, especially against the one team they want to beat more than any other.

So would you say the pacers were better than the raptors or Celtics?

 

[Peter Ian Staker]

Yall think KD will get slandered to the levels of 2011 Finals Lebron if the Warriors lose the finals? People are thirsty for them to lose.

x10000

Everyone can't wait for him to lose.

 

[offtopic]

So would you say the pacers were better than the raptors or Celtics?

Does it matter which junior varsity team is better than another junior varsity team?

 

[Lionel Richie]

So would you say the pacers were better than the raptors or Celtics?

No, but the Raptors didn't show up and the Celtics are also playing like shit or are banged up and just a bad matchup against the Cavs. I'm not taking anything away from what the Cavs accomplished, I just don't think they're getting better like still improving and shit. I think they found a gear since that big comeback against the Pacers and are playing legendary ball ever since.

But I still question their defensive rotations, the Celtics got a lot of open looks when they were able to move the ball.

 

[Dougieflesh]

x10000

Everyone can't wait for him to lose.

Going to a loaded team that didn't need you and then losing. People will kill him all summer and next season, unless Steph has another lackluster finals (by his standards).

 

[mjp2417]

It's tough to judge if the Cavs are getting better because the Celtics rolled over in the last games and Toronto didn't even show up. They're getting, but the soft ass teams they are facing are not going to prepare them for the Warriors. The C's got a lot of open shots in the last 2 games that they just bricked and they lack the size to contest the Cavs on offense.

I don't think the Cavs are getting better, I think they have been playing very very well for all the playoffs just like the Warriors. And I doubt we're going to see Golden State being rusty again, especially against the one team they want to beat more than any other.

We haven't seen either team against a remotely elite team this playoffs, save for 2 1/2 quarters of Game 1 of the WCF. Otherwise, the Dubs beat an aggressively mediocre Portland team missing their only functional big man (without him they were a lottery team), a decent but far from great Jazz team missing their starting point guard, and a Spurs team who is already waiving the white flag without Kawhi. There has been no real disparity in the competition except for the 28 or so minutes the Dubs played against the relatively healthy Spurs when they got absolutely bodied. This isn't like the 2001 Lakers, where they came into the finals after just obliterating a great Spurs team. Neither unbeaten team has played anyone of real consequence.

 

[Crimson_Echidna]

Yall think KD will get slandered to the levels of 2011 Finals Lebron if the Warriors lose the finals? People are thirsty for them to lose.

Absolutely. Remember how quick people were to run with the "Warriors are better without KD" narrative when they went on a hot streak when he was injured?

 

[jman2050]

Yeah. A Cavs team that shoots 30+ 3's a game at almost a 45% clip in the playoffs has no chance...It's funny how much everyone underestimates the ludicrous deep shooting they have.

This is kind of where I'm at.

I feel like the idea that GSW will just steamroll them is predicated on the idea that they will easily shoot them out of the gym while the Cavs just... won't? I guess? Even though the entire premise of this mythical "playoff Lebron" is that he performs so well on an individual level that defenses, even elite ones, can't afford to just stay at home on their outside shooting. It's a dangerous catch-22 for which there is still no actual good answer.

Even still, if the Cavs have bad shooting nights or Lebron simply can't perform at the level he needs to, then Golden State will win for sure. They're good enough that there's very little margin for error. But if the games end up turning into straight up shooting contests, are you really going to dismiss Cleveland out of hand in that matchup?

 

[friskykillface]

So would you say the pacers were better than the raptors or Celtics?

Pacers were better due to Paul George
If you have someone that can check x match LeBron you have a chance
Look at Leonard god in the finals against LeBron

Celtics don't have that guy or any bigs that can rebound , it's just slaughter

 

[Lionel Richie]

We haven't seen either team against a remotely elite team this playoffs, save for 2 1/2 quarters of Game 1 of the WCF. Otherwise, the Dubs beat an aggressively mediocre Portland team missing their only functional big man (without him they were a lottery team), a decent but far from great Jazz team missing their starting point guard, and a Spurs team who is already waiving the white flag without Kawhi. There has been no real disparity in the competition except for the 28 or so minutes the Dubs played against the relatively healthy Spurs when they got absolutely bodied. This isn't like the 2001 Lakers, where they came into the finals after just obliterating a great Spurs team. Neither unbeaten team has played anyone of real consequence.

Yeah, but that's my point. Both teams have played shit competition. I think the Warriors played some slightly better squads, but not by significantly much. Both are probably going to the Finals 12-0 which absolutely sucks if you don't give a shit about Lebron's legacy or about Durant getting one, but I feel they haven't really answered many questions about them because the competition has mostly sucked.

 

[Vault Dweller 111]

I just don't know if this version of LeBron losses. It's the most frightening he's ever been because he can do basically anything he wants on the court still but he 'gets it' now too. Like MJ those final two chips, wasn't his athletic peak anymore but he knew what had to be done, and when to do it.

If he's the same LeBron we've seen so far, especially with the jump shot, and his teammates can hit open threes, I'm not picking against him.

 

[Dizzan]

Have 2 teams ever gone 12-0 to the finals? Definitely a strong possibility now.

It really shows how stacked those 2 teams are compared to the rest of the league

 

[BlackNMild2k1]

I just don't know if this version of LeBron losses. It's the most frightening he's ever been because he can do basically anything he wants on the court still but he 'gets it' now too. Like MJ those final two chips, wasn't his athletic peak anymore but he knew what had to be done, and when to do it.

If he's the same LeBron we've seen so far, especially with the jump shot, and his teammates can hit open threes, I'm not picking against him.

Durant, w/ help D from Draymond and Iggy got their work cut out for them, but Lebron ain't gonna just "get whatever he wants, when he wants it" against the Dubs. And even thought they may get some open looks on the outside, it's not gonna be a shooting range from 3 for the Cavs. Unlike the Raps and Celts, the Warriors actually play D and aren't afraid of the Cavs.

And just for the fact that Lebron is gonna have to play D the entire time he is on the court, he's not gonna be out there playing around getting comfortable on Offence either. Cavs keep giving up open 3's, Warriors will feast from the outside. The Cavs have looked exceptional for the last 2 series, but the other teams couldn't score a bucket to save their lives... not that they didn't have open looks, or were shut down defensively, they just couldn't make buckets. I don't think the Dubs will have that issue, so Cavs are gonna have to activate the real secret D, that doesn't just look good because the other team didn't show up.

I can only imagine what the games would have looked like had the Cavs faced the Blazers and the Jazz playing the same as they did against the Warriors.

 

[Peter Ian Staker]

Enes Kanter is free.

Will give press conference in NY tomorrow

 

[BlackNMild2k1]

Have 2 teams ever gone 12-0 to the finals? Definitely a strong possibility now.

It really shows how stacked those 2 teams are compared to the rest of the league

I think it was a first for both teams to have gone 8-0, and certainly 9-0 in the finals.
we are currently at 10-0, on our way to 11-0.

both teams undefeated 12-0 headed into the finals is crazy. I hope it happens.

 

[mjp2417]

I can only imagine what the games would have looked like had the Cavs faced the Blazers and the Jazz playing the same as they did against the Warriors.

Cavs-Blazers is an uncompetitive sweep. Utah might win 1 game in Salt Lake against them.

 

[BlackNMild2k1]

Cavs-Blazers is an uncompetitive sweep. Utah might win 1 game in Salt Lake against them.

Including the 1st game (?) where Lillard & McCollum seemed to not miss, but the Warriors didn't either? You don't think they would have got 1 on the Cavs w/ that performance? Assuming the Cav's played like that 1st Pacers game?

 

[Hyperactivity]

Including the 1st game (?) where Lillard & McCollum seemed to not miss, but the Warriors didn't either? You don't think they would have got 1 on the Cavs w/ that performance? Assuming the Cav's played like that 1st Pacers game?

Blazers don't have a defense and would give up more points