Cleveland gives up 60 points in the paint yesterday and will probably start Thompson at center for game 2 with Love sliding back to power forward. I doubt we see the Celtics make any lineup changes after the success they had with Morris on Lebron.
@erikthredd said:
Cleveland gives up 60 points in the paint yesterday and will probably start Thompson at center for game 2 with Love sliding back to power forward. I doubt we see the Celtics make any lineup changes after the success they had with Morris on Lebron.
The switches on Lebron and help in the lane were beyond well executed in game 1. It also helped that Cleveland couldn’t throw it in the ocean. I suspect that Cleveland will try to have someone other then James try to take it to the rack and open things up from inside out. However, I don’t know if Cleveland has a player then can do this consistantly and beat someone off the dribble
m
Walker Proof Digital Album Fellas, leave the tight pants to the ladies. If I can count the coins in your pockets you better use them to call a tailor. Stay thirsty my friends......
@erikthredd said:
Cleveland gives up 60 points in the paint yesterday and will probably start Thompson at center for game 2 with Love sliding back to power forward. I doubt we see the Celtics make any lineup changes after the success they had with Morris on Lebron.
The switches on Lebron and help in the lane were beyond well executed in game 1. It also helped that Cleveland couldn’t throw it in the ocean. I suspect that Cleveland will try to have someone other then James try to take it to the rack and open things up from inside out. However, I don’t know if Cleveland has a player then can do this consistantly and beat someone off the dribble
m
The only players that i think can do that are probably Rodney Hood & Jordan Clarkson but who knows how consistent they could be. We'll probably keep seeing Boston's defense throw multiple defenders at Lebron,cutting off the lanes like you said,while forcing him to either beat them from outside or set up one of his teammates for a better shot.
My comment above had more to do with Cleveland on defense. You can tell it was Boston's gameplan to just take it to the hoop as much as possible. Even with Thompson in there on defense Boston can pull him away from the basket with Horford hanging out near the three point line like they did with Baynes vs Embiid last series. Horford can hit the three consistently and he's at his best when they're in their half-court offense with the play going thru Al at the top of the key.
I know everyone's been asking how does Boston stop Lebron,Love,,Korver & JR Smith on offense but what about the flipside to that question with who is gonna stop the Celtics on offense?
I based my series prediction on Cavs in 6 solely on Lebron but after seeing the intensity that the C's played with last night, i'm definitely rethinking galaxy's "what if" scenario. If Boston wins game two I think this series could be over sooner than expected.
E, I concur. I actually mentioned it earlier. Boston is faster and more athletic and that works on offense as well obviously. Every player on Boston can score and most can beat their defender off the dribble. Against Toronto the Cavs only had to stop their guards. Against Boston that’s only half the battle.
mark
Walker Proof Digital Album Fellas, leave the tight pants to the ladies. If I can count the coins in your pockets you better use them to call a tailor. Stay thirsty my friends......
Not to mention Lebron and the Cavs pretty much mailed it in way to early in that game. Boston got the lead back up to 21 but that was with 10+ minutes left in the game. Its times like that where the best basketball player in the world should have taken over the game,instead Lue cleared the bench conceding the game. You got all that experience and it meant nothing in the end. This next game is huge for Cleveland IMO.
yesterday's game looked strangely similar to Game 1 vs. the Pacers, the score was about the same even though the Cavs shot better in that game --- and that was played in Cleveland!!!
I know when I was a teen we used to say "If one thing was different nothing would be the same" and that pretty much is the case here. like Mark said, Cleveland couldn’t throw it in the ocean. I know eric doen't like it or tend to agree when I mention the shooting percentages but yesterday's shooting was an anomaly and I will be in a state of shock if it's repeated. if Cleveland was shooting anywhere close to "normal" the entire complexion of the game would have changed, but that's water over the dam and Game 1 is lost.
I don't really see much to worry about, if Cleveland goes down 0-3 it's over and I didn't expect them to win this series against either Boston or Philly(please check, I did really say that earlier in the thread). I did, however, expect it to be competitive. Coach Lue isn't an idiot and Coach Stevens isn't a genius so I suspect that the two Teams will meet somewhere in the middle and have games that go back and forth.
a point that I made earlier about Philly holds true for the Cavs in this series --- if they can't figure out a way to win on the road they are doomed.
anyone have a feel for tonight's game? i honestly don't have the slightest. had a chance to go, but a very early Tues morning awaits me so i'll watch from the confines of mi casa
per what i said previously, i think this game means infinitely more to the Rockets than GS. i have been feeling the itch all day waiting to see what type of game Harden has; i still have a foul taste in my mouth from his G6 "performance" against the Spurs last year. personally, i want to see him attack the cup with reckless abandon and either shoot 15 free throws or have about 13 dimes due to the defense collapsing. if he plays cat-n-mouse beyond the arc and heaves up a bundle of low-percentage 3-balls, i will be heaving up a bundle of expletives.
@galaxy27 I haven’t been this jacked over a game 1 conference finals in years. I like the Rockets tonight
I’m sticking with my Celtics/ Houston Finals call
m
Walker Proof Digital Album Fellas, leave the tight pants to the ladies. If I can count the coins in your pockets you better use them to call a tailor. Stay thirsty my friends......
keets,the shooting percentage is the thing you just don't understand. Boston's defense does that to opposing offenses on a nightly basis. They force teams to take bad shots and even when the shooter gets an open look they usually rush the shot for a miss. Cleveland isn't going to be shooting anything close to normal against that defense.
If I was a Cavs fan I'd be worried that the GOAT shot 5-16 from the field,0-5 from three,had 7 turnovers and his team was a -32 when he was on the floor. If we're gonna give the guy verbal handies when he's hitting game winners then we can call him out for mailing it in a blowout loss where he scored 19 points less than his playoff ppg average.
Everyone wants to keep describing this current Celtics team as a bunch of overachievers when maybe its time to call it like we see it,they're an elite shutdown defense thats capable of taking multiple opposing offensive players out of the game. Cleveland scored 128 points in game 4 vs Toronto then scored 45 less points yesterday.
Then on offense have about 5 different players that can exploit a mismatch all game long and drop 20+ on you.
@galaxy27 said:
anyone have a feel for tonight's game? i honestly don't have the slightest. had a chance to go, but a very early Tues morning awaits me so i'll watch from the confines of mi casa
per what i said previously, i think this game means infinitely more to the Rockets than GS. i have been feeling the itch all day waiting to see what type of game Harden has; i still have a foul taste in my mouth from his G6 "performance" against the Spurs last year. personally, i want to see him attack the cup with reckless abandon and either shoot 15 free throws or have about 13 dimes due to the defense collapsing. if he plays cat-n-mouse beyond the arc and heaves up a bundle of low-percentage 3-balls, i will be heaving up a bundle of expletives.
unless they go in at a high clip
Your Harden getting to the line scenario is exactly what he should do,Chris Paul too. Those two should just go right at Klay & Curry on defense and try to get them in foul trouble but even then GS can switch Draymond on Harden instead of Klay. Hopefully playing at home is to their advantage.
the scary thing about Boston is their confidence must be off the charts right about now. and if you've played any sport on any level, you know that self-confidence is paramount. if you've got it, you can seemingly become invincible at times. without it, you're destined to fail in a profound way. things might have been a little tenuous heading into the playoffs without arguably their two best players, but after disposing of Milwaukee & Philly and then laying the wood to the Cavs after clamping down on LeBron, they are going to be hard to stop now.
and for the record, i thought they would make it past the Bucks (a bunch of posers), but i did NOT think they would end the Sixers' season. suffice to say i'm not betting against them (literally or figuratively) again
eric, I watched the game and the Cavs shooters had enough open looks and enough typical shots that the defense wasn't the cause, they just flat out missed.
don't misunderstand me or be too much of a "homer" because I think the Celtics are good and will win the series.
you seem to forget that just like Cleveland, Boston barely made it out of the first round. they aren't bullet proof.
---- the exit after round one post was predicated on the injuries and loss of Irving. honestly, I hadn't seem them play much and the way Philly was playing it seemed that they would win the quarter finals against either Boston or Milwaukee. look in the thread after that post and you'll see I said clearly two things --- whoever the Cavs played, if they made it to the finals, would beat them --- and --- whoever came out of the east would lose to whoever came out of the west.
They've far exceeded my expectations on how far they would go in these playoffs. Mark has pointed out more than once how great their execution has been especially in the 4th quarters of some of these games and honestly its been Patriots-esque at times. This team has 100% bought into what Stevens has been gameplanning for them and it definitely shows. Cleveland still has Lebron and a real shot at winning this series but if Boston keeps playing like they did last night i can definitely seeing it going the other way.
@keets said:
eric, I watched the game and the Cavs shooters had enough open looks and enough typical shots that the defense wasn't the cause, they just flat out missed.
don't misunderstand me or be too much of a "homer" because I think the Celtics are good and will win the series.
you seem to forget that just like Cleveland, Boston barely made it out of the first round. they aren't bullet proof.
The C's & Cavs first round series aren't really comparable,outside of both going 7 games,seeing that Cleveland wasn't starting two rookies & a 2nd year player.
No one ever said they're bullet proof either,they're just better than people give them credit for.
As for the shooters i guess will have to wait and see. After game one vs Philly everyone thought it was an aberration with Boston's perimeter defense shutting down Philly's shooters like they did,causing rushed shots when it wasn't. Its no coincidence that Boston's D held all four of Redick,Belinelli,Covington & Ilyasova round two shooting percentage under what they did in round one vs Miami & the regular season.
I won't be bragging, I'll be amazed since I expect Cleveland to lose. if they win I won't knock Boston and "rip them all day" like you thought I would do for the Philly game and I'm not doing what Marc thinks, playing both sides against the middle. I'm just telling you what I think after watching the games.
sure, I'm a Cavs fan and want them to win, but I don't really think they have a Team that's one of the top 7-8 this season. after all that's gone on with them they have over performed and gotten farther than their talent should have taken them. I would hope you could be as objective about your Team and HC.
@keets said:
I won't be bragging, I'll be amazed since I expect Cleveland to lose. if they win I won't knock Boston and "rip them all day" like you thought I would do for the Philly game and I'm not doing what Marc thinks, playing both sides against the middle. I'm just telling you what I think after watching the games.
sure, I'm a Cavs fan and want them to win, but I don't really think they have a Team that's one of the top 7-8 this season. after all that's gone on with them they have over performed and gotten farther than their talent should have taken them. I would hope you could be as objective about your Team and HC.
If the cavs don't win then LeBron is gone for sure .
I suspect that Game 1 of the WCF tonight will garner sky high ratings due to curiosity over whether Houston will be able to win in the playoffs against the current champions.
If the game is a blow out either way, that will cause plenty of doom and gloom ("IT'S OVER!!!!!!!") storylines.
If the game is a close nail biter then that will feed the needs of those who crave a 7 game series with all games being a 1 or 2 point win/loss.
As for game ! of the ECF, what a blow out. I doubt that Cleveland will play that bad in Game 2. Look for James to have a monster of a game and for other Cleveland players to step up. Boston played fantastic in Game 1.
@keets said:
after all that's gone on with them they have over performed and gotten farther than their talent should have taken them. I would hope you could be as objective about your Team and HC.
Overperformed? LMAO they have the MVP of the planet,four players that started on their Finals winning team that includes a second All-Star in Love as well as everyone's underappreciated HC in Ty Lue.
Most people would say Boston has overperformed to this point not the team that has played in the last three NBA Finals and had a 6 game playoff winning streak in Boston snapped yesterday.
bronco, I think his leaving or staying is predicated on more than that. things like what happens in the "lottery" tonight, what happens in the draft and yes, his family's concerns will all weigh in on things. I don't agree with a lot of people that Lebron has control over what happens with the Cavs personnel but I do agree that he has input, as many, many other top players around the NBA no doubt do.
I believe his judgement on where he sees the Team heading next year and for the next 4-5 years will bear on his decision. also, even if the un-freakin'-imaginable were to happen and the Cavs were to win the Finals I still think he would consider leaving if things added up to that being the smart choice.
@DIMEMAN said:
I love watching you two go back and forth at each other.
Depending on who wins this series,there is gonna be some epic bragging rights once its over lol.
I think that whoever wins will have earned bragging rights.
I've been saying for over a month now that I wanted Boston facing the Cavs at some point in these playoffs and finally got it. I love how they started and hopefully they keep it going.
I was simply pointing out that if Game 1 of the WCF is a blow out there will be "It's Over!!!" storylines pushed upon the consumers of sports entertainment.
My own thoughts are that if GS wins easily tonight that will have a negative impact on Houston. If Houston wins big tonight it will give the Rockets a boost in confidence and leave GS realizing that it had better win Game 2.
@keets said:
over-performed is a correct assessment if you followed the Team all year.
I probably follow your team as much as you have and they have not overperformed in these playoffs. Overperformed compared to pre-trade deadline team? Sure but not as far as the playoffs go.
Lebron is in the midst of arguably his best playoff run ever after 2 & 1/4 rounds and in the games where his teammates decided to actually play,they've won.
They underestimated the Pacers and it took a Superman effort from LBJ to finally get past them.
They had Toronto & its HC lay down for them to get this far and it looks like after one game they underestimated Boston as well.
@keets said:
bronco, I think his leaving or staying is predicated on more than that. things like what happens in the "lottery" tonight, what happens in the draft and yes, his family's concerns will all weigh in on things. I don't agree with a lot of people that Lebron has control over what happens with the Cavs personnel but I do agree that he has input, as many, many other top players around the NBA no doubt do.
I believe his judgement on where he sees the Team heading next year and for the next 4-5 years will bear on his decision. also, even if the un-freakin'-imaginable were to happen and the Cavs were to win the Finals I still think he would consider leaving if things added up to that being the smart choice.
I guess I meant that if they lose I don't think anyone would fault him for leaving. He has some finite number of years left and he shouldn't squander them in some rebuilding type situation. If they won though, if I was a Cleveland fan I'd be annoyed if he left.
I was simply pointing out that if Game 1 of the WCF is a blow out there will be "It's Over!!!" storylines pushed upon the consumers of sports entertainment.
My own thoughts are that if GS wins easily tonight that will have a negative impact on Houston. If Houston wins big tonight it will give the Rockets a boost in confidence and leave GS realizing that it had better win Game 2.
i feel you brother.....i said that in jest
enjoy the game tonight.........i'll be interested in your thoughts afterward
They just have way to much firepower on offense. Durant is near impossible to stop on offense,he'll just shoot over you everytime.
Houston needs to find that 3rd star if they want to get past GS. Who knows maybe its Lebron.
Walker Proof Digital Album Fellas, leave the tight pants to the ladies. If I can count the coins in your pockets you better use them to call a tailor. Stay thirsty my friends......
honestly, i feel a little deflated. not only because of tonight's game, but it feels like this thing is etched in granite and i hate that. who is going to beat Golden St four times in a series? no one.
Houston plays way too much iso ball with Harden & Paul and that is not a winning recipe when you play a quintessential team like the Warriors. on one end there was serious ball & player movement with multiple guys touching the rock to create high percentage, quality shots. on the other end was one guy dribbling the basketball for 20 seconds with his cohorts standing around watching the action, then far too many desperation heaves or shot clock violations(!) ensued. that's not gonna come remotely close to cutting it against GS.
maybe i should start studying for my fantasy football draft
honestly, i feel a little deflated. not only because of tonight's game, but it feels like this thing is etched in granite and i hate that. who is going to beat Golden St four times in a series? no one.
Houston plays way too much iso ball with Harden & Paul and that is not a winning recipe when you play a quintessential team like the Warriors. on one end there was serious ball & player movement with multiple guys touching the rock to create high percentage, quality shots. on the other end was one guy dribbling the basketball for 20 seconds with his cohorts standing around watching the action, then far too many desperation heaves or shot clock violations(!) ensued. that's not gonna come remotely close to cutting it against GS.
maybe i should start studying for my fantasy football draft
I honestly haven't watched many Rockets games this year,was what we saw from the Houston offense tonight indicative of how they've played all year? I don't know how good or bad Tucker is but the Rockets need for him to do better than one point scored in 35 minutes tonight with him in the starting lineup.
honestly, i feel a little deflated. not only because of tonight's game, but it feels like this thing is etched in granite and i hate that. who is going to beat Golden St four times in a series? no one.
Houston plays way too much iso ball with Harden & Paul and that is not a winning recipe when you play a quintessential team like the Warriors. on one end there was serious ball & player movement with multiple guys touching the rock to create high percentage, quality shots. on the other end was one guy dribbling the basketball for 20 seconds with his cohorts standing around watching the action, then far too many desperation heaves or shot clock violations(!) ensued. that's not gonna come remotely close to cutting it against GS.
maybe i should start studying for my fantasy football draft
I honestly haven't watched many Rockets games this year,was what we saw from the Houston offense tonight indicative of how they've played all year? I don't know how good or bad Tucker is but the Rockets need for him to do better than one point scored in 35 minutes tonight with him in the starting lineup.
their O is heavily dependent on their two star guards, as you saw tonight. the only real inside play they get is pick-n-rolling with Capela that results in easy buckets near the rim. so it's basically Harden or Paul creating their own shots or bombs away beyond the arc (derived primarily from their penetration). as a team they shot more 3s than 2s this season......seriously.
it's a fun offense to watch when shots are falling against inferior competition, but when matched up against a legit team like GS that executes like no other, it's doesn't look nearly as pretty.
the worst omen of all is that Harden played like an MVP tonight and they still got punked at home. he had played like a dog they would've been trashed by 25-30.
Sounds like they definitely need that third guy or at least better shooters. I mentioned Lebron above but he would just be another guy who needs the ball in his hands. I don't know their cap/draft pick situation but guys like Paul George or Kawhi would be perfect fits there,even Boogie Cousins.
edit: just saw that both CP3 & Capela(restricted) are free agents and Houston is projected to have the least amount of cap space,ouch.
Did not get to watch the first half but understand that GS survived a hot start by Houston to end the first half tied. Then, as is typical this season, GS played very well in the third quarter to taken control of the game. GS did not let Houston back into the game in the fourth quarter.
Houston got great production from Harden and Paul, but not much else. Many offensive possessions by Houston involved isolation plays. That typically does not work against GS.
If GS wins game w on the road it will be unlikely that Houston will win the series.
the problem is either Harden or the HC, it's hard to judge the other players since they don't handle the ball that often. their style of play seems deliberate and too easy to defend. Capela seems like he would be a good choice to feed and attack the rim but Harden is too busy dribbling to get free so he can shoot. also, once that other guy piled up the fouls the game got even easier for the Warriors.
Big night tonight for the Celtics & Cavs both on & off the court. Cleveland has a 9.9% chance of landing a top three pick,Boston's odds are 2.9% to land 2nd or 3rd. The Cavs are likely to land a top 10 pick no matter what,the C's likely end up just using their own first at pick 27 or 28.
Then Boston's defense needs to bring it in game 2 cause you know Lebron will try to come out like he did in game 2 vs the Pacers when he scored the first 16 points in the game.
Golden State has too many ways to attack and with the Team they have built it is easy to get new players every year who are eager to play, if only spot time from the bench. last night it was some guy I hadn't heard of before, Young, who was 3-5 on three's. they also got some good minutes from Shaun Livingston who has been a very good bench guy for the Warriors for years.
look at the numbers; Houston shot right around what is a good NBA average for a game, 46% overall and 36% from three so they should have been in a position to win...........................until you consider that the Warriors shot 52% and 39%. they scored more points off less shots. that sort of parallels the Celtics win over the Cavs except that Cleveland's shooting was pitiful. both Teams that won Game 1 shot very well, above average.
Kevin Durant shot around 50% and he didn't seem to be working very hard. he's a hard man to single cover but the Warriors present an even worse option when that is the route chosen. to be honest, I hadn't watched the Rockets play very much and wasn't very impressed with their isolation game. the Cavs use that at certain times and I don't like it, as a Houston fan I would think it would be unbearable for an entire season.
watching that game there was a point in the second quarter when the Rockets had 3-4 shot clock violations. all were do to that isolation game. it is probably a strategy that the Warriors will employ for the series --- force Harden to the dribble BS at the arc, cover the other four players and keep someone in the lane. by doing that they force the "under five second decision" which results in poor shots. it is a similar strategy that Teams are using against Cleveland with the full-court press. I don't think Teams want to steal the ball off the in-bounds pass or even think they can, but takes up time and means the Cavs are across mid-court with about 17-18 seconds to shoot. it might not be productive on any single play but over the course of the game it forces enough hurried shots to make a difference.
it was used sparingly in the regular season but in the playoffs it has become the rule.
Comments
Cleveland gives up 60 points in the paint yesterday and will probably start Thompson at center for game 2 with Love sliding back to power forward. I doubt we see the Celtics make any lineup changes after the success they had with Morris on Lebron.
Eric
Erikthredd’s MJ Collection: https://www.psacard.com/psasetregistry/publishedset/395035
Erikthredd’s Nike Air Jordan Collection: https://www.psacard.com/psasetregistry/basketball/key-card-sets/nike-poster-cards-michael-jordan-1985-1992/alltimeset/408486
The switches on Lebron and help in the lane were beyond well executed in game 1. It also helped that Cleveland couldn’t throw it in the ocean. I suspect that Cleveland will try to have someone other then James try to take it to the rack and open things up from inside out. However, I don’t know if Cleveland has a player then can do this consistantly and beat someone off the dribble
m
Fellas, leave the tight pants to the ladies. If I can count the coins in your pockets you better use them to call a tailor. Stay thirsty my friends......
The only players that i think can do that are probably Rodney Hood & Jordan Clarkson but who knows how consistent they could be. We'll probably keep seeing Boston's defense throw multiple defenders at Lebron,cutting off the lanes like you said,while forcing him to either beat them from outside or set up one of his teammates for a better shot.
My comment above had more to do with Cleveland on defense. You can tell it was Boston's gameplan to just take it to the hoop as much as possible. Even with Thompson in there on defense Boston can pull him away from the basket with Horford hanging out near the three point line like they did with Baynes vs Embiid last series. Horford can hit the three consistently and he's at his best when they're in their half-court offense with the play going thru Al at the top of the key.
I know everyone's been asking how does Boston stop Lebron,Love,,Korver & JR Smith on offense but what about the flipside to that question with who is gonna stop the Celtics on offense?
I based my series prediction on Cavs in 6 solely on Lebron but after seeing the intensity that the C's played with last night, i'm definitely rethinking galaxy's "what if" scenario. If Boston wins game two I think this series could be over sooner than expected.
Eric
Erikthredd’s MJ Collection: https://www.psacard.com/psasetregistry/publishedset/395035
Erikthredd’s Nike Air Jordan Collection: https://www.psacard.com/psasetregistry/basketball/key-card-sets/nike-poster-cards-michael-jordan-1985-1992/alltimeset/408486
E, I concur. I actually mentioned it earlier. Boston is faster and more athletic and that works on offense as well obviously. Every player on Boston can score and most can beat their defender off the dribble. Against Toronto the Cavs only had to stop their guards. Against Boston that’s only half the battle.
mark
Fellas, leave the tight pants to the ladies. If I can count the coins in your pockets you better use them to call a tailor. Stay thirsty my friends......
Not to mention Lebron and the Cavs pretty much mailed it in way to early in that game. Boston got the lead back up to 21 but that was with 10+ minutes left in the game. Its times like that where the best basketball player in the world should have taken over the game,instead Lue cleared the bench conceding the game. You got all that experience and it meant nothing in the end. This next game is huge for Cleveland IMO.
Eric
Erikthredd’s MJ Collection: https://www.psacard.com/psasetregistry/publishedset/395035
Erikthredd’s Nike Air Jordan Collection: https://www.psacard.com/psasetregistry/basketball/key-card-sets/nike-poster-cards-michael-jordan-1985-1992/alltimeset/408486
yesterday's game looked strangely similar to Game 1 vs. the Pacers, the score was about the same even though the Cavs shot better in that game --- and that was played in Cleveland!!!
I know when I was a teen we used to say "If one thing was different nothing would be the same" and that pretty much is the case here. like Mark said, Cleveland couldn’t throw it in the ocean. I know eric doen't like it or tend to agree when I mention the shooting percentages but yesterday's shooting was an anomaly and I will be in a state of shock if it's repeated. if Cleveland was shooting anywhere close to "normal" the entire complexion of the game would have changed, but that's water over the dam and Game 1 is lost.
I don't really see much to worry about, if Cleveland goes down 0-3 it's over and I didn't expect them to win this series against either Boston or Philly(please check, I did really say that earlier in the thread). I did, however, expect it to be competitive. Coach Lue isn't an idiot and Coach Stevens isn't a genius so I suspect that the two Teams will meet somewhere in the middle and have games that go back and forth.
a point that I made earlier about Philly holds true for the Cavs in this series --- if they can't figure out a way to win on the road they are doomed.
anyone have a feel for tonight's game? i honestly don't have the slightest. had a chance to go, but a very early Tues morning awaits me so i'll watch from the confines of mi casa
per what i said previously, i think this game means infinitely more to the Rockets than GS. i have been feeling the itch all day waiting to see what type of game Harden has; i still have a foul taste in my mouth from his G6 "performance" against the Spurs last year. personally, i want to see him attack the cup with reckless abandon and either shoot 15 free throws or have about 13 dimes due to the defense collapsing. if he plays cat-n-mouse beyond the arc and heaves up a bundle of low-percentage 3-balls, i will be heaving up a bundle of expletives.
unless they go in at a high clip
you'll never be able to outrun a bad diet
@galaxy27 I haven’t been this jacked over a game 1 conference finals in years. I like the Rockets tonight
I’m sticking with my Celtics/ Houston Finals call
m
Fellas, leave the tight pants to the ladies. If I can count the coins in your pockets you better use them to call a tailor. Stay thirsty my friends......
keets,the shooting percentage is the thing you just don't understand. Boston's defense does that to opposing offenses on a nightly basis. They force teams to take bad shots and even when the shooter gets an open look they usually rush the shot for a miss. Cleveland isn't going to be shooting anything close to normal against that defense.
As for your predictions,this was yours before the playoffs even started
keets Posts: 19,252 ✭✭✭✭✭ April 6, 2018 4:33PM
I think the Celtics will probably exit after round one.
https://forums.collectors.com/discussion/996486/possibly-bad-news-for-the-remainder-of-this-celtics-season#latest
If I was a Cavs fan I'd be worried that the GOAT shot 5-16 from the field,0-5 from three,had 7 turnovers and his team was a -32 when he was on the floor. If we're gonna give the guy verbal handies when he's hitting game winners then we can call him out for mailing it in a blowout loss where he scored 19 points less than his playoff ppg average.
Everyone wants to keep describing this current Celtics team as a bunch of overachievers when maybe its time to call it like we see it,they're an elite shutdown defense thats capable of taking multiple opposing offensive players out of the game. Cleveland scored 128 points in game 4 vs Toronto then scored 45 less points yesterday.
Then on offense have about 5 different players that can exploit a mismatch all game long and drop 20+ on you.
Eric
Erikthredd’s MJ Collection: https://www.psacard.com/psasetregistry/publishedset/395035
Erikthredd’s Nike Air Jordan Collection: https://www.psacard.com/psasetregistry/basketball/key-card-sets/nike-poster-cards-michael-jordan-1985-1992/alltimeset/408486
Your Harden getting to the line scenario is exactly what he should do,Chris Paul too. Those two should just go right at Klay & Curry on defense and try to get them in foul trouble but even then GS can switch Draymond on Harden instead of Klay. Hopefully playing at home is to their advantage.
Eric
Erikthredd’s MJ Collection: https://www.psacard.com/psasetregistry/publishedset/395035
Erikthredd’s Nike Air Jordan Collection: https://www.psacard.com/psasetregistry/basketball/key-card-sets/nike-poster-cards-michael-jordan-1985-1992/alltimeset/408486
the scary thing about Boston is their confidence must be off the charts right about now. and if you've played any sport on any level, you know that self-confidence is paramount. if you've got it, you can seemingly become invincible at times. without it, you're destined to fail in a profound way. things might have been a little tenuous heading into the playoffs without arguably their two best players, but after disposing of Milwaukee & Philly and then laying the wood to the Cavs after clamping down on LeBron, they are going to be hard to stop now.
and for the record, i thought they would make it past the Bucks (a bunch of posers), but i did NOT think they would end the Sixers' season. suffice to say i'm not betting against them (literally or figuratively) again
you'll never be able to outrun a bad diet
eric, I watched the game and the Cavs shooters had enough open looks and enough typical shots that the defense wasn't the cause, they just flat out missed.
don't misunderstand me or be too much of a "homer" because I think the Celtics are good and will win the series.
you seem to forget that just like Cleveland, Boston barely made it out of the first round. they aren't bullet proof.
---- the exit after round one post was predicated on the injuries and loss of Irving. honestly, I hadn't seem them play much and the way Philly was playing it seemed that they would win the quarter finals against either Boston or Milwaukee. look in the thread after that post and you'll see I said clearly two things --- whoever the Cavs played, if they made it to the finals, would beat them --- and --- whoever came out of the east would lose to whoever came out of the west.
They've far exceeded my expectations on how far they would go in these playoffs. Mark has pointed out more than once how great their execution has been especially in the 4th quarters of some of these games and honestly its been Patriots-esque at times. This team has 100% bought into what Stevens has been gameplanning for them and it definitely shows. Cleveland still has Lebron and a real shot at winning this series but if Boston keeps playing like they did last night i can definitely seeing it going the other way.
Eric
Erikthredd’s MJ Collection: https://www.psacard.com/psasetregistry/publishedset/395035
Erikthredd’s Nike Air Jordan Collection: https://www.psacard.com/psasetregistry/basketball/key-card-sets/nike-poster-cards-michael-jordan-1985-1992/alltimeset/408486
Last night it looked like every player on Cleveland was trained to shoot by Marcus Smart
I love watching you two go back and forth at each other.
The C's & Cavs first round series aren't really comparable,outside of both going 7 games,seeing that Cleveland wasn't starting two rookies & a 2nd year player.
No one ever said they're bullet proof either,they're just better than people give them credit for.
As for the shooters i guess will have to wait and see. After game one vs Philly everyone thought it was an aberration with Boston's perimeter defense shutting down Philly's shooters like they did,causing rushed shots when it wasn't. Its no coincidence that Boston's D held all four of Redick,Belinelli,Covington & Ilyasova round two shooting percentage under what they did in round one vs Miami & the regular season.
Eric
Erikthredd’s MJ Collection: https://www.psacard.com/psasetregistry/publishedset/395035
Erikthredd’s Nike Air Jordan Collection: https://www.psacard.com/psasetregistry/basketball/key-card-sets/nike-poster-cards-michael-jordan-1985-1992/alltimeset/408486
Depending on who wins this series,there is gonna be some epic bragging rights once its over lol.
Eric
Erikthredd’s MJ Collection: https://www.psacard.com/psasetregistry/publishedset/395035
Erikthredd’s Nike Air Jordan Collection: https://www.psacard.com/psasetregistry/basketball/key-card-sets/nike-poster-cards-michael-jordan-1985-1992/alltimeset/408486
I won't be bragging, I'll be amazed since I expect Cleveland to lose. if they win I won't knock Boston and "rip them all day" like you thought I would do for the Philly game and I'm not doing what Marc thinks, playing both sides against the middle. I'm just telling you what I think after watching the games.
sure, I'm a Cavs fan and want them to win, but I don't really think they have a Team that's one of the top 7-8 this season. after all that's gone on with them they have over performed and gotten farther than their talent should have taken them. I would hope you could be as objective about your Team and HC.
If the cavs don't win then LeBron is gone for sure .
I suspect that Game 1 of the WCF tonight will garner sky high ratings due to curiosity over whether Houston will be able to win in the playoffs against the current champions.
If the game is a blow out either way, that will cause plenty of doom and gloom ("IT'S OVER!!!!!!!") storylines.
If the game is a close nail biter then that will feed the needs of those who crave a 7 game series with all games being a 1 or 2 point win/loss.
As for game ! of the ECF, what a blow out. I doubt that Cleveland will play that bad in Game 2. Look for James to have a monster of a game and for other Cleveland players to step up. Boston played fantastic in Game 1.
I think that whoever wins will have earned bragging rights.
Overperformed? LMAO they have the MVP of the planet,four players that started on their Finals winning team that includes a second All-Star in Love as well as everyone's underappreciated HC in Ty Lue.
Most people would say Boston has overperformed to this point not the team that has played in the last three NBA Finals and had a 6 game playoff winning streak in Boston snapped yesterday.
Eric
Erikthredd’s MJ Collection: https://www.psacard.com/psasetregistry/publishedset/395035
Erikthredd’s Nike Air Jordan Collection: https://www.psacard.com/psasetregistry/basketball/key-card-sets/nike-poster-cards-michael-jordan-1985-1992/alltimeset/408486
sanction did you just channel your inner dimeman?
that was rather solid coming from someone so even-keeled, so you successfully induced a giggle
you'll never be able to outrun a bad diet
bronco, I think his leaving or staying is predicated on more than that. things like what happens in the "lottery" tonight, what happens in the draft and yes, his family's concerns will all weigh in on things. I don't agree with a lot of people that Lebron has control over what happens with the Cavs personnel but I do agree that he has input, as many, many other top players around the NBA no doubt do.
I believe his judgement on where he sees the Team heading next year and for the next 4-5 years will bear on his decision. also, even if the un-freakin'-imaginable were to happen and the Cavs were to win the Finals I still think he would consider leaving if things added up to that being the smart choice.
I've been saying for over a month now that I wanted Boston facing the Cavs at some point in these playoffs and finally got it. I love how they started and hopefully they keep it going.
Eric
Erikthredd’s MJ Collection: https://www.psacard.com/psasetregistry/publishedset/395035
Erikthredd’s Nike Air Jordan Collection: https://www.psacard.com/psasetregistry/basketball/key-card-sets/nike-poster-cards-michael-jordan-1985-1992/alltimeset/408486
Galaxy27.
No inner Dimeman from me.
I was simply pointing out that if Game 1 of the WCF is a blow out there will be "It's Over!!!" storylines pushed upon the consumers of sports entertainment.
My own thoughts are that if GS wins easily tonight that will have a negative impact on Houston. If Houston wins big tonight it will give the Rockets a boost in confidence and leave GS realizing that it had better win Game 2.
over-performed is a correct assessment if you followed the Team all year.
I probably follow your team as much as you have and they have not overperformed in these playoffs. Overperformed compared to pre-trade deadline team? Sure but not as far as the playoffs go.
Lebron is in the midst of arguably his best playoff run ever after 2 & 1/4 rounds and in the games where his teammates decided to actually play,they've won.
They underestimated the Pacers and it took a Superman effort from LBJ to finally get past them.
They had Toronto & its HC lay down for them to get this far and it looks like after one game they underestimated Boston as well.
Eric
Erikthredd’s MJ Collection: https://www.psacard.com/psasetregistry/publishedset/395035
Erikthredd’s Nike Air Jordan Collection: https://www.psacard.com/psasetregistry/basketball/key-card-sets/nike-poster-cards-michael-jordan-1985-1992/alltimeset/408486
I guess I meant that if they lose I don't think anyone would fault him for leaving. He has some finite number of years left and he shouldn't squander them in some rebuilding type situation. If they won though, if I was a Cleveland fan I'd be annoyed if he left.
i feel you brother.....i said that in jest
enjoy the game tonight.........i'll be interested in your thoughts afterward
you'll never be able to outrun a bad diet
oh damn, less than two in and you can already tell this is going to be epic lol
you'll never be able to outrun a bad diet
Someone needs to go instigate Draymond right away and help get that second technical.
Eric
Erikthredd’s MJ Collection: https://www.psacard.com/psasetregistry/publishedset/395035
Erikthredd’s Nike Air Jordan Collection: https://www.psacard.com/psasetregistry/basketball/key-card-sets/nike-poster-cards-michael-jordan-1985-1992/alltimeset/408486
Looks like it was heading towards a Harden vs Durant shootout,hopefully that Harden hit was minor.
Eric
Erikthredd’s MJ Collection: https://www.psacard.com/psasetregistry/publishedset/395035
Erikthredd’s Nike Air Jordan Collection: https://www.psacard.com/psasetregistry/basketball/key-card-sets/nike-poster-cards-michael-jordan-1985-1992/alltimeset/408486
If they won though, if I was a Cleveland fan I'd be annoyed if he left
as long as he doesn't pull a stunt like he did before.
Golden State is really looking good.
http://www.unisquare.com/store/brick/
Ralph
They just have way to much firepower on offense. Durant is near impossible to stop on offense,he'll just shoot over you everytime.
Houston needs to find that 3rd star if they want to get past GS. Who knows maybe its Lebron.
Eric
Erikthredd’s MJ Collection: https://www.psacard.com/psasetregistry/publishedset/395035
Erikthredd’s Nike Air Jordan Collection: https://www.psacard.com/psasetregistry/basketball/key-card-sets/nike-poster-cards-michael-jordan-1985-1992/alltimeset/408486
GS too good
m
Fellas, leave the tight pants to the ladies. If I can count the coins in your pockets you better use them to call a tailor. Stay thirsty my friends......
ok nm that was not epic.
honestly, i feel a little deflated. not only because of tonight's game, but it feels like this thing is etched in granite and i hate that. who is going to beat Golden St four times in a series? no one.
Houston plays way too much iso ball with Harden & Paul and that is not a winning recipe when you play a quintessential team like the Warriors. on one end there was serious ball & player movement with multiple guys touching the rock to create high percentage, quality shots. on the other end was one guy dribbling the basketball for 20 seconds with his cohorts standing around watching the action, then far too many desperation heaves or shot clock violations(!) ensued. that's not gonna come remotely close to cutting it against GS.
maybe i should start studying for my fantasy football draft
you'll never be able to outrun a bad diet
I honestly haven't watched many Rockets games this year,was what we saw from the Houston offense tonight indicative of how they've played all year? I don't know how good or bad Tucker is but the Rockets need for him to do better than one point scored in 35 minutes tonight with him in the starting lineup.
Eric
Erikthredd’s MJ Collection: https://www.psacard.com/psasetregistry/publishedset/395035
Erikthredd’s Nike Air Jordan Collection: https://www.psacard.com/psasetregistry/basketball/key-card-sets/nike-poster-cards-michael-jordan-1985-1992/alltimeset/408486
their O is heavily dependent on their two star guards, as you saw tonight. the only real inside play they get is pick-n-rolling with Capela that results in easy buckets near the rim. so it's basically Harden or Paul creating their own shots or bombs away beyond the arc (derived primarily from their penetration). as a team they shot more 3s than 2s this season......seriously.
it's a fun offense to watch when shots are falling against inferior competition, but when matched up against a legit team like GS that executes like no other, it's doesn't look nearly as pretty.
the worst omen of all is that Harden played like an MVP tonight and they still got punked at home. he had played like a dog they would've been trashed by 25-30.
you'll never be able to outrun a bad diet
Sounds like they definitely need that third guy or at least better shooters. I mentioned Lebron above but he would just be another guy who needs the ball in his hands. I don't know their cap/draft pick situation but guys like Paul George or Kawhi would be perfect fits there,even Boogie Cousins.
edit: just saw that both CP3 & Capela(restricted) are free agents and Houston is projected to have the least amount of cap space,ouch.
Eric
Erikthredd’s MJ Collection: https://www.psacard.com/psasetregistry/publishedset/395035
Erikthredd’s Nike Air Jordan Collection: https://www.psacard.com/psasetregistry/basketball/key-card-sets/nike-poster-cards-michael-jordan-1985-1992/alltimeset/408486
Did not get to watch the first half but understand that GS survived a hot start by Houston to end the first half tied. Then, as is typical this season, GS played very well in the third quarter to taken control of the game. GS did not let Houston back into the game in the fourth quarter.
Houston got great production from Harden and Paul, but not much else. Many offensive possessions by Houston involved isolation plays. That typically does not work against GS.
If GS wins game w on the road it will be unlikely that Houston will win the series.
the problem is either Harden or the HC, it's hard to judge the other players since they don't handle the ball that often. their style of play seems deliberate and too easy to defend. Capela seems like he would be a good choice to feed and attack the rim but Harden is too busy dribbling to get free so he can shoot. also, once that other guy piled up the fouls the game got even easier for the Warriors.
Big night tonight for the Celtics & Cavs both on & off the court. Cleveland has a 9.9% chance of landing a top three pick,Boston's odds are 2.9% to land 2nd or 3rd. The Cavs are likely to land a top 10 pick no matter what,the C's likely end up just using their own first at pick 27 or 28.
Then Boston's defense needs to bring it in game 2 cause you know Lebron will try to come out like he did in game 2 vs the Pacers when he scored the first 16 points in the game.
Eric
Erikthredd’s MJ Collection: https://www.psacard.com/psasetregistry/publishedset/395035
Erikthredd’s Nike Air Jordan Collection: https://www.psacard.com/psasetregistry/basketball/key-card-sets/nike-poster-cards-michael-jordan-1985-1992/alltimeset/408486
Sports talk radio today pointed out that last season and this season (so far) GS is 25 and 3 in the playoffs.
That is quite a stat.
Not bad at all.
Golden State has too many ways to attack and with the Team they have built it is easy to get new players every year who are eager to play, if only spot time from the bench. last night it was some guy I hadn't heard of before, Young, who was 3-5 on three's. they also got some good minutes from Shaun Livingston who has been a very good bench guy for the Warriors for years.
look at the numbers; Houston shot right around what is a good NBA average for a game, 46% overall and 36% from three so they should have been in a position to win...........................until you consider that the Warriors shot 52% and 39%. they scored more points off less shots. that sort of parallels the Celtics win over the Cavs except that Cleveland's shooting was pitiful. both Teams that won Game 1 shot very well, above average.
Kevin Durant shot around 50% and he didn't seem to be working very hard. he's a hard man to single cover but the Warriors present an even worse option when that is the route chosen. to be honest, I hadn't watched the Rockets play very much and wasn't very impressed with their isolation game. the Cavs use that at certain times and I don't like it, as a Houston fan I would think it would be unbearable for an entire season.
watching that game there was a point in the second quarter when the Rockets had 3-4 shot clock violations. all were do to that isolation game. it is probably a strategy that the Warriors will employ for the series --- force Harden to the dribble BS at the arc, cover the other four players and keep someone in the lane. by doing that they force the "under five second decision" which results in poor shots. it is a similar strategy that Teams are using against Cleveland with the full-court press. I don't think Teams want to steal the ball off the in-bounds pass or even think they can, but takes up time and means the Cavs are across mid-court with about 17-18 seconds to shoot. it might not be productive on any single play but over the course of the game it forces enough hurried shots to make a difference.
it was used sparingly in the regular season but in the playoffs it has become the rule.
Did some digging.
Since the 2014-2015 season GS is 57 - 17 in the playoffs through last night's game.
No lottery pick for Boston. Cleveland gets pick #8.
Eric
Erikthredd’s MJ Collection: https://www.psacard.com/psasetregistry/publishedset/395035
Erikthredd’s Nike Air Jordan Collection: https://www.psacard.com/psasetregistry/basketball/key-card-sets/nike-poster-cards-michael-jordan-1985-1992/alltimeset/408486
no ESPN so it looks like I'll miss the game, maybe see part of it catch it some other way. Bummer.