Touchdowns, slam dunks, home runs and slap shots - The Bear and Badger

AndCallMeCharlie

Facewon wrote:

Heh. Yeah. After all the analysis though, my favourite Bball related twitter follow, @SethPartnow, nailed it: Maybe gsw just need to play better. GSW haven't run quite as smoothly as spurs last year all year. Their offense is beautiful, and when it's going, it really hums, but they have also relied on individual brilliance and making bad/tough shots. The pattern of cold starts and the bench (iggy and Livingston) getting them back to team offense has been pretty clear. In fact, some of the stats for on and off court +/- points to line-ups without klay and/or steph working better. You want to let them heat check, but that game 2, they never recovered from the ball denial and disruption of delly and co. This is where the game isn't binary. You aim for good structure, but understand that no plan survives the first engagement with the enemy, and rely on a little luck, individual ability and heart to make up the difference. When you rely on everything but that initial structure too much, the percentages slip away over a long series. I'm still sticking with gsw in 6. But game 3 is huge.

Agree with all the above but the whole thing seems to come down to a simple formula:
Top 5 player ever + Iso = x win percentage
We will find out what x equates to

AndCallMeCharlie

AndCallMeCharlie

For an MVP, Curry's shot selection really is fucking awful.

Facewon

well, look at what he ends up making.

I've watched them all season, he can literraly make anything, that is why he's mvp. The problem is, the crazy shots have been the cherry on top of good offense. (Even in playoffs, see 90%+ from left corner.)

cavs/delly have taken away the good offense.

Delly hospitalised says a lot about how hard he is to guard.

AndCallMeCharlie

I posted that after watching the whole game, even though he makes some great shots in the 4th - there's still some really poor decision making.

Facewon

Hello small ball. Or as I prefer to call it: #allpippen.

Fatigue may win this for gsw.

Blatt needs to find faith in Marion quickly, IMO. He's the sort of guy who could give you 15 minutes of good all around ball.

7 man rotation vs minimum 10 man over the series, with LBJ dellie and the bigs going all out isn't gonna end well. Mind you, they keep surprising, and LBJ could literally do anything.

Thinking ahead though, hopefully love and Irving stay, because a proper run with all 3 could be scary.

Facewon

Also, gotta listen to Lowe post podcast in between games. They nailed the analysis between 3 and 4. Just listening to post 4 with zach and Brent Barry.

AndCallMeCharlie

Fatigue may be a key factor but they have an extra day off before the next game though.
Enjoying the series greatly

Facewon

Brent Barry has written cavs off. Zach Lowe same as me, tipping gsw in 6, but scared to write off cavs. The worry is a legit 10+ player rotation against a 7 man rotation with 4 live options.

Marion should have been getting more minutes through playoffs IMO.

I'm open to suggestions as to what adjustments cavs can make. I think they've done everything right, but unless Smith goes off, or LeBron does something even more insane, like a 40+ point triple double, I can't see them winning 2 more games especially with 2 out of 3 at roracale.

GSW confidence is out of bag.

Facewon

But yes. Cracking series and full credit to cavs for being where they are with what they have.

Facewon

Ridiculous. Just amazing.

AndCallMeCharlie

LBJ should get finals MVP even if they don't win it

Facewon

Yeah. Gonna be a weird one. Happens in AFL out here, but I don't think NBA can get their head around that idea. Iggy will be a weird but awesome winner though.

AndCallMeCharlie

Yip, if it has to be a gsw player it has to be iggy.

Facewon

Facewon wrote:

Nah, supporting cast much better. If kyrie is healthy, you'll get 6 games, I reckon.

Still, gsw gotta be hot faves.

Well done cavs. Kyrie not healthy and you still made it a 6 game series.

Iggy iggy iggy.

Facewon

Been a fascinating series.

Also been interesting reading non-bball media try and cover it as opposed to the lifers.

Some dumb-ass simplification from those out of the loop and some really great and interesting coverage from those in it.

AndCallMeCharlie

Facewon wrote:

Nah, supporting cast much better. If kyrie is healthy, you'll get 6 games, I reckon. Still, gsw gotta be hot faves.

Well done cavs. Kyrie not healthy and you still made it a 6 game series. Iggy iggy iggy.

Still not convinced the supporting cast was that much better than the last year's heat, bar mozgov thought they were terrible.
An enjoyable rather than classic series.
Should the Cavs have the same luck with injuries next year you have to wonder if LBJ will ever win a ring there as his window is closing. Perhaps this is god's ultimate nasty trick on Cleveland - give them back the radiant, prodigal son but still fix it so they don't win.

Facewon

Nah, he's got at least 3 years of prime finals runs in him if he has help.

Agree re last year's heat.

Statistically worse than his 2007 cavs. Although that cavs was broken from the off, because they went in with what they had, no real injuries.

I am strongly coming around to the idea that his teams need to stop avoiding long playmaking wings.

The logic and the money have kinda said: we have bron, we don't need a three, we need to surround him with shooting and other role players. I think warriors small ball and the nature of all of the champions since 11, and going back before to the bulls says you can't have enough guys who can make plays out of triple threat or live dribble situations.

AndCallMeCharlie

There are a LOT of miles on LBJ and that's two finals in a row where he has clearly run out of steam

Facewon

He broke every usage rate record there is and played 46 minutes a game! Of course he ran out of steam.

Get him down to 40 a game with some all star help and he wins.

AndCallMeCharlie

Facewon wrote:

He broke every usage rate record there is and played 46 minutes a game! Of course he ran out of steam.

Get him down to 40 a game with some all star help and he wins.

he played sub 40 mins a game with 2 all stars in 2014

Facewon

I know. But he won the 2 times before that.

Wade was hobbled, and spo was still trying to play his frantic D with Mike miller and various grey beards. And spurs were playing the best basketball I've ever seen.

He'll win 2 more chips, IMO. At least as prime guy.

Facewon

Meanwhile, if you're on twitter, follow the @commentfixer.

CHakt5SUYAA-Ic_.png:large

Gets comments below articles and does above.

I mean cop this guy. Someone in the world somewhere honestly things that LBJ should "make his teammates better" like Melo and kobe. AMAZING.

Also, lance to Clips and they're looking to move Crawford. Smart.

Facewon

The Obtuse Triangle.
Awesome NYT article about Tex Winter and the Triangle offence.

Very cool thing with the book scrolling too.

Facewon

AndCallMeCharlie

yip and none of it matters with that coach

Facewon

C'mon man, you know threes totally don't matter for winning championships.

AndCallMeCharlie

or that the current MVP is a 3 point specialist

Facewon

Sshh.

Sad that Phil's getting into the act too.

Aldridge looks to be the last of the big names to find a home. Spurs looking highly likely, according to various sources.

official Woj word hasn't come down yet though.

Facewon

Also, you must be stoked to have Crowder back!

Weirdest deal ever.

$35mil over 5 years.

Howdy, Stranger!

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