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NBA / NCAA Basketball

Page 24 - Get up to date with the latest news, scores & standings from the Cycling News Community.
jmdirt said:
The Hitch said:
Wasn't Smith also the idiot who was marking Curry at the end of the 1st half and just let him take a free 3 pointer with 1 second left - which Curry made.

That was another massive mistake. 3 points in a game that ended even, is still 3 points.
Yes, Smith was just waiting for the clock to run out and SC drained a long three (well not that long for him).

Yes and also Love not diving on the ball when he looked like he had stripped Curry. He reacted much too late. A turnover there could have been big. Some players just don't want to dive to the floor. The difference between someone totally committed and someone who isn't. Smith has some history with bonehead plays. The look on Lebron's face said it all.
 
The Hitch said:
A shame the Refs overturned the foul on lebron with one min left when Cleveland were up. I don't care if it was or not, Refs should favour anyone playing this ridiculous golden state team. That durant and steph will claim championships when they fluked themselves into the best team ever assembled like this, while none is close to lebron, is a shame.

My my my, those grapes are sour.

Tonight, Curry fluked himself into a lot of freakish 3 pointers...maybe he contributes to the championships...just a little...
 
Re:

Unchained said:
Curry is not human..GS gets the critical rebounds at both ends.. I would love to see 7 but it doesn't look like it..

Don't know of anyone especially in the media who predicted it would go seven. Most people seem to think five at the most. Game one was a must win for the Cavs and they almost got there. Game two, return to the expected.
 
Re: Re:

movingtarget said:
Unchained said:
Curry is not human..GS gets the critical rebounds at both ends.. I would love to see 7 but it doesn't look like it..

Don't know of anyone especially in the media who predicted it would go seven. Most people seem to think five at the most. Game one was a must win for the Cavs and they almost got there. Game two, return to the expected.


Well that the media didn't predict 7 is meaningless.

Afterall this is a sport where the most well known talking head got EVERY Final wrong for the last 7 years and still acts like some sort of "expert". The second most well known one blamed Lebron for the game 1 loss because "michael jordan would have made the last play". That Michael Jordan maybe wouldn't have carried a sorry bunch to a 106-107 situation against the greatest team of all time didn't seem to enter his single iq brain.

Something close to a majority of the media also believe that losing a NBA FInals is worse than not making the playoffs.

But yes, rational people outside the media didnt think it would go 7. I think even if Cavs won game 1 it would have been like Phily against the Lakers when they won game 1 but got swept after.

But at least it would have been a little interesting.

oh well.
 
movingtarget said:
jmdirt said:
The Hitch said:
Wasn't Smith also the idiot who was marking Curry at the end of the 1st half and just let him take a free 3 pointer with 1 second left - which Curry made.

That was another massive mistake. 3 points in a game that ended even, is still 3 points.
Yes, Smith was just waiting for the clock to run out and SC drained a long three (well not that long for him).

Yes and also Love not diving on the ball when he looked like he had stripped Curry. He reacted much too late. A turnover there could have been big. Some players just don't want to dive to the floor. The difference between someone totally committed and someone who isn't. Smith has some history with bonehead plays. The look on Lebron's face said it all.
I agree with you 100% about putting your body on the line to win. In this case I will give Love, a player who usually lays it out, a little slack because he did just return from concussion proto.
 
jmdirt said:
movingtarget said:
jmdirt said:
The Hitch said:
Wasn't Smith also the idiot who was marking Curry at the end of the 1st half and just let him take a free 3 pointer with 1 second left - which Curry made.

That was another massive mistake. 3 points in a game that ended even, is still 3 points.
Yes, Smith was just waiting for the clock to run out and SC drained a long three (well not that long for him).

Yes and also Love not diving on the ball when he looked like he had stripped Curry. He reacted much too late. A turnover there could have been big. Some players just don't want to dive to the floor. The difference between someone totally committed and someone who isn't. Smith has some history with bonehead plays. The look on Lebron's face said it all.
I agree with you 100% about putting your body on the line to win. In this case I will give Love, a player who usually lays it out, a little slack because he did just return from concussion proto.

Well Love usually is the second most important player on the Cavs team but yes he has had a few injuries along the way especially this season.
 
Re: Re:

The Hitch said:
movingtarget said:
Unchained said:
Curry is not human..GS gets the critical rebounds at both ends.. I would love to see 7 but it doesn't look like it..

Don't know of anyone especially in the media who predicted it would go seven. Most people seem to think five at the most. Game one was a must win for the Cavs and they almost got there. Game two, return to the expected.


Well that the media didn't predict 7 is meaningless.

Afterall this is a sport where the most well known talking head got EVERY Final wrong for the last 7 years and still acts like some sort of "expert". The second most well known one blamed Lebron for the game 1 loss because "michael jordan would have made the last play". That Michael Jordan maybe wouldn't have carried a sorry bunch to a 106-107 situation against the greatest team of all time didn't seem to enter his single iq brain.

Something close to a majority of the media also believe that losing a NBA FInals is worse than not making the playoffs.

But yes, rational people outside the media didnt think it would go 7. I think even if Cavs won game 1 it would have been like Phily against the Lakers when they won game 1 but got swept after.

But at least it would have been a little interesting.

oh well.

Well tomorrow is another 'must' win game for the Cavs. Hopefully Lebron can dominate at home AND get a little more help.

As for the whole GOAT argument, I think that MJ and Lebron both can make their claim (with Kareem, Wilt, Russell, Shaq, Magic also possible arguments). Lebron can take a lesser group of players further than Jordan ever could. Jordan is who you would take if you already had a talented squad and wanted to more or less guarantee a title.

6-0 in the Finals vs. 3-5 in the Finals. But the Bulls only went from 57 to 55 wins from '93 to '94 (basketball to baseball). Whereas the Cavs and Heat both plummeted in the standings after Lebron left. There are other factors that come into play regarding those apparently huge differences, but an element of truth exists in it all; Lebron is a slightly better all around basketball player, but being able to score one on one (or two, or three) in the dying minutes of a playoff game is so vital.....MJ is still the GOAT when it comes to that.
 
Re:

jmdirt said:
Along the idiot talking heads line: Kellerman is already saying that Step isn't the MVP. We're only two games into the series, how can he make that declaration? I think that his argument is that no matter what, King James is the MVP.
Jason Whitlock, who also says a ton of things I do not agree with, is also saying Steph is not MVP. But he's saying Durant is. In game two, JW said Durant's 2-pointers outdid what Steph did. I don't pay much attention to JW. Same with Kellerman (Max), but at least I think Kellerman sometimes says stuff because he's paid to say controversial things, especially on the First Take show debating against the likes of SA Smith.

As for James, Cowherd was really down on him this week for his baby-like meltdown tantrum at the end of regulation but before OT game 1. The tantrum was his response to dum-dum JR Smith's faux pas of not knowing the time and score when he got an offensive rebound a few feet from the basket, and instead of putting back a shot to win the game he instead dribbled the ball out past the 3-point arc, thus running out the clock and sending the game into OT. That JR mistake was perhaps the biggest finals series mistake by a player that I can remember seeing. Still, and I agree with Cowherd, James' response to that was not the response that you would expect from a true leader of MVP caliber. Baby James could not flush it heading into OT. He could not refocus during OT. He let one play by JR affect the rest of his game in OT. As a result, Golden State proceeded to trounce the Cavs in OT. Some high school players would have responded better to JR's mistake than James did. And because of that, I really hope Golden State wins the finals so James cannot become MVP. But as unlikely as it seems, if the Cavs manage to win the series everyone will forget James being a baby and give him the MVP. What a puke that would be.
 
Re: Re:

on3m@n@rmy said:
jmdirt said:
Along the idiot talking heads line: Kellerman is already saying that Step isn't the MVP. We're only two games into the series, how can he make that declaration? I think that his argument is that no matter what, King James is the MVP.
Jason Whitlock, who also says a ton of things I do not agree with, is also saying Steph is not MVP. But he's saying Durant is. In game two, JW said Durant's 2-pointers outdid what Steph did. I don't pay much attention to JW. Same with Kellerman (Max), but at least I think Kellerman sometimes says stuff because he's paid to say controversial things, especially on the First Take show debating against the likes of SA Smith.

As for James, Cowherd was really down on him this week for his baby-like meltdown tantrum at the end of regulation but before OT game 1. The tantrum was his response to dum-dum JR Smith's faux pas of not knowing the time and score when he got an offensive rebound a few feet from the basket, and instead of putting back a shot to win the game he instead dribbled the ball out past the 3-point arc, thus running out the clock and sending the game into OT. That JR mistake was perhaps the biggest finals series mistake by a player that I can remember seeing. Still, and I agree with Cowherd, James' response to that was not the response that you would expect from a true leader of MVP caliber. Baby James could not flush it heading into OT. He could not refocus during OT. He let one play by JR affect the rest of his game in OT. As a result, Golden State proceeded to trounce the Cavs in OT. Some high school players would have responded better to JR's mistake than James did. And because of that, I really hope Golden State wins the finals so James cannot become MVP. But as unlikely as it seems, if the Cavs manage to win the series everyone will forget James being a baby and give him the MVP. What a puke that would be.

I can understand Lebron's reaction as Smith has done similar things before and James had just given it 100%. Pretty sure the Cavs won't re-sign Smith when his contract is up and they won't be able to trade him. If Lebron stays which is a pretty big if, the Cavs will have another clean out probably. I can't see Lebron winning the MVP. Somehow I don't expect to see much of Smith in game 3. He has been two paced all season usually for the worse.
 
I didn't see the footage from LeBron on the bench after the end of regulation in game one until days later. You could see J.R. Smith looking to him for some type of hope that they could still pull it out in the OT, but all he saw was LeBron in mope mode. He's human and all but as he likes to refer to his teammates in the same way that a coach would, it was his responsibility to at least give his minions the impression that all was not lost. Instead he acted as if some great injustice was done to him and just him. With that image and the effect it obviously had on his teammates going into the overtime, they were a rudderless boat set adrift in the turbulent waters of Oracle Arena. The Warriors were given new life after playing a subpar game up to the end of regulation and they pounced on the opportunity, with the help of a leaderless Cavalier team.
 
Angliru said:
I didn't see the footage from LeBron on the bench after the end of regulation in game one until days later. You could see J.R. Smith looking to him for some type of hope that they could still pull it out in the OT, but all he saw was LeBron in mope mode. He's human and all but as he likes to refer to his teammates in the same way that a coach would, it was his responsibility to at least give his minions the impression that all was not lost. Instead he acted as if some great injustice was done to him and just him. With that image and the effect it obviously had on his teammates going into the overtime, they were a rudderless boat set adrift in the turbulent waters of Oracle Arena. The Warriors were given new life after playing a subpar game up to the end of regulation and they pounced on the opportunity, with the help of a leaderless Cavalier team.
:lol:
 
Re: Re:

movingtarget said:
on3m@n@rmy said:
jmdirt said:
Along the idiot talking heads line: Kellerman is already saying that Step isn't the MVP. We're only two games into the series, how can he make that declaration? I think that his argument is that no matter what, King James is the MVP.
Jason Whitlock, who also says a ton of things I do not agree with, is also saying Steph is not MVP. But he's saying Durant is. In game two, JW said Durant's 2-pointers outdid what Steph did. I don't pay much attention to JW. Same with Kellerman (Max), but at least I think Kellerman sometimes says stuff because he's paid to say controversial things, especially on the First Take show debating against the likes of SA Smith.

As for James, Cowherd was really down on him this week for his baby-like meltdown tantrum at the end of regulation but before OT game 1. The tantrum was his response to dum-dum JR Smith's faux pas of not knowing the time and score when he got an offensive rebound a few feet from the basket, and instead of putting back a shot to win the game he instead dribbled the ball out past the 3-point arc, thus running out the clock and sending the game into OT. That JR mistake was perhaps the biggest finals series mistake by a player that I can remember seeing. Still, and I agree with Cowherd, James' response to that was not the response that you would expect from a true leader of MVP caliber. Baby James could not flush it heading into OT. He could not refocus during OT. He let one play by JR affect the rest of his game in OT. As a result, Golden State proceeded to trounce the Cavs in OT. Some high school players would have responded better to JR's mistake than James did. And because of that, I really hope Golden State wins the finals so James cannot become MVP. But as unlikely as it seems, if the Cavs manage to win the series everyone will forget James being a baby and give him the MVP. What a puke that would be.

I can understand Lebron's reaction as Smith has done similar things before and James had just given it 100%. Pretty sure the Cavs won't re-sign Smith when his contract is up and they won't be able to trade him. If Lebron stays which is a pretty big if, the Cavs will have another clean out probably. I can't see Lebron winning the MVP. Somehow I don't expect to see much of Smith in game 3. He has been two paced all season usually for the worse.

LeBron should be accustomed to Smith by now. That one possession is a perfect example of Smith as a player: he made a great clutch play getting that offensive rebound off of Hill's miss of the potentially game winning free throw and then commenced to muck it all up because he thought that his team had the lead, initially seemingly trying to run out the clock. After that play, James went into the mindset of someone that fate had conspired against to rob him of a dramatic victory. He probably had it all planned out in his head when the initial charging call was made at the opposite end of the court. So crushed by the events that transpired he couldn't refocus and put on a brave face and rally his troops in the overtime.
 
It seems that the Warriors have all the answers at the moment. Curry can still make critical timely shots even when he's not having a great game. Fortunately Durant had a great game. Kyle Korver once again went missing but Hood played well. Cavs have to make history now to win the title and it's not going to happen by the looks of it.
 
I'm a little surprised. Now he will have to beat the Warriors just to make it to the Finals. And he will have to play them four times in the regular season. Will also have to get by Houston. The West was already the stronger conference, it's now even stronger, and the Warriors no longer have three patsies in their division.

I thought Philly was his best bet to win another championship. Add James to what the Sixers already have, and they're the best team in the East, possibly excepting Boston. But if the Lakers can land Leonard, they could be a very tough team. Still, it will take time to build, and even James can't go on at this level much longer.

Hee, hee, look at this reversal of fortunes for the Lakers and Cavs:

NBA Championship updated

Warriors 10/11
Celtics 7/2
Lakers 7/2
Rockets 7/1
76ers 14/1
Spurs 50/1
Thunder 60/1
Raptors 60/1
Jazz 80/1
Trail Blazers 100/1
Pelicans 100/1
Timberwolves 100/1
Nuggets 100/1
Bucks 100/1
Wizards 100/1
Pacers 100/1
Heat 300/1
Cavaliers 500/1

The Lakers are actually considered as likely as Boston, despite having to go through both the Warriors and the Rockets to get to the finals, and are considered more likely than Houston? But this will change as more FA move, not to mention when the season actually starts.
 
Re:

Merckx index said:
I'm a little surprised. Now he will have to beat the Warriors just to make it to the Finals. And he will have to play them four times in the regular season. Will also have to get by Houston. The West was already the stronger conference, it's now even stronger, and the Warriors no longer have three patsies in their division.

I thought Philly was his best bet to win another championship. Add James to what the Sixers already have, and they're the best team in the East, possibly excepting Boston. But if the Lakers can land Leonard, they could be a very tough team. Still, it will take time to build, and even James can't go on at this level much longer.

Seems the Lakers don't want to give up too much for Leonard and now he is threatening to sit out the season if the trade doesn't happen which won't help his future prospects. Typical rumours flying around. Why would you give up the farm for Leonard when doctors can't even agree on the injury he has which caused him to miss most of last season ? Lakers have said Kuzma won't be going anywhere and maybe the Spurs expected him to be part of the package. Looks like a rivalry between the 76ers and Celtics in the East now unless Toronto or the Bucks can improve. The Cavs future now looks shaky and they have a lot of good players coming off contract within the next year or two.
 
Re:

Merckx index said:
I'm a little surprised. Now he will have to beat the Warriors just to make it to the Finals. And he will have to play them four times in the regular season. Will also have to get by Houston. The West was already the stronger conference, it's now even stronger, and the Warriors no longer have three patsies in their division.

I thought Philly was his best bet to win another championship. Add James to what the Sixers already have, and they're the best team in the East, possibly excepting Boston. But if the Lakers can land Leonard, they could be a very tough team. Still, it will take time to build, and even James can't go on at this level much longer.

Hee, hee, look at this reversal of fortunes for the Lakers and Cavs:

NBA Championship updated

Warriors 10/11
Celtics 7/2
Lakers 7/2
Rockets 7/1
76ers 14/1
Spurs 50/1
Thunder 60/1
Raptors 60/1
Jazz 80/1
Trail Blazers 100/1
Pelicans 100/1
Timberwolves 100/1
Nuggets 100/1
Bucks 100/1
Wizards 100/1
Pacers 100/1
Heat 300/1
Cavaliers 500/1

The Lakers are actually considered as likely as Boston, despite having to go through both the Warriors and the Rockets to get to the finals, and are considered more likely than Houston? But this will change as more FA move, not to mention when the season actually starts.
I'm surprised that he didn't stay in the East too. Honestly, in my mind it was 50/50 CLE/PHI. Keep in mind that I'm basing that on almost nothing because I don't read much NBA insider stuff. At this point LA is no better than CLE IMO. Obviously if they get Leonard (and he's healthy) that is a big difference. Will Lonzo take another step up with James there?

FUNNY! LA also signed Stephenson who likes to blow in James' ears to distract him. :lol:

I remember when James came back CLE after being in S. Beach, and proclaimed that he was meant to play in CLE...Ohio is home... :eek:
 
Apparently James has two homes in LA, and multiple businesses. And I think his son is planning to go to school there. IOW, the decision was not primarily about winning another ring, but going somewhere he really wants to live.

Meanwhile, the Warriors picked up DeMarcus Cousins, one of the best big men in the game. They got him cheap, because he still hasn’t recovered from an injury he suffered last year, and it’s not certain that when he does—well after the next season has begun—he will be the same. But this acquisition gives the Warriors an All Star at every starting position, which must be a first in NBA history. If Cousins can play anywhere close to what he did in the past (and avoid the technicals; he and Green and now even Durant are among the league leaders in that), it’s hard to see how any team could match the Warriors.

I read that every player who has finished in the top 5 in MVP voting since 2014-15 is now in the WC. Calls are being intensified to do away with the current playoff seeding system, and just take the sixteen teams with the best records, regardless of conference. Indeed, some are saying they should get rid of the conferences.

One of the worst brawls I’ve ever heard of involving professionals in any sport occurred between Australia and the Philippines in some qualifying basketball tournament. The video is gruesome, with not only really serious punching and shoving, but one guy leaping in the air and kicking another player in the head, like a martial arts move, another guy creaming someone over the head with a chair:

https://sports.yahoo.com/massive-brawl-erupts-australia-philippines-fiba-world-cup-qualifiers-13-players-ejected-video-151702927.html

Thirteen players were ejected, and when the game resumed, the Filipinos, who were already losing by about 30 points, had only three players left. Two of them fouled out, at which point they had to forfeit the game.
 
Re:

Merckx index said:
Apparently James has two homes in LA, and multiple businesses. And I think his son is planning to go to school there. IOW, the decision was not primarily about winning another ring, but going somewhere he really wants to live.

Meanwhile, the Warriors picked up DeMarcus Cousins, one of the best big men in the game. They got him cheap, because he still hasn’t recovered from an injury he suffered last year, and it’s not certain that when he does—well after the next season has begun—he will be the same. But this acquisition gives the Warriors an All Star at every starting position, which must be a first in NBA history. If Cousins can play anywhere close to what he did in the past (and avoid the technicals; he and Green and now even Durant are among the league leaders in that), it’s hard to see how any team could match the Warriors.

I read that every player who has finished in the top 5 in MVP voting since 2014-15 is now in the WC. Calls are being intensified to do away with the current playoff seeding system, and just take the sixteen teams with the best records, regardless of conference. Indeed, some are saying they should get rid of the conferences.

One of the worst brawls I’ve ever heard of involving professionals in any sport occurred between Australia and the Philippines in some qualifying basketball tournament. The video is gruesome, with not only really serious punching and shoving, but one guy leaping in the air and kicking another player in the head, like a martial arts move, another guy creaming someone over the head with a chair:

https://sports.yahoo.com/massive-brawl-erupts-australia-philippines-fiba-world-cup-qualifiers-13-players-ejected-video-151702927.html

Thirteen players were ejected, and when the game resumed, the Filipinos, who were already losing by about 30 points, had only three players left. Two of them fouled out, at which point they had to forfeit the game.

Yeah that brawl was ugly. Makes the NBA look like little league stuff. One of the Aussies can count his blessings, the one on the floor getting stomped on by a crowd !

Cousins is good but could be a liability like Embeid for the 76ers and now possibly Leonard. I still think the Rockets will push the Warriors next season. Cleveland will need a rebuild with an aging team without a superstar. I'd laugh if Kyrie went back to the Cavs ! No doubt James decision was a personal one with the four year contract and his family issues being a priority. I don't see the Lakers doing much unless they can add more talent and they will have to trade some of their younger talent to do that anyway. They might slip into the playoffs as a lower seed with just Lebron but it was noticeable with the Cavs that Lebron being on the court for so long is taking it's toll and age eventually has an effect on all athletes. What's amazing about James is that he rarely gets injured or misses a game, obviously superbly conditioned.
 

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