longstrangetrip wrote:The argument for the Cavs would be they took the Warriors to 6 games last year with only one of the Big 3, so they should be able to improve on that. But the reality is the Cavs are actually a Big 1 and pieces, and GS is playing at a different level. They handled the Cavs easily in both games this year while Love shot 6-21 and Irving 7-26. I see GS taking Game 4 in Cleveland and closing them out in 5 at home.
That's kind of how I see it LST. But this is one series where nothing would really surprise me.
LeBron James makes predictions really difficult. Also a team that relies on outside shooting as much as GS can turn cold. But I don't think the Cavs defense is good enough to prevent open looks for the Splash Brothers, and they will hit them at a good rate over the course of a 7-game series. I also think Iguodola is as good an option to defend James as almost anyone, and that he will get more minutes than Barnes in the finals.
Obviously, Irving and Love (and Frye) make the Cavs MUCH better offensively than last year's Finals team.
But, the rub has been about them being potentially exposed defensively. (The East just didn't have teams capable of doing so consistently) Can Lue find the right balance with shuffling players/schemes to get the best of both worlds with his roster?
My guess is that we see more Shumpert and less J.R. Smith in order to tip the balance a bit more defensively. And he's shown that he can hit the wide open 3 too.
slimcalhoun27 wrote:The major reason the Cavs were as competitive last season for me was the play of Delli on Curry. (Can he fluster him again this year) Also, who can neutralize Tristan Thompsons board crashing for GS? Is Varajao the X factor? Haha
Thompson will hurt on the boards. But the Warriors might actually be relieved to not see OKC anytime soon. Remember, that team was relentless on the boards, leading the entire league, all season.
If Delly plays... Irving probably sits. This is what I was mentioning earlier... Lue has to figure out the right mix and spots between offense/defense guys.
I would think Cleveland is going to be a whole lot easier to score on than OKC was. There were times during that series where OKC's defense was great. GS had a terrible time scoring when Curry was off the floor and they had to rely on Livingston and Barnes for offense. I don't see that happening against the Cavs. Cleveland will score plenty, but I don't think you are going to win trying to outscore the Warriors.
slimcalhoun27 wrote:The major reason the Cavs were as competitive last season for me was the play of Delli on Curry. (Can he fluster him again this year) Also, who can neutralize Tristan Thompsons board crashing for GS? Is Varajao the X factor? Haha
Thompson will hurt on the boards. But the Warriors might actually be relieved to not see OKC anytime soon. Remember, that team was relentless on the boards, leading the entire league, all season.
If Delly plays... Irving probably sits. This is what I was mentioning earlier... Lue has to figure out the right mix and spots between offense/defense guys.
All Curry had to do to beat the Cavs last year was realize he just had to pass to open guys. He wasn't used to having to do that. Once he did it was over. OKC (and other teams like the Wolves in the regular season) tried to take away the 3. Curry took his game in the paint and did some damage. Who is gonna stop Curry if he goes in the for the Cavs? TT is their best rim protector that plays minutes. That's not that scary. If GS can attack the Cavs if pressured up top they are going to keep putting up points. The thing with the Cavs is more about if they can really fight fire with fire. GS SHOULD be a tougher defensive team than anyone they have faced so far. On the flip side the Cavs have a lot of offensive weapons.
longstrangetrip wrote:The argument for the Cavs would be they took the Warriors to 6 games last year with only one of the Big 3, so they should be able to improve on that. But the reality is the Cavs are actually a Big 1 and pieces, and GS is playing at a different level. They handled the Cavs easily in both games this year while Love shot 6-21 and Irving 7-26. I see GS taking Game 4 in Cleveland and closing them out in 5 at home.
That's kind of how I see it LST. But this is one series where nothing would really surprise me.
LeBron James makes predictions really difficult. Also a team that relies on outside shooting as much as GS can turn cold. But I don't think the Cavs defense is good enough to prevent open looks for the Splash Brothers, and they will hit them at a good rate over the course of a 7-game series. I also think Iguodola is as good an option to defend James as almost anyone, and that he will get more minutes than Barnes in the finals.
Obviously, Irving and Love (and Frye) make the Cavs MUCH better offensively than last year's Finals team.
But, the rub has been about them being potentially exposed defensively. (The East just didn't have teams capable of doing so consistently) Can Lue find the right balance with shuffling players/schemes to get the best of both worlds with his roster?
My guess is that we see more Shumpert and less J.R. Smith in order to tip the balance a bit more defensively. And he's shown that he can hit the wide open 3 too.
Maybe. But Shumpert shot only 29.5% on the season for three pointers. I don't think the Warriors treat him like Tony Allen... but they were willing to give Waiters open 3s. I'm guessing they'll play the percentages and be just fine letting Shumpert launch instead of Irving, Frye, Smith, Love, et al.
[Note: To be fair, Shumpert has shot better in the postseason in each of the last two seasons.]
longstrangetrip wrote:The argument for the Cavs would be they took the Warriors to 6 games last year with only one of the Big 3, so they should be able to improve on that. But the reality is the Cavs are actually a Big 1 and pieces, and GS is playing at a different level. They handled the Cavs easily in both games this year while Love shot 6-21 and Irving 7-26. I see GS taking Game 4 in Cleveland and closing them out in 5 at home.
That's kind of how I see it LST. But this is one series where nothing would really surprise me.
LeBron James makes predictions really difficult. Also a team that relies on outside shooting as much as GS can turn cold. But I don't think the Cavs defense is good enough to prevent open looks for the Splash Brothers, and they will hit them at a good rate over the course of a 7-game series. I also think Iguodola is as good an option to defend James as almost anyone, and that he will get more minutes than Barnes in the finals.
Obviously, Irving and Love (and Frye) make the Cavs MUCH better offensively than last year's Finals team.
But, the rub has been about them being potentially exposed defensively. (The East just didn't have teams capable of doing so consistently) Can Lue find the right balance with shuffling players/schemes to get the best of both worlds with his roster?
My guess is that we see more Shumpert and less J.R. Smith in order to tip the balance a bit more defensively. And he's shown that he can hit the wide open 3 too.
Maybe. But Shumpert shot only 29.5% on the season for three pointers. I don't think the Warriors treat him like Tony Allen... but they were willing to give Waiters open 3s. I'm guessing they'll play the percentages and be just fine letting Shumpert launch instead of Irving, Frye, Smith, Love, et al.
[Note: To be fair, Shumpert has shot better in the postseason in each of the last two seasons.]
In all fairness to JR Smith (now that's a clause I never thought I would use), his defense has been surprisingly good in the playoffs. He shut down Korver, and looked pretty good much of the time against Derozen too. I noticed the TV guys were praising his defense during the Toronto series too. I think JR's issue on defense in the past has been effort. He's showing me in the playoffs that he can play good defense when he wants to.
Golden state in 6.
I would force Lebron to take as many long twos and threes as possible . He's really struggle with his shot this year . Make him beat ya from the perimeter as opposed to letting guys like Irving, Love and Smith get hot.
Easier said then done keeping James out of the paint tho.
It's gonna be a hard series for Steph if CLE is going to be allowed to body him all series long like he has been this game. He's getting clipped with a shoulder or a hip on every cut and screen. I'm fine with a little bit of it, but it's been straight street ball level physicality at times with no calls. I'd rather not see a top player in the game be taken out of the game because he has to fight through hockey style checks all game long.
