NBA Playoffs 2018

[Synopsis]

As much as I like basketball, this series really showcases the talent disparity that exists in the league today. Lebron, love him or hate him, basically ended up playing the Warriors by himself. Even as arguably the best player in the NBA and putting up some of the statistical best games in finals history he was playing these games alone against a team that is so deep and so talented at every position. Congrats to the Warriors for winning but seeing them play all season, I think most people knew they'd be taking it down and I don't think there's a team that has enough talent to stop them unless some big name players all move to the same team this offseason. It'll be an interesting offseason full of analysts playing where's Lebron going but I would be shocked if he stays in Cleveland without a serious roster overhaul.

Definitely is a disparity, but if Jr didn't blunder in game 1, that's a different series. If lbj had one other quality player then it's a different series. So there is a disparity, but it's not the grand canyon. A lot of new talent in the league too who are playing like they've been in the league a while so that gap is getting shorter in my opinion. I think golden states run is over now and I expect them to implode on one another when it starts not going their way. There should be 2 super teams made this summer with the fa market, and if lbj goes to houston, I see them thrashing gs yearly. I'm not sure how Philly is going to be with this scandal, but them and Boston are coming up in the east. Worst case, next finals should at least be way more competitive.

 

[onemorechance]

Yeah it a different series in that Warriors win it like 4-2 and not 4-0

People are being ridiculously harsh on LeBron. Just think about the absolute mess the Cavs were in half way through the season, the man has dragged them a hell of a long way, this was just a bridge too far.

The Warriors run will end, whether it be next season or the year after. You just cannot maintain that level of dedication (physically and emotionally) forever.

 

[BiliousBetil]

I Would Have Preferred A Gentleman's Sweep.

This is so very weird. I'm an avid Warriors fan and enjoyed the first three games of the finals. Then mid-way through the third quarter of the close-out game, when it was clear that a sweep was a certainty, I noticed the looks on the faces in the crowd, and even the Cleveland players. It was clear to all that there was no hope. A wave of melancholy washed over me. I think I'm having an existential crisis.

Cheers!

 

[Synopsis]

Yeah it a different series in that Warriors win it like 4-2 and not 4-0

People are being ridiculously harsh on LeBron. Just think about the absolute mess the Cavs were in half way through the season, the man has dragged them a hell of a long way, this was just a bridge too far.

The Warriors run will end, whether it be next season or the year after. You just cannot maintain that level of dedication (physically and emotionally) forever.

I agree with the lbj comment. He basically was the whole team.

4-2 is probably accurate, but if you steal game 1 from the overwhelming favorites then that confident boost could mean a lot. Look at the cavs shooting percentage after game 1... they shot horrible in 2 through 4 and these weren't blowout games for the most part. They were semicompetitive but with ending scores that made it look like the games were never in question. If hill made that ft, or if Jr wasn't a moron, it totally could have been a toss up series. The end of game 1 killed them. Could have been cavs in 7, could have been gs in 5 if that had not happened. We will never know. Jr smith being on a roster next year is just unfathomable to me, and not just because that game blunder. Should be like the 9th man at best on a team.

 

[Shrops]

Not good

Well, that didn't go the way I hoped it would. I hope James can win it next year.

 

[LeeCallaghan]

Blow out

only 1 game and then blow out for GSW

 

[Datdude1]

The NBA season is over and it goes out with a wimper. Not a very good finals, should have been another team representing the east.

 

[Ero2407]

I think Golden State will win again

 

[bruno13xs]

CAVALIERS the best team in my opinion

 

[jho]

CAVALIERS the best team in my opinion

The best team at losing?

The best team at not putting enough good players around one of the GOAT players?

 

[Synopsis]

The best team at losing?

The best team at not putting enough good players around one of the GOAT players?

Well they did get him a pretty good injured player.... then traded him away pretty much as soon as he was able to play... ha... cavs management really are unreal.

 

[PHX]

The Cavs management has and will always be a joke as long as Gilbert remains the owner. The reason they got some talent was through the draft because they were so awful even when Kyrie got there.

Why did they let go of GM Dave Griffin last year I do not know. This was the start of all the problems. Dave Griffin was the bridge between management and players, LBJ and Kyrie trusted Griffin no doubt if he was not let go Kyrie would still be on squad and they would have gotten PG13 in a trade.

They had arguably the second best player of all time for 11 years and they could not put enough pieces around him to win more than 1 title.

Well they did get him a pretty good injured player.... then traded him away pretty much as soon as he was able to play... ha... cavs management really are unreal.

 

[Nintendo]

Golden State had a lot of things go in their favor for sure. On top of being a power house. CP3 injury was the luckiest thing that happened to them. It was Houston's year. So sad.

 

[Synopsis]

I'm not sure it was houstons year, I find harden to be soft when he needs to step up. Maybe he is still in the mentality he was in okc where he was the 3rd option. He needs another year or 2 of playoff experience, or he needs his very own life size lbj haha.

 

[PHX]

Harden does not know how to win as yet in Playoffs. He is great in regular season I could argue that he has been the second best player in the league over the past 4 years during the regular season. A certain LBJ was the same before he went to Miami.

I think Harden plays for the whistle a little too much and the games are reffed differently in playoffs. They allow more contact than in regular season he needs to adjust his game somewhat. He also needs to pick his spots to attack and to rest better. Too many times he has gone out too hard early in game and faded badly coming down the stretch. He needs to improve his stamina and conditioning.

I'm not sure it was houstons year, I find harden to be soft when he needs to step up. Maybe he is still in the mentality he was in okc where he was the 3rd option. He needs another year or 2 of playoff experience, or he needs his very own life size lbj haha.

 

[Synopsis]

Agreed. Watching him this playoff season reminded me a lot of earlier lbj in the playoffs, or clutch moments for that matter. He kinda just fades away. I don't think he is a number 1 guy... I think he would be a fantastic 2. Sure he can put up stats but it seems at the expense of the team at times. That team would be a mess without cp3 or a quality player controlling things.

 

[jho]

I agree with the above mentioned about harden

 

[PLAYFUL1]

Golden State Warriors were the supreme team in the finals against the Cleveland Cavaliers but going back to the 1st game with seconds left seem to be the ultimate downfall of Cleveland.:deal:

 

[jho]

Golden State Warriors were the supreme team in the finals against the Cleveland Cavaliers but going back to the 1st game with seconds left seem to be the ultimate downfall of Cleveland.:deal:

Yes game one sucked the life out of the Cavs and Lebron, and it got Lebron so angry he hurt his hand

 

[Nintendo]

Thats why CP3 injury is what ended it for them. He is more consistent and mentally strong.

 

[KingTurd]

AS much ESPN and broad covering sports loves talking about LeBron, Steph Curry and the Warriors are now what the Bulls were in the 90s. Enjoy this and forget about the media drama charade.

 

[Datdude1]

No more NBA and no football, what do we watch now? :boring:

 

[jho]

No more NBA and no football, what do we watch now? :boring:

World cup soccer?

 

[BiliousBetil]

I'm now interested in seeing how the Warriors construct their bench over the summer. It's pretty clear that they will move on from some of the older players, and they need a little scoring punch for the second unit. The salary cap issues will prove to be difficult to solve.

It's been reported that Trevor Ariza has expressed some interest in moving from Houston to Golden State. At age 32, he could be a solid addition depending on salary.

We should have a pretty good idea of direction by the start of the Summer league.

Cheers!

 

[Datdude1]

Well, world cup it is. I can't get into baseball until the playoffs.