Eastern Conference Finals discussion thread

[nbafan88]

Anyone who thinks that was a great game needs to watch a great game

It was a win by simply not losing, awful this sport, but win my bet I guess

I I didn't even watch it but just following the play by play I said the same thing. Seemed like there were a lot of silly turnovers

 

[hugh613]

<header class="content-header"> Bored David Blatt Just Drawing Up Plays For Fun During Cavs Game

</header> SPORTS NEWS IN BRIEF May 21, 2015
Vol 51 Issue 20 Sports · Nba Basketball

ATLANTA—Explaining it was merely something to occupy his attention throughout the evening, Cleveland Cavaliers head coach David Blatt revealed to reporters that he was spending the majority of Wednesday night’s Eastern Conference Finals game against the Atlanta Hawks drawing up plays for fun on the sideline. “I figured I have nothing else to do, so I might as well try to think up some weird plays while I’m sitting here,” Blatt said while sketching out an increasingly elaborate offensive sequence involving 12 consecutive pick-and-rolls before the point guard shoots the ball from the baseline. “I know none of these plays will ever get used, so I’m just seeing what I can come up with. I drew this one with five centers all stacked together on the perimeter, and then they rush to the basket at the same time and pass the ball behind their backs until the last guy dunks it—that one was really cool.” At press time, after calling a timeout in the third quarter, Cavs forward LeBron James grabbed Blatt’s clipboard out of his hands, quickly erased it, and began diagramming the team’s next inbounds play.

http://www.theonion.com/article/bored-david-blatt-just-drawing-plays-fun-during-ca-50490

 

[divol]

Both teams go under the scren so much...
Zero respect for Hawks shooting and on the other side, Hawks are gambling on LeBron not to hit the shots...

 

[CASH]

Bud needs to go deep in his bench for some scoring... This will be 25 pts very quickly

 

[Retburj13]

looks like Bron wants to cancel his ATL stripperpolooza tour, he wants to stay home after tonite

 

[CASH]

When Dova checked in, the hawks broadcasters said here comes Tonya Harding ..... Lol

 

[Kevy.]

Looks like the Hawks are going fishing.

 

[Retburj13]

When Dova checked in, the hawks broadcasters said here comes Tonya Harding ..... Lol

 

[emkee]

Tristam gonna get paid. Could say he's the MVP of this series.

 

[nbafan88]

Which player will Dellavadova try take out in the finals? Green? Bogut? He is going to do something dirty to try to get a reaction out of one of them. It'll happen.

 

[emkee]

Which player will Dellavadova try take out in the finals? Green? Bogut? He is going to do something dirty to try to get a reaction out of one of them. It'll happen.

Kind of like what you seem to do around here.

Delly not dirty, just gritty.

 

[nbafan88]

Nice one emkee.

 

[divol]

http://www.cbssports.com/nba/eye-on-basketball/25196529/five-takeaways-from-cavaliers-advancing-to-nba-finals

David Blatt is off-putting in interviews in scrums at times. Coaches are not paid for their media comments, they are paid to bring teams together, improve talent and win games. In his first season, not only has Blatt won the NBA's Eastern Conference, but he did so with major injuries and roster issues.

Blatt out-coached in succession: league darling Brad Stevens, longtime league Patton Tom Thibodeau, and Gregg Popovich's disciple Mike Budenholzer.
It wasn't just talent. The Cavs made strategic adjustments in each series, both in second halves and from game to game, getting better defensively game by game. Blatt was as big a part of this victory as any member of Cleveland, and deserves credit for how he's helped shape a team, and especially a defense, on the fly. The Cavs have a strong asset in David Blatt, no matter how many times he tried to call timeout or what plays LeBron overruled him on.

 

[BetCrimes1984]

The finals format going back to 2-2-1-1-1 last year gives the Cavs a better shot than the old 2-3-2 format imo. Couldn't see them winning 3 straight home games, but I can see them winning consecutive ones. They win the first game, it'll be anybody's finals.

 

[divol]

I think that one of the amazing things are that Cleveland not only swept the Hawks, but they did it with a plus in a +/- column with LeBron on the bench.
Obviously their second unit played mostly against Hawks second unit, but still... Cleveland in a plus, playing without LeBron and obviously Love and I'm guessing in a lot of those minutes without Kyrie as well and still winning...

 

[B.A.R.]

There is nothing amazing to talk about...wrt to the East...it is awful...and I feel bad for Cavs fans etc because they played pretty damn well and deserve a spot in Finals but this is the absolute easiest run to the Finals ever...

League, in general, is so weak right now.

 

[divol]

Injuries killed this year's playoffs.
Thunder are out of the picture - one of the favorites to win the title before the season started, Portland, Houston lost important starters due to injuries, Conley wasn't himself do to injury, Chris Paul's injury.
I would say that healthy Rockets have much much much better chance against GSW. Beverly is the exact type of player they needed both against LAC and against GSW.
GSW's road to the title in the last three rounds is against badly injured teams...

 

[B.A.R.]

Injuries killed this year's playoffs.
Thunder are out of the picture - one of the favorites to win the title before the season started, Portland, Houston lost important starters due to injuries, Conley wasn't himself do to injury, Chris Paul's injury.
I would say that healthy Rockets have much much much better chance against GSW. Beverly is the exact type of player they needed both against LAC and against GSW.
GSW's road to the title in the last three rounds is against badly injured teams...

Yes, both paths of the finalists were made easy.

Terrible playoffs overall except for a few games.

I think finals, although done in 5 or 6 will be very entertaining and hopefully salvage something...

 

[ArizonaKid]

Don't know how CBS sports can say Blatt outcoached Brad Stevens when Stevens has a roster lacking talent and is building for the future. Agree what the Cavs/Blatt have done on the defensive side is impressive for a squad that has less than half a season together.

Gutsy effort last night but Kyrie simply isn't 100% and while the 8 days off will be beneficial he won't be near full strength and will get exposed on defense vs the Warriors backcourt.

I didn't see this until now but LeBron lobbied for Thompson to stay in Cleveland after game 3 saying how hard he has worked and improved and he should be a Cav for life...is this LeBron saying he doesn't want/care if Love comes back next season or simply talking up his teammate after his strong performance ?

 

[divol]

My opinion is simple:
1) Cleveland not only swept Boston, but if we compare it to GSW - Pels series, Cleveland did it much easier than GSW.
2) I love the way that Cleveland defended agianst Thomas and the way that Blatt and Bron (and you must give tons of credit to LeBron as well), brought Love back to life. They set plays for him, kept searching for him - just did everything right, to make sure that Love will be focused and in form for the rest of the playoffs. If not for the injury, people would have talked about Boston series as the turning point for Love's season imho.

 

[ArizonaKid]

You realize that if Tyronn Lue had coached they would have still swept the Celtics right ?

 

[divol]

Maybe you're right, but I liked the way Cleveland played in that series.

 

[emkee]

The prophecy started by Stern is the scary thing. Cavs have got favorable refs throughout except for Game 3 of this series.

Finals will be interesting.

 

[CASH]

I think that one of the amazing things are that Cleveland not only swept the Hawks, but they did it with a plus in a +/- column with LeBron on the bench.
Obviously their second unit played mostly against Hawks second unit, but still... Cleveland in a plus, playing without LeBron and obviously Love and I'm guessing in a lot of those minutes without Kyrie as well and still winning...

not that amazing if you watched the games.. the Hawks settled for 3 pointers or jump shots for most of the games and did not shoot well which led to easy baskets on the other end..... only guy that would go to the hoop was teague and it didn't seem that often,,,,

 

[CASH]

You realize that if Tyronn Lue had coached they would have still swept the Celtics right ?

i thought he did,,,,,,
Blatt certainly didnt do anything in that series...

 

[divol]

We must have watched different series between Cleveland and Boston...

 

[CASH]

http://www.cbssports.com/nba/eye-on-basketball/25196529/five-takeaways-from-cavaliers-advancing-to-nba-finals

of course he deserves some credit.......
not difficult to out coach thibs, especially this year,, the guy is pretty good on defense but gives you little on offense... plus a lame duck coach.....Bud had nothing in this series,, it s a team that has some nice parts and is in a decent position to get better but as far as coaching goes,,, didnt show much.... he implemented the spurs offensive scheme and ????????
Blatt was forced to play thompson when Love went out..... good for thompson he proved it... wasnt by Blatt's choice.... Mozgov was a 7 footer and was a known player when the gm traded for him.... he played well,,, thats the type of player he is... blatt didnt make him 7 feet ..... Shumpert- brought in as a defensive specialist ... did his job and hit some 3's..... no coaching there.......JR smith....don't know if Blatt had anything to do with him playing well,, i just think he needed out of NY and on a team that wins............ Blatt couldnt coach before smith/shumpert and mozgov were here and james was injured and now he can coach????

 

[cogenman]

Which player will Dellavadova try take out in the finals? Green? Bogut? He is going to do something dirty to try to get a reaction out of one of them. It'll happen.

Probably Curry.

 

[nbafan88]

Probably Curry.

Lol no way. Curry and Klay know better than to react in a way to get them in trouble with refs.... i'll say draymond green.. go warriors

 

[divol]

You couldn't be more wrong.
1) He went with Thompson all season long. He sat Love in 4th quarter many times, to give Thompson time and played Thompson over Mozgov many times as well.
2) Mozgov was a player that developed under Blatt, back when Blatt coached Mozgov in Russia NT and he was the first player Blatt asked, when came to the team.

You can't ignore the imrovement in games of Delli, Mozgov, Shumpert and Thompson.
Blatt got very problematic roster, that completely changed both ambitions wise, both roster wise, with the arrival of LeBron. Cleveland was in even bigger problem, after Varejao got injured. Love couldn't fit in and so on...
It also took sometime for Blatt to get used to the NBA - you can't ignore that aspect as well.

 

[cogenman]

Lol no way. Curry and Klay know better than to react in a way to get them in trouble with refs.... i'll say draymond green.. go warriors

I thought you meant who's leg he would dive at. But yeah, Curry and Klay know not to let another player get into their heads.

 

[emkee]

 

[ArizonaKid]

:rofl::rofl::rofl:

At the above

 

[nbafan88]

You couldn't be more wrong.
1) He went with Thompson all season long. He sat Love in 4th quarter many times, to give Thompson time and played Thompson over Mozgov many times as well.
2) Mozgov was a player that developed under Blatt, back when Blatt coached Mozgov in Russia NT and he was the first player Blatt asked, when came to the team.

You can't ignore the imrovement in games of Delli, Mozgov, Shumpert and Thompson.
Blatt got very problematic roster, that completely changed both ambitions wise, both roster wise, with the arrival of LeBron. Cleveland was in even bigger problem, after Varejao got injured. Love couldn't fit in and so on...
It also took sometime for Blatt to get used to the NBA - you can't ignore that aspect as well.

That's all off the court stuff. When it comes to ingame coaching and decision making, Blatt basically does nothing.

and Mozgov was a beast in Denver and the nuggets were happy to see him go to a championship contender because of his incredible work ethic and how great of a professional he was.

mozgov had a bigger impact on this team success than blatt did lol

I obviously have not followed Blatt as closely as you have but your entire argument was that is he a great coach and one of the best in the league. Lebron runs the team. When one player runs the team, how could the coach be great? Doesn't make sense.

 

[divol]

He is a good coach. The fact that he has LeBron on his team, doesn't mean he isn't a good coach.
Many Cleveland plays, are the same that I seen from Blatt's teams for years.
Thompson, Shumpert and Delli are the exact type of players that thrive under Blatt and been so for years - and they are again that way.
He and Gershon redefined the way basketball is played in Europe, with Maccabi's dynasty in the beginning of the millenium.

You talk about how Stevens changed Boston and how Bud changed Atlanta, but the fact that Cleveland, without Love, without Kyrie, with LeBron that can't shoot the ball from deep, swept the Hawks, coached by COY, shouldn't give credit to Blatt? C'mon... That's just BS.
Blatt turned Cleveland in to elite defensive team. Look at how Kyrie and Love improved on defense (both far from being defensive stoppers, but they are better than before).

So if you coach best player in the league, you can't be considered good coach, even if you take your team to NBA Finals (and possibly, even if they win the title)?
Stevens hardly did anything in the league and his team missed playoffs in the first season and got swept in the first round the second season - but you think he is amazing coach and somehow better than the coach that took his team to the NBA Finals and has a proven record of winning titles, in every place he was.

You bash European Championship, Euroleague, Olympics - WHY?! What gives anyone that right?
The mere fact that Blatt managed to win time after time with lesser talent, nevermind that it's not the NBA, underdog is an underdog, in every league, means that he knows a thing or two about coaching.