NBA Finals Discussion thread

Btw, even if it's not the same thing, still, being there, with your whole season on the line and so on, that's something that Blatt done as a coach, Kerr have yet to do so... So that gives Blatt huge advantage in experience imho.
 
tipyerbartender, April 19, 2015, in Cavs thread:

"Cavs in 4 over the Celts
Cavs in 5 over the Bulls
Cavs in 5 over the Hawks
Cavs in 4 over the Dubs

Parade down Euclid."

Not too shabby, even got the goddamn opponents right. Gave Hawks a little too much credit. Didn't count on the wack shot from Rose, game three, round two.
 
I'll say five instead of four now, sans Love, Kyrie gimpy.
 
I can't sit here and argue about this all day.. If you want to say the experience and coaching advantage goes to blatt because he has been in euroleague finals coached Russia against USA in the Olympics and etc then whatever. I just strongly disagree
 



Nice interview with Dan Gilbert, who is suddenly 4 wins away from making dreams of millions in Cleveland come true:

http://www.cleveland.com/cavs/index.ssf/2015/05/cavaliers_owner_dan_gilbert_sa.html

CLEVELAND, Ohio – The Cleveland Cavaliers are headed to the 2015 NBA Finals, and coach David Blatt played an essential role in leading them to a destination they haven't been to in eight years.
Click to expand...
To say that Blatt has had quite the year would be an understatement.
Not many foresaw this being the outcome after a robust roster featuring LeBron James, Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love got off to a disappointing 19-20 start. It was a team in disarray, and Blatt was overwhelmingly held responsible by popular opinion.
There was a three-week period beginning on Christmas Day where the Cavaliers lost 10 of 12 contests. James missed eight of those games to receive extended treatment on his knee and back, but the roster was still badly underperforming.
The speculation was that Blatt's short days in Cleveland were numbered. And although General Manager David Griffin came to his coach's aid with a vote of confidence, calling the reports of Blatt's looming ouster "truly ridiculous," it was difficult to buy it considering how poorly the team was playing.
It was a dark period for Blatt.
In an exclusive interview with Northeast Ohio Media Group, Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert said firing Blatt was never considered, and added that his confidence in his coach never wavered.
"It really didn't," Gilbert told NEOMG. "I don't care what the expectations were, especially after we changed coaches twice in two years. This was a guy with a long-term record of success. You have to at least give a season, maybe more than just one. I think it would have destabilized the entire franchise and it would have been bad."
On the court, Blatt's fortunes would change.
Griffin traded for Timofey Mozgov, J.R. Smith and Iman Shumpert, and James returned from his two-week hiatus with more pep in his step. Blatt overhauled the defense, and the Cavaliers went on to obliterate the competition.
After Jan. 15, Cleveland posted an NBA-best record of 34-9. That domination carried into the playoffs, a sweep of the Boston Celtics in the opening round. Those whispers about Blatt's departure subsided, but picked back up again during the Eastern Conference semifinal round against the rival Chicago Bulls.
In Game 4 of that series, Blatt nearly cost his team the win by trying to call a timeout he didn't have in the closing seconds of the game. Associate head coach Tyronn Lue, mindful of the timeout situation, quickly pulled Blatt off the court before a referee could spot him.
Had an official seen Blatt signaling for a timeout, Chicago would have been awarded a free throw and possession of the ball. It went from Chicago going up 3-1 in the series to Cleveland evening the series after James' buzzer-beating, game-winning jumper.
Blatt owned his mishap and credited his coaching staff for being cognizant of the circumstances.
How did Gilbert view the blunder? He insists that even if the Cavaliers had lost that game due to Blatt's timeout call, releasing him wasn't an option.
"Look, there's nobody you can point to in the world that doesn't make a mistake," Gilbert said to NEOMG. "The best players, the best business people, the best coaches. So one thing is not going to make or break a person."
Now the Cavaliers are four victories away from ending a 51-year professional championship drought in the city, and Blatt is a huge part of that.
"They wanted Coach Blatt fired, saying we needed another point guard, will LeBron and Kyrie be able to play together? So many story lines was just happening at that point in time," James said. "For us to be sitting at this point today, being able to represent the Eastern Conference in The Finals, this is special. It's very special."
Blatt's first season in the NBA has been filled with trials and tribulations like no other. This isn't what he signed up for, but due to his wealth of experience coaching at a high level elsewhere, he was able to adapt on the fly.
James acknowledged there's an unjust dose of scrutiny and ridicule that comes with being associated with him. That's the good and bad of coaching the best player in the game.
Whether the criticisms of Blatt were warranted or not, Gilbert believes Blatt was just an easy target and is confident that he's still the man for the job.
"I think it's natural when a team has such high expectations, under .500 halfway through the season, they're going to go after a brand new coach," Gilbert explained to NEOMG. "So I don't think it was so much him as it was the situation. You have to go by some of his body of work. This guy won 17 of 21 seasons. He won championships in four or five different countries and brought the Russians to the Olympic medal round.
"When we did checks on him, we must have talked to 70 or 80 people, literally. We couldn't find somebody to say a bad word. There's something about him. It's hard to put your finger on it, but there's something about him. He's a good soul and he knows how to get these guys to love each other, to play for the team. That to me is the most important thing."
After sweeping the Hawks, Blatt was humbled. He praised Atlanta for their professionalism in what was a hard-fought, emotional series for both teams for various reasons. It was like a sigh of relief for Blatt on that podium, knowing his team is almost close to the ultimate prize – an NBA title.
He has come a long way, and it's well deserved.
"I know it's hard for people to understand because they don't really know my path and my career, but this also is a new situation for me and a new place for me," Blatt said. "LeBron came home. I left home to come here, and I left a lot of people that I love dearly and a lot of people that I'm close, so close to, in order to pursue a dream, in order to do something in my career that I hadn't had the opportunity to do.
"That's a big sacrifice on the part of my family and the place that I'm from. It's special because it's all worthwhile. I came here. I got the opportunity to work with a great group of guys, with the best player in the world and maybe in the history of the game. With the wonderful management who's given us every opportunity to succeed and with fans who are so loyal and have been for so many years, who just want a champion. So it makes me very happy and very proud to be a part of that and to have this experience in my life."
Click to expand...
 
divol said:
We can agree to disagree, that's ok you know :)
Click to expand...


You can have your opinion but your reasoning to back up your opinion is ludicrous


Lebron basically runs the entire cavs organization...


not to mention he probably has to approve what meals Blatt eats and what toilet paper he can use at home
 
I'll admit, I don't know shit about Blatt but this is kinda like Spoelstra. Lebron is the reason why the Cavs are doing so well. Same thing when he went to Miami. They all of a sudden go to 4 straight finals, win 2 of them. Now Lebron left Miami, and the Heat didn't even make the playoffs.... in the shitty ass East. Without Lebron, the Cavs don't make the playoffs. With Lebron and Blatt not there, the Cavs still make the finals IMO.
 
I mean, I think Blatt has kind of stayed out of the way, and I think Lebron calls the shots. Just like everyone else. But why is Kerr more credentialed? Because he's more familiar to NBA fans and he doesn't have a legend on his team stepping on his toes.
 
There aren't many people on earth who could have fucked up the Cavs winning the east. Maybe Mike Brown.
 
and without budenholzer, no way in hell the hawks finish with a top 4 seed... none

budenholzer practically ran the entire organization in atlanta this season...

blatt goes day in day out with an relatively easy lifestyle... lebron does most of the work getting the team prepared and i'd say lebron runs a majority of the plays
 
Maybe everything you're saying is correct.
But, who says that Boston or Atlanta under Blatt wouldn't have done better?
Not saying they would have. Just asking...
 
I posted in the other thread earlier but since this thread has gone in this direction....

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????
 
divol said:
Maybe everything you're saying is correct.
But, who says that Boston or Atlanta under Blatt wouldn't have done better?
Not saying they would have. Just asking...
Click to expand...


I don't understand your point.

We can only judge the performances of the coaches based on the situations they are in... not hypothetical ones


Blatt is not a top 10 coach in the nba. Not yet anyway
 
divol said:
Maybe everything you're saying is correct.
But, who says that Boston or Atlanta under Blatt wouldn't have done better?
Not saying they would have. Just asking...
Click to expand...

can't speak for Atlanta, but for Boston - the players respected Stevens from day 1 and gave all out effort all year...
didnt happen in Cleveland until there was a players only meeting.. (Tip may have organized it).......
 
All NBA coaches have a relatively easy lifestyle. Alex suggested this a while back, it's true. These fuckers are along for the ride. I'm not sure a coach has made much of a difference in the history of the league. Maybe Chuck Daly. Listen to these clowns in the time outs when they're on mic. Even Pop and whoever your flavor of the day is, Kerr, that pedophile looking guy on the Hawks, Stevens ... It's romper room. I'd tune 'em out just like the players already do.
 
CASH said:
I posted in the other thread earlier but since this thread has gone in this direction....

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????
Click to expand...


Guiding the island of misfit toys from 19-20 to the finals deserves a little credit. Give Lebron coach of the year.
 
Blatt coaching credentials winning the Israeli League 5 times and the Israeli league Cup 6 times....Yea amazing Blatt won the league his first 2 years as coach considering that Maccabi Tel Aviv had WON IT THE 8 PREVIOUS SEASONS IN A ROW :rofl::rofl::rofl:

Maccabi Tel Aviv has won that league over 50 times in the league's 60+ year history, Won the Israeli Cup over 40 times in it's 50+ year history.


Truth of the matter is he wouldn't even be the coach if Dan Gilbert had waited until Free Agency began and realized the LeBron was serious about coming home. Blatt was hired to coach Wiggins, Bennett, Irving, and Thompson and make that youthful core better defensively and to play with some intensity.



With Kevin Love being injured and the Cavs still making the Finals, I wonder if the Cavs front office regrets dealing Wiggins ? Pretty sure they still would have had the flexibility to deal for Mozgov, Shumpert, and JR Smith.
 
No Love, Kyrie less than 100% and not a great defender even at full strength, Warriors bench vastly superior to what the Cavs are down to with the key this series being able to bring an All-NBA first team defender off the bench in Iguodala to match up on LBJ, Home Court Advantage...Warriors have too many advantages for Cleveland to overcome no matter how great LeBron is.
 
Love's injury and the Cavs subsequent success makes Love, and the Cavs' decision to get him, an easy target. It has taken some completely improbable, over-the-top short term performances from Shump and Smith and Tristan (and even Delly) to replace what Love brings to the floor, even when he's not shooting well. He was playing pretty damn well before that goon ripped his arm off. Shame.

Cavs don't need Love to frustrate Golden States's backcourt though. Or outrebound the shit out of them. Cavs can win games when Curry scores 40 if everyone does his job.
 
Bet Kyrie is 100% when the ball goes up. Sore foot and tendinitis? Child please.
 
You can simply just say the west is superior to east. That's pretty obvious. A substantially superior conference leads to the competition day in day out being much tougher. That continuously prepares a team for the playoffs and the finals. Which one of the two teams has had an easier road to the finals? I'd say it's very close.

The cavaliers bench has a lot of 3 point specialists. Not really anyone that scares you when it comes to creating plays.
 
After 19-20, Cavs toyed with the mighty west. Home and away. We're not afraid of the Warriors here in Cleveland. Their best player looks like he should be an underoos model.
 
Can someone dig me up the Cavs W/L record with at least one night off?
 
Think the only reason Steph didn't break his clavicle in half was that he floated gently to the floor like a feather.
 
tipyerbartender said:
Love's injury and the Cavs subsequent success makes Love, and the Cavs' decision to get him, an easy target. It has taken some completely improbable, over-the-top short term performances from Shump and Smith and Tristan (and even Delly) to replace what Love brings to the floor, even when he's not shooting well. He was playing pretty damn well before that goon ripped his arm off. Shame.

Cavs don't need Love to frustrate Golden States's backcourt though. Or outrebound the shit out of them. Cavs can win games when Curry scores 40 if everyone does his job.
Click to expand...

Wow- very well written, some thought put into this.... Who are you? Did someone hack tippy's account... Mrs Bartender is that you???
 
Force Lebron to be an outside jump shooter. If he makes them, so be it. Do not let him drive to the basket.
 
I think I caught a bad number on the dog with arizonakid, but that aside ... what exactly are the Warriors doing better than the Cavs LATELY? Game's won on the court, by players not coaches. Cavs are playing better playoff ball. Haven't been so confident in a homer bet in my life. AK's a closet homer anyway. Thinks Kerr walks on water. He ain't playing, wasn't all that great when he did. Good guy though.
 
tipyerbartender said:
I think I caught a bad number on the dog with arizonakid, but that aside ... what exactly are the Warriors doing better than the Cavs LATELY? Game's won on the court, by players not coaches. Cavs are playing better playoff ball. Haven't been so confident in a homer bet in my life. AK's a closet homer anyway. Thinks Kerr walks on water. He ain't playing, wasn't all that great when he did. Good guy though.
Click to expand...


No homer bet LOL...Golden State just a the better team according to Vegas as evidenced by the series price and game 1 line.

Golden State the better defensive team and much better on offense. They are having a historical season, one of the best seasons ever til this point.

Cavs 2nd best player is hurting and won't approach full strength til next season, and a bench of JR Smith, Delly and James Jones isn't going to get the job done.

Those 2 regular season meetings are meaningless, Warriors on a 6 game roadie when they played the 2nd time and first game wasn't vs this current Cavs squad.
 
lol, why am I incapable of (literally) barstool NBA analysis?
 
tipyerbartender said:
Cavs 2nd best player is Australian, but he's not Kyrie.
Click to expand...

That kid from the IT department...


CF-Ho_6UsAA471p.jpg
 
The series price has more to do with the perception of the teams and conferences than it does to do with the team rosters and how the teams are playing. They aren't always the same thing.
 
I was (obviously) surprised by the series price. Feel like a plucked bird. But who cares, my collection figure wasn't based on the going price, he'll just be paying a little less.
 
Interesting that Blatt was supposed to be Kerr's first assistant, was basically signed with the Warriors and now they are meeting in the NBA Finals...
Two rookie coaches...
Incredible...
 
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[TD="colspan: 8"][h=4]NBA BASKETBALL - THU 6/4[/h][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: linesColumns"]
[TD="bgcolor: #000032, colspan: 4, align: center"]GAME[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: #000032, align: center"]HANDICAP[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: #000032, align: center"]MONEY LINE[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: #000032, align: center"]TOTAL POINTS[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: #000032, align: center"]MORE[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: linesAlt1"]
[TD="class: linesDate, bgcolor: #E6EEFB"]Thu 6/4[/TD]
[TD="class: linesRotNumBold, bgcolor: #E6EEFB"]701[/TD]
[TD="class: linesTeam, bgcolor: #E6EEFB"]Cleveland Cavaliers[/TD]
[TD="class: linesScore, bgcolor: #E6EEFB"][/TD]
[TD="class: linesSpread, bgcolor: #E6EEFB"]+6 1.952[/TD]
[TD="class: linesMLine, bgcolor: #E6EEFB"] 3.210[/TD]
[TD="class: linesTotals, bgcolor: #E6EEFB"]Over 203.5 1.952[/TD]
[TD="class: linesMore, bgcolor: #E6EEFB, align: center"][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: linesAlt1"]
[TD="bgcolor: #E6EEFB"]06:00 PM[/TD]
[TD="class: linesRotNumBold, bgcolor: #E6EEFB"]702[/TD]
[TD="class: linesTeam, bgcolor: #E6EEFB"]Golden State Warriors[/TD]
[TD="class: linesScore, bgcolor: #E6EEFB"][/TD]
[TD="class: linesSpread, bgcolor: #E6EEFB"]-6 1.952[/TD]
[TD="class: linesMLine, bgcolor: #E6EEFB"] 1.403[/TD]
[TD="class: linesTotals, bgcolor: #E6EEFB"]Under 203.5 1.952[/TD]
[/TR]
</tbody>[/TABLE]
 
tipyerbartender said:
Can someone dig me up the Cavs W/L record with at least one night off?
Click to expand...

Heard 14-0 this morning on mike & mike.


Game 1: - Thu. June 4, Cleveland at Golden State, 9 p.m. ET, ABC
Game 2: Sun. June 7, Cleveland at Golden State, 8 p.m. ET, ABC
Game 3: Tue. June 9, Golden State at Cleveland, 9 p.m. ET, ABC
Game 4: Thu. June 11, Golden State at Cleveland, 9 p.m. ET, ABC
Game 5 *: Sun, June 14, Cleveland at Golden State, 8 p.m. ET, ABC
Game 6 *: Tue, June 16, Golden State at Cleveland, 9 p.m. ETM, ABC
Game 7 *: Fri, June 19, Cleveland at Golden State, 9 p.m. ET, ABC
 
Numbers say the Cavs aren't winning this series unless the league intervenes.

Dubs with a better rating than last season's Spurs.
 
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