It's been that way for decades - ABC doesn't want the Finals to start until after the May ratings period ends.First game not until June 1--seems kinda stupid.
Yeah, and it's a function of the semis only going for 4 and 5 games...seems like way too long of a break.It's been that way for decades - ABC doesn't want the Finals to start until after the May ratings period ends.
How could you root against the 2014-15 Warriors (who were going after their first title in 40 years)? I thought everyone loved that team.For the third year in a row I will be a Lebron fan. I rooted for him to lose every season before that.
Maybe Steph's Jesusness offends him? Just guessing.How could you root against the 2014-15 Warriors (who were going after their first title in 40 years)? I thought everyone loved that team.
I didn't dislike that Warriors team, but I did feel sorry for the city of Cleveland (a team also going for their first title in 40 plus years). My dislike for them started last year with Draymonds antics though.How could you root against the 2014-15 Warriors (who were going after their first title in 40 years)? I thought everyone loved that team.
I really liked that GS team, but LeBron singlehandedly putting the Cavs on his back taking that series to 6 games may be the most impressive athletic achievement I've ever seen. LeBron is the best player in the current era, but one player is not supposed to be able to do that by himself.How could you root against the 2014-15 Warriors (who were going after their first title in 40 years)? I thought everyone loved that team.
The single-handedness of it was insane, but I think people tend to overestimate his overall performance in that playoff run. His counting numbers were amazing, but he was wildly inefficient by his standards (.487 true shooting overall in the playoffs, almost inconceivable for him), and he looked pretty much gassed after Finals Game 3, clanging from the field and dogging it on D as the Ws blew the Cavs off the floor in Games 4, 5 and 6.I really liked that GS team, but LeBron singlehandedly putting the Cavs on his back taking that series to 6 games may be the most impressive athletic achievement I've ever seen. LeBron is the best player in the current era, but one player is not supposed to be able to do that by himself.
I mean... you're telling me he was more efficient when his #2 and #3 options were healthy?The single-handedness of it was insane, but I think people tend to overestimate his overall performance in that playoff run. His counting numbers were amazing, but he was wildly inefficient by his standards (.487 true shooting overall in the playoffs, almost inconceivable for him), and he looked pretty much gassed after Finals Game 3, clanging from the field and dogging it on D as the Ws blew the Cavs off the floor in Games 4, 5 and 6.
He was miles more efficient in last year's championship run with a totally healthy Kyrie and Love by his side (Kyrie had been pretty badly banged up in 2015, even before the major knee injury), and has been even better this year.
I know this is going to be good basketball and the best two teams are in it. And while I do not need a rooting interest to enjoy a good game, it's hard for me to tune in when I really despise both teams.
Until last year, I would have rooted for GS in a heartbeat. LeBron is in A-Rod/Ulf/Munson Land for me. But while I get that every athlete has the right to choose, when KD went to the 73-win team that beat his last year, it eliminated my ability to root for that sqaud.
So I doubt I will watch much of this.
I don't claim that this is the "right" way to look at it.
Haha, yes, it's obvious, but that's what I'm telling you. And I totally give LeBron mad credit for the will he showed in those finals. He was unbelievable. But ultimately that one stat (.477 true shooting in the Finals) goes a long way towards showing how the Ws were able to breeze through that series, after the first three close games. If LeBron puts up his current .660 ts in that series, or even a much more modest .560-.580, the Cavs may well have won. But obviously, that's a lot easier said than done when you're part of a 7-man playable rotation, and your main other offensive options are Smith, Shumpert and Dellavedova.I mean... you're telling me he was more efficient when his #2 and #3 options were healthy? This is where I fn hate the stats view of the NBA. Lebron gets credit for the will he showed in those finals, not necessarily any set of stats.
I'll co-sign that. I don't like to get too into the MJ v. LeBron thing because it's apples and oranges in so many ways, but for me personally, I think LeBron will have fully arrived on the same tier as MJ (a tier of two players) if he leads his team past a healthy 2016-17 Warriors.I'm rooting for LeBron. He's the best player I've ever seen, and taking down this Warriors team would be his most impressive accomplishment, by far.
Just curious - how old are you with such a sentiment?I'm rooting for LeBron. He's the best player I've ever seen, and taking down this Warriors team would be his most impressive accomplishment, by far.
I think the point is that that team without LBJ (and Kyrie and Love) would have won maybe 10 games during the season, so it was amazing that LBJ basically by himself was able to win 2 games against the best team in the league.The single-handedness of it was insane, but I think people tend to overestimate his overall performance in that playoff run. His counting numbers were amazing, but he was wildly inefficient by his standards (.487 true shooting overall in the playoffs, almost inconceivable for him), and he looked pretty much gassed after Finals Game 3, clanging from the field and dogging it on D as the Ws blew the Cavs off the floor in Games 4, 5 and 6.
I'm about to turn 35. I watched Jordan's prime, but it was before I was a particularly astute basketball fan.Just curious - how old are you with such a sentiment?
Because I'm 47 years old....saw MJ's entire career....and I feel the same way but my peers discredit that feeling.
If I am starting a team and I get to pick from a list of any players that I have seen in my lifetime....it's Lebron.
No question.
Or the Spurs the year Ray hit that shot for the heat.For the record, I think LeBron's already arrived in that tier. Jordan never beat a team nearly as good as this Warriors team. He never beat a team nearly as good as last year's Warriors team, either.
538 gave the Cavs a two (2) percent chance to win it all at the start of the playoffs and had the Celtics as a slight favorite to win the series at the outset when betting markets had the Cavs as a huge favorite. The Warriors are the better team and are going to win more than half the time but anything Silver says about the Cavs should be launched into the sun.Extrapolating from 538's Warriors 90% / Cavs 10% current odds (and giving the Cavs an extra 10% because LeBron), I'll say:
50% Warriors walkover (4 or 5 games)
30% Warriors in a tough battle (6 or 7)
18% Cavs in a tough battle
2% Cavs walkover
That's interesting. My emotional reaction to this whole situation is the mirror image of yours - I still really like the Warriors despite KD being on the team. I know that as a free agent, he had earned the right to make whatever decision that he wanted. I just viscerally hate the decision. Meanwhile, I still love watching the GSW crew (but especially the amazingly talented Curry) play high quality basketball.What's really weird for me is that I still *LOVE* KD, but my love for that Warriors team went down a little.
Still should be fun though.
I'm with you on this 100%. He had already passed Jordan prior to this season and now everything from here on out is gravy from my perspective. He also has Love playing the best basketball of his career, Kyrie doing Kyrie things, and a bunch of 3-point shooters who are going to get clean looks.I'm rooting for LeBron. He's the best player I've ever seen, and taking down this Warriors team would be his most impressive accomplishment, by far.
Curry was hurt and totally exhausted last year. He will be a totally different player this year, in my opinion. The Cavs have a huge hill to climb but I'm rooting for the Cavs and have them in 7.Love Durant and can't stand LeBron. I don't like Love very much either.
Last year Curry was worn down and stressed out, this year is different. I like the Dubs in 5.
I know he is, perhaps, the most divisive, if not the most disliked player on this board but I will be surprised if Draymond does anything but play hard, talk some shit and bark at the refs. By all accounts, he is singularly focused on getting another championship and he is smart enough to know that overstepping the line might prevent him from reaching that goal. If anyone is going to get into it, it will be Pachulia and Thompson because both play such a physical style of basketball.I also think our friend Draymond will be so amped that he'll probably escalate something, which will make for great theatre.
I don't think this is entirely true, although the Decision was totally disgusting. I despised Lebron way before the Decision because of all of the reasons InstaFace listed (could not say it better myself). I hate how he basically carries the ball through the lane and either lowers his shoulder or delivers a forearm shiver to defenders, and then either gets the foul call or throws a tantrum when he doesn't. There is literally no way to defend that, especially in a league with no hand checking on the perimeter.If it weren't for the Decision, America would be gushing over LeBron at Peyton Manning-esque levels. He really is the total package when it comes to an athlete. Obviously is a great player on the court but doesn't get into trouble off of it, is socially conscious but not in an in-your-face kind of way, and appears to treat fans well.
By and large, LeBron pre-2011 was a very popular player, particularly after 2007 when he single-handedly destroyed a pretty good Detroit team and again in 2009 when he made that awesome shot against Orlando in Game 2. There are plenty of players who whine when they don't get calls so not sure why you single out LeBron there. He took some heat for semi-quitting against the Celtics in 2010 but that was transient.I don't think this is entirely true, although the Decision was totally disgusting. I despised Lebron way before the Decision because of all of the reasons InstaFace listed (could not say it better myself). I hate how he basically carries the ball through the lane and either lowers his shoulder or delivers a forearm shiver to defenders, and then either gets the foul call or throws a tantrum when he doesn't. There is literally no way to defend that, especially in a league with no hand checking on the perimeter.
Also, I realize that without the Decision, the whole "heroic" Homecoming story never happens. But the Homecoming was the worst for me. He came back to Cleveland for the exact same reasons that he left for Miami. He realized that Miami was finished after the Spurs put on a clinic in the 2014 finals. So he screws his friends, toys with Riley, and gets to play with Kyrie and Love, both of which were results of #1 picks from when he left the city hanging.
When he speaks out on racism he only makes me hate myself for hating him, but he may cure cancer someday and may still not get my respect. I guess I am an ass, but I will never root for that clown.
Not really disagreeing with this post, but I guess I just don't see the comparison to Peyton Manning, with or without the Decision.By and large, LeBron pre-2011 was a very popular player, particularly after 2007 when he single-handedly destroyed a pretty good Detroit team and again in 2009 when he made that awesome shot against Orlando in Game 2. There are plenty of players who whine when they don't get calls so not sure why you single out LeBron there. He took some heat for semi-quitting against the Celtics in 2010 but that was transient.
The summer of 2011 changed a lot of peoples' minds about him, right or wrong.
There certainly was an outcry, it just didn't come with the same level of vehemence or long-lasting resentment (though we'll find out as time moves on). There were plenty of posters here in pre-Finals threads talking about how they won't root for the Durant-led GSW because they found his move, for lack of a better word, un-sporting. But, yes, lack of a ESPN-overproduced self-absorbed tone-deaf spectacle is probably a major factor.I feel that Durant joining the Warriors did not generate as much vitriol as the Decision did, and I think that is because Durant is easier to like. Although there was not the same spectacle around his move either.
Obviously a few big reasons for that:I feel that Durant joining the Warriors did not generate as much vitriol as the Decision did, and I think that is because Durant is easier to like. Although there was not the same spectacle around his move either.