At least the IT-less Celtics were able to take a game off the Cavs (and could have made it a series if it weren't for The Kyrie Game).Brad Stevens, who will likely lose COTY, may have something to say about how far LeBron goes beyond this round though...
Casey by a mile. Harden should absolutely win MVP over Lebron, it's a regular season award and he had a much better regular season. Lebron didn't play any defense at all in the regular season, and generally wasn't as great as he's been. He cranked it up in the playoffs as always though.So what’s the bigger crime? Casey over Brad, or Harden over LeBron?
Either way, congrats on the regular season, Canada.
I prefer the more general Lebrontario.I like the subtler Tobronto.
Exactly. That's why Toronto should have fouled LeBron immediately, watch him hit the free throws, then hope to win the game with a trey. It was pointless to give LeBron another 5 minutes.Yeah, that was Bird shooting left handed. He was just fucking with Toronto with a trick shot. If he misses, he would have just killed them in OT.
Based on the roughly 25% of ballots that have been made public, it's a really tight race between Casey and Brad with a slight edge to Casey. D'Antoni isn't even in the conversation anymore.You are going to laugh indeed. Casey is a lock for that award given how the season played out. Or D'Antoni.
How Snyder isn't far above Casey in this conversation is beyond me.Based on the roughly 25% of ballots that have been made public, it's a really tight race between Casey and Brad with a slight edge to Casey. D'Antoni isn't even in the conversation anymore.
Dwane Casey, Raptors coach: "Well, our goal in the timeout was to trap him and make someone else beat us."
OG Anunoby, Raptors forward: "We didn't really think about trapping him. Maybe in hindsight."
Casey: "It was probably my fault that I didn't make it clear that we wanted to trap him and get the ball out of his hands."
He was a dumpster fire yesterday. Plastering him to the bench was one of the few great Casey decisions yesterday.Apart from Casey's coaching mistakes, I thought it was interesting that Toronto came all the way back with Derozan on the bench.
If Brett Brown had the balls to sit his star PG in the 4th quarter, the Sixers would have won Games 2 and 3.He was a dumpster fire yesterday. Plastering him to the bench was one of the few great Casey decisions yesterday.
Houston has also shown how effective iso can be. And I think Brad is very willing to exploit advantages in that regard, if they exist.Oh hey, Kerr finally figured our no one on the Pels can guard KD? Who knew. Better late than never.
Much as I admire Kerr's devotion to the "beautiful game," I sometimes feel like his reluctance just to keep it simple and spam obvious mismatches to death is one of his few shortcomings as coach. I died a little inside in Game 3 every time KD got the ball in the mid-post with Jrue Holiday on him and rotated it around to Green, Iguodala or Livingston because reasons.
While watching LeBron wreck Toronto with mid-post isos, even while I'm thinking "eff this BS, this is crap basketball" I'm also thinking, "goddamit, KD is every bit as devastating in this situation as LeBron (worse passer, better shooter). Can't Kerr give us just a little bit of this?"
Brutal non-call at a critical juncture. I would have lost my mind if I was Snyder or a Jazz fan.Harden gets his pocket picked, hacks Mitchell on the breakaway layup, no call. Of course.
After a fun first round the second has been surprisingly non competitive. I guess the west isn't that surprising, but I thought the EC series would be tighter.All these second round series need to hurry up and end because the conference finals should be insanely good.
Mitchell almost lost his when he was called for his fifth foul during the rebound on that play. Dude was rightfully stunned at that turn of events.Brutal non-call at a critical juncture. I would have lost my mind if I was Snyder or a Jazz fan.
The amount of player whining in the Rockets/Warriors series is going to be off the charts.Mitchell almost lost his when he was called for his fifth foul during the rebound on that play. Dude was rightfully stunned at that turn of events.
They really are the two most unlikeable teams.The amount of player whining in the Rockets/Warriors series is going to be off the charts.
Which will be matched by the amount of whining that will go on in here about it. I’m not sure what’s more obnoxious, the on-court whining or the in thread whining.The amount of player whining in the Rockets/Warriors series is going to be off the charts.
And will further be matched by the people whining about the game threaders whining about the on-court whining.Which will be matched by the amount of whining that will go on in here about it. I’m not sure what’s more obnoxious, the on-court whining or the in thread whining.
Well, it looks like we're going to be playing Lebron, so our whining will be in full throat for that series too.Which will be matched by the amount of whining that will go on in here about it. I’m not sure what’s more obnoxious, the on-court whining or the in thread whining.
I'll answer. It's the on court whining that is more obnoxious.Which will be matched by the amount of whining that will go on in here about it. I’m not sure what’s more obnoxious, the on-court whining or the in thread whining.
The whining is hardly reserved for the game threads thoughAnd will further be matched by the people whining about the game threaders whining about the on-court whining.
It is what it is. Nobody has to read a game thread if it bothers them that much.
"Heavenly whine and Roziers, seems to whisper to me when he..."If LTP, or God forbid that poster's successor, doesn't name the first ECF gamethread "The Days Of Whine And Rozier" I am going complain vigorously to the mods.
Toronto didn't get Scott Foster and Tony BrothersI have no faith in them but I'd like Toronto to get this game. Have some pride, Canada.
I can't find the article you're talking about, but I'd be interested to see where James Harden sits on that list. Because to me, it often looks like he's moving in slow motion, while using amazing ball and body control to outwit his opponents. They were both in the top 15 of minutes per game this season (LeBron #1).The article by Windhorst today was really interesting. Basically, Lebron was one of the slowest players in the regular season and is even slower in the playoffs. He’s taken his game to another level while learning to conserve his energy.
I mean, the fact that he's still number one in minutes played at this point in his career is weird to me in a McGuire is hitting more HR in history kinda way. It's not normal. Maybe it's the new norm, we'll see.I can't find the article you're talking about, but I'd be interested to see where James Harden sits on that list. Because to me, it often looks like he's moving in slow motion, while using amazing ball and body control to outwit his opponents. They were both in the top 15 of minutes per game this season (LeBron #1).
It wouldn't shock me if 100% of the players in the NBA were doing something that isn't quite aligned with the rules.I think Lebron is the GOAT, but it wouldn’t shock me if stem cell therapy or something like that is a part of his regimen.