Keep in mind LeBron sabotaged Cleveland's future by forcing the Wiggins for Love trade. Horrible trade for the franchise but LeBron's plan was to come, win a title, and then ditch Cleveland again. He didn't care about 3 years from the time of the trade, he only cared about the 'now'. He came back because he was pissed that people were saying he couldn't win a title with the Cavs.
Maybe those people were right. We'll have to see how the rest of the series goes, but LeBron is now 2-9 in the Finals with Cleveland.
Gonna be a lot of changes for Game 2 but a good feel for the series. GS with a freak game from their bench. Likely won't happen again
Game 1 notes: - Cavs defensive game plan against Curry was phenomenal. Shut him down completely. - Warriors bench had a freak game. Hard to beat a team when the bench scores 45 points. - Frye needs minutes with the starters asap. Guy has been shooting the three with an amazing accuracy. He needs to play more. - Cavs need to play quicker. ISO basketball isn't gonna work against GS. - Game 1 is not a big deal. More of a feel out game. Adjustments will be made by both sides. And my final note: Steph Curry is a fuckin bitch. Shooting and playing horrible all game. Pouts the entire game. Sits on the bench with his towel over his head. Comes in, in garbage time. Makes a three. Throws his mouthpiece slapping his chest. Are you fuckin kidding me?
The game plan to shut down Curry completely left the close-mid range in the paint wide open. They ran defenders out to defend the 3's and let Livingston, Barbosa and Bogut feast in the paint. Bogut scored way too easily, and Livingston flourished having smaller defenders on him once they made the correct pass. They made it too easy because they didn't pick their battles. They chose to run at Curry and Thompson on every single possession and didn't mix it up enough, so it literally looked like the same plays finding that pocket in the paint to score. The defensive adjustments seem a lot easier to make than the offensive adjustments will be. Like you said, they're going to make adjustments, but the Cavaliers offense was putrid after the first quarter. The Warriors are a team that you're going to have to outscore in one way or another. If they refuse to get their players cutting and moving and try to rely on Kyrie/LeBron driving to the basket they're going to get swept. I fully expect the adjustments to be made though, and any coach with a nutsac rips the offensive game apart. It was that bad, that they're lucky to even have scored 89 points. The problem with it though, is that the Warriors have an excellent help defender in Draymond, and two good man defenders in Thompson/Iggy. Draymond Green can basically play as a range rover for those 3's, and when they go small Kyrie and LeBron can't be missing layups on Draymond in the paint or else the threat of the kick out is weakened.
Pretty much spot in. He wanted to build a quick winner, get a ring for Cleveland within this two year contract and then run back to a tropical paradise and play with his buddies. I just don't get why the guy has his heart set on playing with his friends so badly, especially at this point in his career. Wouldn't a player of his calibre have his mindset on building a resume to rival Jordan's? I complimented him a lot earlier in this thread, but it's further proof why I don't think he'll ever be considered better than Jordan when he was and is still fully capable of doing that. Beta personality with the best skillset any basketball player has ever had.
I agree. In terms of skills, he's unmatched. In terms of legacy, he falls woefully short in certain areas. Getting Blatt fired so he could have a coach he could control. Demanding the Cavs trade for Love. If he doesn't win a title in Cleveland and they're left with no Love and no Wiggins after LeBron leaves again... Wiggins+a first rounder for Love is one of the worst trades in recent years. Off the top of my head, the only one that was worse was when Brooklyn agreed to take all of Boston's horrible contracts and gave them all their draft picks for their trouble.
You keep saying this, but what buddies? Lol He's 31 years old. His best friend Wade, is 34 and has max, 2 years left. His other friend Bosh will likely be forced into retirement. His entire family is from Cleveland. His entire family lives in Cleveland. He has sold all his assets in Miami, including shutting his wife's juice bar company down in Miami. All his friends are in Cleveland. He has destroyed Cleveland in the past, and I can assure you he is not going to do it again. We all have our opinions. Just as this is solely an opinion on my end. He has nothing to gain going back to Miami. He has nothing here lol
I don't think he's going back to Miami because there's no draw for him there anymore. I do think he plans on ditching Cleveland, though, especially if he wins a ring.
I just don't get why he didn't figure it out in Miami, especially after losing to the Mavs and Spurs. 2-2 in finals but the light bulb should've clicked on to seeing the two teams he lost to were complete basketball teams that won with key role players across the board. Not 3 superstars vs. 3 superstars. It's the reason OKC traded away Harden and tried to gear up their defense and bench. Hopefully Durant learns from his mistakes and tries to put himself in the best basketball setting, not find the best two scorers available and try to team up for 90 every night.
Not to mention, Miami is about to lose Whiteside in free agency. Lose Bosh to retirement. Age Wade. They are relying on Dragic and a group of rookies. Not very appeasing for a guy who is always looking for a ring. Lebron will stay and retire in Cleveland. He has the city behind him. His family behind him. His friends behind him. And he has the best chance of winning there. Moving to Miami would do nothing for him, except tarnish his reputation even more. I would belive this move if he was in the West and wanted out to have an easier road to the Finals. But why would he leave Cleveland when he's almost guaranteed a finals every year? Lol
I didn't say Miami, I said paradise. Melo's game transfers into older age with a good jumpshot and Chris Paul has plenty of life left in his game. Did you miss this or something? Just remember the wise words of Joakim Noah.
