Ref homecookin' really screwed the Cavs. But I don't think for a second that the NBA is rigged. If it was, then there would be motivation to screw the Warriors to extend the series. Why would the NBA want a short series? Warriors are 13 point favorites in Game 2.
I had him going the Warriors or the Spurs because I knew he was a beta cuck. No self respecting alpha player would hop on a team that won Championships without him and broke records doing it. He chose the easy road with a 73 win Curry team, who by the way, is annoying as fuck too since he can't stop chewing his stupid mouthguard and laughing during blowouts. Another idiot who choked in the Finals after winning unanimous MVP. I mean there just isn't a likable Warrior right now. Kerr is a liar when he wouldn't answer who would win a theoretical matchup between the Bulls and the Warriors. The Bulls were a far superior dynasty. Actually the Kobe Shaq Lakers were too. All the more reason to hope LeBron joins the Rockets this offseason.
More like impossible. Just basic math. Lebron can't do it himself. I get being optimistic, as I am as optimistic of a fan as it gets, but not when it comes to the Cavaliers chances this series. I thought they had a very small chance, then outplaying the Warriors Game 1 and JR blowing the game: It was over. It will be impressive if Lebron can will the series back to Golden State for Game 5.
Isn't the finals a 2-3-2 format? Anyway, I agree. Barring an unforeseen collapse by GS, the Cavs are toast. I'd be shocked if the series does't end in 5 games or less.
It was 2-3-2, but they changed it in like 2014 or whatever. Cavs freaking suck man, I wish Boston was healthy and got to the Finals.
Do I think it’s likely the Cavs come back? Of course not. But this the same rhetoric that was said in 2016 as well when GS had 2-0 lead — the Cavs can’t win 4 out of 5; the Cavs can’t win game 7 on the road, and for the same reason. The Warriors are simply better; but the Warriors have lost a series in this same position before so it’s silly to simply revert back to that rhetoric. I thought the Cavs would win this series but they needed game 1 to do so. The NBA has a very narrow window to have this series be interesting and their officiating fucked it up and will cost them millions in lost revenue if the series ends quickly. Serves the NBA right for pretending their officiating isn’t a problem.
It's not the same though. That comeback was amazing for the Cavs and embarrassing for the Warriors, but at least it made some sense. That was a good Cleveland team. Lebron was great, Kyrie was great. This series is the same 2-0, but subtract Kyrie and add Durant. Also add in Lebron is clearly exhausted.
Current sportsbook odds have Cavs around 12-1 give or take. If you do the math, it's about a 7% implied probability that they can do it. So long as it's not 0%, I'll keep watching and hoping for a great comeback. Remember the 2004 Red Sox? They were about 15-1 after being down 3-0, so a little bit bigger dogs than the Cavs are right now. It's not all that crazy. Cavs absolutely have to take both home games. They likely lose Game 5 back in Oakland. They can then win Game 6 at home to send it back to Oakland for a Game 7, where anything can happen. I would bet on LeBron in any Game 7.
It makes sense in hindsight but at the time everyone said the exact same things about the Cavs coming back as they are now. The argument isn’t dependent on an idea that the Cavs are better this year than that year (the the Warriors were objectively better having set the all time wins mark), it is simply a critique of making such cliched assertions.
I don't know about that. Durant made the most efficient choice available - and he was wanted on top of that. Look at his physique. He's almost 7 feet tall but his shoulder is very narrow. This means he can't put on much weight on his slender frame. Compare that with LeBron. When LeBron drives to the hoop, it's almost like a Mack truck rammimg in to the rim. Nobody stops that. Durant? Not even close. Don't just take my words for it. When he was the #1 scoring threat at OKC, the team had nobody to 1. set a pick or 2. force the defense to spread. Thus, come playoff time, he had very hard time even getting into the paint, let alone scoring. To compound the matter, Russell Westbrook isn't the kind of PG that will strike fear outside the arc. The team was literally a garbage. It was Utah Jazz with Karl Malone without his frame, and without Jeff Hornacek, and Stockton without his touch from the outside. And Billy Donovan was a fucking moron. There is a reason his point average would drop almost meteorically once playoff time rolled around. He would have a very hard time just getting inside. This is clear from his increased 3pt attempts in playoffs; if the chance is there, who cares? But if the 3pt percentages remain nearly constant during the playoff time and regular season but he is taking more 3s, that has to tell you something - i.e. he just couldn't get inside in time. This also means the team couldn't divert the pressure from Durant at all. Yes. The team was in fact a fucking trash. And like I said above, Billy Donovan did very little to help Durant in that regard. He had a number of choices at the end of the season two years ago - and no choice offered more promise than Golden State. Warriors did win a championship without Durant, yes. But they crumbled the year later when they didn't have a reliable scorer from the inside. From Durant's standpoint, now that he is in GS, if the opposing defense doubles him, he can just kick the ball out, knowing he doesn't have to carry the load all the time. This peace of mind is the major difference between Durant at OKC and Durant at GS. It doesn't stop there; players from GS wanted Durant to come over to the sunny side. They wanted him so much that, four of the starting players - Iguodala, Green, Thompson AND Curry - all went over to Durant, just to woo him in. Ultimately, it was Durant's choice, yes. But to call him "a beta cuck" doesn't seem like a right description. Think about it - on one hand, you have a garbage team led by a fucking moron, with a bleak outlook, and on the other hand, there is a good chance to play the game you know you can play well, and you are very much wanted there as well. Will you trade the golden future just so you can stay loyal to the very team you hate? I don't think I can do that. ============================================= And comparing the teams of different era is meaningless. Simply because teams are playing under different rules. Just like comparing Br*dy with other all time greats is pointless and meaningless. [I'd still say Joe Cool is hands down the best QB in the history of the NFL, but then that's me.]
Yeah, you are right. Also have to factor in for potential injuries. You never know and you should never give up. I shouldn't say impossible. Yeah, understood. Hopefully Cleveland does make it a series, but that Game 1 mistake makes me think they won't.
Damn, I should have waited to bet on the Cavs. I jumped on it when it was 7-1 before the series started and right when they found out Love was able to play in game 1. Lebron came from being down 3 games to 1 in the finals a few years back, but he had Kyrie at the time. Logically, I do think he is outmatched and can't make up for all the firepower on the Warriors, even if he plays out of his mind, but I won't rule it out. They should have at least had a chance at game 1, but JR shit was JR shit.
You can always double down and take them at the current odds. I think this is the perfect time to bet the Cavs actually. You don't want to take them down 3-0, and you won't get good value at 2-1.
