2017-18 NBA Basketball

Houston played much better defense, but with all the talking heads all day yesterday talking about dribble count, and that Hardin had more dribbles than Steph, KD, and Klay, you saw the adjustment. When you move the ball around, you make defenders work. Defenders who work get tired, which impact their offensive rotations. If the Warriors take 2 at home, the series is over.

I was just looking over the stats Cavs/Celts:

Field-goal percentage: Cleveland 46.3, Boston 43.5.

Three-point percentage: Cleveland 32.3, Boston 32.3

Total rebounds: Cleveland 54, Boston 51

The key difference? The Celts average 50 more passes per game... and that leads to the uncontested shots. Celts 42 Cavs 11.

I might be wrong... LeBron deserves to get swept. But I just think he'll find a way in game 3 at home.

I have read with essentially indifference the views of pkr and sea and I just feel they have been and continue to be wrong about LJ . . . . they could possibly be the only two people who are dismissive of one of the best players to have ever played the game. One can speculate about all things James and he will quite likely not win a ring this year or ever for that matter but what is the inescapable truth is he will go down in history as one of the best ever maybe not the best ever but one of . . . . no one can deny him that.

I don't doubt or deny that he's one of the best offensive talents ever. But he sucks at defense and coaching.

I'd certainly have him on my goat roster... but not in the starting lineup or calling the shots.

Whelp... the celts are just too young to close things on the road it seems. They probably could've pulled this game out if their two best players weren't injured. But dems da breaks. They better toughen up at home.

They made a valiant effort to catch up. Korver had a great game. The last two games, however, were hard to watch.

Great game last night. But the rockets just plain out hustled gsw.

Celtics showed up. Cavs big guys looked tired.

Joanimaroni wrote:Celtics showed up. Cavs big guys looked tired.

Yes... to both. The celts are just very young. 10-0 at home during playoffs. The effort and confidence needs to translate to the road at some point. They are going to be very good in the years to come.

James has not been running back to play defense since last year. You do not get to the second worse defense in the NBA with him hustling. Offensive side when getting stats, sure......but he conserves his energy for offense. He will never be top ten for me because of his defense over the last five years. At least Karl Malone the Mailman played defense until the end. The Mailman is not in the top 10, but the second leading scorer, and like James got plenty of offensive stats, but both of them just could not get that six to ten championships.

His offense is phenomenal. His defense and coaching suck. That doesn't make my goat starting lineup.

He's certainly on the bench though. Great player.

The Houston defense is much better than I knew. I watched them play 20ish times this year... but never saw this.

PkrBum wrote:The Houston defense is much better than I knew. I watched them play 20ish times this year... but never saw this.

It is like they have 2 extra players on the court. My grandson loves the Rockets, especially Harden. Last night it was the entire Rockey team.

Grandson was happy, we texted throughout the game.

I love Steve Kerr as a coach, but he is losing control of his guys. One guy gets injured and the team is playing isolation ball.....lazy basketball with a great deal of standing around. He is going to have to assert himself.

I disagree with McGee sitting on the bench. I believe it is over a salary dispute...whatever he is a solid player.

Agreed... why just throw away 10 points and a seamless bench player. Especially when the ball stopped moving in recent games. It could wind up costing them the series.

He shoots, rebounds, and defends.

I'm stoked!

Unstoked.

I'd certainly have him on my goat roster... but not in the starting lineup or calling the shots.


So funny for you to say such nonsense but LJ has proven my point!

There's a whole other half of the game called defense. While lebron is certainly a great scorer... his d sucks.

You can't be the greatest playing just half of the game at elite level. For pure dominance... wilt was better.

PkrBum wrote:There's a whole other half of the game called defense. While lebron is certainly a great scorer... his d sucks.

You can't be the greatest playing just half of the game at elite level. For pure dominance... wilt was better.

I wish Bayne's played more in the 4th quarter. He was crucial throughout the game. James could not bully past him. He also got offensive rebounds and can shoot 3's.

I strongly dislike skip Bayless.....he is an analyst who knows nothing, but he summed it up best......Indiana was going to be a lottery pick team after George left, yet everybody declared how heroic it was for the Cavs to beat them in seven games. Toronto had a mental melt down and everybody declared how great the Cavs and James were. Boston who lost their two top players and probably should not have made the playoffs takes the Cavs to a game seven and how historic James was in that game......bull chit.......the only question was why was it so hard to get through an eastern conference which has been horrible for a decade and is finally showing signs of life as young players are finding their way......but to not frame what James accomplished in context......fantasy. The man cannot win against the west, and he is two steps slow on defense and saves his energy to bulldoze over players. How boring will the finals be.....all these so called analysts singing the praise of King James only to see him lose one more time.......when will analyst tell the truth.

ESPN... I hate their play analysis court side. It is as if there is only one player on the court.

James had 4 fouls last night. He could not bull doze all the players. He backed off when Bayne's was in.