I was laughing at your belief that there is no chance warriors could stop those combinations from winning. It would be a great matchup but Warriors are more than capable of beating them
NBA 2017-2018
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I was laughing at your belief that there is no chance warriors could stop those combinations from winning. It would be a great matchup but Warriors are more than capable of beating them
Are the Lakers enough of a contender for him to win a title there next year ?LeBron should do the only right thing and come to the Lakers. With Paul George. And Kawhi
Yes the team that took them to Game 7 will be easy to beat when they add Lebron James. Quality post.
He didn't say they'd be easy for the Warriors to beat in fairness, he said the Warriors could beat them.
They wouldn't be the favourites in that contest.
I can’t stand his facial expression
Stephen A is my guy idc.
Perhaps not. I wouldn't consider them favourites either. But that's still different to what I, or @Ayush_reddevil said.
I’ve already stated multiple times that the criticism isn’t because he lost, he had a historic playoffs after all. I’m comparing their fight and mentality. No point going on about whether MJ could have beaten these Warriors since we’ll never know. But we can compare their mindset in the face of adversity. Lebron apparently injured himself (punching a board) due to frustration after losing game 1. That’s not what a leader should do, he mentally lost the series at that moment.
It required more mental toughness to beat those Pistons than these Warriors. Their sole game plan was to pretty much try to physically and mentally intimidate (if not injure) MJ on every play (Mahorn and especially Laimbeer making Pachulia and Draymond seem like angels, and their leader, Isiah Thomas, being the ultimate instigator). Their play could probably have been deemed grounds for physical assault nowadays, but they did everything to get in their opponents’ heads. A team of hall of famers (coached by the great Chuck Daly) who took the mantra,“do whatever it takes to win,” to a whole nother level.
As for Kyrie, Lebron couldn’t work things out with him for whatever reason, so not having that third star is partly on him.
Nah, I’m not discrediting his effort on defense, he did well. Just pointing out Lebron could have taken better advantage of that matchup in this series imo. I wouldn’t trust him to lockdown a premier player in a game of one on one, but he does enough in the Warriors’ system.
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Honestly? I don't know. But LeBron+Kawhi+George? Of course that team would be a contender
It's all mostly just wishful thinking on my part though
James and George and Kawhi should fit pretty well next to each other too. Throw in Lonzo running the offence(mind you i'd give him faster than you can blink if that's what it takes to get Kawhi)...George and LeBron and Kawhi would be a nightmare for anybody on defence, and on offence all three are equally capable on and off the ball
Thing is LeBron didn't attack Curry one on one, it was more like one on five. It's why most of the time those possessions ended with a missed wide open three by one of the other cavs off a perfect LeBron pass
It wouldn't. LeBron + one of Kawhi/George works, though probably Ingram would need to be sacrificed, and he is Lakers best player. Maybe it could somehow work with keeping him too.
Getting those two + Boogie, is actually a title winning team. Lonzo - Kawhi - Ingram - LeBron - Boogie looks good, but probably unbalanced.
Not sure how you can have all three at the same time though, that’s too much. They could maybe find a way to bring Leonard (the other two are free agents) by offering Ingram, Kuzma and some spare parts to match salaries but they are all small forwards. You can play George or Kawhi at the 2 and move LeBron to 4 but I still feel it’s not a great match.Honestly? I don't know. But LeBron+Kawhi+George? Of course that team would be a contender
It's all mostly just wishful thinking on my part though
James and George and Kawhi should fit pretty well next to each other too. Throw in Lonzo running the offence(mind you i'd give him faster than you can blink if that's what it takes to get Kawhi)...George and LeBron and Kawhi would be a nightmare for anybody on defence, and on offence all three are equally capable on and off the ball
Healthy Boogie, yes. But he probably won’t be available until December or so and who knows how good he’s going to be when he returns.
I don’t think he initiated his moves quick enough, which let the defense collapse on him. He wanted to drive to the basket too often, where Draymond and co were waiting to contest. I think if he trusted his jumper/fadeaway, he would have done more damage (maybe the hand injury killed his confidence in his jump shot). He was letdown by his teammates on the open looks, but he was too passive for me, especially since it was clear the shots weren’t falling for his teammates. Everytime Steph was checking him, he should have shot.Thing is LeBron didn't attack Curry one on one, it was more like one on five. It's why most of the time those possessions ended with a missed wide open three by one of the other cavs off a perfect LeBron pass
Lakers have to get rid of Deng to make it all work (stretch or s&t), and of course figure out what to do with Randle.
First, why not, second, Kawhi was a top 5 player in the league before the injury. If he's fit you trade Ingram every single time in that scenario if you have to
The Warriors have spent the last 4 years destroying the league with the lineup of Curry-Klay-Iggy-Barnes/KD-Green
I'm confused as to why all 3 being small forwards should be a problen(btw, they're not. LeBron is a positionless marvel, George can play 2 to 4. A lineup of Ball-Kawhi-George-James-Lopez looks bad to you???)
I'd certainly rate LeBron going to say the Lakers and recruiting 1-2 other top tier players and getting to a championship level a much greater legacy mark than doing the glory-hunting thing by again going to a club as the recruit by 1-2 top tier players (i.e. Harden and Paul in Houston).
Staying in the East is a coward's way out with practically an easy rout to the Finals every year; granted, I'd give him the out by remaining in Cleveland and rebuilding the squad. But battling his way above Golden State and Houston in the West would truly be a legacy defining moment.
Staying in the East is a coward's way out with practically an easy rout to the Finals every year; granted, I'd give him the out by remaining in Cleveland and rebuilding the squad. But battling his way above Golden State and Houston in the West would truly be a legacy defining moment.
Now that the season is done let the off season begin. Would love to see this happen.
"Houston made a great run this year but they are dismantling at an alarming rate. Ariza is leaving, Chris Paul wants a max contract and the Warriors are still in the Western Conference. If the Rockets do end up paying Paul the max, there will be less money to get a good replacement for Ariza. This may have been the Rocket’s only year in which they could have toppled the Warriors.
As for the Warriors, they are getting a great player in Ariza for practically nothing. He is a great defender, can shoot the three and is tall and lengthy which fits with the Warriors defensive schemes."
https://sports.smallteaser.com/article/trevor-ariza-contemplates-joining-the-go
"Houston made a great run this year but they are dismantling at an alarming rate. Ariza is leaving, Chris Paul wants a max contract and the Warriors are still in the Western Conference. If the Rockets do end up paying Paul the max, there will be less money to get a good replacement for Ariza. This may have been the Rocket’s only year in which they could have toppled the Warriors.
As for the Warriors, they are getting a great player in Ariza for practically nothing. He is a great defender, can shoot the three and is tall and lengthy which fits with the Warriors defensive schemes."
https://sports.smallteaser.com/article/trevor-ariza-contemplates-joining-the-go
Can Warriors afford Ariza? I think that Zaza, West, Looney, Young and McCaw will leave but all of them were in peanuts and Durant is going to renew his contract.
I think that Warriors will sign Belinelli and probably a center if all three of those I mentioned leave. Still, it will be a weak bench. Ariza would obviously be a huge signing if it happens, a very good two way player and would instantly be Warriors sixth best player.
This would look really great though:
PG: Curry, Livingstone, Cook
SG: Klay, Iggy, Belinelli
SF: Durant, Ariza
PF: Green, Bell
C: McGee, new center, Jones
No idea about who new center will be (if Looney leaves). Have heard words about López and he would be fantastic in attack, but unusable in playoffs cause he cannot defend.
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I didn’t say it looks bad, I said they are overlapping because they are. And George can’t really play 4, he was frustrated when they asked him to at Indiana. The only one of them who plays 4 is James.
I don’t really think Lakers will get Kawhi anyway. They will keep Ingram and Kuzma which would be the wiser choice here.
I also think they won’t get LeBron either.
George can absolutely play the 4 in the current NBA. In fact it's probably his best position
Yeah as i said i don't think any of this will happen, but this is mental. Keeping Kuzma and Ingram is the wiser choice over trading them for Kawhi Leonard?!?!??! On a team with LeBron James?!?!?!?
Now that this boring stuff is over can't wait for another season and to see my Knicks again. Jesus, I have to choose another franchise.
Yeah I think Ingram is a future All-Star and Kuzma is a perfect power forward for this league. Kawhi is better than either of them is going to be but he’s had his issues recently, expires in a year and will need a max deal then meaning they would have over $100m locked. Ingram and Kuzma will give them more flexibility.
George isn’t a 4. They’d play ‘position less’ basketball with them three though like what Brad Stevens does at Boston but with better players. Ball + three wings + some crap center.
Any trade for Kawhi would be a sign and trade deal obviously. When you are in win-now mode (and you are if you sign LeBron) and have the chance to get a top 5 player in the league, you absolutely give up two good prospects. Neither guy is LeBron or Duncan, a sure thing that will make you a contender for sure for a decade
It's 2018. The NBA doesn't care about positions. George can play the 4. He can play PG on some possessions, and he can even play center. The rockets gave the warriors their toughest match-up playing PJ Tucker at center
Keep Kuzma, do a double deal and give away Lonzo and Lavar?
You can’t sign and trade Kawhi this year, he still has a year left. If he decides to extend with Spurs you’d need to match salaries and good luck finding $35m or so to send back.
We need to rope JD the straight shooter into thisKeep Kuzma, do a double deal and give away Lonzo and Lavar?
Yeah, that's what makes it unlikely
You’d need to send back Deng, Ingram, Kuzma and I think it still doesn’t match plus it creates the problem of sending back Deng which would probably require Lakers to attach a pick at very least.
Actually probably it’s better to send Ball who makes $7m than Kuzma who makes just $1.6m.
And I still think LeBron is more likely to go to Sixers. They have the ability to make a trade for another superstar (Fultz, Covington, Saric and 10th pick are all good trade assets) plus they are already a very likely Eastern Conference Champions if they add LeBron.
If he goes to Lakers he might need to beat first Rockets then Warriors to make the Finals and then would need to face Celtics or Sixers in the Finals too. That’s a much tougher path which I’m not sure he’s going to fancy at this stage.
If he goes to Lakers he might need to beat first Rockets then Warriors to make the Finals and then would need to face Celtics or Sixers in the Finals too. That’s a much tougher path which I’m not sure he’s going to fancy at this stage.
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No cap space either, would need to dump contracts or try to have him opt in and get traded like Paul last year. Problem is Cavs would need to accept the contracts they send back and they don’t have that many enticing deals.
Whichever he chooses, sick and tired of the narrative he doesn't have support. Spent last 8 years picking a team which will give him the best chance.
Are you arguing that he had adequate support in the finals?
I am arguing that he is picking a best possible team out of 30 and there are always complaints about him not having enough support. So, either he sucks at picking them or he doesn't elevate them. Simple as that.
Him coming back to cleaveland wasnt about picking the best possible team out of 30, he did chose the players but when players stop performing you need to replace them. The kyrie trade has to be among the worse ones in recent nba history, are you going to blame lebron for that too or his teammates missing open shots?
Even baboons being used for Ebola research prefer captivity over San Antonio...
There is no way he would come back if Love and Kyrie weren't there. He knew it would give him a big chance. They became pretty much the favourites, but no one saw Warriors coming.
Not sure about Kyrie leaving, Pippen was also supposed to be traded at one point, but Jordan stopped it. Kevin Love looks a shadow of a player he was. Anyway, in all this debate, I just can't put together him going to the best possible option and ending up with no help talk.