2015 NBA Finals: Cleveland vs. Golden State

[kskate2]

I can't believe people are talking about giving it to Lebron even if they lose. Just stupid talk. I think it could go to either Curry or Iggy

Again, that's mainly the clueless at ESPN talking that way. I've heard more than 2 of them considering that foolishness.

 

[kskate2]

14 pt lead at the start of period 4

 

[DarthFed]

Anticlimactic end to a series that was surprisingly just mediocre instead of the one sided bloodbath everyone thought it'd be. One of the worst playoffs in recent memory. Too many depleted teams and you had the Clips take out SA and then choke in epic style vs an overmatched Rockets team

 

[kskate2]

13 pt lead w/ 4 min left. Klay just fouls out. I can't see Curry letting this lead get away.

 

[DarthFed]

People too caught up on the stat sheet right now. They may look at 28, 15, 7 as a great game but you completely ignore the fact that 28 points on 27 shots is awful and he had a lot of TO's too.

 

[kskate2]

Kerr gets another ring. What's that 7 now?

 

[kskate2]

Eagle $ gets the MVP. Well deserved and the NBA got it right this time. clap

 

[GameSetAndMath]

I thought MVP of the series should be awarded to Curry. While I have not checked the overall stat, I believe his overall stats in these 6 games are definitely better than that of AI.

Also, on a simple eye test, he seems to have played better overall.

 

[brokenshoelace]

Anticlimactic end to a series that was surprisingly just mediocre instead of the one sided bloodbath everyone thought it'd be. One of the worst playoffs in recent memory. Too many depleted teams and you had the Clips take out SA and then choke in epic style vs an overmatched Rockets team

Yup. Plus, despite Clips vs. Spurs being the actual one great series, long term, it killed the playoffs. Spurs would have at least made the Western Conference finals (which they would have made) vs. the Warriors a hell of a series, instead of watching Golden State clobber the freaking Rockets. For all the talk about "this is the best the West has been in history" it was pretty underwhelming, and it didn't help that no Eastern Conference team had a legit chance at winning it all especially with Atlanta being frauds, the Bulls not getting their act together, and the Cavs being hampered by injuries.

Also props to Cali for predicting JR Smith will be great this season, but I hope these finals showed him why, contrary to what he claimed, he's in no way more important to the team than Kyrie.

 

[DarthFed]

I thought MVP of the series should be awarded to Curry. While I have not checked the overall stat, I believe his overall stats in these 6 games are definitely better than that of AI.

Also, on a simple eye test, he seems to have played better overall.

It's not just about the stats though. Iggy played great defense all series too and in the end I thought it was Golden State's defense that turned this series around. I think Iggy may have had the best +/- point differential of any player in the series...and he didn't even start all the games.

I'm happy for him, always been an underappreciated player in this league. I knew it'd be a very good pickup for the Warriors a couple years ago. The year before was a bit of a breakout season as they made the playoffs and won a round but they were pretty much just a bunch of shooters who didn't play much defense. Iggy isn't the one most responsible for pushing them over the top (that'd be the growth of Curry and Green IMO) but he has been a key contributor even before this great series he had.

 

[the AntiPusher]

I thought MVP of the series should be awarded to Curry. While I have not checked the overall stat, I believe his overall stats in these 6 games are definitely better than that of AI.

Also, on a simple eye test, he seems to have played better overall.

It's not just about the stats though. Iggy played great defense all series too and in the end I thought it was Golden State's defense that turned this series around. I think Iggy may have had the best +/- point differential of any player in the series...and he didn't even start all the games.

I'm happy for him, always been an underappreciated player in this league. I knew it'd be a very good pickup for the Warriors a couple years ago. The year before was a bit of a breakout season as they made the playoffs and won a round but they were pretty much just a bunch of shooters who didn't play much defense. Iggy isn't the one most responsible for pushing them over the top (that'd be the growth of Curry and Green IMO) but he has been a key contributor even before this great series he had.

Trust me, there isn't a bigger Step Curry fan than I, especially of his gorgeous mommy Sonya:basiate..However, I agree with Darth's post of Iggy, he was able to try to slow LBJ and force the role players such as JR and the rest to knock down jumpers which they couldn't. Speaking of JR, Cali said that he would make a difference but if you recalled I told him back in February, I didn't trust JR to step up and knock down jumpers when it was time for someone to take the Shot or when the pressure was at the highest(eg Kobe, Reggie,Ray Allen or etc). Yes, he made some late yesterday in the 4th quarter but not when LBJ needed just someone to support him.IMO

 

[britbox]

Don't really follow basketball but nice to see GSW win the finals. I generally follow all the LA and Oakland teams across all the major US sports. More of a Lakers fan but congrats to GSW! Pleased to hear the civic reception is in Oakland rather than SF.

 

[shawnbm]

Can you imagine if the Cavs had won without two of their most valuable players? It was not meant to be, and LeBron and the Wawrinka look alike, as well as JR and the rest, put up a mighty effort. Respect to them, and James had to do an awful lot to give them that chance. If they had been full strength, who knows, but they deserve respect and credit. Golden State did what they have done all season, and that is win. They are the deserving champions, with Steph being an unbelievable shooter of the basketball. The guy is money from almost anywhere on the court. A hard fought series that I enjoyed immensely.

 

[GameSetAndMath]

There were 11 media pundits who decide on MVP. Seven of them voted for Iggy and four for Lyndon B Johnson. None voted for Curry, I am surprised. I have not had the time to check the stats. But, I do believe (without looking) that Curry's stats in the final series will definitely be better than that of Iggy.

Also, I am assuming here that MVP is the MVP of the series and not just the MVP of the last match. If it is the later, Iggy is no brainer as even in stats he was close to Curry.

 

[DarthFed]

It is for the series. I am surprised that there were none for Curry though I do think Iggy clearly deserved it. Curry did enough to make it close and since he was the leading scorer for the Warriors and the league MVP I half expected they would give it to him.

 

[GameSetAndMath]

Iggy is the worst MVP in 30 years.

 

[kskate2]

Iggy is the worst MVP in 30 years.

I wouldn't listen to anything Greeney had to say on the subject. He was the main one advocating giving Lebron an MVP for being on a losing team that only won 2 games. :huh:

 

[DarthFed]

Iggy is the worst MVP in 30 years.

I'd give that honor to Chauncey Billups personally.

 

[calitennis127]

I thought MVP of the series should be awarded to Curry. While I have not checked the overall stat, I believe his overall stats in these 6 games are definitely better than that of AI.

Also, on a simple eye test, he seems to have played better overall.

It's not just about the stats though. Iggy played great defense all series too and in the end I thought it was Golden State's defense that turned this series around. I think Iggy may have had the best +/- point differential of any player in the series...and he didn't even start all the games.

I'm happy for him, always been an underappreciated player in this league. I knew it'd be a very good pickup for the Warriors a couple years ago. The year before was a bit of a breakout season as they made the playoffs and won a round but they were pretty much just a bunch of shooters who didn't play much defense. Iggy isn't the one most responsible for pushing them over the top (that'd be the growth of Curry and Green IMO) but he has been a key contributor even before this great series he had.

Trust me, there isn't a bigger Step Curry fan than I, especially of his gorgeous mommy Sonya:basiate..However, I agree with Darth's post of Iggy, he was able to try to slow LBJ and force the role players such as JR and the rest to knock down jumpers which they couldn't. Speaking of JR, Cali said that he would make a difference but if you recalled I told him back in February, I didn't trust JR to step up and knock down jumpers when it was time for someone to take the Shot or when the pressure was at the highest(eg Kobe, Reggie,Ray Allen or etc). Yes, he made some late yesterday in the 4th quarter but not when LBJ needed just someone to support him.IMO

That's because LeBron didn't allow it to happen. Everyone praised his play in the Finals but it was BS. He was a Class A ballhog. JR had it rolling in both Games 1 and 3 in the first half and then he basically went two quarters without touches.

It's funny how people don't care if JR touches the ball all game, but then when he randomly gets three passes in the fourth quarter and misses a couple threes, he is suddenly "shooting his team out of the game". It is nonsense said by people who don't relate to a scorer's or shooter's mentality at all.

And - btw - LeBron never would have even been in the Finals if it wasn't for JR. JR saved his bacon in Game 4 against Chicago when Butler was frankly getting the better of him and LeBron was doing little more than brick jumpers and turn the ball over. JR saved that series with his 4th quarter spurt.

And then JR made the Atlanta series a stress-free experience for LeBron with his Game 1 performance. That Game 1 could have very easily been lost. Atlanta was getting the better of Cleveland in that game and LeBron was playing average. JR took all the pressure off of LeBron by sealing that game, and, actually, LeBron almost lost it after JR gave them a 20-point lead - very reminiscent of Game 3 of the Finals.

Naturally, JR gets no credit for this because the masses just blindly hate him.

 

[DarthFed]

^ I don't really disagree with anything you're saying here. JR did well with the Cavs this year and was big in many of their playoff wins. From what I recall he only had a really bad game 1 in the finals.

Lebron's level in this series is way overhyped (I think we are on the same page there). I think Lebron competed incredibly given what he was up against and the fact he knew that for the Cavs to win he'd have to play out of his mind. But I find it tough to ever say someone played awesome when they are shooting 35 times to get 36 points. Lebron also got the 13 boards and 9 assists and that's what makes him an amazing player, he doesn't need to score well to have a major influence on the game. But in this series he did need to score well for his team to win and he didn't...