2015 NBA Playoffs

[Murat Baslamisli]

Bulls working hard to steal home from Cavs. Up 12 in the third. Lots of basketball to be played though.

 

[DarthFed]

This game highlights the main problems for Cleveland. They are not a good defensive team and Lebron is no longer good enough to make up for it.

 

[Murat Baslamisli]

Little over 2 minutes to go, BUlls up by 6. If they can hold on here, their defense can carry them to the next round.

 

[DarthFed]

Lebron looks way past it at this point. Even with him it was going to be sooner rather than later that the mileage caught up to him. He's still good but a completely different player from just a year ago.

 

[the AntiPusher]

Thank the Lord for Drose, Gasol, Butler and Micky's D threes, Noah is just too butterfingers, no natural NBA moves, he is a major liability on offense, how may layups did he miss, The Bulls need to sweep these two games, the refs were awful

 

[kskate2]

Lebron looks way past it at this point. Even with him it was going to be sooner rather than later that the mileage caught up to him. He's still good but a completely different player from just a year ago.

That long layoff didn't help them either. Their role players scored pretty good tonight and they still lose. That doesn't bode well for them.

 

[kskate2]

Thank the Lord for Drose, Gasol, Butler and Micky's D threes, Noah is just too butterfingers, no natural NBA moves, he is a major liability on offense, how may layups did he miss, The Bulls need to sweep these two games, the refs were awful

Noah has no business even out there. He's normally a very capable ball handler, but he's probably at 60-65% healthy right now.

 

[DarthFed]

I don't think it's the layoff. No love and Smith is a huge factor as they simply have little scoring aside from Kyrie and Lebron. They need both to be great to win and Lebron was pretty dreadful tonight.

 

[the AntiPusher]

I agree with Darth, it was a no-brainer.

On a side note, does anyone else feel the MVP should be voted after the conference finals and before the finals?

Yes, I'm aware it's the regular season MVP but that's my issue with it. Why limit it to that? If it's to give the finals' MVP some prestige, then you just vote before the finals. Because if an MVP dominates the regular season and stinks up the joint in the playoffs, is he really the most valuable player of the league? The playoffs are an extension of the regular season after all.

I am sure I said this earlier in my post

 

[brokenshoelace]

Thank the Lord for Drose, Gasol, Butler and Micky's D threes, Noah is just too butterfingers, no natural NBA moves, he is a major liability on offense, how may layups did he miss, The Bulls need to sweep these two games, the refs were awful

That's true about Noah's finishing, but he makes up for it by being arguably the best passing big man in the league. How many plays run through him where he gets the ball at the top of the key and finds Rose or Butler on a backdoor cut.

This year has been a bit of a trade-off for the Bulls. Their defense isn't what it once was because Pau and Rose are an absolute liability (Rose can't guard Kyrie at all, though the reverse is also true). However, they are a much better offensive team which means they have a better chance at actually doing damage and going all the way.

I still think they need to win the next game too, even if it's also on the road, to win this series. They have to capitalize on JR Smith's absence as right now, it looks like it's just Lebron and Kyrie vs. the Bulls. If they win the next game and are able to at least win one of their two home games, that puts them 3-1 up, and it would take a major screw up to blow that lead.

 

[brokenshoelace]

Also, I think Love's absence hurts the Cavs defensively, funnily enough. Yeah, Love is hardly great defensively, but his absence means Lebron has to do so much more. He has to rebound more, he has to guard Gasol on occasions, and that wears on him, especially when he's having to guard Butler, help out and switch to Rose on the pick and roll since Kyrie gets killed every time, etc... That's a lot to ask of him. Then on the offensive end, if his jumper isn't on, he has to be aggressive, drive to the basket, post Butler up, etc... That sort of physical play could wear on him.

 

[the AntiPusher]

Thank the Lord for Drose, Gasol, Butler and Micky's D threes, Noah is just too butterfingers, no natural NBA moves, he is a major liability on offense, how may layups did he miss, The Bulls need to sweep these two games, the refs were awful

That's true about Noah's finishing, but he makes up for it by being arguably the best passing big man in the league. How many plays run through him where he gets the ball at the top of the key and finds Rose or Butler on a backdoor cut.

This year has been a bit of a trade-off for the Bulls. Their defense isn't what it once was because Pau and Rose are an absolute liability (Rose can't guard Kyrie at all, though the reverse is also true). However, they are a much better offensive team which means they have a better chance at actually doing damage and going all the way.

I still think they need to win the next game too, even if it's also on the road, to win this series. They have to capitalize on JR Smith's absence as right now, it looks like it's just Lebron and Kyrie vs. the Bulls. If they win the next game and are able to at least win one of their two home games, that puts them 3-1 up, and it would take a major screw up to blow that lead.

the Bulls have a history of winning the 1st game of a playoff series vs LBJ and then subsequently get schooled by King James(4-1 or 4-2).. hopefully this year is different.

I disagree that KLove is missed on the defensive part of the Cav's scheme.. Love outside shooting really opens up the court or for a lack of a better word, it spreads the floor which provides more area to let LBJ and Kyrie create opportunities. As for Noah, he should never shoot,,its a wasted attempt , did you see how many sitters he missed. However, he is a very good passer when he is healthy,, I know he isn't 100 %. Go Bulls

 

[Murat Baslamisli]

J.Butler is the MIP. I sure do not have any objections to that choice.

 

[the AntiPusher]

J.Butler is the MIP. I sure do not have any objections to that choice.

Absolutely.. agree.. BTW.. Blake Griffin has made the most improvement of any player I have seen in recent memory..

 

[Murat Baslamisli]

Pretty close one between the Bulls and the Cavs. Rose is solid today. 6 minutes to go, tie game , 82 apiece.

 

[Murat Baslamisli]

Wow...huge 3 by JR Smith to tie it. 10 seconds to go, Bulls do not call a time out, Bron deflects the ball out of bounds. Now the Bulls call the time out, 3 seconds to go...

 

[kskate2]

They just need to stop it w/ these missed fouls. Lebron is mauling people and they aren't calling it.

 

[Murat Baslamisli]

No way.....wow...Drose banks the three home at the buzzer!

 

[kskate2]

Oh my. D-Rose just hit a buzzer beater bank 3. :wow:

 

[Murat Baslamisli]

Crazy finish!