The ILF-ILNBA Basketball Thread

[D.o.S.]

Dude you're on fire today.

[bigchiefbc]

Even though I'm not really following this finals, this tweet made me spit out my coffee this morning. Savage:

[D.o.S.]

Netw3rk is arguably the only reason to pay any attention to Simmons's new vanity site.

[bigchiefbc]

Netw3rk is arguably the only reason to pay any attention to Simmons's new vanity site.

I like some of the podcasts.

[rustywire]

...
Cavs would be lucky to win 1 game against a finals matchup of either Spurs or Warriors.

Last night's game was what I figured would happen in game 1. So guess this means I'm outta alignment/ahead of the curve & game 3 is where the Warriors find themselves in early foul trouble. Still all but sure it's going to be on Draymond, I can feel it. Cavs will get one of their home games but they aint winning both...or taking one in Oakland. Nope.

[D.o.S.]

I forgot ILF hates images from Twitter:
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CkPcNC4VEAEPn1Y.jpg

[rustywire]

Varejao deserves a ring and it is awesome he is a contributor for GS this year,

I can't see any way cleveland wins 4 of the next 6 or even 2 of the next 6

Lebron will go crazy 1 game but that's about it prolly

and you are correct that he will try to push out Kyrie, but an old CP still can't hang with the warriors and would essentially have the same roll lebron does on cleveland.

Those miami teams with bron were elite defensive teams, cleveland is a mess on defense, and they have no second unit to speak of.

Wanted to address this bit about "an old CP still cant hang with the Warriors..."
Totally disagree. CP3 cares [maybe too much] about playing D. He's 2nd most effective on Steph (behind Rubio). Plus he's legit mad Curry stole his shine, it would be a great West/East player rivalry for the next few years.
One key thing the Warriors do is they stagger ball handlers. Steph doesn't bring it up the floor half the time. Having CP3 & LBJ as ball-handlers & playmakers/finisher threats would be a HUGE upgrade at the position. Pardon the self-indulgence but here's my *hot take* on Kyrie from January...I've legit never been this correct about something in sports

Also Cleveland will remain title-dry this year, next year & long after Lebron retires.
Sorry Ohio

Kyrie is superstar, legit no.1 pick material.
But he's an AI-type pg. You won't win with the ball in his hands.
If he were an Isiah Thomas pg, maybe...but not since '89-90 has such a player lead the team to a finals victory...and that was the old NBA.
This is a completely new era, I think that ship has sailed.

And

...
No Cavs lineup can compete with the Spurs or Warriors going small ball as currently constructed. The Cavs are quietly one of the longest teams in the league with too many bigs. They're built for pre-2012 NBA success.
They got rid of Waiters (good move) Bennett (good move) Wiggins (Harden-trade-level-BAD).
Speaking of which Kyrie's current game mindset is too much Harden and his body is too much Bradley Beal. His ball handling is second to none as is his ability to finish at the rim...but he forces the issue and jacks up bad shots or seeks a bailout pass to one of his watching teammates like the majority of the elite Kentucky/AAU farmed 1-and-done talent after being 'the guy' since they were kids. The Cavs can have 2 of the best ISO players and still lose 3 out of 4 games against well-coached teams. So while the East is top-to-bottom better as a conference for the first time in a decade+ and the Cavs make short work of [them] ...the west is top-loaded with the Spurs/Warriors/Thunder.
The East still cant compete with that, in this present state. I'm just hoping we get a Spurs/Warriors series this year...and also a Spurs/Thunder or Warriors/Thunder series

[Chuckchuck]

Klay Thompson is on crack. Warriors cannot beat the Showtime Lakers. stfu

[rustywire]

E X T E N D
T H E
S E R I E S

JK ends tonight anyway barring a shameful parade to the free-throw line in a super tightly called game (which it will be) but Warriors are still going to close it out at home.

Thunder are sitting home like "oh so now you decide to enforce the letter of the law, thank you very little!"
The fact refs facilitated a game 4 "play-on" atmosphere and didn't toss Draymond after lengthy review...waiting until Sunday for it to come down from the league after petitioning by the Cavs when it was Lebron who initiated the confrontation = cla$$ic NBA steez. Surely it has nothing to do with these playoffs being the worst, most unwatchable I can remember sans rd1 Heat/Hornets, rd2 Blazers/Warriors & the western conf finals. Other than that (and game 4 the other night) it's been B O R I N G. Hats off to Dan Gilbert for knowing how to manipulate 2 commissioners into bending his way. But it aint going to be good enough to beat this Warriors team, this series.

[D.o.S.]

warming my coffee and my battered body on that hot take right there.

[rustywire]

[D.o.S.]

10/10

[hbombgraphics]

Klay Thompson is on crack. Warriors cannot beat the Showtime Lakers. stfu

Lakers could trade 2 for 3 all day and see where they end up.

I know it's impossible to compare eras (unless you are homer fanboy and then it's easy)

[Chuckchuck]

I'm surprised they didn't call technical on Love when he knocked Curry to the floor. Wise to pull him for a minute.

Hell yeah I'm a homer. Tthey wouldn't have an answer for Kareem, Magic, Worthy. Kareem alone.

[hbombgraphics]

kareem I could see, but again you are trading a 2 for a 3, I think in 86 the lakers team averaged about 5 threes a game
makes me wonder how they put up some of the points they did, although they defended and outlet on the break as well as anyone since russell's celtics