OFFICIAL: 2015 & 2016 NBA Finals Thread - Cleveland Cavaliers vs Golden State Warriors

Originally posted by Phoenix49ers:

Originally posted by Ninerjohn:
So many things can happen. OKC with a healthy Durant and Westbrook can beat anyone. The Cavs have by far the easier road to the finals in the pathetic East. Not so easy for the Dubs. So many great teams.

I don't think the West is all that it is cracked up to be either. Oklahoma with a healthy core is a legit and experienced team, Memphis is tough, maybe Houston with a healthy roster, beyond that, I think there's a lot of teams that are really overrated. Not sold on the Clippers at all, talented team but don't see them as very tough mentally. San Antonio is looking really creaky, Dallas as well, Portland might be losing Aldridge, some good teams but only three or four that strike me as legit title contenders.

In the playoffs this year - there were only two contenders in each conf. Warriors and Spurs in the West and Bulls and Cavs in the East. All the other teams were flawed and were exposed in the playoffs. The way Cavs played in the Finals without their two all-stars proved they were the best or 2nd best team in the league regardless of conf.

Originally posted by Ninerjohn:

This guy said the Cavs would have won the series. I say BS. Sure it would have changed some of the dynamics but the Warriors were 83-20 this year, had the MVP, and lead in all the major stats. I am sick and tired of idiots saying the Cavs would have won if not for the injuries.

Preach! Of course the dynamics would have changed for BOTH teams if Love and Irving had played. No doubt Cavs would have benefited greatly by having 2 more dangerous scoring options, but I don't think they would have been as strong defensively. The Dubs might have been able to play their brand of basketball with a true center on the court. Mozgov/Thompson duo changed that, and Delly was a pest. The Dubs adjusted as needed.

I think the Dubs would have adapted to whatever was thrown at them and come out on top. They were proven to be the best team in the league from wire-to-wire, and it wasn't really close. They were historically great.

Originally posted by Phoenix49ers:

Originally posted by 4ML:
I think Mozgov and Thompson are interchangeable as far as the starting line-up is considered. Depends on what Blatt wants from Thompson. He may want Thompson off the bench to bring energy.

I should have said - that line-up will play the most minutes together if this team brings back the core.

They def. need a back-up PG as you mentioned earlier and a back-up SF. I'm hoping they go hard after DeMarre Carroll in the off-season.

Suns are all over that son.


Not sure what McDonough is going to pull out of his ass but Lon Babby being gone finally made me grin. This is the longest that they've gone without a playoff appearance in their entire team history so hopefully they get s**t worked out.

Cavs cap situation is kinda messy - so I think it'll be difficult for them to land him. He should get paid.

I'll be happy with Wesley Mathews coming off that injury to sign a contract on the prove-it 1 year deal.

Originally posted by Phoenix49ers:

Originally posted by Ninerjohn:
So many things can happen. OKC with a healthy Durant and Westbrook can beat anyone. The Cavs have by far the easier road to the finals in the pathetic East. Not so easy for the Dubs. So many great teams.

I don't think the West is all that it is cracked up to be either. Oklahoma with a healthy core is a legit and experienced team, Memphis is tough, maybe Houston with a healthy roster, beyond that, I think there's a lot of teams that are really overrated. Not sold on the Clippers at all, talented team but don't see them as very tough mentally. San Antonio is looking really creaky, Dallas as well, Portland might be losing Aldridge, some good teams but only three or four that strike me as legit title contenders.

I think the Clips. Memphis, Houston. OKC, SA, and Portland were all better than anyone in the East other than Cleveland. Chicago in my opinion was overrated and the rest was garbage.

Originally posted by 4ML:
In the playoffs this year - there were only two contenders in each conf. Warriors and Spurs in the West and Bulls and Cavs in the East. All the other teams were flawed and were exposed in the playoffs. The way Cavs played in the Finals without their two all-stars proved they were the best or 2nd best team in the league regardless of conf.

Second best sure but the Warriors finished first. They've earned it over the long haul of an 82 game season out West and by winning four 7 game series. All I hear is if was a 5th Cavs could've Thunder could've Spurs could've but this is the Warriors year. They've earned it and before they've had a parade the media is already discounting their chip. Smh

Originally posted by 4ML:
In the playoffs this year - there were only two contenders in each conf. Warriors and Spurs in the West and Bulls and Cavs in the East. All the other teams were flawed and were exposed in the playoffs. The way Cavs played in the Finals without their two all-stars proved they were the best or 2nd best team in the league regardless of conf.

Dude.. give it up. They were NOT the best team in the league this year injuries or not. The Warriors won 83 games. They were easily the best team in the NBA this season.

Originally posted by Ninerjohn:

Dude.. give it up. They were NOT the best team in the league this year injuries or not. The Warriors won 83 games. They were easily the best team in the NBA this season.

Not only the best team, they were HISTORICALLY GREAT.

Originally posted by Pillbusta:
Second best sure but the Warriors finished first. They've earned it over the long haul of an 82 game season out West and by winning four 7 game series. All I hear is if was a 5th Cavs could've Thunder could've Spurs could've but this is the Warriors year. They've earned it and before they've had a parade the media is already discounting their chip. Smh

Anytime there are injuries that is liable to happen, particularly if a team loses a couple starters the way Cleveland did, its only natural for people to bring that up. I think if vice versa happened and the Cavs went in full healthy and the Warriors went into the series without Klay Thompson and Bogut, that you'd be hearing the same thing from Warriors fans. The analysts are paid to talk so they are going to delve into that quite a bit.



I do feel for Cleveland fans, they've got the Browns to look forward to.

Originally posted by Phoenix49ers:

Originally posted by Pillbusta:
Second best sure but the Warriors finished first. They've earned it over the long haul of an 82 game season out West and by winning four 7 game series. All I hear is if was a 5th Cavs could've Thunder could've Spurs could've but this is the Warriors year. They've earned it and before they've had a parade the media is already discounting their chip. Smh

Anytime there are injuries that is liable to happen, particularly if a team loses a couple starters the way Cleveland did, its only natural for people to bring that up. I think if vice versa happened and the Cavs went in full healthy and the Warriors went into the series without Klay Thompson and Bogut, that you'd be hearing the same thing from Warriors fans. The analysts are paid to talk so they are going to delve into that quite a bit.

it also dies down over time. 5-10 years from now nobody gonna give a s**t

Originally posted by SofaKing:

Originally posted by Ninerjohn:
Dude.. give it up. They were NOT the best team in the league this year injuries or not. The Warriors won 83 games. They were easily the best team in the NBA this season.

Not only the best team, they were HISTORICALLY GREAT.

Yep. Only the 96 and 97 Bulls teams ever won this many games. Cleveland could have had all their players and I dont think it would have changed the results. As you say.. a historically great team.

Originally posted by crabman82:
it also dies down over time. 5-10 years from now nobody gonna give a s**t

The media will beat it to death and then go on to something, like how jrg and his peeps hacked the f**king Astros.

83 wins, 3rd best of all-time. Only the 96 and 97 Bulls won more. Don't think a fully healthy Cavs squad could have stopped that train. Maybe next year, but not this year. This was the Dubs year.

Originally posted by Ninerjohn:

Yep. Only the 96 and 97 Bulls teams ever won this many games. Cleveland could have had all their players and I dont think it would have changed the results. As you say.. a historically great team.

Originally posted by Ninerjohn:

Originally posted by 4ML:
In the playoffs this year - there were only two contenders in each conf. Warriors and Spurs in the West and Bulls and Cavs in the East. All the other teams were flawed and were exposed in the playoffs. The way Cavs played in the Finals without their two all-stars proved they were the best or 2nd best team in the league regardless of conf.

Dude.. give it up. They were NOT the best team in the league this year injuries or not. The Warriors won 83 games. They were easily the best team in the NBA this season.

I didn't mean it that way. I meant - Cavs had a better chance in this series with Love and Irving...that's all. There is no way to know who would have won if both teams were healthy...so that's why I said - best or 2nd best.

Said it before and will say it again - Warriors fully deserved this ring. Even with Love and Irving - they could have beaten Cavs.

lebrons phone after the game....