OT: Game 1 of the NBA Finals Cleveland @ Warriors Open Thread
but my god, I've never felt so sorry for a great player. He is just anchored by his mediocre teammates and up against lousy calls and a death squad opponent.
Dude is sooooo pissed
He got Cleveland their parade. Check that box. He should have just said "Peace Out" and gone hunting more rings with A-level talent around him.
I don't watch a ton of GSW games, but literally every time I see Green on my TV my blood pressure goes up. He seems like the biggest asshole by a country mile in the NBA, and I am amazed that I somewhat liked him when he was in college despite playing for MSU.
Total asshole. I hate him. And GSW this year
- Durant went to GSW to make super team. Thanks for totally selling out.
- Livingston shooting with 2 seconds left. What a class act.
- Curry shimming? Cocky much?
Why did he shoot it? And not a fan of any team while defending that Linvingston BS means you are GS fan. Don't act. A few seconds left up 10? I choked a person, not like I stabbed them a hundred times.
Cool. Thanks. Still a dick move.
I'll give you curry shimming is fine. Not a knock on him. Generational 3 point shooter, but just a shooter. If refs actually grow a pair and call it fair, you can neutralize Curry with hard defense.
I don't blame Livingston for the shot; I guess he could have just turned the ball over on a shot clock violation, but whatever. Thompson driving in late wasn't a huge deal either, but I can see why that might piss James off after how this game played out.
Curry shimmies all the time. It's fine. I don't quite get why guys have signature taunts like they are WWE wrestlers, but whatever.
My only issue with Durant is that he has done some stuff that would have gotten a player like LeBron, Harden, or Westbrook immense amount of shit (he was the original multiple twitter accounts guy, the move to GSW, his apparent unwillingness to deal with certain media members in OKC and threatening a loss of access, etc.), and yet he's largely gotten a pass.
You are a better man than me.
Thanks for calling KD out. He lost respect as a good player in my book when he moved to GSW like a chicken.
I'll stick to college bball and football.
What a terrible ref job. Thanks for doign that since Houston series.
Lebron has to be drawn and quartered to get a foul? Give me a break.
Lebron to Houston - for the good of basketball.
Great game for all of regulation. A dud OT, but you can't have everything. Utterly compelling.
Lebron might be the first player ever to win a series MVP while getting swept. Seriously, if he plays like this for the entire series he should win no matter what the result is, and I'm not usually a "losing player wins" kind of guy.
Things will be different LeBron if Iguodala ever comes back from injury.
You're talking about previous years? Because he scored 51 on 19-32 today.
Makes sense, good to clarify.
He won't win series MVP. You think that logically, not the NBA. Still, I think the world sees for what Lebron is. The greatest player of our time ( I was too young for MJ so I'll take word for people who saw him live)
"Our time" includes Jordan. It wasn't that long ago.
I watched him a lot. He is better than LeBron. I know this new generation will argue he isn't the best. But I saw him play. He could not be denied---ever. I saw him go through entire defenses to dunk, and dunk with authority. And he was consistent every night. He was great in every game. A fascination every time.
I saw Bill Russell say it this way: "Michael Jordan is determined to be Michael Jordan every night."
(p.s., I know there's lots of Detroit Pistons fans on here. I don't want to argue with you. You guys have a different opinion. And that's ok.)
I was 3 when Jordan was doing whatever you are saying. Didn't process.
I can process numbers however, and am data driven. Lebron threw down his 20482934208, 50 point game. like it was nothing. Also his numbers are better than Jordan. Also he is playing against an offensive juggernaut.
Not arguing better or worse. I just see history in the making. Thankful that I can watch lebron. May not hit a player like him in a while.
You're saying LeBron is better, or, you're not?
He is better. Didn't see MJ live to get all the nostalgia.
I guess he should shoot 5/19 like MJ did in game 6 of 1996 finals instead of 19/32. As Dantonio would say; Where is the threat? (or "killer" instinct). Lebron take lessons you scrub.
And MJ doesn't make playoffs with this Cavs team.
so you don't know.
Cool. Strong comeback.
I don't need to watch. I see their numbers. I also looked back at teams they played on.
Feelings ball takes are dumb. Back it with numbers not nostalgia. Jordan had good players, not street trash Lebron is playing with and dropping 40-50 on the daily in these playoffs.
To give you a strong come back. I don't care what your view is. I'm not trying to change your mind.
There's other things in life besides these sports debates. You feel you won. It was important for you.
Nite. Sleep well.
Can you quantify that ? If not I am going to go by numbers. Lebron has better numbers. Done.
Here I'll do the same:
Lebron plays on shittier team. Infact the worst playoff team. Take him off and see what happens to Cavs. See arguments by others above re: supporting cast of MJ and less historic teams (vs GSW) he played against.
No, you can't quantify it. That's the point.
Feel free to rationalize your opinion however you want, just don't pretend that it's an objective fact.
You pretended to do that, I didn't. I stated numbers, and when those were better then MJ groupies start talking about defenses and number of championships he won with a better team against easier competition. Objective context was taken out.
So i'll continue.
How old is lebron? How many stars is he playing with? Whos really a starter on championship level team on cavaliers? At 33 why the hell is he exerting so much energy to take cavaliers through a meat grinder? Why do this? Why risk injury literally carrying this motley crew ? He is dropping 40+ so many games, did MJ do that?
This also answers your how is that different than KD chickening out. Lets see if he toils like Lebron did before and after going to Miami. He won't. Its not in his nature: how can you expect to silicone valley investor to do that. KD is garbage in my book.
LOL WUT?
What did I pretend to do?
And what numbers, exactly, did you state? From what I can see you used a 1-game sample of Jordan going 5/19 in game 6 of the 1996 finals vs Lebron going 19/32 in game 1 of the 2018 finals. I guess that settles everything...
Oh, you also pointed out that Lebron has put together a string of 20482934208 games in a row in which he's scored 50 points. That is indeed impressive.
That is some rock-solid statistical evidence that you've presented. I can see why all the feelingsball takes make you so angry. It's really annoying when people just don't get it.
Cool. Lebron has higher FGP, higher assist, higher 3 pt %, and higher rebounds. Oh and on absolute numbers he has higher # of points etc, because he is playing more which is testament to how durable he is.
There you go. Enjoy. Think on that.
Eyetest passes as well. 50+ points and still lost. Shitty team. MJ had better team and he wasn't playing against GSW.
Not sure how people are saying MJ was better. How? Cuz he won with better cast? I guess I'll wait for Lebron to go to Houston win and shut them up? while Cavs tank like a rock.
was that the game he had a 102 temperature?
serious? Ok. You just proved he is better. I guess you just care about win loss without looking at context.
He's a typical Millenial that thinks he knows everything, and is disrespectful to everything that deserves respect.
A lot.
LeBron is a better overall basketball player, and has done more with substantially weaker teams. Not only that, he probably has another 4-5 years left of great basketball.
Michael Jordan won defensive player of the year. LeBron never has. He was an all around awesome player. The best ever.
So many arguments against Michael Jordon don't hold water.
It was great for 47 minutes, then batshit insane for another minute, and then thoroughly predictable.
I really thought this would be the game Cleveland stole and made this a 6-game series at least. But I now fully expect them to get blown out in game 2, limp through a 1-1 homestand, and then be out in 5.
because that game probably either killed him or made him snap so completely he's going to be on the news by morning.