donlittle25:
and what happened when uncle Durant came?


Cause you are talking like bron made something happen.

BarthramLestat:


He said he didn't know they were being traded but he took it to himself to do the best for the team. Just like he said he called and told the front office not to trade Kyrie the front office does what it wants.

But if that Cavs team sucked so bad it had to be traded for this go figure how bad they were.

It's the fact that illogical people like you actually expect LeBron to win this series that's baffling. I'm not giving up but if he loses he can hold his head high. The fact that you need me to spell this out for you means you have no business watching basketball. Stick to hockey! If you're looking for who to blame for ruining the finals, look no further than the serpent.

A40:
And you believed Koby Altman in a year the Cavs are begging LeNomad to extend would trade half the roster without LeNomad's blessings? This must be a terrible joke..

Don't bring Kyrie into this as Kyrie wanted out and this forced Cleveland's hands. Completely different scenario

That Cavs team that sucked so bad had one of the longest winning streaks in Cavs history. There is nothing remotely suggesting these replacements have done better so you don't even have an argument.

I expect LeNomad to win yet predicted Warriors in 5? Are you ok at all?

I don't care if you give up or give down. Kevin Love's return means the Cavs are complete and not missing any personnel.

Blehh. Tell your Fulani Herdsman to migrate to Houston or Philly and stop the bloodclot crying! When the Heatles were formed you lot didn't know this would be the outcome right?

BarthramLestat:


LOL I see you went to check out the nets team because you definitely did forget. Regardless of how many wins they had, they also had Kidd Carter and Jerfersson against LeBron. Then he went on to destroy the pistons after being 2-0 down winning four straight. Get that BS out of there.

So it's not about stats or MVP. Tell me How was Kobe a better player than LeBron again. His feat in 2007 put him up there if not ahead of every top player in the league period!!

LeBron James has been the best player in the league since 2007. Prove me wrong!

BarthramLestat:


Like I said, Koby put it together and sure given the desperate situation they were in I reckon LeBron agreed to it. But do you know what else LeBron wanted? That pick to be traded for a superstar, if only he was the GM.

Didn't Kobe try to force the Lakers hands? Didn't lamarcus? Why do they have to play into his hands? And trade him to the friggin Celtics of all places?

Uhhm that winning streak was before IT came back and the team turned into an on court off court wasteland. Couldnt pick up a win to save their lives. Horrible defense, players going at each other. There were too many egos in there.

So why are you talking about excuses as if loves return makes this a fair fight? Did anyone claim the Cavs would win if they had Kevin love?

No one is crying here, I'm just disturbed by the fact that people will somehow blame it on him IF they lose.

A40:
Yeah I'm sure I'd get paid for remembering every single playoff foe your nomadic King ever faced

You are merely name dropping because their 41-41 record tells me the Nets were not a very good team. They would not even make the playoffs had they played in the West so kill that noise mate.

Because Kobe actually had the hardware to prove it circa 2008-2010. Winning the Finals twice and the regular season MVP to boot.

LeNomad didn't even make top 3 MVP votes in 07 or 08 so I don't know where this best player nonsense is coming from all cause of a good run in a watery conference

A40:
In hindsight the issue with that team was fit and chemistry! They would definitely have given the Cavs a better chance than these bunch. If you believe LeNomad dragged the Cavs to the Finals then doesn't this unequivocally mean the trade didn't really work?

Because player power is quite a real thing. If Kawhi can hold the mighty Spurs to ransom then how much more Kyrie? Kobe would have left had they not traded for Gasol no two ways about it

Lol you swore IT would be the difference with your King of the 4th hubris. Good times!

Had Love not played there would have been excuses. Regardless of the outcome.

I don't care for a fair fight or not. LeNomad fans were not talking about fair fights in the days of the Heatles when they were pummeling David West. Paul George and Roy Hibbert

BarthramLestat:


But you remembered the pistons did you not?

I'm just saying on paper they had the stars and were no pushovers. Lebron destroyed them anyway. And you should know that a teams record doesn't portray it's true ability, the warriors are the 3rd best regular season team this year, are they still not the beat team by a mile because of their stars? It's always a watery conference when LeBron puts foots in them.

Lol! MVP is voted during the regular season and I said LeBron claimed that title after his feat in the post season.

The same argument you made for Kobe can be made for curry, still not better than LeBron. See? it goes both ways.

A40:
It's easier to remember conference Finals than earlier rounds by default. You should know this

Jason Kidd was the only ninja on that roster that played even passable defense. When you can only do 41-41 in the friggin East compared to Golden State who missed two of their best players for a combined almost half the season? Difference is clear.

The records and title count back my assertion that the East is watery! Let your LeNomad come out West and see if he can replicate similar dominance! He doesn't want that smoke

How do you claim a title because you got to the Finals in one season? Why didn't he get there subsequently till joining the Heat?

Curry won two finals MVP? KD joined Kobe? I'm not understanding

BarthramLestat:


But what was their assurance that the chemistry issues would be solved knowing that after the deadline there was nothing that could have done? That would have been a major gamble!

The Cavs traded Kyrie away too quickly. Do you really think the spurs will let kawhi go without a fight and to a conference rival? No way. That was a bad move period. They could have tried to reach a compromise with him.

I know man, good old days when I was expecting the king of the fourth and not the king of the bricks or the king of page six.

Man. I guess the odds would have been worse without him but it's not as if the odds are any better with him.

A40:
There is nothing guaranteed. Is there chemistry now? Has Rodney Hood played better than Jae Crowder? Clarkson better than Wade? As far as I know George Hill is the only guy I can say has impacted any game at all among the new guys that were traded for in the postseason

This is a bit revisionist. Every Cavs fan was dancing with glee and gloating about how they had fleeced Boston. Nobody thought it was a bad deal when it was made.

For better or worse the bed has been made and it's time to lie on it.

BarthramLestat:


Given the star power they had I reckon they had one or two injury problems along the line as well. Plus they beat a higher seeded team to get to the semis.

If LeBron was in the west one would argue his reputation would be better. Say he can only come out the west 5 times by now he'd be 5-0. But I reckon the west will become another cake walk because all the superstars will escape to the east

Curry was back to back MVP and the first unanimous MVP and has won two championships. He's not better than LeBron so the MVP ring argument you made for Kobe is invalid since it can also be made for curry.

But is it just me or was the league much more stacked with stars in the 2000s

Iverson Shaq Garnett Kobe Duncan LeBron Wade Nash T-mac Ray Allen Paul Pierce etc Good old days.

BarthramLestat:


That's why I'm looking to Hood and co to step up in this series. This is where we've ended up so like LeBron said, let's squeeze as much out of it as we can.

Another X factor here is Jeff Green, he was brought with the sole purpose of guarding Kevin Durant. I would like to see how that works and I hope it doesn't take a toll on his offensive contribution.

Don't get me wrong, our odds are just as bad as they look, but I'm not giving up on Brons Plan.

A40:
Lol they beat the Raptors with Chris Bosh and TJ Ford FFS.

In the West we know for certain he would not do 8 Finals in a row. I'm sure he's also thought of moving out West but he knows that record is gone should he try it. A conference where the #8 seed has beaten the #1 seed twice?

Escape to where? Lmaooo you would be shocked at how the likes of the Clippers and Grizzlies would be giving him the business never mind the Spurs or Golden State..

The back to back MVPs connote regular season excellence like you said. Kobe won the reg season MVP and never finished lower than 3rd in MVP reckoning from 2008-10 plus went to 3 straight Finals with two Finals MVP hardware to boot. Suggesting postseason dominance as well! This renders your Curry argument null and void

Without a doubt! Kidd Nowitzki Stoudemire Webber Billups Wallace

A40:
I was more scared of that Cavs team because it had guys that had been there and know what it takes (Wade) not been there but are mentally tough and would likely seize the opportunity (Crowder, Rose and IT)

I don't know if a mental midget like Hood is who to look to.

What the Cavs fan should be praying for is an injury or suspension not any yeye Bron's plan. Stats show Iggy is Bron's most productive defender so you are halfway there.

It would also help if JR Smith and Khloe's baby daddy don't play like G-League folk

BarthramLestat:


When I brought up stars you brought up records, when I brought up records you brought up stars.

All I'm saying is if LeBron was in the west he'd probably have a perfect finals record. 4-0 or 5-0 which would in this senseless sports atmosphere make it better for his legacy.

Do I have to start counting how many stars are escaping to the west or how many are afraid of coming to the east now?

In 2008 LeBron was top 3 in MVP voting if I'm not mistaken. Won back to back MVPs in 2009 and 2010 and was runner up for DPOY in 2009 or 10 (around this period, not sure of the timeline). One would also argue that if it weren't for the big 3 Celtics he would have made the finals. Here's where you can fault Dan Gilbert again because while the Celtics were putting together that big 3 team he added one scrub player after the Cavs 2007 finals adventure.

BarthramLestat:


Funny thing about IT because if he were still here he'd be inactive because he'd be injured. He was damaged goods when Ainge bamboozled the Cavs. SMH. Can't even be mad, the man swindles everyone in the league.

Golden states bench is the one place I would say the Cavs have enough talent to garner an advantage but like you said it's all about their mental toughness and I hope the tasking ECF matchups we had has prepared them for this and was a true learning experience.

Brons Plan is a culmination of injuries chokes and magical moments that will result in LeBrons fourth ring. It's like the Ragnarok of LeBrons folklore.

SmooshCHN:
I don't care about the excuses Cavs fans are coming with.. You bragged all season long so please keep up with the same energy. Don't be a coward that you already are.. At least not before the finals started.

A40:
Love and JR Smith have been solid so far. Steph too

BarthramLestat:


I don't like how JR is defending klay. He's left him wide open twice now but has caught a break. Usually JRs defense is his redeeming quality so he better not fvck his assignment up.

BarthramLestat:
We got Klay!