This series has been very average compared to most NBA finals. There's been good stuff in the last couple minutes, but these games have been very sloppy for 40 minutes. Cavs losing Irving is going to hurt them down the stretch of this series. I originally thought that with Irving they had a good chance to win this series, but now it puts too much pressure on James to perform at this level every single night. Not only is he being guarded by one of the better perimeter defenders in basketball, the fact that he has to generate 70% of the offense for Cleveland is something that leads me to bring up some questions.
Last year in the finals, James cramped up in game 1 against the Spurs. He hasn't cramped up like that yet, but carrying this load and playing these types of minutes is a recipe for disaster. What's also disturbing is that no one else on the Cavs team can generate offense for another teammate. Dellevodova had 4 or 5 assists tonight, James had his 8...but did anyone else get a dime? I haven't checked the box score but I did not see anyone else making plays for their teammates. That is not easy to do for 4 wins. Sure, you can get away with it for a game here and there, but I don't believe you can win a series that way.
Here are some observations I've made.
1. Cavs are really trapping hard on Curry high screens. Tristin Thompson is showing a lot and Dellevodova is doing a great job at holding his ground in both those situations and down screens. Delly is very very strong for his size, and you're not going to run through him.
ADJUSTMENT: Curry is calling for way too many picks. it's gonna be a lot more one on one basketball for Curry. Also, look for double down screens to free him a few types with guys like Green and Ezili/Bogut/Lee.
ADJUSTMENT 2: Guys like Green are wide open everytime on the trap. Warriors have made this their bread and butter play all year. Curry gets trapped off the pick, lobs it to Green in the middle of the floor, wing player comes to help on green, corner 3 is wide open for Iguadala or Harrison Barnes... Expect Green to get a few more dimes as this series continues.
2. JR Smith and Shumpert are not making plays for anyone else.
ADJUSTMENT: ?? I really don't know. These guys literally have no clue what it means to drive and kick or run a pick and roll. I hardly ever see JR Smith call for a pick and rarely see him lift his eyes off the ground and see the court. Not good. Too much pressure on Lebron to create for everyone.
3. Games 1 and 2 I was wondering why David Lee was not playing. His ability to pump fake, play in that middle of the floor where he can pass the ball as he does his whole career was something missing with Golden State for awhile.
ADJUSTMENT: You have to make Tristin Thompson and Mozgov defend. You can't let these two beasts sit back in the paint and just roam around. They need to account for their man and if Ezili and Bogut are not going to get going offensively, you have to put in David Lee. Maybe Bogut will start taking it personal.
4. Depth. Maybe it's just me, but how Blatt is playing these guys 40+ minutes a night -- I don't agree with this formula. I feel it's only a matter of a time before these guys start to lose their legs. And we know that when you lose your legs in an NBA finals, you're done. It's so hard to guard a duo like a Jordan and Pippen or a Lebron and Wade for 7 games because you lose lift in your legs. When you do, you start bricking shots. And the Cavs are not deep enough to go through those droughts. They don't have 10-11 guys that can knock down shots. I think that Marion should be playing in this series. 4 years ago he won a ring in Dallas as the primary defender on James and he shut him down. Shut down. They played zone but Marion is not finished yet. It leads me to question David Blatt and makes me wonder if he really understands the concept that if guys like Delly and JR Smith start losing their legs (playing 40, 45 or so minutes a night), you're team is done.
I like the Warriors depth and they don't seem fatigued to me at all. This will be a battle of endurance and the Warriors will have more fresh bodies come game 4, 5, and 6... The other thing is when you're fatigued, you start making MENTAL MISTAKES. THOSE MENTAL ERRORS ARE GOING TO COST THE CAVS going forward imo.
Will be putting 300 on warriors in game 4.
And 500 on warriors to win this series.
Btw, if Tony Parker was healthy, Spurs would bitch make the West and dick slap this Cavs team in 5 games at most.
Last year in the finals, James cramped up in game 1 against the Spurs. He hasn't cramped up like that yet, but carrying this load and playing these types of minutes is a recipe for disaster. What's also disturbing is that no one else on the Cavs team can generate offense for another teammate. Dellevodova had 4 or 5 assists tonight, James had his 8...but did anyone else get a dime? I haven't checked the box score but I did not see anyone else making plays for their teammates. That is not easy to do for 4 wins. Sure, you can get away with it for a game here and there, but I don't believe you can win a series that way.
Here are some observations I've made.
1. Cavs are really trapping hard on Curry high screens. Tristin Thompson is showing a lot and Dellevodova is doing a great job at holding his ground in both those situations and down screens. Delly is very very strong for his size, and you're not going to run through him.
ADJUSTMENT: Curry is calling for way too many picks. it's gonna be a lot more one on one basketball for Curry. Also, look for double down screens to free him a few types with guys like Green and Ezili/Bogut/Lee.
ADJUSTMENT 2: Guys like Green are wide open everytime on the trap. Warriors have made this their bread and butter play all year. Curry gets trapped off the pick, lobs it to Green in the middle of the floor, wing player comes to help on green, corner 3 is wide open for Iguadala or Harrison Barnes... Expect Green to get a few more dimes as this series continues.
2. JR Smith and Shumpert are not making plays for anyone else.
ADJUSTMENT: ?? I really don't know. These guys literally have no clue what it means to drive and kick or run a pick and roll. I hardly ever see JR Smith call for a pick and rarely see him lift his eyes off the ground and see the court. Not good. Too much pressure on Lebron to create for everyone.
3. Games 1 and 2 I was wondering why David Lee was not playing. His ability to pump fake, play in that middle of the floor where he can pass the ball as he does his whole career was something missing with Golden State for awhile.
ADJUSTMENT: You have to make Tristin Thompson and Mozgov defend. You can't let these two beasts sit back in the paint and just roam around. They need to account for their man and if Ezili and Bogut are not going to get going offensively, you have to put in David Lee. Maybe Bogut will start taking it personal.
4. Depth. Maybe it's just me, but how Blatt is playing these guys 40+ minutes a night -- I don't agree with this formula. I feel it's only a matter of a time before these guys start to lose their legs. And we know that when you lose your legs in an NBA finals, you're done. It's so hard to guard a duo like a Jordan and Pippen or a Lebron and Wade for 7 games because you lose lift in your legs. When you do, you start bricking shots. And the Cavs are not deep enough to go through those droughts. They don't have 10-11 guys that can knock down shots. I think that Marion should be playing in this series. 4 years ago he won a ring in Dallas as the primary defender on James and he shut him down. Shut down. They played zone but Marion is not finished yet. It leads me to question David Blatt and makes me wonder if he really understands the concept that if guys like Delly and JR Smith start losing their legs (playing 40, 45 or so minutes a night), you're team is done.
I like the Warriors depth and they don't seem fatigued to me at all. This will be a battle of endurance and the Warriors will have more fresh bodies come game 4, 5, and 6... The other thing is when you're fatigued, you start making MENTAL MISTAKES. THOSE MENTAL ERRORS ARE GOING TO COST THE CAVS going forward imo.
Will be putting 300 on warriors in game 4.
And 500 on warriors to win this series.
Btw, if Tony Parker was healthy, Spurs would bitch make the West and dick slap this Cavs team in 5 games at most.
