NBA Playoffs 2016

[DC47]

If he's clever, he announces that it's Sanders-Curry '16. In time for tomorrow's papers.

[DC47]

Mortal Lock! I was just fucking with you guys.

Already calling the next series.

[howard]

[DC47]

Hillary is over in the OKC locker room. Her handlers' told her there would be some big-money oil and gas guys there.

[DaveInSeattle]

Congrats DaveInSeattle

Hah...

As much as I like and respect Durant and Westbrook...fuck OKC, and especially fuck Clay Bennett with a chain saw...sideways.

Once Durant and Westbrook leave (and they will leave...Durant to somewhere in the Eastern Conference, and I'll lay money that Westbrook will be playing for the Lakers in 2 years), OKC will be just as relevant to the NBA as Sacramento, Milwaukee, Utah, and Minnesota. And it couldn't happen to a nicer owner.

[Joe K]

Westbrook's play in Games 5-7 of that series reminded me of LeBron's play in last year's finals, in that it really shows how holding up a triple double as a paragon of great all around play can be deceiving. In Games 5-7, Westbrook averaged 26 points, 10.7 assists, and 7.7 rebounds per game which on its face looks like awesome numbers. But unfortunately for OKC, all those nice counting stats came with him shooting 36.8% from the field, 26.3% on 3s, and turning it over 5 times per game. You're never going to beat a team like Golden State if your highest usage offensive player is that inefficient. (This is the same reason why I thought that LeBron's play in last year's Finals got hugely overhyped, and was nowhere near as impressive as his play in the 2012-14 Finals for Miami.)

Part of why I think Cleveland has a real shot in the Finals is that, as a result of having a full supporting cast, LeBron's efficiency is way up this postseason as compared to last year. He's back closer to being the Miami version of LeBron, at least on the offensive end. The big question for me is whether he is still capable of dominating on the defensive end like he could when he was a younger. He was capable of completely swallowing up Derrick Rose in the 2011 East Finals and Tony Parker in the 2013 NBA Finals when Miami needed key stops, but I'm not sure if 2016 LeBron has the quickness to check Curry in crunch time. Even if he can't do that, he could really help the Cavs defensively if he can at least take away Draymond Green as a secondary play maker.

[howard]

What that man sed. I agree completely.

[howard]

[brian]

Since 1980 only three teams have won an NBA title without a past, present or future league MVP.

1989 Pistons
1990 Pistons
2004 Pistons

[howard]

The previous decade, only the Supersonics and Warriors. Rick Barry never won an MVP.

[sancarlos]

Dahntay Jones has barely played in the playoffs, but the regular season, he averaged over 42 minutes per game for the Cavaliers.

[A_B]

Cavs in three.