NBA Playoffs 2015

[mo.st.dukie]

Indeed, I am absolutely stunned with the way Lebron has put this team on his back. At this point, he's basically playing with a couple of Knicks castaways, some relatively unskilled big men, a bunch of aging vets, and an Australian point guard not named Kyrie Irving - and is destroying the Eastern conference.

I don't know if this will continue against the Warriors - I honestly hope it doesn't - but regardless, could anybody else in NBA history get so far with so little?

I would argue the answer is no, in large part due to Lebron's excellence in all phases of the game.

It's not surprising at all IMO. At the ripe old age of 22 Lebron took the Cavs to the Finals with superstars like Larry Hughes, Drew Gooden, Ilgauskas, Daniel Gibson, and Sasha Pavlovic alongside him. People can say what they want about Lebron, the reality is that he is easily one of the best basketball players ever to play the game. He had an insane amount of hype on him as a teenager and lived up to that hype and probably exceeded that hype.

[Troublemaker]

Harden has to be otherworldly for Houston to stand a chance. His long twos aren't dropping tonight, and consequently the Rockets have no chance. Golden State is just supremely good.

Yeah, GSW was just absolutely dominant last night. It kind of reminded me of the '96 Bulls against the Sonics in the Finals. The Bulls had played a couple of so-so games at home and still managed to go up 2-0. But not satisfied, they went on the road and obliterated the Sonics in Game 3.

[Des Esseintes]

Yeah, GSW was just absolutely dominant last night. It kind of reminded me of the '96 Bulls against the Sonics in the Finals. The Bulls had played a couple of so-so games at home and still managed to go up 2-0. But not satisfied, they went on the road and obliterated the Sonics in Game 3.

That Sonics team was terrific in its own right, though. Left for dead, they pushed the series to six before succumbing. A little more good fortune early on, and they might have been one of Jordan's greatest tests.

[toooskies]

The sneaky thing about the Cavs is that they're a better defensive team with Love and Kyrie out, especially an injured Kyrie. And LeBron can carry the offense with shooters and screeners around him.

[dukelifer]

The sneaky thing about the Cavs is that they're a better defensive team with Love and Kyrie out, especially an injured Kyrie. And LeBron can carry the offense with shooters and screeners around him.

While GS is very good - they are not a dominant roster. Curry is other worldly right now but if contained- I am not convinced the other guys can do it all. Can Lebron help to contain Curry?- I am sure he will try. But this is a case of cut off the head. I don't think Lebron can be contained by anyone on GS..

[Des Esseintes]

While GS is very good - they are not a dominant roster. Curry is other worldly right now but if contained- I am not convinced the other guys can do it all. Can Lebron help to contain Curry?- I am sure he will try. But this is a case of cut off the head. I don't think Lebron can be contained by anyone on GS..

I'm curious about your definition of dominant. Nothing is guaranteed about the future, obviously, but the Warriors' performance so far this season and postseason looks purty gull dern dominant to me.

Golden State appears to have far more paths to winning than Cleveland. Klay Thompson is a terrific scorer, who will continue to get wide open looks regardless of whether Curry's shot is dropping. No shooting slump will cause teams to pay anything other than supreme attention to the greatest shooter in basketball. Similarly, the pick and roll can be run elsewhere on the court with Curry as a decoy, and a guy like Draymond can (and does) do a ton in that situation. Golden State also has the same advantage, as Haralobos Voulgaris has pointed out, against Cleveland that it enjoys against Houston: three excellent defenders to throw at the opposition's dominant offensive force. James Harden has had to face Klay Thompson, Andre Iguodala, and Harrison Barnes. They're all different, and Kerr has been able to experiment in finding an effective counter to Harden's all-world balling. LBJ will be up against a similar gauntlet next round. He may well triumph over it, but I know where I'd put my money at this point.

[_Gary]

I'm not sure that Cleveland, as they sit right now, can beat a red-hot Golden State team. But I know which squad every true-blue Duke fan should be rooting for! Anyone rooting for GS (with a stinkin' Heel in the starting lineup) over Cleveland (with one of Duke's all-time best NBA players) isn't much of a fan in my book.

There, I said it.

[Bluedog]

I'm not sure that Cleveland, as they sit right now, can beat a red-hot Golden State team. But I know which squad every true-blue Duke fan should be rooting for! Anyone rooting for GS (with a stinkin' Heel in the starting lineup) over Cleveland (with one of Duke's all-time best NBA players) isn't much of a fan in my book.

There, I said it.

HB had a great stat line last night (for Duke fans) in GS' dominant victory: in 29 min, 0 points on 0-9 shooting (0-3 from three), 0 steals, 0 blocks, 1 assist, 1 TO, and 2 PFs. But he did pull down 6 rebounds!

[davidson]

But I know which squad every true-blue Duke fan should be rooting for! Anyone rooting for GS (with a stinkin' Heel in the starting lineup) over Cleveland (with one of Duke's all-time best NBA players) isn't much of a fan in my book.

There, I said it.

Unless, of course, that Duke fan also happens to be a Davidson fan - which is not a rare occurrence.

After all, that Steph kid is pretty good, and a pretty good ambassador for Davidson. A few more years like this and he may even become Davidson's all time leading scorer in the NBA (I bet Olympic Fan is one of the few who knows who he needs to pass for that title).

[CDu]

I'm not sure that Cleveland, as they sit right now, can beat a red-hot Golden State team. But I know which squad every true-blue Duke fan should be rooting for! Anyone rooting for GS (with a stinkin' Heel in the starting lineup) over Cleveland (with one of Duke's all-time best NBA players) isn't much of a fan in my book.

There, I said it.

I assure you I am every bit the Duke fan. But I will be cheering for the Warriors to win. I will also be cheering for Irving to play extremely well and for Barnes to play poorly. Unless the Cavs decide to wear Duke uniforms, I don't have the slightest conflict of emotions here. I root for my Duke guys to play well individually, but at the team level it is a different story.

In the NBA I am a Bulls fan. Duke doesn't play in the NBA so I don't have to worry about my teams clashing. . But as a Bulls fan, I cannot root for a team led by LeBron James, let alone a division rival led by LeBron James. He is the best in the game, but he has done too much ill on my Bulls to overlook. [Sorry Kyrie, it is nothing personal; you just happen to be caught chumming with the wrong crowd for my taste.]

[moonpie23]

i'd like to see lebron wipe every MJ record off the books including rings...i want someone other than MJ to be the goat...


THAT will be one of the last things the Tar Heels can cling to...

[Indoor66]

Unless, of course, that Duke fan also happens to be a Davidson fan - which is not a rare occurrence.

After all, that Steph kid is pretty good, and a pretty good ambassador for Davidson. A few more years like this and he may even become Davidson's all time leading scorer in the NBA (I bet Olympic Fan is one of the few who knows who he needs to pass for that title).

Fred Hetzel. Can anyone tell the story of Hetzel and Duke?

[davidson]

Fred Hetzel. Can anyone tell the story of Hetzel and Duke?

Nope. Hetzel was a higher draft pick than Steph (also by Golden State), but Steph has passed him in scoring. He has yet to pass another who played for Lefty at Davidson and then went on to a great NBA career.

And as for the question of Hetzel and Duke - when Bill Bradley got a scholarship offer from Bubas, Duke didn't have one left for Fred - for which this Davidson fan is forever grateful.

[Indoor66]

Nope. Hetzel was a higher draft pick than Steph (also by Golden State), but Steph has passed him in scoring. He has yet to pass another who played for Lefty at Davidson and then went on to a great NBA career.

And as for the question of Hetzel and Duke - when Bill Bradley got a scholarship offer from Bubas, Duke didn't have one left for Fred - for which this Davidson fan is forever grateful.

Davidson got Fred because Vic steered him there to keep him out of the Conference. At that time, Duke Grad Lefty Driezell was the Davidson coach (prior to his move to MD.) I think the other one you refer to was Mike Malloy. (I stand corrected on the scoring issue. I could not remember Hetzel's NBA numbers and was too lazy to look them up.)

[dukelifer]

Lebron puts on his superman cape tonight. Starts 0-10 and ends up with 37 pts, 18 rebounds and 13 assists in a OT win. He hits the last 5 points for his team. The guy is not human. He was hurting in this game but willed a win. Atlanta showed a lot. Horford is ejected and they take the game to overtime after being down double digits in the 4th. Heck of a game.

[Kedsy]

Lebron puts on his superman cape tonight. Starts 0-10 and ends up with 37 pts, 18 rebounds and 13 assists in a OT win. He hits the last 5 points for his team. The guy is not human. He was hurting in this game but willed a win. Atlanta showed a lot. Horford is ejected and they take the game to overtime after being down double digits in the 4th. Heck of a game.

LeBron James on one ankle plus four guys from the local Y are up 3-0 in the Eastern Conference Finals.

[Olympic Fan]

i'd like to see lebron wipe every MJ record off the books including rings...i want someone other than MJ to be the goat...

Someone other than MJ IS the goat (and it's not Lebron)

[subzero02]

Someone other than MJ IS the goat (and it's not Lebron)

Earl "the goat" manigault...

[luvdahops]

I assure you I am every bit the Duke fan. But I will be cheering for the Warriors to win. I will also be cheering for Irving to play extremely well and for Barnes to play poorly. Unless the Cavs decide to wear Duke uniforms, I don't have the slightest conflict of emotions here. I root for my Duke guys to play well individually, but at the team level it is a different story.

In the NBA I am a Bulls fan. Duke doesn't play in the NBA so I don't have to worry about my teams clashing. . But as a Bulls fan, I cannot root for a team led by LeBron James, let alone a division rival led by LeBron James. He is the best in the game, but he has done too much ill on my Bulls to overlook. [Sorry Kyrie, it is nothing personal; you just happen to be caught chumming with the wrong crowd for my taste.]

What he said

[Duke95]

Whoever said James and 4 DBR posters could win the East is probably right.