[CLE/SAS] The Finals

[Bricklayer]

Almost every team in the league has a big man as good or better than Elson. Regarding Cleveland's bigs, we all know who got them to where they are, so unless you were about to suggest a way to get Duncan, I'm not sure what your point is... ?

Same one I make every single year to the small ball bleating. Does not work. Has never worked. Every year its the same ole story. Big big bodies banging around inside once it comes down to title time. Wishful thinking does not get it done. Size, strength, interior dominance does.

 

[vytzka]

Ouch, box score doesn't look good (and neither does the result ). Cavs seem to have royally sucked on offence, but the margin is not very big.

I hope Cavs play the second one better. Preferably, a lot.

 

[Mr. S£im Citrus]

I was satisfied with the outcome. Let's see three more of those.

 

[Rookie]

This finals 2-3-2 format after all the other playoff rounds were 2-2-1-1-1 still seems somewhat odd to me. I suppose the Cavs could just steal the next game in San Antonio and then miraculously sweep 3 at home. But it would seem a bit weird that the Spurs with home court advantage would then have only gotten 2 home games with Cleveland lucking out to get 3 and then claim the title. But, I predicted San Antonio to win in 5 or 6 and I'll stick to that call.

This is just a theory but maybe this is why it was set up 2-3-2.

Most likely the one with 2 home game first is the better team so they have a better chance to grab the first two games. The not so better team than go back with 3 home games to play catchup, giving them a better chance to extend the series longer. Not always going to happen but whoever thought of this calculated the best chance for getting a 6-7 games series. More games more money $$$.

Ooohh shooting star: I wish the cavs win!!! Go underdog!!!

 

[coolhandluke]

The 2-3-2 format is used for the finals so that the travel of teams between games is reduced. Why only for the finals? It is because the two teams that meet in the finals are geographically much further apart (as compared to the distance the teams would have to travel for any 2-2-1-1-1 series within their respective conference).

 

[grego]

The 2-3-2 format is used for the finals so that the travel of teams between games is reduced. Why only for the finals? It is because the two teams that meet in the finals are geographically much further apart (as compared to the distance the teams would have to travel for any 2-2-1-1-1 series within their respective conference).

Of course the format isn't as bad with today's technology in travel, as the format was created when there was less.But then I don't really care about the format. It doesn't favor the team with the worse record though. It is tough to win 3,4,5 on your home court. Tough to win 3 in a row in general in the post season.

 

[Warhawk]

The 2-3-2 format is used for the finals so that the travel of teams between games is reduced. Why only for the finals? It is because the two teams that meet in the finals are geographically much further apart (as compared to the distance the teams would have to travel for any 2-2-1-1-1 series within their respective conference).

They may typically be further apart, but I doubt SA/CL is that much different than say a Miami/Mil, for example....

Heck, a NO/Atlanta or Minny/Mil series would be nothing for travel for the Finals....

 

[Rookie]

The 2-3-2 format is used for the finals so that the travel of teams between games is reduced. Why only for the finals? It is because the two teams that meet in the finals are geographically much further apart (as compared to the distance the teams would have to travel for any 2-2-1-1-1 series within their respective conference).

Make sense...tnx for the fact coolhand.

 

[HndsmCelt]

Or alternately the much better, vastly more expereinced team, might jsut quietly rock them to sleep.



As an aside, as we once again had the great smallball debate this year for wahtever reason, can I just point out the presence of Big Z, Duncan, Varejao, Elson, etc. etc. slamming around in the paint? Truly is odd how that seems to happen every year.

So your saying size matters?

Okon a serious note The Cavs are about one experienced big maybe a solid young gaurd and another year or two of experience away from being absolutly BRUTAL. But as for this year... "Thanks for comming out!"

 

[Mr. S£im Citrus]

Man, San Antonio is beating Cleveland down like they ain't ****...

 

[DaMan]

This just show how good the west is, i don't think Cavs get out in the first round out west.

 

[4cwebb]

This just show how good the west is, i don't think Cavs get out in the first round out west.

Spurs are just flat out dominating the proceedings here tonight...I hope the Cavs start to put up a fight at some point. Were the Heat this bad in the first two games of last year's Finals?

 

[Mr. S£im Citrus]

Man, this is cruel and unusual; they are jackstomping the Cavaliers right now.

 

[DaMan]

Spurs are just flat out dominating the proceedings here tonight...I hope the Cavs start to put up a fight at some point. Were the Heat this bad in the first two games of last year's Finals?

They were bad but not Cavs bad, lol.

 

[PurpleHaze]

If San Antonio continues to play at this level it doesn't matter what LeBoring, his utterly comatose teammates and Cleveland's fans do back at home - they'll get swept 4-0.

 

[DaMan]

If San Antonio continues to play at this level it doesn't matter what LeBoring, his utterly comatose teammates and Cleveland's fans do back at home - they'll get swept 4-0.

It doesn't even look like the spurs are trying, lol.

 

[vladetomiller]

. Were the Heat this bad in the first two games of last year's Finals?

Heat were good enough to take 2 or 3 games last year not 4 against the mavs.

Now that D-Whistle got his chance at the stripe last year after 2 games in the finals, I am sure lebronze and his teammates will also get some help at the line in the next 3 games. Even this game they are getting the FTs its just that they are not making them. Up untill start of 4th cavs 27 Fts to spurs 25

But definitely heat were not this bad and didnt get beat so badly in the first two game

Lol on yahoo they show L James made three pointer assist L James.

No wonder lebronz gets so many assists

 

[Mr. S£im Citrus]

I'm hysterical seeing that "Witnesses" commercial right now.

 

[Bricklayer]

It doesn't even look like the spurs are trying, lol.

Not sure about that-- they have looked frightenly intense and locked in, at least amongst the starters. Now I suppose is the nightly Spurs fade.

 

[4cwebb]

Not sure about that-- they have looked frightenly intense and locked in, at least amongst the starters. Now I suppose is the nightly Spurs fade.

Fade spared by Parker taking at least four steps while spinning through the lane with no call...unbelievable. I guess the make up call is that the refs didn't fall for the Ginobli flop on the next play. Where was all this "energy" from the Cavs the first 36 minutes?

 

[Mr. S£im Citrus]

[Barkley]

GINO-BLEE!

[/Barkley]

 

[OptimusRhyme]

That Popovich fall was humerous.

 

[Mr. S£im Citrus]

Odds-makers:

What are the odds that Daniel Gibson starts in Game 3?

 

[sloter]

Odds-makers:

What are the odds that Daniel Gibson starts in Game 3?

With Mike Brown making the call ... who knows!?

 

[PurpleHaze]

Mike Brown taking out LeBron with his early 2 fouls in the first period and sitting him for two-thirds of that quarter was brain-dead stupid. You're on the road in a championship final, down 1-0, behind in this game, and you remove your mega superstar until the 2nd quarter - that's when they got in a hole way to deep to dig out.

 

[Mr. S£im Citrus]

With Mike Brown making the call ... who knows!?

Yeah, but the difference is that you probably think that Gibson should start over Hughes, whereas I think that he should start over Pavlovic.

 

[sloter]

Yeah, but the difference is that you probably think that Gibson should start over Hughes, whereas I think that he should start over Pavlovic.

Both Hughes and Pavlovic are playing bad, but I think that a big part of why Pavlovic is playing bad is Larry Hughes. Hughes has been HORRIBLE all playoffs long at the PG spot and I'm not sure that his contribution would be any different if he is moved to SG at this point.

One glance at round by round stat trends of these two players and you may want to think over what you wrote above.

 

[Mr. S£im Citrus]

I thought it over, and my mind is unchanged. Larry Hughes' natural position is SG, and I believe that he would be better defensively (though perhaps not offensively) playing that position against Ginobili that he would against Parker.

And... just color me unconvinced on the subject of Pavlovic's poor play being Hughes' fault.

 

[sloter]

And... just color me unconvinced on the subject of Pavlovic's poor play being Hughes' fault.

Of course it is, good pointguards make everyone better, and bad ones make everyone worse.
There were numerous times that Pavlovic was sitting by himself in the corner squared up and with hands ready and Hughes just ignored him (best example is game 1 when Pavlovic was the best Cavs player after Gibson and he was still skipped by Hughes all night).

 

[PurpleHaze]

Coach Brown admits "not smart enough" - to start Gibson?

Cavaliers return home searching for answers

Mon Jun 11, 2007 9:41PM EDT
By Steve Ginsburg
CLEVELAND (Reuters) - The Cleveland Cavaliers returned home from their Texas nightmare on Monday desperately searching for ways to crawl back into the NBA finals.
Cleveland were outshot, outhustled and thoroughly outplayed while dropping the first two games of the best-of-seven series on the road to the San Antonio Spurs.
"We just have to figure out that we've got to play harder than what we're playing right now because the effort that we're bringing to the table, the aggression we're bringing to the table and the lack of poise we're having right now just isn't good enough," Cavaliers coach Mike Brown told reporters.
San Antonio's top guns, Tony Parker, Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili, are shredding the Cavaliers' once-proud defense with a combination of power, speed and stylish drives to the hoop.
The trio collectively scored 67 points in the Spurs' 86-75 victory in the series opener and totaled 78 in a 103-92 triumph in Sunday night's game two.
Brown is convinced his crew will regroup for Tuesday's night's game three at the Quicken Loans Arena and give the city of Cleveland a shot at its first pro championship since 1964.
"We've just got to dig within," he said. "I don't have anything magical. I'm not that smart. I wish I was. I wish I had something to give them.
"The one thing I kept preaching to our guys is it's one day, one game at a time, and we've got to continue to play the right way. If we do for as close to 48 minutes as possible, we're going to give ourselves a chance, and that's the bottom line."
If the Cavaliers are going to get back into contention, they will have to find a way to slow Parker down. The diminutive guard is averaging 28 points.
"He's very good, probably the second best point guard we've played in this postseason," said Cleveland's LeBron James.
"Jason Kidd (New Jersey Nets) is one, I think Tony Parker is two. No matter what you do he's going to find a way to get into the paint.
"He can finish over big guys, finish over small guys. They have a great one in Tony Parker for sure."
Parker is convinced the Spurs will not become complacent with a 2-0 lead.
"We have to give them respect," he said. "I'm going to go further than that. Two years ago we won against Detroit by 20 in game two, and in game three we got smashed, we lost by 20, and in game four we lost by 30.
"We need to remember that and learn from our mistakes. I think that's enough to make us get ready."
© Reuters 2006. All rights reserved.

http://www.reuters.com/article/sportsNews/idUSSP14772520070612?feedType=RSS