In search of Larry O'Brien: 2015 NBA Playoffs

[DG_ThenNowForever]

Matthew Dellavedova is the second-best player on the court.

Okay, maybe fourth or fifth.

EDIT: Oh, great. Another AWFUL call against the Cavs with the game on the line.

EDIT: Thank goodness they reversed it, but it shouldn't have even gotten to the point of needing review. Get your :censored: together refs.

[See Red]

This officiating in this series has been a complete disaster. How do they give Golden State the ball there?

[Rockstar Matt]

I really don't know what constitutes a foul in the NBA anymore. There were several plays on both sides where I thought something should have been called a foul that wasn't or where something was called a foul that didn't look like one.

[dfwabel]

[DaRadniz29]

Well, yeah it was stupid to call it in the first place, but they eventually corrected it and gave it to the Cavs, so...

While it seems like the Cavs are getting shafted in the fouls and in some cases they, but I'd argue that Dellavedova gets away with way too much on ball denial. Curry has been grabbed, bumped, etc. and the refs let it go. Sure bumping him I'd let go, but grabbing his arm on multiple occasions is almost always a foul. So I think the non-calls get evened out, however both sides are getting shafted by the supposedly best refs in the league. For example - Green goes up and tries to get the foul, but Mozgov goes straight up and no call - okay fine. On the other end, Cavaliers players go to rim and the Warriors players go straight up and they get called for the foul.

I'm not saying the officiating cost the Warriors or the Cavs, the Warriors missed open looks and Cleveland got hot, I'm just saying I can see inconsistencies.

Also dear Breen, Van Gundy and Jackson - I don't care what the score is as long as the Warriors are within striking distance or in the lead late in the fourth. It could be 32-32 and with three minutes remaining in the 4th Quarter - I'd take it. Wouldn't feel too good about the Warriors shooting but I'd take it.

[Unocal]

I have no idea what to make anymore of basketball.

Team basketball is getting beaten by LeBron and a bunch of guys.

Let's face it- Dellevedova wouldn't play this hard in Toronto. He goes as LeBron goes.

Curry- I don't know. Looked awful, found his stroke late, made some mistakes. Do I sell Steph stock?

All I know is that 1964 be damned, it's so hard to root for these Cavs.

[See Red]

I have no idea what to make anymore of basketball.

Team basketball is getting beaten by LeBron and a bunch of guys.

Let's face it- Dellevedova wouldn't play this hard in Toronto. He goes as LeBron goes.

Curry- I don't know. Looked awful, found his stroke late, made some mistakes. Do I sell Steph stock?

All I know is that 1964 be damned, it's so hard to root for these Cavs.

Play this hard? I don't know about that. Granted, I knew nothing about the guy until the Bulls series, but he doesn't seem like a guy who's going to go out and not play his hardest.

I don't know how it's hard to root for the Cavs. I really like Dellavedova... and watching LeBron carry this team to a championship? That would be awesome to see and probably define his career.

[Unocal]

I am officially selling my Steph Curry stock.

[Rockstar Matt]

I have no idea what to make anymore of basketball.

Team basketball is getting beaten by LeBron and a bunch of guys.

Let's face it- Dellevedova wouldn't play this hard in Toronto. He goes as LeBron goes.

Curry- I don't know. Looked awful, found his stroke late, made some mistakes. Do I sell Steph stock?

All I know is that 1964 be damned, it's so hard to root for these Cavs.

Play this hard? I don't know about that. Granted, I knew nothing about the guy until the Bulls series, but he doesn't seem like a guy who's going to go out and not play his hardest.

I don't know how it's hard to root for the Cavs. I really like Dellavedova... and watching LeBron carry this team to a championship? That would be awesome to see and probably define his career.

He's just salty. Salty about what, I can't say, probably anything to do with sports. Maybe he didn't get picked for a pick-up team way back and swore to get revenge on anybody who attempts to enjoy sports by trying to dull any conversation pertaining to sports.

This is the first Finals I can remember where I'm okay with either team winning the title. With that said, I am pulling for the Cavaliers even though I initially wanted to root for the Warriors. To me, these Cavaliers are very likable. I, too, really like Dellavedova. Maybe he speaks to the awkward white guy, basketball player in me, but he's fun. Also, what LeBron is doing is nothing short of extraordinary. If he and the Cavs somehow, someway, manage to win two more games, this will have to go down as one of the greatest performances of all-time by a single player. He could potentially be the first player since Jerry West to win the Finals MVP on the losing team too.

[Lee Noire]

That intro sequence was really something. Very cool.

It appeared to start on the floor, but did it stay there? I got lost. It was cool.

It stayed on the floor, but eventually these digital video boards came into play and guys wheeling props in and out of frame. It's hard to explain.

LeBron puts up 40 again and almost gets another triple double. This guy is ridiculous. Delly is really messing up LeBron's "but did MJ lead a team of leftovers to a championship" thing. I'm sure LeBron won't complain though.

[Lights Out]

Honestly, if the Cavs finish this off, are there really any arguments left for Jordan being better than LeBron? Jordan had stacked teams and the greatest coach in NBA history when he rang, and couldn't even get past the first round when he had supporting casts and coaches of the quality that LeBron has been dragging to the Finals.

[dfwabel]

GSW had 4 fast break points tonight. 4!

Draymond Green is saying his fall in Q3 of Game 2 is giving him back pain he's never experienced before and his back is locking up.

[DG_ThenNowForever]

Wade interviewing LeBron is pretty cool. ESPN does good stuff sometimes.

[TheRicSlick]

I am officially selling my Steph Curry stock.

After two bad games? Don't keep in mind his MVP regular season, no, just his two bad Finals games.

Anyway, Curry will bounce back.... eventually.

[Unocal]

I am officially selling my Steph Curry stock.

After two bad games? Don't keep in mind his MVP regular season, no, just his two bad Finals games.

Anybody can be great in the regular season. See James Harden.

Plus, after all, it's apparent that LeBron is invincible. Finals experience, can do what he wants.

[OnWis97]

Honestly, if the Cavs finish this off, are there really any arguments left for Jordan being better than LeBron? Jordan had stacked teams and the greatest coach in NBA history when he rang, and couldn't even get past the first round when he had supporting casts and coaches of the quality that LeBron has been dragging to the Finals.

Jordan better will be the majority opinion and 6-0 vs. 3-3 will be the primary argument.

I am not saying I agree, as there is much nuance/circumstances in those records, but not only will most consider Bron behind Jordan, but behind Kobe too.

[Sport]

Honestly, if the Cavs finish this off, are there really any arguments left for Jordan being better than LeBron? Jordan had stacked teams and the greatest coach in NBA history when he rang, and couldn't even get past the first round when he had supporting casts and coaches of the quality that LeBron has been dragging to the Finals.

Of course there's arguments left for Jordan. Such as the Eastern Conference playoff field was never this bad when Jordan had to play by himself.

[NJTank]

Let's rename SportsCenter to The Lebron Hour, With A Hint of Steph Curry!

To be fair, LeBron is having an unbelievable Finals right now and Curry just came off of the 3rd worst game (shooting wise) by a MVP in NBA Finals history.

He's put up good stats, but his shooting last game wasn't much to brag about. It wasn't completely atrocious, but it wasn't great. But no one really shot well Game 2, as you all know.

Through the first two games, LeBron is putting up one of the most impressive Finals performances of all time. Focusing on the stat line is missing the forest for the trees.

FYP

[NJTank]

The Cavaliers are just playing with all heart now.

NOBODY EVER SHOULD CRITICIZE LEBRON AGAIN!!!

What LeBron is doing against a more talented team with the Cavs second and third best players is nothing short of amazing. If they win this, it will go down as the greatest playoff performance in NBA history. He is averaging 41 points so far in the Finals. He looks like he is about to collapse at the end of each game as he is playing so hard and giving so much you just know when this is over he is not getting out of bed for three weeks.

Then you Matthew Delladanova. This looks like the 12th man on the bench of some fan given one chance to play and he is diving hustling playing great defense and crashing the boards. He is small he is slow and he is stealing the show. Amazing

I understand people hate LeBron, but damn if you dont have a team in this series How can you not root for this Cavs team?

[Rockstar Matt]

Honestly, if the Cavs finish this off, are there really any arguments left for Jordan being better than LeBron? Jordan had stacked teams and the greatest coach in NBA history when he rang, and couldn't even get past the first round when he had supporting casts and coaches of the quality that LeBron has been dragging to the Finals.

Jordan better will be the majority opinion and 6-0 vs. 3-3 will be the primary argument.

I am not saying I agree, as there is much nuance/circumstances in those records, but not only will most consider Bron behind Jordan, but behind Kobe too.

This Kobe fan thinks LeBron is better than Kobe. They're different types of players though, but as a whole, LeBron has to be considered one of the top 5 players of all-time and better than Kobe was. Don't get me wrong, Kobe is one of the greatest scorers of all-time and to me, well-rounded enough to be one of the top 10 players of all-time. LeBron is just better though.