Warriors 122 Cavaliers 103 - NBA Finals Game 2

[bugatti]

This article from today explains it well. It doesn't take a world-class GM to know that the Cavs' roster is not great. So when called upon to deliver, it is to be expected they may not perform as if they are all-star caliber players. They've in fact bombed at time. But, it also explains how LeBron has created his own mess, but by doing so he has set himself up to be in a no-lose situation. He loses, he didn't have enough help. He wins, he is the greatest player of all time. I think this is a fair article. You?

 

As I have also maintained, I have never taken issue with the power LeBron has. But it is also shows the problem you have when you give this much power to a single player.

 

How Much Is LeBron James to Blame for His Supporting Cast’s Failures? - The Ringer

 

Now, it’s tough to identify a part of the Cavs’ basketball operation that isn’t dictated by James’s preferences. In 2015, he needled the organization into handing Tristan Thompson an onerous five-year, $82 million contract. That same year, it became clear LeBron liked assistant coach Tyronn Lue more than head coach David Blatt, with James famously ignoring a Blatt play call before hitting a game-winner in a playoff game against the Bulls. Unsurprisingly, Blatt was fired and Lue promoted to the top job in January 2016. James publicly meddled with another free-agency decision the following offseason, urging the Cavs to give Smith a four-year, $57 million contract. While ensuring his team would handsomely pay some of its midtier talents, his connection with his costar weakened: Nobody has claimed that LeBron’s relationship with Irving is the primary reason Irving demanded a trade, but it seems odd that a player who once orchestrated an alliance of superstars lost the allegiance of his best teammate.

The products of the 2017 Irving trade, Isaiah Thomas and Jae Crowder, didn’t get along with LeBron either; soon, both were shipped out of town as part of a series of trade-deadline deals that were spurred by James’s dissatisfaction with Cleveland’s roster. And finally, instead of the Cavs using the 15th and final spot on their 2018 playoff roster on a player who could provide bench minutes, LeBron pushed the team to give the spot to Kendrick Perkins, who played AAU ball with James in high school and has taken to whispering compliments into his ear. (Literally.)

When Lue makes questionable decisions, remember that he’s the coach James wanted. When Smith ruins late-game possessions and Thompson appears to have no real use on the floor, remember those are players James wanted. When Jordan Clarkson falters and Rodney Hood fails to even crack Cleveland’s rotation, keep in mind that those are the guys the Cavaliers traded for due to James’s midseason malaise. The team’s general lack of depth stems from overpayments to players like Smith and Thompson, contracts that were offered to appease LeBron.

As we consider James’s legacy—and that’s seemingly all basketball fans want to do at any given moment—we need to consider the size of the hills he’s had to climb. In Cleveland, he has helped create those hills.

[GrantNKY]

Then maybe don't try to secretly trade on of the 15 best players in the league and then he wanted out after he finds out. :idunno:

The Cavs are the one of the worst organizations in the sport.

[futurecoach]

Of course every player can get in a rythym more with the ball in their hands. But Lebron has shown time and time again that he wants to be a facilitator. You have to possess the ability and drive to move without the ball to play with Lebron. How many wide open threes did James set up his teammates with in games 1 and 2 that they missed? It seemed like a hundred. Relative to other great teams in the league, this team is a bunch of scrubs. It’s Lebron, Kevin Love and a bunch of dudes that you can literally swap with any other roster in the league and be in the exact same spot.

 

Disagree you put this roster on the Warriors and the offense they play. And these scrubs as you say look much better. Shoot after Curry, Thompson, and Durant. There is no one else on the Warriors who people would say is a good scorer. But yet with the Warriors these other role players seem to do well. Look at their role players these last 4 years, it keeps changing and they all produce no matter who they put with their core. It's because even the role players even tough the ball because the ball doesn't stay still in a one pass offense which is the one LeBron runs. Their is also constant moving, screening, back screening, etc. So all these role players get in a rhythm with the Warriors.

 

Check out the espn article. It even shows majority players decline when playing with LeBron. It's not just these scrubs as you say. So yes they miss open threes. But they also are not in a rhythm because of that offense.

 

Imo the Warriors have one more player than the Cavs and that's Thompson. You switch every other player on the two teams and have LeBron and Love with the rest of the Warriors. And the rest of the Cavs besides LeBron and Love join Curry, Durant, and Thompson. And those scrubs as you say probably thrive with the Warriors system. While all the Warriors role players including Green probably look like Scrubs with LeBron in that system.

 

I know I sound like I'm putting LeBron down. I don't mean to. He is the best in the world. And in the conversation as best ever. I just truly think the reason why it's every year of LeBron needs more help is because it's self conflicted because of the style he needs to play at to dominate. Is not the best for others to play at their best.

[GrantNKY]

Disagree you put this roster on the Warriors and the offense they play. And these scrubs as you say look much better. Shoot after Curry, Thompson, and Durant. There is no one else on the Warriors who people would say is a good scorer. But yet with the Warriors these other role players seem to do well. Look at their role players these last 4 years, it keeps changing and they all produce no matter who they put with their core. It's because even the role players even tough the ball because the ball doesn't stay still in a one pass offense which is the one LeBron runs. Their is also constant moving, screening, back screening, etc. So all these role players get in a rhythm with the Warriors.

 

Check out the espn article. It even shows majority players decline when playing with LeBron. It's not just these scrubs as you say. So yes they miss open threes. But they also are not in a rhythm because of that offense.

 

Imo the Warriors have one more player than the Cavs and that's Thompson. You switch every other player on the two teams and have LeBron and Love with the rest of the Warriors. And the rest of the Cavs besides LeBron and Love join Curry, Durant, and Thompson. And those scrubs as you say probably thrive with the Warriors system. While all the Warriors role players including Green probably look like Scrubs with LeBron in that system.

 

I know I sound like I'm putting LeBron down. I don't mean to. He is the best in the world. And in the conversation as best ever. I just truly think the reason why it's every year of LeBron needs more help is because it's self conflicted because of the style he needs to play at to dominate. Is not the best for others to play at their best.

I honestly think there is such a disparity between the caliber of role player the warriors have vs the caliber of role players the Cavs have. I understand the system the warriors run is unique and a lot of it has to do with drafting players into that system and developing them all together, but at the end of the day the league is about the players and the supporting cast on the Warriors is in a different stratosphere than the Cavs IMO.

[futurecoach]

I honestly think there is such a disparity between the caliber of role player the warriors have vs the caliber of role players the Cavs have. I understand the system the warriors run is unique and a lot of it has to do with drafting players into that system and developing them all together, but at the end of the day the league is about the players and the supporting cast on the Warriors is in a different stratosphere than the Cavs IMO.

 

JR, Korver, Hood, Thompson probably would all thrive as role players with the Warriors. Iggy, Mcgee, Livingston, and even Green probably look like Scrubs and a bad bunch of role players playing with LeBron in his system.

 

At the end of the day the Warriors have only one more true good player more than the Cavs and that's Thompson. Other than that supporting cast wise they are similar. Except the Warriors make its role players play at a better level.