NBA: *** Official 2015 NBA Playoffs Thread ***
- Thread starter CycloneRulzzz
- Start date
That's tough for the Cavs, but injuries happen. I doubt they'll get much sympathy from the Bulls of all teams. All Cleveland can do now is hope that the Bucks can extend their first round series with Chicago to at least six games.
I think the JR Smith suspension could be just as damaging to the Cavs, especially if he gets 3 games or something. The Cavs are just fine playing small with LeBron at the 4 for extended minutes, but if you have to give James Jones or Delladova serious minutes on the wing now, that could be trouble. It's getting to that time of year where Mike Miller will show up and have a 16 point game out of nowhere but he usually saves that for the conference finals or later.
Every time I saw any of this series it was extremely physical. Lebron was just hacking all over the place on defense then when he gets called for one foul goes into cry baby mode.
Oh, can't believe I slept on Mike Miller. He is just about to start his annual May/June onslaught. But yeah, the JR Smith deal could hurt them considerably.
I've watched the replay a couple times; my guess is that the league is going to hand out a one or two game suspension. Three seems a bit harsh when you consider that it wasn't completely unprovoked. As several posters have stated, the refs let that game get out of hand and that was a contributing factor. Crowder was pushing him in the back and although that doesn't absolve Smith for his actions, it should be taken into account when the league makes a decision.
What I watched, Crowder pushed someone in the back virtually every time the ball came off the boards.
Not condoning it but eventually someone's going to give it back in a physical way in big boy BB.
Looks like Smith got two games, I thought maybe three based on getting suspended for hitting a guy in the face in the playoffs almost exactly two years ago, thought the league might ding him for being a repeat offender. The Bulls couldn't ask for a better situation, they need to steal one of these first two while the Cavs are short handed.
Yeah, golden opportunity for Chicago. Lebron will have to carry the Cavs. Again. I guess some things never change.
There was a lot of pushing and shoving by everyone in that series. I'm all for physical basketball, but the refs let it get out of hand. Like you said, I don't condone Smith's actions but it's not like it came out of nowhere. Sooner or later someone was going to lose their cool. it just happened to be Smith.
It's sure a fine line officiating what's supposed to be a non-physical game that turns ultra-physical in the playoffs.
I'm sure Tyson Chandler doesn't consider taking a swing at Dwight Howard more than a dozen times a game.
I liked the Cavs throwing Perkins out there just to knock some dudes around. That's the playoff role he should be used for, not playing 28 mins a night clogging up the lane for OKC. Perkins might not be good at basketball, but he's definitely not someone to **** with.
Love is a huge loss but Bulls fans are probably the last fans who want to listen to injury excuses. I seriously think it's been about a decade since the Bulls have been as healthy as they are right now. If it were any team but the Bulls facing them (both because I'm a fan and our own horrible injury streaks) I'd be snickering about how lucky that is.
Figures Chicago will be the first team to blow a 3-0 series lead in the NBA. Cavs fans can rest easy.
