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Golden State Warriors vs Houston Rockets

This one's really hard to call. On one hand the Rockets have been incredible all season long. The dual point guard experiment has worked, CP3's presence has made James Harden an even better player, with less turnovers and more efficient scoring compared to last season. They are also bolstered by an endless supply of shooters. If there's a way to score 3, this team will find it.

On the other hand, it's hard to overcome the death line-up that is Golden State's big 4. Stephen Curry appears to be 100% now, and Thompson, Durant and Green have all played to their usual high standard in the play-offs too. The key to beating them may be Clint Capela. Golden State must guard him with someone and their choices are a Shaqtin hall of famer, a dirty talentless thug, some old guy who signed to win a ring, or they have Green or Durant play the 5 and hope for the best.

Best of luck Houston. Whatever you do, don't pull a Toronto.

Cleveland Cavaliers vs Boston Celtics

LeBron gets an easy ride to another finals series, yawn. Can we just fast forward to next seas- wait, the Celtics blew them out!? So, yeah, when I said the Celtics were a dead team walking, I don't think anyone was expecting them to pull a Vegas Golden Knights and defy all logic. This sort of play-off performance might be an omen of the zombie apocalypse. I'll be in my bunker.

The Vegas comparison is apt here, as there isn't a single key to their success to point to. Horford has been very efficient, and Rozier has thrived in Irving's absence, whilst Brown and Tatum haven't let inexperience hamper them. Their clutch performance was key in the Sixers series; they were down by 4 with under 2 minutes to play in games 3 and 5. They won both, turning what could've been a 3-2 series deficit into a 4-1 win.

As for the Cavs, we pretty much know the game plan for them. LeBron or bust. But victory is far from assured because now they're playing a team that actually has a gameplan to stop him. Dwane Casey was fired recently and honestly, I think it makes sense because the Raptors need a play-off coach, one like Brad Stevens who has already made me eat shit twice in these play-offs.

Last edited by Jay (OTT) at 5/14/2018 1:31:36 AM

Whatever you do Phily, do not sign LeBron. LeBron's presence at a franchise completely changes the direction of that franchise for better or worse. But right now, the direction the Sixers are headed is the right one. You may have choked against the Celtics in 5, but you still won 52 games and have two future superstars in Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons.

If you want to sign a marquee free agent... make it Paul George. He would replace J.J Reddick and give you a deadly tall ball starting 5. And unlike LeBron he may buy into being the second option on offence, as he's already been through that with OKC and Westbrook.

I think the teams that really need LeBron and have the pulling power to get him are the Bulls and Lakers. The Knicks too, if Kanter declines his player option. Pacers and Mavericks have an outside chance at getting him also. Now watch both players take their player options rendering these last three paragraphs moot XD

I hadn't paid that much attention to Embiid running his mouth. Again, hard to follow the NBA from the opposite side of the world. Maybe that's also why we only hear about Simmons sometimes instead of all the time over here, though there was a 60 minutes special on him recently after they beat the Heat.

Meanwhile, Luka Doncic just won MVP and the championship in a league of professionals but sure, keep saying the Ayton is the better choice at #1 US media...

Four games couldn't separate them in either series. The Celtics had a chance to go up 3-1 but their defence was very sloppy on the road. The Rockets meanwhile played a brilliant fourth quarter to take back home court advantage in what is now a best of three series.

Rockets-Celtics was actually my finals pick last year (I pick with the heart, not the head), so I definitely want to see it happen this year too. Make game 5 count, anti Cavs-Warriors army!

We had a mathematical 93.75% chance of getting something different in the finals at one point. Then both teams we needed to see win blew it. Could've been a play-offs we would look back on fondly, but now it's all just as big a waste of time as the last one.

ALL IS LOST ALL IS LOST ALL IS LOST ALL IS LOST ALL IS LOST ALL IS LOST ALL IS LOST ALL IS LOST ALL IS LOST ALL IS LOST ALL IS LOST ALL IS LOST ALL IS LOST ALL IS LOST ALL IS LOST ALL IS LOST ALL IS LOST ALL IS LOST ALL IS LOST ALL IS LOST ALL IS LOST ALL IS LOST ALL IS LOST ALL IS LOST ALL IS LOST ALL IS LOST ALL IS LOST ALL IS LOST

Nothing to see here guys. Go watch the Capitals vs Golden Knights series instead.

Last edited by Jay (OTT) at 5/29/2018 12:29:51 AM

Yep, got no real interest in this final series at all.

State of Origin next week though

QUEENSLANDER !!!!

:D :D

George Hill missed the free throw but the whole world blaming on JR Smith...

That win and that performance by LBJ would've heated up GOAT discussions.