Live Thread: Cavs @ Warriors, NBA Finals Game 5
2016-06-13
So much for a quiet NBA Finals. What had been a fairly calm—if not overly exciting—series between the Cleveland Cavaliers and Golden State Warriors took a turn towards insanity with the league office issuing a Flagrant-One foul to Warriors forward Draymond Green for his shot to the groin of LeBron James near the end of Game Four. Because Green has earned his fourth flagrant foul point of the playoffs he was automatically suspended Game Five, which takes place tonight at the Oracle Arena. As soon as this happened, the war of word commenced.
Klay Thompson on LeBron & trash talk: "I'm surprised some guys take it so personal. It's a man's league. I guess his feelings got hurt."
— Rachel Nichols (@Rachel__Nichols) June 12, 2016
LeBron James says he won't comment on Klay Thompson saying he got his feelings hurt in trash talk. "It's so hard to take the high road," LJ.
— Marc J. Spears (@MarcJSpears) June 12, 2016
High Road. invisible bridge used to step over said person when open floor is available left to right.
— Ayesha Curry (@ayeshacurry) June 12, 2016
More Mo Speights on LeBron: "A guy does something like that, you kind of lose respect for him. I had a lot of… https://t.co/U84nQK6SS1
— Ethan Strauss (@SherwoodStrauss) June 12, 2016
🍼
— Marreese Speights (@Mospeights16) June 12, 2016
Andrew Bogut says he's never heard a team complain so much about fouls and yet #Cavs shot more free throws than them through four games.
— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) June 12, 2016
New Story: Warriors essentially accused #Cavs of snitching and the response? "I don't give a f— what they say." https://t.co/0HX2idnYdm
— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) June 13, 2016
That’s a lot of noise, but guess what? None of it matters. It’s all window dressing. What matters is the 48 minutes of basketball that will take place tonight in Oakland. What matters is that the Warriors have been outscored when Green is not on the floor during the playoffs. What matters is that the Warriors will likely give even more minutes to Andre Iguodala and Shaun Livingston with Green out. What matters is that it just became a bit easier to play Kevin Love and Kyrie Irving in this series. What matters is that the Cavaliers need to start moving the basketball after going iso-happy in the second half of Game Four. Kyrie Irving needs to give a crap on defense for a whole 48 minutes and not just when he wants to.
Views on how tonight’s game will go vary wildly among basketball analysts. Some see Green’s suspension galvanizing the Warriors as they win their second consecutive championship, while others feel the window has been opened for the Cavaliers to get the series back to Cleveland. The only consensus seems to be that, whether or not the Cavaliers win tonight, the championship will belong to the Warriors.
That’s sound logic, but fans don’t have to be logical. Fans find reasons to support their teams no matter what. I have yet to recap a Cavalier loss in this year’s playoffs, and I don’t plan on starting now. Go Cavs.
I mean the Cavs have to be a very patient bunch of guys. They get fouled hard and don’t respond. The Cavs need an enforcer.
Warriors fans outwardly cheering violent fouls…
No draymond. No kev i guess
https://twitter.com/ESPNNBA/status/742527950562680832
I hope he can pass Bird on the number of championships though..
The Dubs will use this coming flagrant as ‘motivation’, since they apparently need phony ‘motivation’ to even step on the court
We need to box out and clean up the d glass
JR with a nice and-one.
https://vine.co/v/iLT7jKzxzDV
Iggy scores on a put back. LeBron’s 100th missed box out of the playoffs.
Flagrant, although the Dub babies won’t like it
Oh hey Iggy is coming alive good. /s
Well other than the curry threes everything has been at the bucket for the warriors
Warriors look big, mean and nasty tonight.
Hate this lineup.
LeBron with a 3 from somewhere other than his happy spot:
https://vine.co/v/iLT77KrQg9O
Ok time to put Kev on center make them pay off Ezeli.
We’re getting fouls called we NEED to capitalize on it.
Kyrie reverse. On pace for the 40 Cols predicted.
https://vine.co/v/iLTW9urwuWq
Bogut must have been taught arm bars and nothing else in youth basketball.
How are people not pointing out how much the Warriors are crying over this? Dude goes after players nuts and keeps getting caught on camera doing it.
It’s really incredible. I’ve never seen a team, ever, cry so much about anything.
And all over someone who 10 times over deserved his freaking suspension.
THAT IS THE POINT people are missing. All day at work I am telling folks that the punch to LBJ’s junk was NOT the reason. He should have been suspended in the OKC series
#Goldenbabies. #Nbaisabusiness
Time to sit Kev?
Turnover No. 5 in the first 4 minutes.
WHEN ARE THE CAVS GOING TO LEARN TO STOP POSTING UP IGUODALA? It hasn’t worked in two #%#%?!# years!!
Who cares if the freaking Dubs are angry? They’re ALWAYS freaking angry. They are going to die on Braymond Green Hill? Pathetic.
Offense – will they ever run the offense. Ove the ball .. Do something other than indiv play
speechless. How do you not come out on fire this game
Great 4 TOs already.
Horrible. Nice to see that GS came to play w. Fire.
Jr is asleep. Lebron awful again.
This is shaping up to be a blood bath. Fired up Warriors > any Cavs lineup.
Why are the Cavs so lethargic on offense. MOVE. MOVE THE BALL AND CUT
Should have never gotten off the plane if this is the shit they are going to bring to the table.
Well warriors getting right into the paint. That is not good.
Love has to close there and contest that shot under the basket.
Not a good start already…
Well that sucked. LeBron horrible so far. Get him off the ball.
JR having a tough start to the game
Love has to pass out of that double
Don’t let Klay and Steph get hot.
What’s with these jersies? Aren’t they responsible for terrible play all season?
Kyrie on the board
https://vine.co/v/iLTuQdvp2tl
Flippity flop
LeBron usually shows up when the fans are this boisterous against him
Cannot let Thompson be that wide open on a three but might not matter if curry goes nova
Is Love gonna touch the ball?
Excellent flop. Steph
They’re booing James because they can’t boo Bray, I guess…they’ve really bought into the BS narrative, pretty hilarious…
The highlights package just showed exclusively accident contact by the Cavs against the Warriors. Unreal abc
HEY GUYS —–JUST GOT BACK HOME FROM A VERY SPECIAL WEEK AT MY SON’S WEDDING / OUR ( MRS NOMAD ‘S ) 2ND HONEYMOON—-ONE OF THE SONGS AT THE WEDDING WAS EDWARD SHARPS ” HOME ” WHICH I WAS JUST PLAYING —I AM NOW ” HOME ” WITH MY CTB BROTHER’S —-NOW LET’S GO KICK SOME ASS !! AND BRING GAME 6 ” HOME “—-MISSED YOU GUYS BUT SORRY GUYS YOU YOU GUYS RANK BEHIND MY SON’S WEDDING AND THE MRS NOMAD’S “2ND ” HONEYMOON —-
Congrats on both! We missed you
Congratulations sir!!
Draymond next door channeling his frustration. http://i.imgur.com/6A06S6r.gif
Don’t ever, ever compare Ali to him. Ever.
Joke, of course.
I don’t think I’ve ever been so nervous for a game. Seems like a lot on the line. Hope for the best.
Haha. Understatement…
Hope they just play hard. No pressure. Everyone in the world expect cavs to lose. Just come out, play hard, and don’t spaz when things go tough
True, they got nothing to lose at this point. All I want to see is focus and energy for 48 minutes.
Let’s take this one and play with some damn toughness !!!
We must protect 3 pt line. Steph and klay will look to light it up early. We need game 1 defense against those two and pur big 3 need 20 pt plus each
I don’t think we’ll pull this off, but it’s not impossible.
Game 5: If the Cavs stay in it mentally – a big if – they’re just flat-out better than the Warriors without Draymond.
Game 6: Win at home.
Game 7: You have the best player in the last 20 years with a shot at something no one has ever done (down 3-1 in Finals) and another guy who can be the best player in any given game in this series. Puncher’s chance.
LeBron looks annoyed. This is good.
I think we get this one. Game 6 in Cleveland will be epic
I never liked California.
Man do the Warriors run their mouths.
Even father warriors do. Smh
It’s almost unbelievable.
Let’s go Cavs!!
Love starting for Cavs.
Me personally I will watch this game as long as the Cavs have a chance. I’m not planning on watching no Warriors celebrations.
Guess they started Iggy.
https://twitter.com/YourManDevine/status/742515255314649088
https://twitter.com/BenGolliver/status/742513790051180545
If I was LBJ I would be questioning myself
“is it really worth it making the finals each year? “
Wow. I think all this talk coming from the Warriors brought me to a new level of dislike towards them.
Cavs the Blog is 100% the best.
Even though Nate gets mad at me.
Before this finals series began my level of empathy towards the Warriors was at level 5 I would say but after game 4 it has reach level 10. They are so freaking cocky and arrogant but like coach Lue said players can talk all they want after they win and the Cavs can get mad about it but the real question is what are the Cavs going to do tonight? I just hope that they compete like hell and at least make it a good one.
https://twitter.com/oldseaminer/status/742511512674283520
Why the black sleeves? Who made that decision? All I want to know is who mades that decision?
I’ll give you a hand in killing that guy who made that decision and the guy who even thought about making f@cking sleeve jerseys in the first place..
Good point lol
Maybe it will be his equivalent of the flu game?
Just watched a highlight reel of illegal bogut screens.
Think the cavs just have to start doing the same things and put the onus on the refs. If the refs give us a double standard, so be it. It will look really bad if the cavs were to submit game film of a single game to the league of pulling the same shenanigans the warriors do but only one side gets called.
I feel little excitement for this game. Just hope the Cavs play hard and don’t get blown out by an anger and apparently very motivated GSW team.
Yeah, they will have to come out with a ton of intensity and focus. They cannot make mental mistakes tonight.
I agree. Which means we are probably screwed.
Never over til it’s over. Green being out does help us tactically.
Angry… Warriors are good at motivating themselves through perceived slights.
Posted this in the other thread, but all this crap is so junior high emo. Grow the F up, everyone. And especially Klay – you were just a few days ago crying like a ‘b’ about a common foul. GS is good, but they all take their cue from Green’s big mouth – STFU off the court, and on the court, and play the gd game.
Let’s go Cavs! Looking for one straight! Win game five. Game five is all that matters.
Man I’m not sure I’m in the mood to see a Cavs’team like the one that played games 1, 2 and 4… I guess I still have two hours to make my mind up.