2015 NBA Finals Thread

Report: Jerry West threatened to resign if Warriors traded Klay Thompson for Kevin Love | ProBasketballTalk


Crazy...


What a difference the finals could be if the Warriors had traded for Love. Assuming Love ended up injured, they'd be down Thompson with nothing to replace him and the Cavs would have Wiggins and Bennett possibly.

Some people wonder if Wiggins was still there in place of Love if the Cavs would win the series. Remove Thompson and add Wiggins to the Cavs and yeah, the Cavs just might beat them. I won't write them off yet I guess but I think GS ultimately wins the title.

If GS wins a title and Jerry West really did that, GS fans should line up to kiss his ass even if it's the only title they win for the rest of Curry's career(I assume GS will keep him til he's washed up at least). If this were Larry Bird doing it and getting the Pacers a championship, I'd be in line to kiss that hairy bum.

Jerry West man... wtf. Dude knew?
 
Report: Jerry West threatened to resign if Warriors traded Klay Thompson for Kevin Love | ProBasketballTalk


Crazy...


What a difference the finals could be if the Warriors had traded for Love. Assuming Love ended up injured, they'd be down Thompson with nothing to replace him and the Cavs would have Wiggins and Bennett possibly.

Some people wonder if Wiggins was still there in place of Love if the Cavs would win the series. Remove Thompson and add Wiggins to the Cavs and yeah, the Cavs just might beat them. I won't write them off yet I guess but I think GS ultimately wins the title.

If GS wins a title and Jerry West really did that, GS fans should line up to kiss his ass even if it's the only title they win for the rest of Curry's career(I assume GS will keep him til he's washed up at least). If this were Larry Bird doing it and getting the Pacers a championship, I'd be in line to kiss that hairy bum.

Jerry West man... wtf. Dude knew?

Jerry West is a strange dude.
 
Jerry West is a strange dude.

I think Golden St would win this series without Thompson, no question. It's not like scribe would be taking his minutes. Livingston is really good, more minutes for Barnes and Iggy.
 
I think Golden St would win this series without Thompson, no question. It's not like scribe would be taking his minutes. Livingston is really good, more minutes for Barnes and Iggy.

But that would also mean the Cavs have Wiggins which even as a rookie, his existence is more valuable than no Love. I actually think the Cavs are doing better because Love is out but I only say that if he logs starter minutes. I know he adds much needed offense but he also makes the defense much worse. Now, if he's an added piece for depth that logs 20-25 instead of 35-45 while the Cavs focus on defense half the game and focus on using him as scoring off the bench, he obviously adds depth but doesn't log an entire game of crap defense. I just question the Cavs defense with Love being that other than Lebron, defense is about all they got. Defense is the one thing Love doesn't have.

But yeah, you'd be taking away Thompson from the Warriors if they had trade for Love while also giving the Cavs Wiggins back. And Bennett... not that he would mean much. That or if the Warriors got Love, the Cavs may have traded Wiggins and or Bennett for another player that would actually be healthy. What I'm saying is, you take away just Thompson and yeah, Warriors still could win the championship against an undermanned Cavs. But take away Thompson and then add an extra man like Wiggins to limited Cavs roster and Wiggins is the 2nd best scorer behind Lebron in the finals and his defense wouldn't be a total liability I wouldn't think. To be fair, I didn't really keep up with his D, just his numbers. He doesn't seem like he'd be just completely horrible though.
 
But that would also mean the Cavs have Wiggins which even as a rookie, his existence is more valuable than no Love. I actually think the Cavs are doing better because Love is out but I only say that if he logs starter minutes. I know he adds much needed offense but he also makes the defense much worse. Now, if he's an added piece for depth that logs 20-25 instead of 35-45 while the Cavs focus on defense half the game and focus on using him as scoring off the bench, he obviously adds depth but doesn't log an entire game of crap defense. I just question the Cavs defense with Love being that other than Lebron, defense is about all they got. Defense is the one thing Love doesn't have.

But yeah, you'd be taking away Thompson from the Warriors if they had trade for Love while also giving the Cavs Wiggins back. And Bennett... not that he would mean much. That or if the Warriors got Love, the Cavs may have traded Wiggins and or Bennett for another player that would actually be healthy. What I'm saying is, you take away just Thompson and yeah, Warriors still could win the championship against an undermanned Cavs. But take away Thompson and then add an extra man like Wiggins to limited Cavs roster and Wiggins is the 2nd best scorer behind Lebron in the finals and his defense wouldn't be a total liability I wouldn't think. To be fair, I didn't really keep up with his D, just his numbers. He doesn't seem like he'd be just completely horrible though.

Wiggins would not be helping much at all, IMO. He can't shoot 3s, he can't score efficiently. He's basically Shumpert right now, he just takes more shots. He has tons of upside but he's not ready to help a team win a title.

Bennett is really bad.
 
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Aside from the fact that Andrew Wiggins had a better per overall than both of them as a rookie while also being the go to guy on his team, the are factors that would improve his play/numbers while that can't be said for Shumpert and JR. If Wiggins had Lebron being the sole focus and Lebron dishing out passes to him, that would have improve Wiggins numbers on the season I'd have to believe. Now, I know Shumpert and Smith didn't play with Lebron the whole time this season but they did play with Carmelo some even when they weren't with Lebron. Another guy that would require more focus rather than Wiggins being the guy defenses keyed in on.

Which brings me to JR Smith and Iman Shumpert in the finals. I don't believe Wiggins could possibly be anywhere as bad as they've been, even though he isn't much of a 3 point shooter as you pointed out as a knock against him.

Shumpert vs. GS in the finals:
5gms
35.6min
6.2pts
4.0rebs
0.8asts
2.2stl
27.0%fg
36.4%3pt
50.0%ft

JR vs. GS in the finals:
5gms
33.6min
10.0pts
4.2rebs
1.0asts
0.8blks
0.4stls
30.6%fg
26.2%3pt
50.0%ft

Wiggins per on the season was barely higher than JR Smith's but the difference is, Wiggins being a rookie most likely improved as the season went on and by seasons end was playing better than his per would indicate.

Wiggins final 13 games of the season:
41.9min
23.2pts
5.8rebs
3.5asts
1.0stls
0.8blks
45.1%fg
74.6%ft

Was he playing GS's defense in those 13 games and was it the finals? No. But, I don't think he could possibly play worse than Smith/Shumpert have and do believe that he'd easily be the 2nd best player on the Cavs in the finals right now on offense with no Irving. So not only do I believe his added body alone for depth would make a difference as opposed to Love who is out entirely, but I don't agree with you at that he'd be on par and play as poorly as Smith and Shumpert have. Also, Cavs might have found another trade over Smith and Shump if they still had Wiggins which could have meant another player(s) who doesn't suck like they have in the finals.

Point is, no Thompson for GS and Wiggins added to CLE, it would give the Cavs a much better chance than they currently have right now imo that's a big swing from one direction to other given the current circumstances of one being fully healthy and the other missing Love/Irving. Even during those last 13 games when Wiggins was playing better, he was averaging 10 free throws per game during that span while Shump and JR are averaging 1.2 ft attempts and 0.4 ft attempts in the finals. You talk of Wiggins lacking the 3 ball unlike them but he can get to the line unlike them. And unlike the 3 ball not falling for Shump and Smith, Wiggins would still be able to get to the line I assume.

If you combine Shump/Smith #'s in the finals...
5 games
69.2min
16.2pts
8.2rebs
1.8asts
1.4blks
2.6stls
29.3%fg
26.2%3pt
50.0%ft (8 combined free throw attempts)

That's really bad. Warriors play great defense but I mean, that's like terrible across the board. I believe Wiggins could at the very least find one area to excel(like getting to the line) in as he gives the Cavs more depth and his job is made easier next to Lebron(as opposed to the T-wolves). It's all subjective and we have not way of knowing but if you were gonna talk about him replacing someone's production, I don't know that I could predict him being anywhere near as bad as those Shump/Smith.
 
Wiggins would not be helping much at all, IMO. He can't shoot 3s, he can't score efficiently. He's basically Shumpert right now, he just takes more shots. He has tons of upside but he's not ready to help a team win a title.

Bennett is really bad.



That wouldn't necessarily matter though. In keeping Wiggins, they could have thrown him in a package for someone else. Obviously there are endless scenarios if the Cavs kept Wiggins. But if we're looking at it from a basic stand point... his extra body alone given the player he is would make a difference. But on top of that, I think he'd be the 2nd best player behind Lebron with Irving out. Then, we're not only talking about giving the Cavs and extra body and what would be their 2nd best scorer/player, but we're also talking about removing Thompson. That's a solid swing each way for those teams in making them closer to be on the same level.
 
Iggy might as well flop.


19 free throw attempts for the Cavs to the Warriors 2... really?
 

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