Breaking Down the Degree of Difficulty on Kyrie Irving's 20 FGs in his 57-point Game

[RedBlackAttack]

Really interesting article on sbnation today. It breaks down all of Irving's 20 made field goals and rates them by degree of difficulty. Interesting read...


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Kyrie Irving's insane clutch shots, graded
By Mike Prada
@MikePradaSBN on Mar 13, 2015, 10:32a


It's not just that Kyrie Irving scored 57 points against the Spurs. It's that he did so on incredibly difficult shots.


Kyrie Irving didn't just score 57 points to lead the Cavaliers to an incredible comeback victory over the Spurs. He scored 57 points against one of the league's best defenses without really having any good looks.

In celebration of this performance, we'd like to show you just how difficult each of Irving's 20 made field goals actually were. Without further ado:

https://cdn0.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/2cCKwsK_nfJUwIU4bVzlvfyhMXk=/800x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn0.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/3500218/Screen_Shot_2015-03-13_at_7.51.23_AM.0.png

THE TIME: 11:23 left in the first quarter.

THE PLAY: With nothing else developing, Irving bounces the ball to Kevin Love in the high post before peeling off a flare screen by Timofey Mozgov. Tony Parker goes underneath the screen with plans to meet Irving closer to the basket should he fade to the corner. The defensive plan works, but Irving calmly jabs into Parker's legs and nails the 14-foot stepback jumper. Textbook.

ANNOUNCERS: "From outside, and ... ties the game at two. Kyrie Irving hitting it over Tony Parker." - Kevin Harlan

DEGREE OF DIFFICULTY: 6 out of 10.


https://cdn2.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/K69Srw8OtvuytFLny14u8yKp5SI=/800x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn0.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/3500326/Screen_Shot_2015-03-13_at_7.52.10_AM.0.png

THE TIME: 3:43 left in the first quarter.

THE PLAY: The Cavaliers sent Love to screen for Irving going right towards the sidelines. Boris Diaw steps out in an attempt to trap Irving given the circumstances, but he pulls away once Love fades to the 3-point line. (Turns out Kevin Love in a pick and roll scares defenses after all. Maybe try that sometimes Cavs!)

Parker does a good job to stay with the play, but Irving gets his shoulders in front and dribbles directly into his path going back to the middle, a common practice known as "snaking." That takes Parker out of the play and gets Irving into the middle of the paint. Tim Duncan would normally come and challenge Irving here, but Mozgov positions himself between Duncan and Irving, essentially boxing him out from helping. All that's left is a left-handed floater that very few players can make.

ANNOUNCERS: "(mid-ramble about Tim Duncan playing through injury) Here's Irving, with a nice pop by (pause) by Mozgov, who kind of backpeddaled his way into setting the screen." - Kevin Harlan

"That was nice of Mozgov setting the little screen there. (Starts analyzing the great Tim Duncan play on the previous possession)." - Chris Webber

DEGREE OF DIFFICULTY: 7 out of 10 for the whole sequence. All the great point guards snake dribble, but few do it in that little space.


https://cdn3.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/vpnSME8XU11gLBs2UyCN0yVVmUs=/800x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn0.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/3500338/Screen_Shot_2015-03-13_at_8.04.53_AM.0.png

THE TIME: 2:06 left in the first quarter.

THE PLAY: We often take Irving's greatest skill for granted: his ability to score around the basket. Irving can't jump like Russell Westbrook, John Wall or Derrick Rose, so he relies on his touch to finish against bigger players. Look at that screenshot again. You can barely see him because Tiago Splitter has shielded his body like a New York City skyscraper, yet Irving is still able to flip a left-handed shot off the wrong foot softly onto the rim for the score. (That's his off-hand, by the way).

The setup is equally impressive. The Cavaliers run a pick-and-roll at the top of the key where a man screens James Jones, who then screens for Irving. Here, both players make an instinctual play that only the smartest pros make. Irving baits Parker into thinking he's going right, then delivers a vicious crossover to go the opposite way. As he does that, Jones shifts positions so that he's now blocking Parker's path to recover from having his ankles broken. Jones' man, Diaw, is completely out of position because he's preparing to trap Irving going right, so Kyrie has a free run down the lane.

https://cdn1.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/MnCRe3NqIB_GEAX1DR_agGhjyck=/800x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn0.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/3500358/Screen_Shot_2015-03-13_at_8.10.22_AM.0.png


ANNOUNCERS: "Look at the moves by Irving inside!" - Harlan

"His ball-handling is just ridiculous. He really has the ball on a string. You see all the kids with the ball now with plastic bags over the ball because Kyrie Irving has such great handles to beat the trap." - Chris Webber

(If you're confused, this refers to an actual workout (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mg0OorxiGc0) Irving's made famous (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lVHghz4jCfI)).

DEGREE OF DIFFICULTY: 9 out of 10.


https://cdn0.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/2A9NnjHtURCnyQTSH5-8cIdg5QI=/800x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn0.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/3500416/Screen_Shot_2015-03-13_at_8.15.15_AM.0.png

THE TIME: 6:48 left in the second quarter.

THE PLAY: Nothing fancy. Just a pull-up 19-foot jumper off a Mozgov screen.

ANNOUNCERS: "MMMM." - Harlan

(Charles Barkley finishes extended Spurs thoughts)

"Irving picks up the basket right there. He's got eight. David Blatt said that Tuesday in Dallas, he played a beautiful game against the Mavs." - Harlan

"He did play a beautiful game. Actually, this whole team to me showed their composure, showed they're really ready to gear back up." - Webber

DEGREE OF DIFFICULTY: 4 out of 10.


https://cdn3.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/M5REIKfydxBpY3yvYHkT5tnGeO8=/800x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn0.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/3500424/Screen_Shot_2015-03-13_at_8.19.43_AM.0.png

THE TIME: 5:12 left in the second quarter.

THE PLAY: The finish is a carbon copy of Irving's third hoop. He gets into the lane, where a Spurs big man (Duncan this time) awaits. To score over him, Irving jabs right, throws in a vicious Eurostep going back left and somehow floats a left-handed layup -- again, this is his weaker hand -- over the towering arms of Duncan and off the glass for a layup.

The setup was nice too. Critics say Irving sometimes dribbles too much, and had he missed, that criticism would return in full force. But all those dribbles were necessary because the Spurs shut down the Irving/Mozgov pick and roll going right. For it to work, Mozgov had to flip the screen to spring Irving back middle and Irving needed to set Parker up with a series of dribbles. Eventually, Kyrie ran Parker into Mozgov's pick and was free for the tough finish.

ANNOUNCERS: "Irving tries to carve his way by Duncan." - Harlan

"What a play." - Barkley

"I'll tell you what. This Eurostep, Chuck, you're a big fan of (Manu) Ginobili. Ginobili, Dwyane Wade, in my opinion, those are the two guys with, being able to just get their footwork so complete that you can just not get a charge, not knock down a player, step by and still shoot the layup." - Webber

"It's amazing." - Barkley

DEGREE OF DIFFICULTY: 9 out of 10.


https://cdn1.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/XvbgH-Of8EAL2_rtlKqdkiWO8ek=/800x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn0.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/3500430/Screen_Shot_2015-03-13_at_8.23.21_AM.0.png

THE TIME: 3:56 left in the second quarter.

THE PLAY: Seeing an opening in transition, Irving attacks downhill and hits Parker with a crossover. Parker stays with him nicely, but it doesn't matter because Irving can float a righty runner into the hoop while fading to his left.

ANNOUNCERS: (Listening to Rachel Nichols' sideline report about Kevin Love.)

DEGREE OF DIFFICULTY: 8.5 out of 10.


https://cdn0.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/u39dRnRWQD-ErYqMNimBB-MVG5c=/800x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn0.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/3500438/Screen_Shot_2015-03-13_at_8.25.14_AM.0.png

THE TIME: 3:36 left in the second quarter.

THE PLAY: It's the very next play. Irving again looks to attack on the move, but this time, he goes baseline, fights through Parker's attempts to pin him on the sideline and comes up on the same side of the hoop for the basket and a foul.

ANNOUNCERS: (Still listening to Rachel Nichols' sideline report about Kevin Love.)

DEGREE OF DIFFICULTY: 7 out of 10.


https://cdn2.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/CFkzxuuSNiXGiMX0LRFC0ZIXpz0=/800x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn0.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/3500446/Screen_Shot_2015-03-13_at_8.29.43_AM.0.png

THE TIME: 3:05 left in the second quarter.

THE PLAY: Dribble, dribble, dribble, pull-up three. Heat check. Good god.

ANNOUNCERS: "Chris Webber, Kyrie Irving has scored the last 11 points for the Cleveland Cavaliers." - Harlan

"You have to love the way Kyrie Irving is playing, but he's going to have to pick up his play. Before the All-Star break, his numbers were better than they are now. You see him getting his rhythm back ..." - Webber

(Pauses to watch shot that'll make him sound silly in retrospect.)

"When he's taking shots like that, he's saying, 'I GOT MY RHYTHM BACK.' I'm not getting it back. I got my rhythm back." - Webber

"That's kind of like LeBron and Kawhi Leonard thing earlier. He's taking this Tony Parker thing personally, because Tony Parker is torching him on one end." - Barkley

DEGREE OF DIFFICULTY: 8 out of 10.


(cont. below)

[RedBlackAttack]

https://cdn1.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/59wXiUEUm3Xg4gbMRnEVgl6R9mE=/800x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn0.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/3500480/Screen_Shot_2015-03-13_at_8.32.32_AM.0.png

THE TIME: 37 seconds left in the second quarter.

THE PLAY: Tired of Irving lighting up Parker, the Spurs switch Danny Green onto Irving. Green pressures Irving full court, using his pterodactyl arms and superior lateral quickness. This is tough defense.

https://cdn3.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/huqciwEqZ8ErM950dvasBT9xp90=/800x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn0.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/3500662/Screen_Shot_2015-03-13_at_8.35.43_AM.0.png

No matter. Kyrie fends him off, gets all the way to the basket and floats it over Green and Tim Duncan while jumping off the wrong foot again. Unfair.

ANNOUNCERS: "Irving. RIGHT. DOWN. THE. MIDDLE. Fending off the defense of Green." - Harlan

"I mean, first of all, the ball handling to get there, but then to hold him off with one hand. It just seemed like he knew from the beginning that he was going to go and score that ball." - Webber

"Kyrie Irving has had a 16-point scoring second quarter." - Harlan

DEGREE OF DIFFICULTY: 9 out of 10.


https://cdn2.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/uuzdN9Drxvc7eyBYZ0-mPTQhiQs=/800x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn0.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/3500520/Screen_Shot_2015-03-13_at_8.36.20_AM.0.png

THE TIME: 7:23 left in the third quarter.

THE PLAY: Cleveland runs a nice weave action that gets Irving curling off a series of baseline screens into a dribble handoff involving James and Mozgov. Irving uses the double ball screen nicely, but Parker stays in pursuit. With Duncan hanging back again, Irving elects to pull up for three even though Parker is right behind him. It's a terrible shot. It goes in anyway.

ANNOUNCERS: (Desperately trying to get Barkley off an Auburn tangent.) "How about that shot? Twenty-five for Irving." - Harlan

(Barkley continues with Auburn tangent)

DEGREE OF DIFFICULTY: 9 out of 10.


https://cdn2.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/m33h2xHVLpG3F63ZPwtxBck4XVY=/800x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn0.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/3500530/Screen_Shot_2015-03-13_at_8.39.03_AM.0.png

THE TIME: 6:20 left in the third quarter.

THE PLAY: Another high pick and roll, another pull-up three. Duncan actually gives Irving respect and challenges the shot nicely, but it doesn't matter. This looks like the half a dozen 3s Stephen Curry rained in the Warriors' second-round series against the Spurs in 2013 before his ankle acted up.

ANNOUNCERS: "OOOOOOO EEEEEEEE Irving from outside." - Harlan

"Kyrie's going right back at (Parker.)" - Barkley

"WHHHHOOOOO." - Harlan

"That's how I'd do it. I'd make him guard my threes." - Webber, a power forward who should never have shot a three in his career, even though he did.

"Irving has got 28 on 17 shots. Parker's got 23. The two point guards going at it head to head." - Harlan

"I love this, man. You cannot beat this competition." - Barkley

DEGREE OF DIFFICULTY: 8 out of 10.


https://cdn0.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/Z45dgRJKCPzbMY4WcAflOdUwzDs=/800x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn0.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/3500532/Screen_Shot_2015-03-13_at_8.42.15_AM.0.png

THE TIME: 55 seconds left in third quarter.

THE PLAY: Textbook point guard play. Irving runs right off a pick and roll, gets Manu Ginobili on his hip, bumps off him to create space and knocks the floater off the glass before Duncan can contest it.

ANNOUNCERS: "Woo! That was nice." - Barkley

"How about Kyrie Irving, who continues to score. Now with 30. Irving the other night had 22." - Harlan

(Anthony Davis unibrow joke, for some reason.) - Barkley

DEGREE OF DIFFICULTY: 7 out of 10.


https://cdn2.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/fV2g9VcF2ZnHGiqrNvdPBZrfCO0=/800x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn0.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/3500536/Screen_Shot_2015-03-13_at_9.19.24_AM.0.png

THE TIME: 8:36 left in fourth quarter.

THE PLAY: Iman Shumpert gets a steal and Irving runs straight down the middle of the court. Splitter keeps backpedaling, so Irving keeps going. Eventually, he jump-stops outside the restricted area and powers through Splitter off two feet for the hoop just as two other Spurs are running in to stop him.

ANNOUNCERS: "The galloping Kyrie Irving ALL THE WAY FOR TWO." - Harlan

"See, they're much better, obviously, in a fast-break situation. The only time they struggle is they get stagnant on the offensive end in the half court. When you play one-on-one basketball, it's hard to score all the time." - Barkley

DEGREE OF DIFFICULTY: 7.5 out of 10.


https://cdn0.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/-bKRDWeCjVF4ClOuTJtAy2jFXGQ=/800x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn0.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/3500540/Screen_Shot_2015-03-13_at_9.19.47_AM.0.png

THE TIME: 8:04 left in fourth quarter.

THE PLAY: Irving fake spins to the baseline, goes back the other way to dart through a tiny hole in San Antonio's pick and roll coverage, and steps in front of Splitter going back to his left. It honestly looks like he disappeared for a second, only to reappear in a flash. All that's left is a tough lefty (again: weak hand) finish over the outstretched arms of Green. This is my best attempt to illustrate his movement.

https://cdn0.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/TCXyB3avYaJXsPoS6g4Ns3xE8m8=/800x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn0.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/3500554/Screen_Shot_2015-03-13_at_8.48.32_AM.0.png

ANNOUNCERS: "They better get it before Tony Parker comes back ..." - Barkley

"OH WHAT A PLAY BY IRVING. HE GIVES YOU A MOVE WITH EVERY PART OF HIS BODY." - Harlan

"Curly Neal is somewhere saying, 'Yeah, I like that. I used to do that for the Globetrotters.' Look at this ball-handling. And then being able to finish." - Webber

DEGREE OF DIFFICULTY: 786 out of 10.


https://cdn3.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/h2m9fAixp6SpbOManj71bNPbQY4=/800x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn0.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/3500564/Screen_Shot_2015-03-13_at_8.51.51_AM.0.png

THE TIME: 56 seconds left in fourth quarter.

THE PLAY: This is the absurd shot everyone forgot about. Irving set up Tristan Thompson for a layup, but he missed. No worries, because Irving flew in for the rebound, turned and fired towards the basket in one motion while three Spurs clobbered him. Basket and a foul. No big man can do that, much less a point guard.

ANNOUNCERS: "OHHHH. Nice dive inside by Irving." - Harlan

(Barkley is too busy pleading with the Thunder not to rush Kevin Durant back from his foot injury because it ruined Andrew Toney's carer in Philadelphia.)

DEGREE OF DIFFICULTY: 802 out of 10.


https://cdn2.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/Z6EkZ5b_ALgHmDVpGxZDp2KZigc=/800x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn0.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/3500572/Screen_Shot_2015-03-13_at_8.54.32_AM.0.png

THE TIME: 31 seconds left in fourth quarter.

THE PLAY: Irving looked like he would pop to the top of the key, but he sharply pivoted to the corner off a Thompson screen. Green stayed right with him, pinned him on the sideline and didn't go for his shot fake. No matter.

ANNOUNCERS: "Green defending. WHAT A THREE. That was terrific." - Harlan

"That was. That kept them in the game." - Barkley

"Forty-three for Kyrie." - Harlan

DEGREE OF DIFFICULTY: 800 out of 10.


(cont. below)

[RedBlackAttack]

https://cdn2.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/XQvylJqXHMEsfo0CNxOk08xL530=/800x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn0.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/3500580/Screen_Shot_2015-03-13_at_9.00.47_AM.0.png

THE TIME: 0 seconds left in fourth quarter.

THE PLAY: The buzzer beater. It's true Irving has a sliver of daylight because Leonard briefly addresses the threat of James Jones going to the corner. That was probably a mistake by Leonard, but he closes out perfectly to make up for it. This is what Irving sees when he releases.

https://cdn1.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/OHQEZMb5bdW6pxrm_8bAOnnv1U8=/800x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn0.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/3500592/Screen_Shot_2015-03-13_at_9.02.03_AM.0.png

It's an impossible attempt. Doesn't matter.

ANNOUNCERS: "Kyrie, a three ... GOOOOOOOOOOOD. HE GOT IT AT THE BUZZER."

"Wow." - Barkley

"They'll check it out. They'll review." - Harlan

"Wow. Wow." - Barkley

"It's a tie game at the end of regulation. Five-of-five 3-point shooting for Kyrie Irving. What a shot and 46 tonight." - Harlan

"Chuck, you said you wanted (the Spurs) to foul before the hand got up. Well, they didn't do it. Look at this pick. No switch!" - Webber

"I don't know what they were doing in this situation, but I always believe in fouling. I will tell you this, and I hate to say it. As great as my boy Kawhi Leonard has played tonight, this is his fault." - Barkley

"It's almost as if Kawhi thought he was going to continue to drive, so he hesitated for a second. With a guy like Kyrie Irving and his handles, you don't know if he's going to keep his hands up. You don't know how to guard him when he has the ball with a live dribble. They should have doubled and taken the ball out of his hands." - Webber

"Nah, they should have just fouled." - Barkley

DEGREE OF DIFFICULTY: 78,532 out of 10. Way too much hand-wringing on what the Spurs did wrong from TNT's announcers. That was an amazing shot.


https://cdn2.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/Eklmn9Vd-hXjDQdy3utGXJbrBv4=/800x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn0.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/3500602/Screen_Shot_2015-03-13_at_9.05.00_AM.0.png

THE TIME: 3:29 left in overtime

THE PLAY: After an offensive rebound, it looked like Irving would pull it back out to the top of the key. Instead, he whipped out a dirty crossover that probably destroyed all the bones in Danny Green's ankle to free himself for a corner three.

ANNOUNCERS: "IRVING WITH ANOTHER THREE. THAT'S FORTY-NINE. KYYYYY RIE IRVING." - Harlan

"Wow." - Barkley

(Everyone else is speechless)

DEGREE OF DIFFICULTY: Just a 9.5 out of 10.


https://cdn0.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/AxvvIswpdz_Pye-dvMt8N_-ug-Y=/800x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn0.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/3500608/Screen_Shot_2015-03-13_at_9.07.20_AM.0.png

THE TIME: 2:34 left in overtime

THE PLAY: The Spurs switch a Irving/James pick and roll, leaving Leonard on Kyrie. Leonard presses, so Kyrie gets low and tries to explode by Leonard going right. Kyrie hears a whistle and pulls up for a 16-foot runner, the kind of shot you throw at the basket just to look like you were in the act of shooting on a foul. It banks in off the glass.

ANNOUNCERS: "Fifty-one. Fifty-one FOR KYRIE IRVING." - Harlan, voice rising with every word

"Wow, what a show. (Pause.) What a show." - Barkley

"And this is Cleveland's first lead since late in the second quarter when they led by two." - Harlan

"LeBron, his teammate, just looks over here and goes, 'Oh, look what my teammate is doing.' You have to love how LeBron loves having some help. He's saying, 'Go ahead, do your thing. I can take over if you need me to.'" - Webber

DEGREE OF DIFFICULTY: 20 out of 10


https://cdn2.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/nX14XXq8thQ5DItJjBADfVKuEf4=/800x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn0.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/3500616/Screen_Shot_2015-03-13_at_9.11.35_AM.0.png

THE TIME: 1:20 left in overtime

THE PLAY: As LeBron isolates Green, Kevin Love runs over and sneaks in a flare screen for Irving to fade to the opposite 3-point line. It takes Irving's man out of the play, but Diaw alertly switches as Irving catches James' crosscourt pass. The Spurs have this play well-defended.

It doesn't matter.

ANNOUNCERS: "Irving. Diaw there. Another triple. (long pause.) EVERY CHAMBER IS FILLED FOR KYRIE IRVING TONIGHT. FIFTY-FIVE." - Harlan

"Wow. Oh my goodness." - Barkley

(Nobody has anything else to say. What else can you say?)

DEGREE OF DIFFICULTY: 10,000 out of 10

(All screenshots via TNT)


Article: http://www.sbnation.com/2015/3/13/8206719/kyrie-irving-highlights-shots-cavaliers-57-points


HD Video of All 57 points, 5 assists, 4 steals (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mXxt8hJbelo)

[navy]

I need to update my processor.

[Foster5k]

The summary of this thread: Kyrie is good and the Cavs are stacked.

[imnew09]

Talking about overreaction much. Most of this sh** is one vs one single coverage. Prime Kobe had triple defender on him man.

[Foster5k]

DEGREE OF DIFFICULTY: 800 out of 10.
Somewhere, Kobe is doing this :facepalm

[qrich]

:facepalm

[HomieWeMajor]

Thread needs a 56k warning ,Lebron23's phone bill is gonna be crazy.
On topic Kyrie went 2k sliders turned to 100 on them Spurs.

[Dr Hawk]

Wow, have never seen a thread like this. Good work

[Foster5k]

Wow, have never seen a thread like this. Good work
You do realize that he just pasted the information from another site right?

[RedBlackAttack]

Haha. I just copy/pasted the article, guys. Chill. :oldlol:

[RedBlackAttack]

This picture in particular made me chuckle...


https://cdn2.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/Eklmn9Vd-hXjDQdy3utGXJbrBv4=/800x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn0.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/3500602/Screen_Shot_2015-03-13_at_9.05.00_AM.0.png

[Meticode]

All in all, long story short the Spurs played the right way, Irving took hard shots, made them, Spurs lost for the second time in 18 years when shooting 56% for the game.

[Foster5k]

This picture in particular made me chuckle...


https://cdn2.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/Eklmn9Vd-hXjDQdy3utGXJbrBv4=/800x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn0.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/3500602/Screen_Shot_2015-03-13_at_9.05.00_AM.0.png
Kyrie must have bought those MJ shoes from that auction. Guy was showing some flashes of MJ out there.

[3ball]

Kyrie must have bought those MJ shoes from that auction. Guy was showing some flashes of MJ out there.


http://gifsforum.com/images_new/gif/other/grand/cebaec04eb04d06fba2884406be8c52f.gif

http://www.nba.com/jordan/list_50games.html - list of MJ's 50 point games from NBA.com

The one difference is that many of Jordan's thirty-nine career 50+ point games were achieved shooting all-two-pointers, which requires more moves.

For example, the no-spacing environment and legal hand-checking of previous eras didn't allow MJ to dribble-penetrate off a screen-roll or isolation every time like Kyrie can, so MJ had to use more moves, such as off-ball, post, and triple-threat moves like the GIF above - Kyrie is incapable of doing many of these moves, because he's 6'2" without the requisite power - he simply can't play like a big man.

[Foster5k]

http://gifsforum.com/images_new/gif/other/grand/cebaec04eb04d06fba2884406be8c52f.gif

http://www.nba.com/jordan/list_50games.html - list of MJ's 50 point games from NBA.com

The one difference is that many of Jordan's thirty-nine career 50+ point games were achieved shooting all-two-pointers, which requires more moves.

For example, the no-spacing environment and legal hand-checking of previous eras didn't allow MJ to dribble-penetrate off a screen-roll or isolation every time like Kyrie can, so MJ had to use more moves, such as off-ball, post, and triple-threat moves like the GIF above - Kyrie is incapable of doing many of these moves, because he's 6'2" without the requisite power - he simply can't play like a big man.
:roll: :roll:

[Jailblazers7]

Kyrie had a great game and it was incredibly fun to watch but this is getting a little ridiculous.

[Dro]

Thx for the article bro..Some people are just such haters. Can't just appreciate a great performance..

[Dro]

http://gifsforum.com/images_new/gif/other/grand/cebaec04eb04d06fba2884406be8c52f.gif

http://www.nba.com/jordan/list_50games.html - list of MJ's 50 point games from NBA.com

The one difference is that many of Jordan's thirty-nine career 50+ point games were achieved shooting all-two-pointers, which requires more moves.

For example, the no-spacing environment and legal hand-checking of previous eras didn't allow MJ to dribble-penetrate off a screen-roll or isolation every time like Kyrie can, so MJ had to use more moves, such as off-ball, post, and triple-threat moves like the GIF above - Kyrie is incapable of doing many of these moves, because he's 6'2" without the requisite power - he simply can't play like a big man.
Bro, I love MJ as much as the next man but don't ruin this thread with this sh*t..This thread is about Kyrie's performance.

[Trollsmasher]

Looks like even 3ball got shook by that performance:lol :bowdown:

[Solefade]

gotta admit, he worked hard as hell. had to literally earn every single point.

[TylerOO]

As crazy as his stats are, they don't do justice on how well he played. Best performance of the year, go debate SpongeBob Squarepants

[SwishSquared]

I posted this in the other thread, but 30/32 of the shots were contested. He made 8/8 when defender was 1 foot away and 10/12 when defender was 2 feet away. I think those shooting splits are the most incredible part of his performance, aside from the dazzling moves he made to set up his shots.

[3ball]

Some people are just such haters. Can't just appreciate a great performance..


http://gifsforum.com/images_new/gif/other/grand/Jordan_Over_Ralph_Sampson_326a716b5b26d5a8a20c3898 cec29937.gif


kyrie's performance was a nice, but the performance required 7-7 from three-point range - it's much easier to get an open 3-point look in today's game because drive-and-kicks are easier than ever before due to hand-check ban coupled with wider, spacing-enhanced driving lanes.

Using the spacing to get 3-pointers is simply not as skillful or sophisticated as creating your own two-point shots off-ball (http://www.insidehoops.com/forum/showpost.php?p=10862372&postcount=18) - for example, the actual shot-making of two-pointers is infinitely more diverse and you must make more FG's (beat the defense more times) when you only shoot two's.

[Smoke117]

http://gifsforum.com/images_new/gif/other/grand/Jordan_Over_Ralph_Sampson_326a716b5b26d5a8a20c3898 cec29937.gif


kyrie's performance was a nice, but the performance required 7-7 from three-point range - it's much easier to get an open 3-point look in today's game because drive-and-kicks are easier than ever before due to hand-check ban coupled with wider, spacing-enhanced driving lanes.

Using the spacing to get 3-pointers is simply not as skillful or sophisticated as creating your own two-point shots off-ball (http://www.insidehoops.com/forum/showpost.php?p=10862372&postcount=18) - for example, the actual shot-making of two-pointers is infinitely more diverse and you must make more FG's (beat the defense more times) when you only shoot two's.

Didn't actually watch the game I see...

[RedBlackAttack]

http://gifsforum.com/images_new/gif/other/grand/Jordan_Over_Ralph_Sampson_326a716b5b26d5a8a20c3898 cec29937.gif


kyrie's performance was a nice, but the performance required 7-7 from three-point range - it's much easier to get an open 3-point look in today's game because drive-and-kicks are easier than ever before due to hand-check ban coupled with wider, spacing-enhanced driving lanes.

Using the spacing to get 3-pointers is simply not as skillful or sophisticated as creating your own two-point shots off-ball (http://www.insidehoops.com/forum/showpost.php?p=10862372&postcount=18) - for example, the actual shot-making of two-pointers is infinitely more diverse and you must make more FG's (beat the defense more times) when you only shoot two's.
This won't become about Michael Jordan. GTFO

[navy]

3ball. :roll:

[warriorfan]

http://gifsforum.com/images_new/gif/other/grand/Jordan_Over_Ralph_Sampson_326a716b5b26d5a8a20c3898 cec29937.gif


kyrie's performance was a nice, but the performance required 7-7 from three-point range - it's much easier to get an open 3-point look in today's game because drive-and-kicks are easier than ever before due to hand-check ban coupled with wider, spacing-enhanced driving lanes.

Using the spacing to get 3-pointers is simply not as skillful or sophisticated as creating your own two-point shots off-ball (http://www.insidehoops.com/forum/showpost.php?p=10862372&postcount=18) - for example, the actual shot-making of two-pointers is infinitely more diverse and you must make more FG's (beat the defense more times) when you only shoot two's.


Agreed, I'm pretty confident that Joe Dumars would shut down Kyrie under 90's hand-checking rules.

[3ball]

Agreed, I'm pretty confident that Joe Dumars would shut down Kyrie under 90's hand-checking rules.


http://gifsforum.com/images_new/gif/other/grand/d023311ed351a61907dfbaaaecf7c4c2.gif

Dumars would've made it so much harder for Kyrie - nothing would look easy on Dumars.. That's part of the reason Jordan's off-ball game benefited him against Dumars - Dumars was just a beastly on-ball defender and he had great acumen to direct the ballhandler towards the help.

One thing about getting 40 and 50+ by dominating the ball - such performances are impossible to replicate on any kind of consistent basis, because you're such an easy target for the defense, that they will eventually catch on and make it harder for you.

Look at Westbrook - the other night, the Clippers had caught on to his 1-on-5 approach, and their defense zeroed in on him - anytime a good defense focuses on stopping a ball-dominator, the ball-dominator invariably gets shut down unless they have an off-ball game (http://www.insidehoops.com/forum/showpost.php?p=10862372&postcount=18) they can resort to... But most wings today don't, and ineffective ball domination looks like a chicken running around with his head cut off, just like Westbrook looked the other night against the Clippers.
.

[DaRkJaWs]

Moral of the story: Kyrie got lucky with his shooting. Oh, and he didn't even make it to 60 points so who cares. Wilt is still laughing from his grave.

[plowking]

I don't care into making this into the zone discussion, but looking at those stills of Kyrie's shots, is it me, or are the Spurs almost exclusively in zone just about every time? Mainly a 2-1-2, but sometimes running the 3-2 as well.

[LoneyROY7]

Damn son, we don't all have that hyperspeed WiFi you've got over in Cleveland.

[smoovegittar]

Nice. My fav part - ANNOUNCERS: (Still listening to Rachel Nichols' sideline report about Kevin Love.)

[tpols]

When players make very contested shots it's extremely discouraging to a defense.. even a stoic team like the spurs who are perfectly mentally conditioned can be rattled by true clutchness.. Brick ing ft's at the end of the game like crazy as a result.

Kyrie hit shots that would make anyone just want to give up.. like fk it.. this dude will hit no matter what I do. And that goes beyond the stats even, the discouragement factor.

[DeuceWallaces]

Funny how that game went from "why are lebron/kyrie playing hero ball 5 minutes and under again with Love on the bench" to "Oh my god Kyrie is top 10" with just 2 missed free throws.

[tpols]

We need a gif of rick fox impersonating kyrie style lol. . That shit was hilarious

[J Shuttlesworth]

Go Kyrie :applause: You know you've made it big when 3ball is insecure and comparing you to MJ

[Dro]

3ball must be TRYING to get himself banned.....

[inclinerator]

banned

[Trollsmasher]

http://gifsforum.com/images_new/gif/other/grand/d023311ed351a61907dfbaaaecf7c4c2.gif

Dumars would've made it so much harder for Kyrie - nothing would look easy on Dumars.. That's part of the reason Jordan's off-ball game benefited him against Dumars - Dumars was just a beastly on-ball defender and he had great acumen to direct the ballhandler towards the help.

One thing about getting 40 and 50+ by dominating the ball - such performances are impossible to replicate on any kind of consistent basis, because you're such an easy target for the defense, that they will eventually catch on and make it harder for you.

Look at Westbrook - the other night, the Clippers had caught on to his 1-on-5 approach, and their defense zeroed in on him - anytime a good defense focuses on stopping a ball-dominator, the ball-dominator invariably gets shut down unless they have an off-ball game (http://www.insidehoops.com/forum/showpost.php?p=10862372&postcount=18) they can resort to... But most wings today don't, and ineffective ball domination looks like a chicken running around with his head cut off, just like Westbrook looked the other night against the Clippers.
.
lol at that white guy's baseline defense and the late help:roll: :roll:

this is exactly what would have never happened in today's game - the defender either wouldn't let MJ past him or he would funnel him into the help who would be there 2 seconds sooner

[RedBlackAttack]

lol at that white guy's baseline defense and the late help:roll: :roll:

this is exactly what would have never happened in today's game - the defender either wouldn't let MJ past him or he would funnel him into the help who would be there 2 seconds sooner
The white guy in this case being Bill Laimbeer? He was actually pretty good... and is also pretty recognizable.


Anyway... back to the 2010s...

[I<3NBA]

this thread just demonstrated the BBIQ of Irving and tells why the Cavs will never win it all this year.

being hot like that doesn't happen every night. odds it only happens in 1 out of 7 games. so in a series, if Irving tries that shit, he will shoot the Cavs out of the series.

[buddha]

I agree Kyrie > Le2facesorvase?

[RedBlackAttack]

this thread just demonstrated the BBIQ of Irving and tells why the Cavs will never win it all this year.

being hot like that doesn't happen every night. odds it only happens in 1 out of 7 games. so in a series, if Irving tries that shit, he will shoot the Cavs out of the series.
He averages 16.7 shots per game. Less than Curry, Harden, Westbrook, LeBron, Ellis, etc. Yet, he's going to be the guy that is going to shoot you out of a series?

[CTbasketball92]

Honestly, Kyrie is a top 10-12 player in the game. Like Westbrook, people always criticize him for not being a conventional PG, but honestly, it doesn't matter when you have a 58 TS%. I honestly think a 100% Kyrie might have outplayed Curry in the finals. He would've made him work on the defensive end and gotten a cool 27 ppg on the warriors. He honestly looked like he was easily keeping in game one ... even though he was noticeably missing his 2nd gear and change directions ability.

As a scorer, he's just so well-rounded. He can keep you back pedaling and stop & start on a dime and pull-up from anywhere on the court. He hits fade-away jumpers in the midrange like he's kobe, and his body control and touch around the basket is almost as good as it gets. He has an agility off the dribble that is honestly rarely seen.

Just thought i'd post that. I say the cavs will take ship next year with a healthy roster.

[plowking]

Honestly, Kyrie is a top 10-12 player in the game. Like Westbrook, people always criticize him for not being a conventional PG, but honestly, it doesn't matter when you have a 58 TS%. I honestly think a 100% Kyrie might have outplayed Curry in the finals. He would've made him work on the defensive end and gotten a cool 27 ppg on the warriors. He honestly looked like he was easily keeping in game one ... even though he was noticeably missing his 2nd gear and change directions ability.

As a scorer, he's just so well-rounded. He can keep you back pedaling and stop & start on a dime and pull-up from anywhere on the court. He hits fade-away jumpers in the midrange like he's kobe, and his body control and touch around the basket is almost as good as it gets. He has an agility off the dribble that is honestly rarely seen.

Just thought i'd post that. I say the cavs will take ship next year with a healthy roster.

Kyrie a top 10-12 player?

I don't see it.

[Young X]

Kyrie a top 10-12 player?

I don't see it.Who do you rank above him?

[G0ATbe]

Greatest scoring spectacle I've seen since kobe.

[CTbasketball92]

I kind of look at it like this:

In a playoff matchup I can't see anyone in the east or west (besides westbrook) gaining a definitive advantage over him. He's not a traditional pg, but his scoring ability essentially makes him the second best SG in the game. I can't see any defense slowing him down during a playoff series.

He can win almost every matchup he's in, and that to me is one of the marks of a superstar.

[CTbasketball92]

1. LeBron
2. KD
3. Westbrook
4. Anthony Davis
5. CP3
6. James Harden
7. Steph. Curry
8. Blake Griffin
9. (Healthy) Paul George
10. Kyrie Irving

[plowking]

Who do you rank above him?

Bron, Curry, Durant, Griffin, Cousins, Paul, Gasol, Harden, Davis, Howard, Westbrook, Wade, etc. I'm sure there are a few others I might have forgot too.

[CTbasketball92]

Wade is not better at this point. He's not going to put up 50+ on anyone and

cousins i might take, maybe howard, arguably gasol

I think Kyrie might be 12th at worst. Wall is top 15 imo

[Spurs5Rings2014]

Bron, Curry, Durant, Griffin, Cousins, Paul, Gasol, Harden, Davis, Howard, Westbrook, Wade, etc. I'm sure there are a few others I might have forgot too.

:whatever:

[JimmyMcAdocious]

I kind of look at it like this:

In a playoff matchup I can't see anyone in the east or west (besides westbrook) gaining a definitive advantage over him. He's not a traditional pg, but his scoring ability essentially makes him the second best SG in the game. I can't see any defense slowing him down during a playoff series.

He can win almost every matchup he's in, and that to me is one of the marks of a superstar.
I think we differ on what a superstar is. imo, it's someone you can legitimately build around as a true #1 to create a championship caliber team. And not "build around" like trying to rebuild the 92 Dream Team either.

Kyrie's an interesting case because he had 3 seasons of a team being his own and all they did was get two #1 draft picks and a #3. So it's difficult to play the hypothetical and say, "well if Kyrie were the #1 option on his own team..." like you often see for a player in his newfound situation (eg; Westbrook and Leonard, or Harden and Kobe, or Joe Johnson and Marbury).

Now I do think if you put Kyrie in place of Steph Curry, the Warriors are still very good and may very well win it all. So in that case, I guess you could technically build around him. That's unrealistic roster building, tho. What the Warriors had was the perfect blend of aging, once very good role players, willing to sacrifice, absurd drafting, and possessing the contract of the century with Steph, allowing the roster flexibility for all those pieces. Rosters like that don't happen often. Can't even remember the last time I've seen such good fortune unfold for a team in that way. I mean the Thunder drafted 3 superstars back-to-back-to-back. The rest of the team never worked out that way. Probably back in the 80s with the Celtics? Maybe you can argue the Spurs. Not sure I would consider Duncan and even Ginobili quite being reduced to what Iggy and Lee were.

Anyway, I got off track. Let's say you swapped Kyrie with Harden. Not ideal as they play different positions, but their role would be similar with Harden practically being their PG anyway and Harden is one of the most recent examples of this. Do you think Kyrie could do what Harden did this past season?

[Droid101]

Plowking, don't be so obvious.

[plowking]

Plowking, don't be so obvious.

Dude, you come at me no matter what. :oldlol:

When I said the Cavs were a great team, you said I was stanning.

When I say their players aren't that good, you still come at me and say I'm trying to prop up Lebron.

What is it? I can't have an opinion about the Cavs without somehow getting called a stan, if it is good or bad? :oldlol:

Unbelievable the people on this forum. I don't even like the damn Cavs and I get labelled a Cavs fan or Bron stan. :oldlol:

[Droid101]

You said current Wade was better than current Kyrie.

[CTbasketball92]

Great points. I don't think Kyrie could do what James harden did, but only LeBron Durant westbrook and cp3 and griffin and Davis could do something similar imo. You need to have transcendent skill and or athleticism and a physical advantage to carry a team that far. With a healthy D-12 and thee rest of a healthy rockets team? Easily a top 4 or five seed in the west. Kyrie neverm payed on a mediocre team before this year, just bad ones. I think the Wizards would be just as successful with him on it.

[plowking]

You said current Wade was better than current Kyrie.

Take out Wade, and throw in Wall, or Aldridge, or a few others that I am probably forgetting.

[aj1987]

Take out Wade, and throw in Wall, or Aldridge, or a few others that I am probably forgetting.
Klay and Kawhi. Can score 20 PPG as well, but are ELITE defenders.

Also, saying that Kyrie > Wade because Wade can't score 50 anymore is a bullshit argument. If anything, it just proves that Kyrie is inconsistent AF.

[CTbasketball92]

Dwade hasn't been the same in the playoffs since 2012. He has to have knee injections like every month. If I'm in a playoff game against an elite defense, I'm taking Kyrie. He can simply score the ball better at this point in his career, and is a much better shooter by a longshot.

Honestly, ask yourself: How well would klay and kawhi play on the 2011-2014 cavs? They both lack allstar shot-creating abilities and would have been in a situation where the defense focused all of their energy on them. Klay and Kawhi have become overrated because they are on superior teams. Same with Lillard to be honest.
Klay disappeared during the playoffs. Kawhi could average a meaningless 20 ppg on a bad team. He's a good two way player, but not his offense is borderline allstar level at best. A top-tier offensive player >>>> good two way player.

[aj1987]

Dwade hasn't been the same in the playoffs since 2012. He has to have knee injections like every month. If I'm in a playoff game against an elite defense, I'm taking Kyrie. He can simply score the ball better at this point in his career, and is a much better shooter by a longshot.

Honestly, ask yourself: How well would klay and kawhi play on the 2011-2014 cavs? They both lack allstar shot-creating abilities and would have been in a situation where the defense focused all of their energy on them. Klay and Kawhi have become overrated because they are on superior teams. Same with Lillard to be honest.
Klay disappeared during the playoffs. Kawhi could average a meaningless 20 ppg on a bad team. He's a good two way player, but not his offense is borderline allstar level at best. A top-tier offensive player >>>> good two way player.
You're forgetting that Kawhi is the reigning DPOY and Klay is simply a better shooter than Irving (borderline All-D as well).

[CTbasketball92]

You're forgetting that Kawhi is the reigning DPOY and Klay is simply a better shooter than Irving (borderline All-D as well).

Kyle Korver is also arguably a better shooter ...

Klay had an awful finals and a pedestrian playoffs that Kyrie would never have.

Klay can't shoot fadeaway threes off the dribble like Kyrie Irving can. Their shooting is more or less a wash. Even still, klay doesn't have the Kobe Bryant offensive arsenal that Kyrie does. Not an elite finisher or dribbler. Not an elite on on one player. He's a skilled wing on a team that can afford to have him playing poorly and still win the game.

Paul George maybe >>>Kyrie

because he's an all-star offensive player and an elite defender.


Kyrie >>> Kawhi, Klay

[sd3035]

That was the best individual performance in Cavs franchise history :bowdown: :bowdown:

[Straight_Ballin]

No need to be so insecure. Just because Cleveland named a sandwich after Delly doesn't mean that he's going to start over Irving. It's going to be OK.

[CTbasketball92]

Honestly, Kyrie is a top 10-12 player in the game. Like Westbrook, people always criticize him for not being a conventional PG, but honestly, it doesn't matter when you have a 58 TS%. I honestly think a 100% Kyrie might have outplayed Curry in the finals. He would've made him work on the defensive end and gotten a cool 27 ppg on the warriors. He honestly looked like he was easily keeping in game one ... even though he was noticeably missing his 2nd gear and change directions ability.

As a scorer, he's just so well-rounded. He can keep you back pedaling and stop & start on a dime and pull-up from anywhere on the court. He hits fade-away jumpers in the midrange like he's kobe, and his body control and touch around the basket is almost as good as it gets. He has an agility off the dribble that is honestly rarely seen.

Just thought i'd post that. I say the cavs will take ship next year with a healthy roster.

LMAOOO this is from 6/22/15. I'm a savage!

[FatComputerNerd]

LMAOOO this is from 6/22/15. I'm a savage!


:applause: :bowdown:

[RedBlackAttack]

Honestly, Kyrie is a top 10-12 player in the game. Like Westbrook, people always criticize him for not being a conventional PG, but honestly, it doesn't matter when you have a 58 TS%. I honestly think a 100% Kyrie might have outplayed Curry in the finals. He would've made him work on the defensive end and gotten a cool 27 ppg on the warriors. He honestly looked like he was easily keeping in game one ... even though he was noticeably missing his 2nd gear and change directions ability.

As a scorer, he's just so well-rounded. He can keep you back pedaling and stop & start on a dime and pull-up from anywhere on the court. He hits fade-away jumpers in the midrange like he's kobe, and his body control and touch around the basket is almost as good as it gets. He has an agility off the dribble that is honestly rarely seen.

Just thought i'd post that. I say the cavs will take ship next year with a healthy roster.
Damn.

Touche.

[dubnation]

LMAOOO this is from 6/22/15. I'm a savage!

Wow everything you said was on point :roll:

CT has Curry shook :facepalm

[warriorfan]

http://i65.tinypic.com/2jg4cau.jpg

[RedBlackAttack]

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-28hHEanbgVQ/V22nopwso6I/AAAAAAABL8U/xDvn4EYkg0UXiVwKsiFZ1LrpUT40ZtBuA/w506-h750/Kyrie%2BIrving%2BNBA%2BFinals%2BShot%2BScience.gif

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-z6SDcpAYxx8/V2hg7n9jR-I/AAAAAAABL5Y/_vPtfgVu1OcobKkAI1Tg_U3ROKwQZdXwQ/w602-h338/Kyrie%2BIrving%2BStep%2BBack%2BNBA%2BFinals%2BShot %2BScience.gif

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-VadEssK_uus/V15bQvF_eMI/AAAAAAABL0c/qqWgTQb9w_k64vms5eBVOIrFkL71NMCBw/w581-h377/Kyrie%2BIrving%2BGame%2B4%2BNBA%2BFinals%2BShot%2B Science.gif

https://thumbs.gfycat.com/BaggyCriminalAmericansaddlebred-size_restricted.gif





















https://media.giphy.com/media/xT0Gqe2PIberuUjLKU/giphy.gif

[Meticode]

http://i65.tinypic.com/2jg4cau.jpg
Curry Lost the Ability to Use the Injury As an Excuse When he Yelled, "I'm back!" (http://thebiglead.com/2016/05/25/stephen-curry-lost-the-ability-to-use-injury-as-excuse-when-he-yelled-im-back/)

[RedBlackAttack]

Curry Lost the Ability to Use the Injury As an Excuse When he Yelled, "I'm back!" (http://thebiglead.com/2016/05/25/stephen-curry-lost-the-ability-to-use-injury-as-excuse-when-he-yelled-im-back/)
The playoffs are just different, especially when you are going up against truly elite teams that can match you and gameplan for you.


Here's what we found out in the 2016 Finals ...

1. The Cavs could do enough defensively to contain any one or even two of their best players depending on the gameplan that they felt needed to be deployed.

2. The Warriors could not stop Kyrie Irving or LeBron James regardless of what they tried.


I think a lot of people assumed they'd have a hard time with LeBron. What pushed it over the edge was that Kyrie abused Klay Thompson almost as badly as he did Steph Curry. They just basically had to hope he missed, because he could get to any spot he wanted. He has that unpredictability to his game that is really difficult to prepare for.

[CTbasketball92]

Kyrie a top 10-12 player?

I don't see it.

I know people's opinions can change, but considering that the Cavs' third option was completely neutralized in the NBA Finals and that the Cavs role players weren't hitting a ton of shots and they're pretty one-dimensional anyway (especially compared to the ones on GSW and the Spurs) I'll ask you and other ISH posters one question:

Can you more or less destroy the league's best defense and play an obvious 1B role in defeating a 73 win team after being down 3-1 and NOT be an absolute superstar?

For people putting Dame, Jimmy Butler and maybe John Wall above Kyrie, ask yourselves: Could any of them have done what Kyrie just did? You think Jimmy Butler has Kyrie's Game 5, or game 3 or Game 7? Can wall stick enough of those midrange jumpers and threeballs to beat GSW while passing to Iman shumpert and Richard Jefferson? D. Lillard more or less got shutdown by GSW (and yes, kyrie had lebron, but most of his points came off the dribble and under very tight defense anyway).

I still want to see a whole season of his postseason averages or close to them, but just think about it, what two-man duo w.out truly dynamic role players could defeat a team as good as this year's GSW?

Shaq & Kobe, MJ & Pippen, LeBron & Dwade (they had a good third option usually). LeBron and Kyrie. Kyrie is a member of one of the greatest duos in NBA history, the magnitude of his accomplishment with LeBron kind of has to mean that lmao. It's insane.

[RedBlackAttack]

I know people's opinions can change, but considering that the Cavs' third option was completely neutralized in the NBA Finals and that the Cavs role players weren't hitting a ton of shots and they're pretty one-dimensional anyway (especially compared to the ones on GSW and the Spurs) I'll ask you and other ISH posters one question:

Can you more or less destroy the league's best defense and play an obvious 1B role in defeating a 73 win team after being down 3-1 and NOT be an absolute superstar?

For people putting Dame, Jimmy Butler and maybe John Wall above Kyrie, ask yourselves: Could any of them have done what Kyrie just did? You think Jimmy Butler has Kyrie's Game 5, or game 3 or Game 7? Can wall stick enough of those midrange jumpers and threeballs to beat GSW while passing to Iman shumpert and Richard Jefferson? D. Lillard more or less got shutdown by GSW (and yes, kyrie had lebron, but most of his points came off the dribble and under very tight defense anyway).

I still want to see a whole season of his postseason averages or close to them, but just think about it, what two-man duo w.out truly dynamic role players could defeat a team as good as this year's GSW?

Shaq & Kobe, MJ & Pippen, LeBron & Dwade (they had a good third option usually). LeBron and Kyrie. Kyrie is a member of one of the greatest duos in NBA history, the magnitude of his accomplishment with LeBron kind of has to mean that lmao. It's insane.
There are some people that will just never be completely won-over. I don't know if it is a stylistic thing or the fact that he went to Duke or something else ...

Just putting the fact that he straight-up emasculated Steph Curry in The Finals to the side for a minute, look at his complete playoff run, from Round 1 to Game 7 against the Warriors...

Cavs' record: 16-5

25.2 points on 48/44/88 splits
5 assists
3 rebounds
1.7 steals
2.3 turnovers


The fact that he played so efficiently and handled the rock as much as he did, but still only averaged 2.3 turnovers per game? The guy is just always under control and never seems to get rattled. He had a usage rate in these playoffs of 30.4, which is the highest stretch he has had while playing alongside LeBron.

That's one aspect of his game that's totally underrated. You look at the other players in these playoffs with similar usage rates and their turnovers per game ... Westbrook (34% usage, 4.2 turnovers), Lillard (30.2%, 3.6 turnovers), Curry (32.1%, 4.2 turnovers), Lowry (26.5%, 4.4 turnovers) ...

Even LeBron James (30.7%, 3.8 turnovers) turned the ball over at a significantly higher rate than Irving.

It seemed like when the Cavs needed something big to happen to either keep them in a game, stay close, take a lead, extend the lead ... whatever it was -- Kyrie would make a play.

That's saying something when you have one of the greatest players of all-time on the roster. You can literally go through every critical game of every series and Kyrie made huge, game-altering plays down the stretch.

From that three he hit in the close-out game against Detroit off the Delly inbounds to what turned into the game-winning three against Golden State, that was an incredible playoff run. If people are still doubting his place in the league, I'm not sure what to say.

[AintNoSunshine]

There are some people that will just never be completely won-over. I don't know if it is a stylistic thing or the fact that he went to Duke or something else ...

Just putting the fact that he straight-up emasculated Steph Curry in The Finals to the side for a minute, look at his complete playoff run, from Round 1 to Game 7 against the Warriors...

Cavs' record: 16-5

25.2 points on 48/44/88 splits
5 assists
3 rebounds
1.7 steals
2.3 turnovers


The fact that he played so efficiently and handled the rock as much as he did, but still only averaged 2.3 turnovers per game? The guy is just always under control and never seems to get rattled. He had a usage rate in these playoffs of 30.4 in the playoffs, which is the highest stretch he has had while playing alongside LeBron.

That's one aspect of his game that's totally underrated. You look at the other players in these playoffs with similar usage rates and their turnovers per game ... Westbrook (34% usage, 4.2 turnovers), Lillard (30.2%, 3.6 turnovers), Curry (32.1%, 4.2 turnovers), Lowry (26.5%, 4.4 turnovers) ...

Even LeBron James (30.7%, 3.8 turnovers) turned the ball over at a significantly higher rate than Irving.

It seemed like when the Cavs needed something big to happen to either keep them in a game, stay close, take a lead, extend the lead ... whatever it was -- Kyrie would make a play.

That's saying something when you have one of the greatest players of all-time on the roster. You can literally go through every critical game of every series and Kyrie made huge, game-altering plays down the stretch.

From that three he hit in the close-out game against Detroit off the Delly inbounds to what turned into the game-winning three against Golden State, that was an incredible playoff run. If people are still doubting his place in the league, I'm not sure what to say.
Kyrie definitely won me over in the Finals. I used to dislike his overdribbling of the ball but after witnessing the finals, as long as it leads to winning then I can't say anything about it.

And for those who didn't follow him that closely before, he really showed the world he's not scared of anyone and stepped up big time when the stage is the biggest. Absolutely torched a 73-win team and constantly put "back to back" MVP on skates when he even tries to guard him. He was closer to being 1b than a second option in the finals.

[warriorfan]

The playoffs are just different, especially when you are going up against truly elite teams that can match you and gameplan for you.


Here's what we found out in the 2016 Finals ...

1. The Cavs could do enough defensively to contain any one or even two of their best players depending on the gameplan that they felt needed to be deployed.

2. The Warriors could not stop Kyrie Irving or LeBron James regardless of what they tried.


I think a lot of people assumed they'd have a hard time with LeBron. What pushed it over the edge was that Kyrie abused Klay Thompson almost as badly as he did Steph Curry. They just basically had to hope he missed, because he could get to any spot he wanted. He has that unpredictability to his game that is really difficult to prepare for.

Here is what we found out during the 2016 Finals.

Cavaliers were only able to consistently beat Golden State after 3 of their best defenders (Draymond, Iguodala, and Bogut) were taken out of commission.