#2 seed Cavs,with a .615 win % would be the #8 seed in West

[Heavincent]

other than spurs and memphis, not a single team in the west wins against the cavs in a 7 game series. other than last year, east has always played more physical basketball.

You're a moron. Yeah, the Warriors? Not like they're the best team in basketball right now. No way they could beat the Cavs, even though they have a much better record in a much tougher conference. Also, best defense AND offense in the NBA.

[Solefade]

You're a moron. Yeah, the Warriors? Not like they're the best team in basketball right now. No way they could beat the Cavs, even though they have a much better record in a much tougher conference. Also, best defense AND offense in the NBA.

west clearly the better conference but it's been established for a while now that eastern conference teams generally play tougher and more bruising defense.

[Solefade]

warriors are the best defensive team but i don't think anyone would call them a "physical" team on both offense and defense...

[Heavincent]

warriors are the best defensive team but i don't think anyone would call them a "physical" team on both offense and defense...

Yes they are. They completely stifle opposing offenses with their length and physicality.

Yes, GS plays at a breakneck pace, but they also play better defense than any of these eastern teams lauded for their physical defense. Just look at their personnel:

Green
Bogut
Iguodala
Thompson

Those guys are all elite defenders at their respective positions, with Green and Bogut being legit DPOY candidates. Curry, Barnes, and Livingston are also solid defenders.

[nathanjizzle]

in theory, but its highly unlikely the cavs would be an 8th seed in the west. In reality, the cavs would fall in the category of 3rd to 6th seed. Those teams are houston, portland, clippers and dallas. and i did some stat checking to backup my claim, the cavs are 3-2 against those teams this year.

[DatAsh]

if lebron played in the west his team would be more talented also from the get go

I don't buy that argument, at least not in this case. He's arguably got the most talented surrounding cast in the league already. How many teams out west - after excluding their best player - are more talented than Love, Irving, Mozgov, Smith, Thompson and Shumpert? I only see a real argument for 1 or 2, and even those are questionable if Cleveland can figure out how to fully utilize Love. Yes, if you we're to hypothetically take LeBron and plop him into a random team - replacing their best player - chances are he'd wind up with more talent out west. The hypothetical makes no sense here though; LeBron happens to play for the 1 of maybe 2 teams out east that have just as much talent as any out west.

[FLDFSU]

I love when retards on this forum act ike Lebron was on such stacked teams when year after year they were the same people saying they'd lose to the Pacers, the Celtics, the Spurs and the Thunder and even the Knicks

Freaking backtrackers.

I literally remember one poster...think it was DMAVS in 2012 that claimed that the Heat were the most stacked team of all time relative to competition on Saturday night, and by the next afternoon he was talking about how if Miami were to meet Memphis in the playoffs that Memphis would win...

[FLDFSU]

I don't buy that argument, at least not in this case. He's arguably got the most talented surrounding cast in the league already. How many teams out west - after excluding their best player - are more talented than Love, Irving, Mozgov, Smith, Thompson and Shumpert? I only see a real argument for 1 or 2, and even those are questionable if Cleveland can figure out how to fully utilize Love. Yes, if you we're to hypothetically take LeBron and plop him into a random team - replacing their best player - chances are he'd wind up with more talent out west. The hypothetical makes no sense here though; LeBron happens to play for the 1 of maybe 2 teams out east that have just as much talent as any out west.

What was the combined record of those players prior to playing in Cleveland this year?

Or is this like how folks were claiming that Mario Chalmers and Norris Cole and Wade and Bosh were about to blow up because the Heat no longer had to play "Lebron ball"?

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The thought of LeBron "5th Grade Handles" James on the same team with Curry, Lillard or CP3 attempting to be the primary ball handler to rack up cheap assists is rather disgusting, imo. I can't belive Blatt is letting him go ISO on the perimeter 5 possessions in a row but criticizes Kyrie Irving for doing the same thing.

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Trying to imagine if John Wall was drafted to play with the Heat. We'd never see him develop...

[JT123]

I don't buy that argument, at least not in this case. He's arguably got the most talented surrounding cast in the league already. How many teams out west - after excluding their best player - are more talented than Love, Irving, Mozgov, Smith, Thompson and Shumpert? I only see a real argument for 1 or 2, and even those are questionable if Cleveland can figure out how to fully utilize Love. Yes, if you we're to hypothetically take LeBron and plop him into a random team - replacing their best player - chances are he'd wind up with more talent out west. The hypothetical makes no sense here though; LeBron happens to play for the 1 of maybe 2 teams out east that have just as much talent as any out west.

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You guys do realize that JR Smith would've made it to the finals and probably won a ring if it wasn't for Kobe and his lakers.

He ain't some random scrub. Please stop...

[FLDFSU]

You guys do realize that JR Smith would've made it to the finals and probably won a ring if it wasn't for Kobe and his lakers.

He ain't some random scrub. Please stop...

What is JR's record this season without Lebron in the lineup?

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What is JR's record this season without Lebron in the lineup?

Jr Smith playin the exact way he was playing in New York. But don't worry, I expect you to blame him when the Cavs lose at pivotal moments. Vicious cycle.

[FLDFSU]

Jr Smith playin the exact way he was playing in New York. But don't worry, I expect you to blame him when the Cavs lose at pivotal moments. Vicious cycle.

Correct. 5 wins out of 41 tries...