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First off, a lot of respect has to go to the Cavs for sticking in there and, of course, players like Irving and Thompson were awesome.
With that being acknowledged, I have to admit that I and a lot of other people (going by 2017 Vegas odds) still don't feel believe the Cavs were on the Warrior's level. When the game ended, it felt more like a culmination of the effects of NBA interference and player injuries.
You could even see in how it came about, at the very end. The Warriors were tied and continuing to get decent looks, but they just couldn't score. By this point, it wasn't because of what the Cavs were doing, it was because of what the Warriors could no longer do. Sure, some more ball passing would've helped, but the gamble that they lost had far more to do with their overall physical condition.
Of course, people talk about the 73 games, but they fought for greatness. The Warriors were in good condition, until a few accidents got in the way. Plus, they had a rougher time, overall. While Cleveland was facing the Toronto Raptors, Golden State was going off against the monsters that were OKC this year. It was clear who the fresher team would be, and that also played a factor.
Many people also feel that the NBA interfered in order to keep the Cavs alive and have a longer series, after being dominated 3-1. The weird thing about it all is that they also pretty much decided how events would unfold. I'm certain that had Draymond Green played 3 games with the Warriors in that final stretch, they would've won at least one of those (the final game itself being great evidence of his importance). Instead, they were beaten up without him, and even he had to take a game to get back into rhythm. I have to wonder if the NBA hoped this would happen, or if they're as surprised as many fans are as to the impact of their decision.
Either way, the results are in, and Lebron's tactic of artificially stacking his teams has once again paid off. He's like the Mayweather of basketball, but you still have to recognize that cherry-picking works, sometimes. Now, he gets to boast and "reign" again, even though it's obviously clear his team wasn't the best this year.
Ehh, I feel a bit bummed about the loss of historic significance on part of the Warriors, but it is still incredibly interesting how the NBA's interference shaped this all. How the fans, although recognizing the tide of power has shifted toward Lebron, still know that the Warriors are better. I never knew basketball was like that. I'm at best a casual fan of it, and it's surprising how WWE-like this sport can be. Entertaining, even. It's like Vince McMahon stepped in and made sure someone lost, lol. You even have a corruption-suspected referee actually working these finals games, leading to how the calls favoring the Cavs have also been widely covered. Lebron James was complaining about not getting calls when he was just passing the ball over and over again by the hoop (which really made no sense), and the NBA responded by letting them beat the Warriors up, while somehow still calling touch fouls on the Warriors. And this continued all the way to the final game, in one shade or another.
Like whaaaaat? You could imagine something like this in boxing or maybe an in-house sport like the UFC, but it happens in such a mainstream sport like basketball, too? Wow. It was even complete with the robotic commissioner being booed and still proceeding with his trophy-awarding speech, despite the awkwardness of what I'm sure he understood was their doing.
A mixed batch of feelings, I'd say. Frustrating a bit, sure, but the controversy here has its own weird way of being appealing.
Somehow, I'm entertained O_O.
With that being acknowledged, I have to admit that I and a lot of other people (going by 2017 Vegas odds) still don't feel believe the Cavs were on the Warrior's level. When the game ended, it felt more like a culmination of the effects of NBA interference and player injuries.
You could even see in how it came about, at the very end. The Warriors were tied and continuing to get decent looks, but they just couldn't score. By this point, it wasn't because of what the Cavs were doing, it was because of what the Warriors could no longer do. Sure, some more ball passing would've helped, but the gamble that they lost had far more to do with their overall physical condition.
Of course, people talk about the 73 games, but they fought for greatness. The Warriors were in good condition, until a few accidents got in the way. Plus, they had a rougher time, overall. While Cleveland was facing the Toronto Raptors, Golden State was going off against the monsters that were OKC this year. It was clear who the fresher team would be, and that also played a factor.
Many people also feel that the NBA interfered in order to keep the Cavs alive and have a longer series, after being dominated 3-1. The weird thing about it all is that they also pretty much decided how events would unfold. I'm certain that had Draymond Green played 3 games with the Warriors in that final stretch, they would've won at least one of those (the final game itself being great evidence of his importance). Instead, they were beaten up without him, and even he had to take a game to get back into rhythm. I have to wonder if the NBA hoped this would happen, or if they're as surprised as many fans are as to the impact of their decision.
Either way, the results are in, and Lebron's tactic of artificially stacking his teams has once again paid off. He's like the Mayweather of basketball, but you still have to recognize that cherry-picking works, sometimes. Now, he gets to boast and "reign" again, even though it's obviously clear his team wasn't the best this year.
Ehh, I feel a bit bummed about the loss of historic significance on part of the Warriors, but it is still incredibly interesting how the NBA's interference shaped this all. How the fans, although recognizing the tide of power has shifted toward Lebron, still know that the Warriors are better. I never knew basketball was like that. I'm at best a casual fan of it, and it's surprising how WWE-like this sport can be. Entertaining, even. It's like Vince McMahon stepped in and made sure someone lost, lol. You even have a corruption-suspected referee actually working these finals games, leading to how the calls favoring the Cavs have also been widely covered. Lebron James was complaining about not getting calls when he was just passing the ball over and over again by the hoop (which really made no sense), and the NBA responded by letting them beat the Warriors up, while somehow still calling touch fouls on the Warriors. And this continued all the way to the final game, in one shade or another.
Like whaaaaat? You could imagine something like this in boxing or maybe an in-house sport like the UFC, but it happens in such a mainstream sport like basketball, too? Wow. It was even complete with the robotic commissioner being booed and still proceeding with his trophy-awarding speech, despite the awkwardness of what I'm sure he understood was their doing.
A mixed batch of feelings, I'd say. Frustrating a bit, sure, but the controversy here has its own weird way of being appealing.
Somehow, I'm entertained O_O.
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