That's why I said "must-have." LeBron is almost impossible to stop when he's motivated. Still, Warriors did a great job with Iggy and Draymond to contain LeBron and force him away from the paint into more difficult shots. The only player to ever stop LeBron in a series was Kawhi when James was in Miami.
That's why Boston is gonna try like hell to snatch him this summer. They know LeBron is not leaving the cakewalk East and they need an elite defender to slow him down. Celtics have the Rozier, Brown, and Smart they could package along with picks to get it done. A lineup of... Irving Tatum Leonard Hayward Horford ... With a savant defensive coach in Brad Stevens. Good luck Leastern Conference trying to stop that team!
lowry has actually played well in the playoffs and so has DD. youre getting as much production from them as good as they are. i can give them that. they just run into the same issues because their team ceiling remains the same
The heat lost, but Kawhi did not stop lebron. He average 28/7/4@ts68%. He slowed him down for a few possession, but he was still pretty good.
The proof is in the pudding. LeBron had a Finals record 7 turnovers in that pivotal game 3. Sure, LeBron can get his 25-30 points a game. The question is hard can you make him work for it. The 28/7/4@ts68% stat line is meaningless when LeBron lost that the series in 5 games and Kawhi made him work his ass off for every point he scored.
Lol y'all acting like Kawhi will ever be that player again. I wouldn't be surprised if he turned into McGrady when it comes to injuries.
If the Raptors have any dignity left...they would trade everyone and start over. If you arent trying to beat Lebron...you arent doing anything. The way this #1 seed is getting decimated is just pathetic...just tells you how bad it is in the east. Lebron truly doesnt have to expend his full powers till the finals. Boston may give him a challenge, but Lebron will just do what he does and no one will stop him except the winning team from the West. DeRozan, JV, Ibaka...all are broken goods, and a completely different setting may salvage what is left of their careers. Also sadly...I see zero scenarios where Casey remains as a head coach especially after this playoff series.
If you're not building a team to beat either Lebron (to which you lost 3 years in a row to) or the Warriors, then what are you doing? The entire team needs to be blown up - DeRozan, Lowry, Valanciunas all need to be traded for picks. Rebuild and keep the bench unit.
Derozan for Middleton and Parker.. Lowry and Ibaka for Wiggins and Teague.. Good young pieces to build around and start fresh..
That series was more of an indictment on the Heat than LeBron. LeBron maybe had to "work" to average 28 PPG on 68% TS%, but that series showed that Wade was washed, Bosh was in decline, and the Heat's role players weren't getting in done. Just the previous year, LeBron put up similar point totals on far reduced efficiency, but the Heat won because everyone else showed up.
