NBA Finals 2017 - Cleveland Cavaliers vs Golden State Warriors

NBA Finals - Cleveland Cavaliers vs Golden State Warriors Volume 3

I didn’t want to write anything for the NBA Finals because I just wanted to enjoy the series as it unfolds, but as the days before Game 1 passed, I was itching to explain how I think the series will go. As we near tip-off of Game 1, more and more thoughts and snippets of why each team should win come to mind.

The Warriors

Kevin Durant is the best player on the Warriors and the main reason they returned to the Finals. I’m not saying the Warriors wouldn’t have made it if he’d still be in OKC or if Kawhi hadn’t been injured, but he was the difference maker of why they dominated through the first 3 rounds of playoffs. KD wants a ring and that’s why he signed with Golden State. This is the whole reason KD came to Golden State, not winning, in my mind would be a total failure. I know some people with counter with, but LeBron didn’t win in his first year in Miami with his “super” team. True, but the 2009-2010 Heat team that LeBron was coming to finished 47-35, 5^th seed, and lost to the Celtics 4-1 in the first round of the playoffs, not arguably the greatest regular season, NBA record setting 73 wins, that was up 3-1 in the Finals, with the back to back, 2016 unanimous MVP team. LeBron also played horrible and uncharacteristically in the 2011 Finals. So for KD and the Warriors to lose would be pretty shocking and inexcusable for them.  To wrap up my Kevin Durant segment, there is no reason he should lose and in my opinion, the 2^nd best player in the world should never “ring chase” by joining one of the greatest teams in my generation. If he wins, he’ll have a ring, but in no way climbs the ladder of greatest player’s rankings.

As for Steph Curry and the rest of Warriors team, nobody likes losing twice in a row, so Steph and the 2016 team has that as one of their main motivations. We’ve seen it countless times where a team loses the year before and then comes back with vengeance to hoist the trophy. LeBron and co. did it last year to the Warriors. Lakers did it to Celtics in 2010. Spurs did it to the Heat in 2014. It’s very, very difficult to repeat in any sport. A lot of people still think that if Draymond Green hadn’t been suspended, the Warriors would have won the next game and been crowned. I’m sure he is extremely sour still. I think last year’s finals loss hurts Steph Curry more than any of the players on the team because, last year was all about him. The MVP, the most 3’s, the record setting wins, the shoes, etc. but out of all the players on team that were supposed to play their best, Steph did not. In fact, Kyrie Irving outplayed him (Curry) and cemented Irving’s victory between the two with his (Irving’s) game winning shot while being guarded by Curry. It really was like a heroic Hollywood blockbuster. We’ll see if Curry and co. come out looking for blood in Game 1 or if the Cavs can slow down the juggernaut. 

The Cavs

Obviously every game is important, but Game 1 is the most overrated game in any series. Game 1 will be won by the Warriors. The Warriors will have all the hype and the crowd and whatever, but Game 2 will be the real test. LeBron has won one game 1 in his NBA Finals career and that was against the Dallas Mavericks, who LeBron eventually loss to. So if history repeats itself, the Warriors will win and I’m ok with that. When game 2 starts, all bets are off. Unlike last year when Cleveland started down 0-2, this year they will steal a game on the road. My thought is that KD will have a great game 1 and people will think the series is over, KD and the Warriors are looking ready to roll, but that’s when Cleveland strikes back and steals game 2. Then we will have a series.

Bench and Role Players

Last night I was watching The Jump’s NBA Finals Preview and either Paul Pierce or Scottie Pippen said that the Cavs didn’t improve their bench. That’s insulting. They picked up Kyle Korver, who has struggled as of late, but everyone knows he is one of the deadliest 3 point shooters in the NBA. They upgraded from Matthew Dellavedova with Deron Williams, who has proved through these playoffs that he can still play quality minutes, when Kyrie needs a rest. Not only are these bench upgrades valuable, Tristan Thompson is a full time starter and key player instead of a below average center in Timofey Mozgov. Channing Frye played only 29 minutes in the Boston series, but I would expect him to play some valuable minutes, spacing the court with his deadly 3 point range in this series. Frye has shot 30/55 on FGs, 69% of those shots being 3’s, making 20/38 for 52.6 %. I’m not exactly sure why he didn’t play much against Boston, but I’m sure coach Lue will find time for him in this series. JR Smith is one of my dark horses in this series. He has been unusually quiet in these playoffs and since he has returned from his knee injury that he suffered earlier this season. I think we’re all waiting for him to have one his games where explodes from 3. Although he’s been relatively quiet, his net rating for this season’s playoffs is a crazy 19.1 and his +/- is better than last year’s +/-. So although no offensive explosions, his value on the court has been recognized.

Kevin Love and Kyrie Irving

In year 3 since LeBron has returned, the "Big 3" is gelling better than they ever have before. After nearly disappearing in last year's playoffs and finals, Kevin Love is back on top of his game. Just 3 years ago he was arguably the top PF in the NBA. The last 2 years he did struggle fitting into the Cavs, but he's back to his peak form. Kevin Love will have a breakout game during these finals to seal at least 1 victory for the Cavs.

Kyrie has had a quiet playoffs for Kyrie. He seemed to find his shot during the Boston series and get back into that "Uncle Drew" mode. He's healthy and better than he was a year ago, so I foresee him have a couple of 30 point performances to take the load off of LeBron. If Kyrie can outplay Steph Curry once, he can do it again.

LeBron

Where do I even begin. 7 straight Finals. 7 straight Finals. In a few years, we're going to say 10 straight finals and be bored with it. So let me get this straight, the best player in the world, is playing the best basketball of his career and people are doubting him and picking the opponent in 5 games??? (Insert Nick Young meme). Did people not watch the last 2 NBA Finals? We thought LeBron was Superman in the last two finals and now he is playing better than that. The only other thing to compare him to now is the ultimate player, Michael Jordan. I’ve watched LeBron for years and when I watched him toy with defenders this post season, he looked like MJ, when MJ used to make defenders look silly. 11/13 games he has scored 30 or more, last season’s playoffs, he didn’t score 30 until game 6 of the Toronto series in the ECF. LeBron has learned how to control the game and not in a one-on-on isolation from the left wing way. (See 2015 Finals). He's doing it with his passing and efficiency. His 3 point shooting is at a career best, where teams aren't allowed to go under screens on PnRs, forcing James to shoot. He has proved this post-season that he will destroy teams if they dare him to shoot from deep, connecting at 42%. I'll take LeBron James playing at his best over any team and like Tom Brady, I will never bet against LeBron.

*side note: Mike Brown being the coach might have a bigger impact than we can determine.

Game by game prediction:

Game 1:  Golden State

Game 2: Cleveland

Game 3: Cleveland

Game 4: Golden State

Game 5: Golden State

Game 6: Cleveland
Game 7: Cleveland

Cavs in 7. Lebron gets ring #4 and Finals MVP.

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NBA Friday Night on ESPN 10/28/2016

NBA Friday Night on ESPN

This Friday night, ESPN will be broadcasting 2 very intriguing games between 4 very exciting teams. First, the Cavs head to Toronto to have a rematch of last year's ECF. This will be the better of the two games in my opinion. Both teams had strong opening night performance, which is why I think this game is going to come down to the wire. The Raptors are looking for revenge from last season and the Cavs look like they are still in championship mode. I'll take the Cavs in a close battle tonight.

The 2nd match-up in the double-header is between the Golden State Warriors and the New Orleans Pelicans. The Warriors are coming off one of the most embarrassing opening night losses that I can remember, compounded by Kevin Durant's season debut. On the other side, we were blessed with the return of a healthy, improved, and dominant Anthony Davis, who put up 50, points, 16 rebounds, 7 steals, 5 assists, and 4 blocks, but some how the Pelicans lost the game to the Denver Nuggets. My prediction is that AD will have another big game. Probably not 50 again, but I'm thinking a double-double finishing with 30+ and 12 rebounds. The real pressure will be on the Warriors to bounce back and I believe they will. I expect Curry, Thompson, and Durant to all hit over 20 points, with one of them going for close to 40. The real difference will be their defense. I see this game turning into a blowout, Warriors win by 15+.

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NBA Finals - Cleveland Cavaliers vs Golden State Warriors Game 6

NBA Finals - Cleveland Cavaliers vs Golden State Warriors Game 6

Could tonight be the last night of the NBA season or will LeBron and the Cavs stay alive? Either or, tonight will hopefully be as entertaining of game as Game 5 was. The Cavaliers played with a sense of urgency that had been missing all series. I guess when your season is on the line, there might be a little more fire in one's chest. The Cavs should have that same drive tonight, but using that kind of effort in Game 5 could have some fatigue effects in Game 6.

As I noted in my original NBA Finals preview, Kyrie Irving's rise in level of play will be a huge factor for the Cavs' success, he is truly showing he is a premier PG in the NBA and giving Steph Curry a run for his money. Kyrie's performance in Game 5 is exactly what they needed in that game. Now, I'm not saying he's going to score 40+ again, but if he can just have a slightly above average game, say maybe score 25 or more, while LeBron has near 30, the Cavs' chances of winning grow exponentially. Which brings me to my next topic...Kevin Love.

Kevin Love had a miserable offensive night in Game 5 scoring only 2 points in 33 minutes. He was nearly a non-factor, but he was second on the team, only to Kyrie in +/- of +18. This is why I don't always like the +/- stat. It's deceiving sometimes. In Game 6, Kevin Love should and needs to have a better game. The fact that the game is in Cleveland should boost his confidence somewhat. If he can step up in a way Kyrie did last game, the Cavs will win this game.

The Return of Draymond Green; this has to be the biggest story line of the night. Green and Warrior "fans" claiming they would have won if he'd played. It's all gibberish talk. With the game Kyrie and LeBron had, the Cavs weren't going to lose even if Green had played. Yes, Draymond will have an immediate impact on the game, but his presence alone is not going to be the reason why the Warriors win or lose. The Warriors lost because of their lack of defense and poor bench performance. I could see Speights getting some more playtime tonight due to Andrew Bogut being out and his offensive attributes. A few other things I want to mention with the return of Green and Andrew Bogut being out. This will totally switch up their rotation. The Warriors "DEATH" line-up will be playing even more minutes than usual tonight, due to Bogut being out.

Klay Thompson and Steph Curry

Thompson had an outstanding offensive night, almost as well as Kyrie Irving, but if you look in the box score, he had the worst +/- posting a -21. That is a direct correlation in his defensive ability. I get so frustrated when I hear somebody call him "an elite defender." You don't just go from horrible one on one defender to elite defender in 1 season. Some may think I'm totally wrong about Klay, but I will wait to hear and better yet see a counter argument. As for Steph Curry, once again he looked average having a below par shooting night, after having his huge 38 point game in Game 4, he was over-shadowed by Kyrie's 41 points in Game 5. He has only played like the MVP once in this series. I think he will have another average night again tonight and wait to explode for Game 7.

Cavs win tonight and keep the series alive because LeBron will have another near triple double, Kyrie will have an average game, Kevin Love, JR Smith and the bench will be the difference. My special stat to watch is the number of 3's JR Smith makes. 5 or more and the Cavs win. For the Warriors, I think Klay will have a bad game, Steph will start hot and cool off, and my X factor for the Warriors tonight is Iggy and Livingston. Both need bounce back games. Cavs still win in a very tight game.

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NBA Finals 2016 - Cleveland Cavaliers at Golden State Warriors - Game 5

NBA Finals - Cleveland Cavaliers vs Golden State Warriors Game 5

Game 4 was the most competitive, down to the last minute game so far in the series, 11 points was the margin of victory for the Warriors, but it was by far the most compelling game to watch thus far. The Cavs had so many missed defensive assignments that were compounded by Steph Curry finally showing up and having a memorable performance, finishing with 38 points. Curry played like the MVP, while his counterpart Klay Thompson came to play as well finishing with 25 points.

As for the Cavs, LeBron had a near triple-double finishing with 25 points, 13 rebounds, and 9 assists, but those 25 points and near triple-double are misleading in my opinion. He did have 11 points in the 4th quarter, but 6 of the points were scored on nearly uncontested layups with under a minute left, otherwise known as "padding one's stats," while the Cavs were exchanging layups for near automatic free-throws by Curry and Thompson. On top of his misleading stat-line, LeBron had 7 TO because of careless passes and his reluctant aggressiveness. Kyrie Irving had a big game, scoring 34 points, but that was overshadowed by Curry's 38. So besides James and Irving, the Cavs were pretty flat offensively, especially in the second half.

What's next? Game 5 in Oakland at Oracle Arena on Monday night. Will the Warriors close out the series and become back to back NBA Champions or will the Cavs stay on life support for another game? My gut says it's over on Monday, but the LeBron die hard in me hopes for the latter. I guess all we can do is watch. I hope the LeBron of Game 5 vs Detroit in 2007 comes out to play, but who knows.

Now with the suspension of Draymond Green, I believe Cleveland's chances of winning improve dramatically, mostly because of Green's versatility and his ability to defend LeBron. Yes, Iguodala is very capable of guarding LeBron and fulfilling Green's spot, but his absence will not only affect Golden State's substitutions, but their defensive capabilities. I expect this game to be a lot closer now that Green is out and maybe LeBron explodes for a huge game.

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NBA Finals 2016 - Cleveland Cavaliers at Golden State Warriors - Game 2

NBA Finals - Cleveland Cavaliers vs Golden State Warriors Game 2

Game 1 was not quite what everyone was expecting. Lebron was Lebron, but the other showcased stars of the match-up were not themselves, including the MVP Steph Curry. 11 points for Curry was not quite the Curry we're used to, but he was the reason for many wide open layups/dunks that his teammates were the recipients of, most noticeably that Draymond Green dunk when Lebron and Shumpert messed up and doubled Curry instead of switching. So yes, he had a pretty awful offensive game, but his presence was felt and effected the game. Curry and Thompson's struggles did seem to spark the Golden State bench to compensate for their struggles by outscoring the Cleveland bench 45-10. Shaun Livingston stole the show and as of now is the leading candidate for Finals MVP. Now it it's pretty improbable that he will have another performance like that, but he will most definitely play a huge role in the series, especially when Curry is resting.

As for Cleveland, their bench was invisible and downright horrible. Curry's kryptonite last year, Matthew Dellavedova, was awful and looked scared. He posted a team worst +/- of -19 and didn't help the Cavs at all. I expect him to have a better series after getting those Game 1 jitters out. A lot of people are asking "what happened to JR Smith?" He did have an awful offensive game, but that may have correlation to his outstanding defense on Klay Thompson. It will only be a matter of time before he goes off for 5+ 3's in a game. One last note: When James went out with 34.1 seconds left in the 3rd quarter, Cleveland trailed 71-68. When he returned 2:23 into the 4th, the Cavs trailed 84-70.

My Game 2 Prediction

This is a must win game for Cleveland. Going down 2-0 will be nearly impossible to comeback from. I think Cleveland's bench will out play Golden State's or at least be near even. Yes, I do think one of the Splash Brothers will have a big bounce back game, my guess is Steph, but Kyrie and K-Love will also have much better games, leading to the X-Factor of JR Smith and Cleveland's bench against Golden State's role players and bench. Besides those factors, LeBron is undefeated since 2009 in Game 2 after a Game 1 loss. So if history repeats itself, which I think it will, Cleveland will be heading home with the series tied 1-1 like I thought it would be.

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NBA Finals 2016 - Cleveland Cavaliers vs Golden State Warriors

NBA Finals - Cleveland Cavaliers vs Golden State Warriors Rematch

It's Christmas in June for NBA fans around the world. Tonight kicks off the final playoff series of the NBA season and will end with the crowning of a champion. Review last year's prediction and results made this year's prediction seem clearer. Before I begin my breakdown, I want to comment on each team's path to the NBA Finals. 

Cleveland had a much shorter path, but they were still tested (See John Schuhmann tweet). From the outside, it does seem like the Cavs had a cakewalk to the Finals due to the Eastern Conference being perceived as weak, but I would beg to differ and say the East was much better than it was last year and the #8 seed was six games above .500 unlike the Western Conference, where the #8 seed was .500.

As for Golden State, earning the #1 seed by owning the best regular season record in NBA History is pretty cool to witness. To say the least, they had an amazing season, even though my Timberpups beat them in Golden State. *Proud T-Wolves fan* Besides those 9 losses, Steph Curry was even better than he was last year, which is pretty crazy to think about, considering he broke the 3 point record last year that was held by nobody else besides himself. So he broke his own record, last year to break his old record this year, not by a little, but by 116 more made 3's or 348 more points to his points scored. That's an extra 4.41 additional PPG by 3's. Get the picture. His unanimous MVP voting results really seems as obvious as the outcome. As for the playoffs, the Warriors have gone through a bit of adversity. Losing Steph for a few games in rounds 1 and 2, to being down 3-1 against an OKC team that just knocked off arguably the best Spurs team ever. Their run has been something special.

Now to my analysis of how the series will play out. The Cavs have played 14 games to the Warriors 17. Steph has been injured and missed some games, while the Cavs roster looks very healthy. Cleveland swept 2 series and got ample rest. Golden State just finished a brutal 7 game series. Just these few statements makes it clear that the Cavs are in good position to win the series. Here are my reasons to why the Cavs will be crowned champs.

1) Last year was like everyone on the team meeting each other for the first time. It takes time to gel and play at max potential. With one full year of playing together and most importantly every player healthy, the Cavs are in much better position to win than they were compared to last year's NBA Finals.

2) Statistically, the Cavs are #2 to the Golden State in PPG this Post-season, while they lead the post-season in point differential. They are #1 in 3PM while GS is #2. GS has a slight edge in rebounding and APG, but the Cavs are giving up 10 points less than the Warriors. Read this if you like in-depth stats NBA Finals Statistical Preview.

3) I talked about health and team chemistry in reason 1, but to add to that, I think Kyrie has taken a huge step in these playoffs. His offensive dominance has taken a load off a LeBron's shoulders and allowed their whole team to succeed. His NBA Finals debut got shut down early last time because of injury, so I expect him to have extra motivation and show he can stick with Curry.

4) LeBron James: do I need to say more? 6 straight finals. That's ridiculous and unprecedented besides the Boston Celtics. Here is a graphic of his performance last year, those are video game numbers. Though he won't have near those numbers, he will have teammates to help him.

Now, do I think Golden State can win? Of course. There are plenty of reasons to why they can, could, and should win, but I think the Cavs are ready for them.

Game by game prediction:

Game 1: Cleveland

Game 2: Golden State

Game 3: Cleveland

Game 4: Golden State

Game 5: Cleveland

Game 6: Cleveland

Cavs in 6. Lebron gets ring #3 and Finals MVP.

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NBA Finals - Game 6

"When facing elimination, LeBron James averages 31.9 PPG, the highest in NBA playoff history among players with at least 5 such games in their careers. His teams are 7-7 in those games, but they’ve won 5 of the last 6." - ESPN

What more could LeBron do tonight that he hasn't already done? He's scored 40 in 3 out of the 5 games in this series. He's had a triple double in 2 of them. If only one of his teammates could step up and carry some of the load, LeBron and the Cavs would have a much better chance of winning. Tonight is different. LeBron and the Cavs are facing elimination. Tonight will be all about Lebron James, not about how much his teammates will help. Tonight will be all about attacking every opportunity he gets. I wouldn't be surprised if LeBron surpasses the 30 point mark at halftime if he's truly playing in desperation mode.
Just like in Game 6 at Boston in 2013, LeBron will be on a mission tonight. The one thing I truly believe he's lacked effort in this series and most of the post season is his INDIVIDUAL defense. Yes, I know he's basically the Cavs' only threat on offense, thus him conserving energy on the defensive side, but tonight he is going to have to play just as hard on defense as he has been on offense if the Cavs want to stay alive. If you don't agree that he hasn't given his full effort on defense, look at the play that Harrison Barnes dunked on him on the offensive rebound putback slam. Also, watch him guard Iguodala, yes he is suppose to give him room to shoot, but his close outs are lackadaisical and effortless. He needs to take command and guard Steph Curry when Steph is starting to heat up to prevent the Warriors from going on a big run or score 17 points in the 4th quarter.

When it is all over it will come down to a win or another NBA Finals loss.

My Final thought is that LeBron will come out hungry and have a big 1st half. Although he will be gunning, I think the Warriors will stay right with the Cavs. The difference tonight will be the help of the whole team in terms of defense and making shots when called to. The 4th quarter will be the final factor as to why the Cavs win or lose and I think LeBron will take over, willing his way to force Game 7 with an incredible offensive output, but even more importantly, taking responsibility on defense, shutting down Curry.



Here is an interesting article on Lebron's performance through the 5 games.

http://fivethirtyeight.com/datalab/lebron-james-may-go-down-as-the-greatest-loser-ever/

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NBA Finals - Game 4 recap - Game 5 preview

It was about time that Cleveland's gas tank hit completely empty, they have had their gas light on since the 4th quarter of Game 3. We all knew that this would inevitably happen with the minutes that the Cavs player were playing. LeBron finally returned to mortal and was a non-factor in the second half. Pretty much every Cavs player had a bad night except Mozgov who had the best game of his career finishing with 28 points. This was about the only thing Cleveland did well. With the Warriors playing small, Cleveland had to use their size and take advantage. Unfortunately nobody else could make a shot, especially from outside and from 3, where the Cavs shot 4-27. JR Smith has been absent from this series and thus I predict a breakout Game 5.

Game 5

These 2 days between games will make a big difference for the depleted Cavaliers. After a horrendous Game 4, I expect LeBron to return to his SuperMan like form and have a big Game 5. I hope JR and Shumpert can get it going as well because they were so bad in Game 4. My guess is that Game 5 is another down to the wire, one possession game. I have a feeling LeBron is going to have a big game along with one other teammate, hopefully JR Smith and they pull out a win.

Cleveland wins and takes a 3-2 lead back to Cleveland.


Side note: Andre Iguodala has been the MVP of the Warriors and is the biggest reason they won last night.

LeBron will bring back the over-sized sweatband.

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NBA Finals - Game 3 recap - Game 4 preview

Once again another very inefficient game for LeBron. 14-34 is better than Game 2, but still not the best. 46 minutes added to his minutes total, getting him to 142/154 minutes possible. His efficiency is really taking a toll because of his lack of rest. That being said, this is how he has to play with the line-ups he is playing with. I was impressed with how he came out attacking in the 1st half and 3rd quarter when they pushed the lead to 22. The 4th quarter was a different story though, after what we thought was turning into a blowout, the Warrior came back and cut the lead all the way to 1 point. A lot of this was because of stagnant offense by the Cavs, but another reason was because Steph Curry finally found his shot and started lighting it up from downtown. Fortunately for the Cavs, the Warriors could not complete the full comeback, due to some clutch free throws by LeBron and Dellavedova. Curry ended up scoring 17 in the 4th and 27 in the game.

Delly! Delly! Delly! Dellavedova deserves all the praise and attention he is receiving. He out played the MVP, maybe not in stats, but in terms of hustle, heart, and defense. He is giving his all and it shows. I doubt he will have the same kind of performance he had in Game 3 in Game 4, but if he plays with the same intensity and effort, expect him to frustrate Curry and the Warriors again.

Tristan Thompson was much better in Game 3 than Game 2. A key stat worth noting is that he played 44 mins, only 2 less than LeBron who played 46. TT was also very efficient last night getting some easy finishes off 4 offensive rebounds finishing 4/6 from the field with 13 rebounds, a team high. It seems to be that when one of Cleveland's bigs is on the other is off. They work so well at protecting the rim and rebounding, but if they could both be on for one game, the Warriors would have their hands full. I know Cleveland is switching all picks when Thompson is the center, but he simply cannot guard Steph.

Looking ahead to Game 4

As the Cavs take a 2-1 lead into Game 4 and home-court advantage, I wouldn't say anything is locked up for them at all. After last night's loss, I believe the Warriors finally have felt like they can actually be beat. Their body language said it all. They seem like they have lost all their confidence and chemistry. Klay Thompson was MIA last night after having a huge Game 2. Steph didn't find his shot until the 4th quarter. The Golden State front court of Bogut, Green, and Barnes was absolutely horrendous. The only reason they stayed in the game was becasue of the combo of Iggy, David Lee, and Barbosa. Yes, the very unlikely trio. If I'm Steve Kerr, I would piss these guys off to get a fire lit under them. Also, maybe David Lee has to play more. He ended with a +17 rating. That's riddiculous. I think Golden State will come out firing on all cylinders showing everybody that they haven't thrown in the towel yet and make this another close game. The difference between Game 4 and the first 3 games will be that Golden State will actually lead most of the game rather than the Cavs. The Cavs have been leading most of the game because LeBron has been controlling the tempo, disabling Golden State to play at a fast pace and get transition baskets. At the end of the game, Golden State will tie the series 2-2, unless an unexpected performance from Dellavedova, JR Smith, or Iman Shumpert.














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NBA Finals - Game 2 recap - Game 3 preview

In all honestly LeBron played very inefficient in terms of offense and amount of minutes he played. Nobody cares about efficiency though, because the highlights and history books only care about "how many" points, rebounds, assists rather than efficiency. Both Game 1 and 2 LeBron has been very inefficient but all people will see is that he has scored 44 & 39 respectfully in each game. None the less, 39 points and a triple-double is extremely impressive and will go down as one of his best performances in NBA Finals history, joining the elite company of James Worthy as the only players with 35, 15, & 10. Not to shabby Mr. James.

The difference in tonight's game was what the Cavs missed in the first game and that was a bench or their role players stepping up. Game 1 was 2 stars against the Warriors. Game 2 was about 1 guy and a group of guys stepping up to a challenge and beat a deeper team. The player that's not getting the press that should be getting talked about more is Mozgov. He had a very quiet, but extremely efficient 17 points and 11 Rebs. He was the Cavs' second highest scorer, yet nobody is talking about him because he hardly played in the last periods of the game.

As for Matthew Dellavedova, he deserves all the press he's getting. After posting an absolute goose egg in Game 1, he got the call to start and guard Curry all night. He might have done the best job anybody has EVER done guarding Curry. Curry ended with 19 points and had one of the worst shooting nights of his career including a record setting, most missed 3 pointers in a game going 2-15. I would have to give almost all the credit to Delly, who when guarding Curry, caused him to go 0-8. 0-8 when guarded by Dellavedova! The best shooter in the world. That's heart. Not only did Delly play stellar defense, but he posted a +15. Tristan Thompson was excellent on the rebounds, grabbing 14 rebounds but posted a team worst -21. I just wish the Cavs could get him a little more involved in the offense, getting him more touches and easy buckets, but as of now he is doing his role as best as they could ask him.

Game 2 might have been even more enticing than Game 1 just due to the fact that the Cavs won while being without their second best player and on the road after losing a heart breaker. 

I hope Game 3 will live up to what Game 1 & 2 have been, which I think it will. My guess is that the Cavs shock the world an take Game 3, forcing the Warriors and the rest of the world to doubt how good the Warriors are. Doubt is just what the Cavs have installed into the Warriors heads after winning in Golden State. Had the impossible just been done? I think the Warriors are stunned and are in a vulnerable spot right now coming to Cleveland, with the momentum on Cleveland's side. 1 day of rest is in favor of GS because of their depth.

Maybe I'm being too optimistic in thinking the Cavs are going to win the series and are just on a high from winning Game 2 without Kyrie, but I truly think Cleveland is in just as good of shape as they were before Kyrie going out. I think this because, yes Kyrie is really good and I think he would help a lot, but with him gone others really have to step up without having to go out of their comfort zones. For example, Dellevedova didn't do anything special last night in terms of playing outside his abilities, he just accepted the challenge in front of him and stepped up to it. LeBron is the one that will have to do more and something different. The rest of the Cavs just need to step their game up and know their role.

As for Game 3, I would hope Cleveland shows up like they did in Game 2, but nobody can believe Steph Curry will shoot as bad as he did in Game 2 again. I'm afraid he will have one of his "video game" like moments and get his teammates to play like they did all regular season. It's how the Cavs respond to a Curry "video game" unstoppable moment that will decide the game, if they cave in and let the lead get around 15 it might be done, but if they can sustain a big run by GS and not get knocked out (theoretically speaking) they might have a chance to play well enough to take a 2-1 lead into Game 4. This series has been a gift from the basketball gods that we should all be thankful for. I can't imagine not having 3 or 4 more epic games to lead into another epic NBA Finals like we had in the 2013 Finals between LeBron's Miami Heat and Tim Duncan's SA Spurs. After a lot of thought and research I have came to the prediction that the Cavs will take Game 3 and take a series lead into Game 4. 

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NBA Finals Game 1 recap - Game 2 Preview

Is this series déjà vu from the OKC 2012 Finals series when LeBron won his first ring or are the Cavs facing a very steep up hill battle? I'm afraid that it will be a very tough climb for the Cavs. LeBron did what everyone expected him to do by literally carrying the team on his back, scoring a new NBA Finals career high with 44 points. He was just another step back game winning buzzer beater away from stealing Game 1 on the road and adding to his already impressive "greatness" resume.

For how confident people were in the Warriors to beat up the Cavs, the Cavs held their own the entire game including a 10 point lead after the first quarter, but we all know basketball is a tale of 2 halves and sometimes 5 extra minutes in Game 1's case. That extra 5 minutes appeared to be too much more the gassed Cavs. Not only were the Cavs already exhausted by the end of the 4th, they ended up losing their star point guard, Kyrie Irving, within 2 minutes of the overtime period. Talk about killing 2 birds with 1 stone for the Warriors. Beat the Cavs and have them lose their PG. That's bad news for Cleveland and their title hopes. Still, LeBron has brought a lesser talented roster to the Finals, circa 2007. Not saying they had any success, but with a more developed LeBron James and a starting line up that is one of the best in the NBA, there is still a chance for the Cavs to win a championship without Kyrie.

The Cavs' bench which is stripped down to nothing as is, just a got a little thinner, as Kyrie Irving left Game 1 with a knee injury that will probably alter his effectiveness and status of his play. Most likely, JR Smith will have to move into the starting line up, which is no problem, but that leaves almost no bench. The irony of the bench scoring difference of 34-9 is that the Cavs record since Jan. 15 was 34-9 which I talked about in my last post.

My take for Game 2

The Cavs fought hard all game, owning the lead for a majority of the game. The effort they put into Game 1 will show up in their lack of energy for Game 2. Unless LeBron has yet another miraculous "MJ" like performance for Game 2, Cleveland stands very little chance. I don't think Kyrie will play, which hurts them even more, and even if he did, he wouldn't be at 100% or as good as he was last night. All in all, I think the Warriors will win by 11+ and take a strong 2-0 lead into Cleveland for Tuesday's Game 3.

Optimistic thought: JR Smith goes off again like he did vs Atlanta and/or Mike Miller comes in like he did for the Heat in their 2012 NBA Finals series against OKC. #Wishfulthinking

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NBA Finals - Cavaliers vs GS Warriors

NBA Finals - Cleveland Cavaliers vs Golden State Warriors

This year's NBA Finals are another gift from the basketball gods to us. We get this season's MVP against the Best Player in the world going head to head. For the 1st time in 40 years for Golden State and the 1st time since 2007 for the Cavs when LeBron was still young and still developing his game. The video-game like play with street ball handles against an unstoppable freight train. This is one of the finals that we dream of, yet people are thinking this one is over before it has begun. That is not the case in my opinion.

Remember earlier this season when Lebron sat out for a 2 week stretch to rest? This nine day break between games will me much similar to that. The Cavs were 1-7 on the 8 game streak without LeBron posting a 19-19 record. Since the Cavs' horrendous start and disregarding LeBron's first game back against Phoenix, the Cavs had the best record since January 15th (34-9).

The 34-9 record is because of a few things:

1) LeBron returning. Obviously he is the main reason for the Cavs' success, but that 2 weeks of rest really helped him.

2) The trades and players signed the Cavs made mid season. Trading away Dion Waiters, whom did not fit well with the Lebron and Blatt's game plan, was one of the best moves
Cavs made. Waiters simply did not flow with LeBron's style. Picking up JR Smith and Iman Shumpert from the Knicks might be the key to puzzle for the Cavs to win a championship. The two have been crucial parts during the Cavs' magical post season run. JR has been lights out and Shumpert has filled in great on defense and shooting the 3. The last part was getting Mozgov, the center Cleveland needed to block shots and own the boards alongside Tristan Thompson and Kevin Love (while he played).

3) The back end of season also developed many of Cleveland's role players like Dellavedova and Thompson to get them comfortable playing big minutes with the starting group. The Cavs have really gelled this post season and could take the series from Golden State with their intensity on defense and team chemistry.

Why I think the Cavs will win the 2015 NBA Finals Championship:

1) NUMBERS NEVER LIE: The Cavs' defense has been superb this post season. They have the best opponents PPG at just over 92. They also have a slight edge in off and defense efficiency over the Warriors. They have lead the post season in Blocks per game with Thompson and Mozgov protecting the rim. They also have a slight edge for the lead in rebounds per game over the Warriors.  Its frustrating to read articles saying the Cavs don't stand a chance, when on paper they are just as good or better than Golden State.

2) Like I mentioned before, the new comers and role players have really stepped up this post season. JR Smith has been huge, and he is just what LeBron and Cavs needed with the injury to Kevin Love. He is a legitimate 3rd scoring option for the Cavs. His shining moment was Game 1 against the Hawks when he could not miss a shot. He ended up with 28 points. TT's rebounding has really made him emerge this off-season, proving he's worth a contract extension and a legitimate PF in the NBA. Dellavedova and Shumpert have also been good, having their own shining moments and stirs of controversy. Gaining Smith and Shumpert has allowed the Cavs to play small ball with the line up of Irving, Smith, Shumpert, James, and Thompson which has been deadly, allowing the Cavs to space the floor with shooters all over and LeBron playing point forward, given him space to get to the rim or dump to Thompson for a flush. I expect this line up to play the majority of minutes for defensive purposes to be able to guard all of Golden State's weapons.

3) Most importantly, LeBron's experience in the playoffs and finals is legendary. 5 straight NBA Finals, that hasn't been done since Bill Russell and the 1960's Celtics teams. He has put himself in another group of history. I think losing last year fueled him to make it to another finals, but he has carried this team and has felt the effects physically. I think he is a little more banged up then previous seasons and Kyrie and Love being injured or out has not helped, making him carry even more of the load. I will never bet against LeBron even if the odds are against him in these finals.

Why the Warriors could win the 2015 NBA Finals Championship:

The Golden State Warriors are really, really good, They were the best team during the regular season, and had the MVP on their team. They are really good at defense and offense. Their depth is what sets them apart from just about everyone. I think Kerr's experience playing with Jordan and the Spurs really has shaped his coaching style, emphasizing team basketball. There is a reason why they are at the top for assists per game, even with a point guard that is top 10 in scoring and shots. They are versatile and deep. Just about 1-10 could be a starter on most teams in the league, but their sacrifice to come off the bench and play as team is what makes them so dangerous. My biggest fear for them and what I believe is their achilles heel, is that they have no NBA Finals experience, but one could say the same about the Cavs, minus LeBron.

I am very excited about this year's NBA Finals and have came to my final thoughts.

My prediction is that the Cavs will be crowned Champions at Golden State after Game 7. I picked them before the season started and am sticking with em'. Never bet against the king or you will pay. I wouldn't be surprised if Golden State won, because their core has been together for a few years, starting when they pushed the Spurs a few seasons ago. You can't honestly believe that the Cavs were meant to win in LeBron's first season back in Cleveland with a group of young stars that have never even been to the playoffs (Irving, Love, Thompson). I didn't expect them to win this year, but I think LeBron's goal and reason to come back is so that they could start a dynasty for years to come with LeBron and Kyrie at the core.

Just a side thought that I had: With Kyrie getting these 2 weeks of rest, who knows maybe he will have a coming out series and be able to match Steph Curry's performance. Kyrie is my sleeper in this series, with his ability to score, when healthy, I wouldn't be surprised if we see a big game from him and steal a road game, like when he put up 57 vs the Spurs earlier this season.

CLEVELAND WINS 4-3

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Cleveland Cavs Eastern Conference Finals

After a tremendous first 5 games of the Cleveland Cavaliers-Chicago Bulls series, Game 6 was the opposite of the first 5 games. Expecting another down-to-the wire game and maybe a Chicago win to force Game 7, Game 6 was everything but that. Derrick Rose started off really hot, scoring 10 in the first quarter, which led many to believe that he would play hero again and force a game 7 with a tremendous effort. After that first quarter he hardly did anything. He finished with 14 points on 7/16 with no FTs made or attempted. One could make the argument that the only Chicago player that played halfway decent was Jimmy Butler, but even he shot very poorly at 8/22 and posting a -25 +/- rating. The Bulls' front court was a non-factor as well. Combining for just 21 points between Noah, Gasol, Gibson, and Mirotic, the Bulls were destroyed by Tristan Thompson, who recorded a career best 17 rebounds.

With Kevin Love out and Kyrie Irving twisting his knee/ankle in the 2nd quarter, you would think LeBron was going to have to carry the team on his back and have another remark game like Game 5. No, not this game. He had another horrible shooting night, but excelled in other areas, nearly notching a triple double with 11 assists and 9 rebounds to go with his 15 points. His teammates finally stepped up and played great. The small-ball game plan worked. The line up of Thompson, James, Shumpert, Smith, and Dellavedova was the line up that pushed the lead past 20. All the players in the line up had a +/- of +19 or better. Cleveland's bench was the key to winning Game 6. All the Cavs' role players played great, including James Jones who came off the bench to knock down 3 three pointers in the game.

After a competitive half, both teams came out of halftime with no offense. At one point, the teams were shooting a combined 3-23 6 minutes into the 3rd quarter. It was horrendous basketball to watch. The lack of a comeback by the Bulls helped lock the win in for the Cavs, as the 4th quarter was very undramatic as well.

Moving on to the Eastern Conference Finals for the Cavs is something Cleveland hasn't done since you guessed it: when Lebron led them there in 2009 in his last game as a Cavalier before going to the Miami Heat. Making it to the ECF marks 5 consecutive seasons for Mr. James as he waits to find out who his next opponent will be. This one will be different though. He has a new team, full of young stars and a few veterans. The young guys like Kyrie, TT, Dellavedova, and Shumpert have never made it this far, let alone played in the playoffs besides Shumpert. This will be another true test against a very talented and defensive minded Washington Wizards or a tough, well round team that plays great team basketball in the Atlanta Hawks. Either team will definitely test the Cavs to the brink, but I believe the Cavs have what it takes to make it to the NBA Finals for the first time since 2007.

Stephen Curry KIA NBA MVP 2015

Steph Curry NBA MVP

Steph Curry was the obvious MVP of the 2014-2015 NBA season. He lead his team to the best record in the league and was top 6 in scoring and assist per game. He had an unbelievable season that can only get better if the Golden State Warriors win the NBA Finals. Hopefully the Houston Rockets advance to the Western Conference Finals to have a battle between the 1st and 2nd place vote-getters Curry and James Harden.
I predicted the MVP results in March correctly. Here are the results:

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NBA PLAYOFFS 2015 2nd Round

Round 2 is going to be awesome! Game 7 of the Spurs-Clippers series was one of the best games of recent NBA Playoffs. I was very shocked the Clippers pulled it off, but hats off to them. I think the Spurs losing surprised the majority. I had them beating Houston in the second round and eventually going to seven with the Warriors in the Western Conference Finals. Now with the Spurs out, I think the Rockets have a lot better chance of advancing against the Clippers. With that being said here are my predictions of the 2nd round:

GS vs MEM 
Earlier in the season I had the Grizzlies as the #2 seed. This is the series of better teams, because whoever wins this series will be the Western Conference champion. The Grizzlies are going to struggle with the pace when they play at Golden State, but they are one of the top defensive teams in the league. If they grind it out by dumping it down low, I believe Memphis can keep it close and steal one on the road. GS wins 4-3

HOU vs LA
This series is really up for grabs. Houston played very well against Dallas and the Clippers were sensational in their seven game series against the Spurs. Chris Paul being a tad beat up could hinder the outcome of the series. I also believe that because LA played a brutal seven game series will make them start down 0-1. Game 2 could be a chance to even the series, but I think the Clippers with go back to LA down 0-2. Even down two games, LA will even the series after Game 4. The deciding factor will be Houston owning home court advantage and winning Game 7 to advance to the Western Conference Finals. HOU wins 4-3

ATL vs WASH
After watching Atlanta struggle against Brooklyn, I am very hesitant to pick them to beat the scorching hot Wizards. How Atlanta plays is why I think they will win the series. They are a good defensive team and an excellent offensive team that shares the ball. The scary thing is that the Wizards are playing unbelievably. Sweeping the higher seed Raptors and averaging nearly 10 point more per game is a recipe for success. I wouldn't be surprised if Washington won, but I think Atlanta is the better team. ATL wins 4-3

CLE vs CHI
This will be the most popular series of the 2nd round. The Cavs are on role after sweeping the Celtics and the Bulls won convincingly against the Bucks after 2 games of missed opportunities.There are a few concerns for both teams. The biggest: Kevin Love out for the rest of the playoffs. Though he has has under performing season, his importance and role on the court hasn't changed. His ability to stretch the floor enabling Lebron and Kyrie to get to the hoop, will be seriously jeopardized now that he is out. I think James Jones and Mike Miller will play big roles in this series filling in for Love, but they don't bring the rebounding ability as Love does. Lebron and Kyrie will have to up their games and production in order to move on.
The Bulls have concerns as well. Blowing game 4 and 5 didn't help them at all. Yes game 6 was a convincing win, but that put more wear on the whole team and especially Derrick Rose. Rose will be the deciding factor in this series. If he can play near his former MVP self that we saw glimpses of in the Milwaukee series, I think they have a good shot of winning. I still don't think they will beat Cleveland, but expect this series to be a physical one. CLE wins 4-2

Christmas Day

Christmas is the season of giving so what better way for the NBA to do that by giving us 5 games tomorrow! I am stoked! Though 2 of the games are pretty anti-climatic, who knows maybe a Christmas miracle could happen in the Bulls-Lakers game (doubt it). 2/5 of these games are horrendous match-ups and the CLE-MIA really isn't that good of game with how bad the HEAT are and with out Chris Bosh. The OKC-SA game will be worth a watch though Kevin Durant is not suppose to play, so that game drops a few ratings in my book. The best game to watch will be the late game between GS and the LA Clippers. This game will be the best of the day.

Washington Wizards at New York Knicks:

I don't even want to talk about this game, that is how bad it will be. The Knicks are bad and Washington is good. I expect a big scoring performance out of Melo, but a Knicks loss is for certain. The Wiz are just to good and play great defense to lose to a horrendous Knicks team. John Wall is going to have a hay day.

OKC Thunder at San Antonio Spurs:

Spurs win this one. No Durant for the Thunder and Tony Parker back for the Spurs, I'll expect a good game, but it will take an MVP like performance from Russell Westbrook for the Thunder to win this one in San Antonio. A win for the Spurs will get them back on track for a top 3 seed in the West after their recent 4 game losing streak.

Cleveland at Miami:

The most OVERRATED game of the NBA season. There is little to no hate for LeBron from the fans of Miami. They even are supposedly giving him a video tribute. This return is no-where close to when LeBron returned to Cleveland in his first season on the HEAT. He didn't leave the fans devastated and he did bring the city 2 more championships. There is really nothing for them to be mad at and that's why they aren't. The game itself isn't that good of a match-up to begin with. The HEAT have definitely struggled since the departure of LeBron, including a loss at home to Philly earlier in the week when they were up 23 at one point. That burns (pun intended). I expect the game to be very competitive with big runs to keep the game close, but in the end the Cavs are a much better overall team and will pull away in the 4th. As for LeBron, I don't expect anything above average because he doesn't have anything to prove. 

LA Lakers at Chicago Bulls

Do I dare say that if Kobe doesn't play the Lakers have a chance? It worked against Golden State, the NBA's best team. I don't think it will make a difference because the Bulls are playing well with a healthy Derrick Rose and a top defense, I expect we will have a 20 point blowout in Chicago. If Kobe plays, he'll get his 20, but tat wont be an easy 20. He'll take more than 20 shots and convert less than half. The Bulls can already chalk this one up as a win. 

Golden State Warriors at LA Clippers:

Same court, different team for the Warriors. The best game of the night! This game will be a playoff like game between two of the more entertaining teams to watch in the league. Golden State looking to bounce back after an ugly loss to the Kobe-less Lakers. The Steph Curry-Chris Paul battle will be enticing. I am going to go with the home team because the front court advantage for the Clippers will be the difference with the backcourt cancelling each other out.

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Merry Christmas!

NBA Eastern Conference Top 5 teams

After about 6 weeks of the NBA season, I have came to some thoughts. The Eastern Conference is totally up for grabs between Atlanta, Chicago, Cleveland, Toronto, and the Wizards. Those 5 are the only good teams in the East. I left the Miami Heat off because without LeBron they are now just an average Eastern Conference team. Now let me breakdown the 5 teams I mentioned.

Atlanta Hawks: I don't know how they are on a 9 game winning streak, but whatever they are doing keep doing it. They are .5 a game behind Toronto for the #1 seed. I don't see them as being a real contender for the Eastern Conference Championship, but they will be tough to go through if they keep playing as they are for the rest of the season.

Chicago Bulls: On paper they look really good and they are really good. They have maybe the most complete team in the East. They are the favorite to a lot of journalist to win the East and they certainly can, but their playoff success depends on the health of Derrick Rose. Last night, he looked really good against a very good Western Conference team, the Portland Trailblazers. Dropping 31 was a great sign for him and the team. As a fan of the game I hope he gets back to his MVP form, but that's highly unlikely. Rose has struggled this season. He is shooting a very low FG% and 3P%. Those number's need to increase closer to 48% and 35%. I would say the biggest concern that I can see are the amount of free throws attempted. He has only one game this season with 10 FTA. His average FTA is only slightly lower than his career FTA, but I personally think that the scoring PG that he is should be getting to the FT at least 6 times per game. It's early in the season, so there is a lot of time to improve and get back to his peak, but that will take proper rest from coach Thibodeau in terms of minutes played and games played. The addition of Pau Gasol has been a great compliment to both Jokim Noah and Taj Gibson. The emergence of Jimmy Butler as premier defender and legit offensive threat has been impressive. The Bulls are a serious contender that could possibly knock King James off his throne.

Cleveland Cavaliers: Sitting at the #5 seed in the East, you would think this team will make it to the playoffs and then bow out in the first or maybe second round. That is not the case. The Cavs just ended a remarkable 8 game winning streak that truly showed us (the fans and league) what this team is capable of doing. After their sluggish start, they finally showed that they can be a sound defensive team and high powered offensive team that we all could predict when the new Big 3 (James, Irving, Love) teamed up. Blatt has finally figured out a game plan that will play to his team's strengths. With a defense first mindset, the Cavs can easily rise to a #1 o#2 seed in the East. Last night was an MVP like performance from Mr. James. 17/24 from the floor is quite spectacular. LeBron is playing great, it's his teammates that need to step up as it's always his teammates that need to step up where ever he goes. DeJaVu? When the Big 3 are all clicking, this team is pretty tough to stop, but it's the guys like Tristan Thompson and Varejo that are the X factors of the Cavs winning these regular season games. Thompson is a very important key to the Cavs success. If Thompson, Love, and Varejo can control the boards, the Cavs will be very successful. Getting Delladova back is a huge addition for the Cavs. He will be able to take some pressure off Kyrie Irving when Irving is on the bench or at the SG position.

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Lebron's Homecoming

Well that was ugly. I know it was just this first game of the season, but that had to be so disappointing to the city of Cleveland. Lebron looked like he had never played with his teammates and he didn't want to upset them by playing like his usual self. He literally played like an average SF in the league that was just there to get occasional shots. It seemed as if the game plan was for him to play off his teammates rather than his teammates play off him. If the Cavs want to be serious championship contenders David Blatt is going to need to change his game plans.
This was a rare outing from Lebron and I expect a huge game from him tonight, but it wont be easy going to the revamped Chicago Bulls for their home opener and Derrick Rose back. Kyrie will have his hands full with Rose and vice versa.

Can't wait to watch ESPN @ 7:00 PM CT Cavs at Bulls

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