NBA Basketball Betting: NBA Playoffs for June 13, 2016
The NBA–it’s ‘fan-tastic’! And it’s back for at least one more game!! Whining LeBron!! League office shenanigans!! The Warriors do the unthinkable and actually *exert an effort* for 48 minutes every single game!! Read on, true believers!!
CLEVELAND CAVALIERS AT GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS:
Well, this should end here. The Warriors did the job for Cleveland in Game Three but it was the same old preening and pouting Cavs in Game Four. Thinking that the league and its refs would gift them with another game they were back to thinking that the Warriors would roll over at that mere presence. It didn’t happen that way, of course, and the result was another double digit Golden State win.
As for LeBron, he’s trying to whine his way to a suspension for Golden State’s Draymond Green. Green apparently had the nerve to ‘disrespect’ LeBron has his team ripped Cleveland’s manhood on their home floor and we all know that is a no-no! Of course ESPN provided a forum for Bron-Bron’s gripes if you want to read more. Apparently the two were fighting for a rebound, words were exchanged and the players had to be separated. LeBron passive aggressively lobbied for a suspension after the game: “I don’t know what should happen. It’s not my call. That’s the league office. They’ll take a look at it. We all saw it in the locker room. You know, like I said, as a competitor, I love going against Draymond, and I’m all about going out there and leaving it out on the floor. But when it gets a little bit more than what it should be, that’s what caused me to have words with him.”
USA TODAY provides a more objective and less LeBron-fawning account. Yep–Green had the temerity to ‘disrespect’ Bron-Bron as his team was in the process of going up 3-1 in the series: “Draymond said something that I don’t agree with. I’m all cool with the competition, I’m all fine with that, but some of the words that came out of his mouth were a little bit overboard. Being a guy with pride, a guy with three kids and a family, things of that nature, just some things go overboard, and that’s where he took it.”
ESPN omitted this little detail which suggests that LeBron was pissed because Green didn’t grovel appropriately at his majesty: “I felt he stepped over me. You’re not just gonna step over me like that. There’s many routes you can take, don’t just step over me like that. We had our words, it is what it is. I don’t care who you are, I’m not gonna back down from you.”
This is pretty much the series in microcosm. LeBron and the Cavs talk about ‘respect’ and ‘pride’. The Warriors go out and earn it.
ESPN also helped Cleveland coach Tyronn Lue lobby for some more love from the NBA refs. Lue’s assertion is ridiculous–he claims that Bron-Bron ‘never gets calls’:” He never gets calls. I mean, he attacks. Outside of Russell Westbrook, he’s one of the guys that attacks the paint every single play. And he doesn’t get a fair whistle all the time because of his strength and because of his power and guys bounce off of him. But those are still fouls, and we weren’t able to get them. But we’ve got to play through officiating.”
ESPN carries some water for Lue/LeBron with some stats and then the man himself checks in: “It’s been like that all year, for the most part. I’m not quite sure what I can do personally to get to the free throw line, but I’ve got to continue to be aggressive for our team. I’m getting hit, but the refs are not seeing it that way on my drives. … It’s tough playing 46 minutes and only going to the line four times, as much as I attack the rim. So it’s just a tough situation for our team.”
He may have a point. After all, if the NBA stands for anything–and has stood for anything over the years–it’s objectivity. No one gets preferential treatment. The biggest superstars in the game are held to the letter of the rulebook just like a rookie playing his first game. Uh…wait…no they’re not. Superstars get all the love. Karl Malone might be my favorite NBA player ever but the reality is that he could have decapitated a second stringer with his elbows and the legendary Utah Jazz power forward would have been heading to the line. Superstars get extra steps on traveling calls. Their fouls get overlooked and if an opponent even looks at them funny they’re heading to the line. You can have a debate whether it’s right or wrong–on one hand, it is a double standard but on the other hand, no one comes to the arena or tunes in to the TV broadcast to watch the superstars sit on the bench with foul trouble.
What LeBron’s fewer trips to the line could be symptomatic of is his diminishing influence and ability. Karl Malone didn’t get the calls during his final year run with the Lakers that he did in his prime and got beat up on most nights. Of course the difference between Malone and LeBron is that he didn’t whine about it either.
Here’s something you can take to the window. Tyrone Lue will be the off season scapegoat. If LeBron won’t listen to Phil Freakin’ Jackson who will he listen to? Apparently there are ‘trust issues’ with the Cavs and certainly that has to be the coach’s fault.
The Warriors win and cover. Golden State is on a 6-2 SU/5-3 ATS run against Cleveland at home. Consider that the Warriors didn’t sneak up on *anyone* this year including the public and linesmakers. They’re 11-1 SU/9-3 ATS in this price range at home (home favorite of 6.5 to 9 points). The NBA is a grease fire but the Warriors sure aren’t the problem.
BET GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS -7 OVER CLEVELAND CAVALIERS