What I took away from the 2017 NBA Playoffs
I kept a detailed note of all the things that caught my eye from the games played and the stories that came out, especially in the finals. Here are some of the highlights from the 2016 NBA playoffs.
John Wall is a superstar
There is only one point guard in the league I would take over Wall and that’s Steph Curry, only due to the fact that he is unselfish and can play off the ball. But John Wall proved these playoffs that he is a force to be reckon with averaging a double-double with 27.2 ppg and 10.3 assists per game. He is a bigger and more athletic Chris Paul, a pass first point guard, which is rare in the modern day NBA, as most point guards are really shooting guards masquerading as point guards. In the end he ran out of gas, as his really only help in Bradley Beal. If the Wizards want to make strides next season and give the emerging superstar that is Wall the help he needs, they must get a top front court player.
You can’t win with a miniature PG
In the history of the NBA, only two miniature point guards have ever been the best player on a championship winning team. They were Isiah Thomas of the bad boy Detroit Pistons and most recently Steph Curry in the 2015 finals and in that series the Cavaliers did not have two of their big three in Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love.
To prove my point look at all the teams whose best players are point guards, Russell Westbrook shot 15/34 in game 5 against Houston because he looked gassed. James Harden chocked in game 6 against the Spurs, because he was tired. John Wall couldn’t score in the last quarter against Boston. Why? Because in the playoffs teams’ game plan for you, they make you work harder, it becomes much more physical and point guards get beaten up. Look at the two teams in the final, the Warriors and the Cavs, their best players are wing players in Kevin Durant and Lebron James and there second best are point guards in Steph Curry and Kyrie Irving. Message to those teams, have an elite front court player to win.
Spurs need more
Kawhi Leonard is a top three player, but he cannot do it by himself. Lamarcus Aldridge sucked, so he was no help and frankly, the Spurs are old and can’t compete with a more athletic Warriors team. Look, even if Kawhi hadn’t got injured Golden State would still beat the Spurs, would’ve just taken longer. The idea of Chris Paul makes sense, in the sense that it could take pressure of Kawhi and Aldridge, but unless Paul changes his way of playing to win a chip and takes about $30M less I don’t think that will happen. A championship isn’t worth that much money too me. But one thing’s for sure they need to make some upgrades.
Boston Celtics are close
Look, the score against the Cavs appears to insinuate that the East is a foregone conclusion. However, it’s closer than you think. Boston just need to make some moves. Again Isaiah Thomas a 5 foot 9 inches point guard will not win you the title, but signing Gordon Hayward will put you close and why not go for a Paul George or someone nobody is talking about. Rudy Gay. Why not sign him for about 16 points a game. But I would like Paul George and Gordan Hayward for the Celtics to help them over the top. They do have the first pick in the draft which they could use to trade for another elite player. If they do that, they will surely push the Cavs close next year.
Kevin Durant has arrived
Like or hate the move, it’s your choice, but Kevin Durant showed up when it counted averaging 35 ppg in the finals on his arch nemesis Lebron James. The top two players in the NBA finally went at each other in a finals series, something I have personally wanted since 2012. KD got the championship he’s wanted and who says he cannot get more, not jumping on the Warriors bandwagon, but leading them to a championship like he did this year.
The Warriors are on the precipice of a dynasty and if that happens who knows where KD could end up on an all time list. I saw an article that had Kevin Durant as the 22nd best player of all time and Steph Curry as the 37th best before the start of the past season. However, if KD and the warriors win two or three more championships, could KD end up pushing into the top five to ten of all time? His resume until now will tell you he might. This is because he is 4th all time in playoff points per game and 4th all time in regular season points per game with 27.2 ppg just above his rival in Lebron. Nothing is finalized but in a few years this may be a legitimate debate.
As of now, Lebron James is still the best player on the planet, but Kevin Durant has shown that the gap is not as big as everyone thinks and maybe by this time next year the mantle will be passed on.
Lebron had help and must accept blame
I’ve seen this narrative over the last few days that Lebron James had no help. STOP IT. He did and I will explain why. When Lebron James returned home to the Cavs, he had a deal that the Cavs owner would spend the money necessary to build a team around Lebron to win a championship. And they did. The Cavs have the highest paid team of all time. There starting five is more expensive than the whole Warriors roster. Why? Because Lebron had the team he wanted.
Last year the Cavs beat up the Warriors and where defensively sound. This year, they went against what they did last year and decided to become a three point shooting team. Look, nobody out shoots the Warriors unless you have the historic night that the Cavs did in game 4. Furthermore, in the first three games, Lebron James went into the post once. ONCE. That’s terrible. Kyrie Irving went in the post more times. Furthermore, Lebron James is the same guy that wanted a point guard, which he got in Deron Williams, he wanted another shooter, Kyle Korver, and he got all he wanted. Did they play as well as he thought? No! But Lebron wanted these players and also refused to go into the posts to slow down the longer, more athletic team. What they did last year was beat the Warriors up, by making it physical.
The most physical game this series was game 4, which the Cavs won. This year they wanted to out shoot them, under Lebron’s wishes. He must accept the blame. Ask the most athletic quarterback in the NFL, Cam Newton. Ask him what Von Miller did to him in the super bowl. Hit him countless times, until he wore him like a t-shirt. Athletic players do not want it to get physical they want an easy ride and Lebron James, with his high basketball IQ should’ve known that and he must accept blame. Having said all that, the man averaged a triple double. A one of a kind player if ever we’ve seen one in the NBA, so I give credit where credit is due for his historic performance.
What can the Cavs do?
They need to get more athletic and tougher. Just that simple. Lebron has a photographic memory and remembers everything and can manipulate how you guard him. He will remember this. But next year, they must go get Paul George, for me that is a priority. Kevin Love has not shown up in the finals, he doesn’t show up in high leverage moments. Plus, it’s another body to throw at Kevin Durant that can allow Lebron James to rest in game, as well as the fact that he can get his own shot unlike Kevin Love. They have an old roster, so they must get younger and clear some of the old guys if they want to compete with the Warriors next year. Will Paul George make them win the series? Not a certainty but it will get them a lot closer and avoid another gentleman’s sweep.
Lebron v MJ
The main topics have been, ‘Has Lebron surpassed MJ?’, or ‘Is Lebron the GOAT?’. To be honest I don’t even have him as second. I have him as third all time. For me I just don’t believe he has passed Magic Johnson, but my opinion on that changes every hour. However, what I will say in defense of Lebron James is this: Everyone always talks about how competitive it was for Michael Jordan. Stop. In the finals, it was found that Michael Jordan faced nine hall of fame players. Lebron has faced twenty six. TWENTY SIX. Jordan has also been swept in the first round of the playoffs. Lebron has never. Jordan fans are quick to point out all the negatives about Lebron but apparently Jordan never had a bag game.
Look I acknowledge, he’s the GOAT, but he wasn’t perfect all the time. Yes, 6-0 sounds nice, but he never won without Scottie Pippen. He also never beat a super team in their prime. He was beaten by the Detroit Pistons and the Lakers and then decided to play baseball. As far as I can tell Lebron James has never left for baseball. Not to mention, Lebron broke up the Detroit Pistons, with Chauncey Billups, Rip Hamilton, Rasheed Wallace and all of them. He also broke up the Paul Pierce, Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett Boston Celtics. He also forced the Warriors to add Durant. However, Lebron James has also chocked a few times in the finals, especially against the Dallas Mavericks.
There are even those who say I would take Lebron James for 45 minutes of a basketball game and take some many others in the final three minutes, especially Michael Jordan. I’ve even heard Dwayne Wade mentioned. He has also now lost five finals. The most by an MVP in NBA history. Unfortunately, these choking moments will always overshadow how historic he has been to go to seven straight finals. Because unless you are the Boston Celtics of the 60s you don’t know how it feels. Lebron is an all time great. That being said, he has a lot of things going against him to be considered the GOAT. But in the thousands of people who have played in the NBA, there is nothing wrong with being second or third best of all time.
What is the future of the Warriors?
They are not the greatest team ever. But they are an all time great team. Not since 1983, when Moses Malone joined Julius Irving and the Philadelphia 76ers, have two MVP players played together in their prime. This is what we see with the Warriors, with Kevin Durant and Steph Curry. The two most unselfish superstars joined forces and in the finals where unstoppable. Kevin Durant was so great that Steph Curry’s numbers went under the radar. The man averaged 27/9/9. The man nearly averaged a triple double. Coupled with the fact they have a top five shooter of all time in Klay Thompson and an all star and defensive beast in Draymond Green.
If the core of the team with Andre Igoudala and Shaun Livingston remain with the team, I do not see anyone presently constructed beating them. Realistically, what can the other teams do to stop them? This team could win the next three or four finals if all things go right. But with these super teams, it doesn’t always end up going smoothly and as much as the culture of the Warriors is unselfish, what happens if egos collide. I don’t see it happen but who knows what future holds. Although right now, that future looks nice.
Playoffs MVP
Steph Curry was exceptional throughout the playoffs averaging 28.1 ppg in the whole playoffs, as well as 6.2 rebounds and 6.7 assists, coupled with the fact he nearly averaged a triple double in the finals, especially playing under the pressure he was under. Lebron James was Lebron James. You cannot stop him. It’s as simple as that. The man averaged 33/9/8 in the playoffs, playing the most minutes, as well as the fact he average 33/12/10 in the finals. He did all he could to win but he just faced a better team. Expect a response from Lebron and the Cavs in the off-season.
Kevin Durant was sensational in winning the finals MVP with 35/8/5. Playing with so many people wanting to see him fail, with so much pressure, he played the best stretch of basketball we might have seen from his, even better than his MVP season.
A special mention goes to Kawhi Leonard, Kyrie Irving and John Wall, but for me the playoffs MVP was Isaiah Thomas. This is an emotion based pick but who cares. The man was dealing with as heavy a heart as possible due to the unfortunate death of his sister. He still came out and balled. He could barely eat, sleep and breathe after he lost his tooth and needed dental surgery. Despite all this, he still balled out. He is the embodiment of what the Celtics where about.
It’s not the size of the dog in the fight but the size of the fight in the dog. This applies to Isaiah Thomas averaging 23.3 ppg and 6.7 assists. Isaiah Thomas deserves a new contract, but he said no. He wants to put that on hold so they can get better free agents. The guy is special and deserves all the plaudits in the world.