Saturday Slam: Can the Miami Heat go the distance?

 

                                                (Credit: Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)  

The Miami Heat are currently up 2-0 in the Eastern Conference Finals with Game 3 coming up later tonight against the Boston Celtics, who will be looking to get a boost from Gordon Hayward's return. At the moment, the Heat have definitely been the biggest surprise of the playoffs, sweeping the Indiana Pacers in the first round, taking out the Milwaukee Bucks in five games, and now possessing a 2-0 lead on the Celtics. Their lone playoff loss to the Bucks was in overtime 115-118 and their average margin of victory in the playoffs is 7.64 points per game. Basically, they're on cruise control. 

At this point, they have to be favored to come out of the East, but the big question is do they have what it takes to beat whoever comes out of the West. It's early yet, but judging by last night's Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals, it looks likely that the Los Angeles Lakers will take care of the Denver Nuggets, another team who has had an impressive and surprising post-season. The Lakers would no doubt be the toughest opponent the Heat have faced in the playoffs, but given how easily they've dismantled their opponents thus far, there's no reason to think the Heat aren't up to the task. 

What makes this Heat team dangerous is their depth and unselfishness. Jimmy Butler is the heart and soul of this team, averaging 20.9 points, 5.4 rebounds, 4.2 assists, and 2.3 steals per game. He gets after it on both ends of the floor and isn't afraid to have others share the spotlight with him. Goran Dragic is leading the team in scoring with his 22.2 points per game while Bam Adebayo is taking care of business inside with 16.8 points and 11.0 rebounds per game. In addition to those three guys, the Heat are also getting solid production from Jae Crowder, Duncan Robinson, and Tyler Herro. An added bonus is the presence of veteran small forward Andre Iguodala, who knows a thing or two about guarding LeBron James. 

While they don't have that one singular superstar that leads them, the Heat have really good pieces that come together to form a very balanced and dangerous team. They remind me of the 2004 Detroit Pistons, who defeated a more star laden Lakers team in the NBA Finals. Even though they have more business to take care of, I see no reason to doubt the Heat's ability to win it all. They are clicking at the right time and don't seem afraid of taking on teams that have more talent. 

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Tomahawk Tuesday: Three things the Golden State Warriors need to do to defeat the Toronto Raptors

The NBA Finals begins on Thursday and in order to preview the event, I want to quickly address what the Golden State Warriors and Toronto Raptors each need to do to win the series. I'll be keeping it simple by listing three keys to the series for each team. Up first is the Warriors and yes, I'm going old school with the logo because I love old school NBA logos!

#1. Clamp down on Kawhi Leonard: If the Golden State Warriors want to win this series, the first thing they need to do is make sure they put the clamps on Kawhi Leonard, who has been having an amazing run in these playoffs averaging 31.2 points, 8.8 rebounds, 3.8 assists, and 1.6 steals per game on 50.7% shooting from the field, 38.8% shooting from 3-point range, and 87.5% shooting from the foul line. If he goes wild, the Warriors will be leaving the door open for the Raptors to win.

#2. Get a split in Toronto: Everyone seems to think the Warriors are going to cruise to a third straight NBA championship, but that's no guarantee considering the fact that the Raptors have home court advantage. If the Warriors are unable to win one of the first two games in Toronto, I don't see them winning. Especially since they haven't been invincible at home in the playoffs.

#3. Play Warriors basketball: The third key to the Warriors winning this series is to play the same style of basketball they've been playing ever since Kevin Durant went out. That style, predicated on ball movement, defense, and frenetic shooting, is incredibly tough to stop given their unique personnel. When you got Stephen Curry nailing threes while also creating scoring opportunities for Klay Thompson, Draymond Green, and Andre Iguodala, it's game over. When the Warriors get stagnant, don't move the ball, and get sloppy, that's when they become mortal.

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Tomahawk Tuesday: Can the Golden State Warriors win the NBA Finals without Andre Iguodala?

                                         (Howard Smith-USA TODAY Sports) 

With the Houston Rockets now out of their way, the biggest concern the Golden State Warriors have is the health of Andre Iguodala, who missed the final four games of the Western Conference Finals due to a left leg contusion. During that stretch, the Warriors went 2-2, needing all seven games to advance to the NBA Finals.

While Iguodala's stats (6.0 points, 3.8 rebounds, and .8 steals) don't indicate that of an impact player, those who follow the Warriors know how instrumental Iguodala is to their success. What Iguodala brings to the Warriors is patience, veteran leadership, and elite defense. There's a calming effect he has on this team that makes everyone play better and more in synch. When he's on the court, everyone seems to be much more comfortable and at ease. When he's not on the court, the Warriors seem to be a bit lost, missing a key part of their identity.

When looking ahead to their matchup against the Cleveland Cavaliers, the area where Iguodala can be particularly effective is guarding LeBron James. At 6'6", 215 pounds, Iguodala has the size, length, strength, and quickness to defend James and make him work. Without Iguodala, the only other guy on the Warriors who has the physical package to defend James effectively is Draymond Green. Unfortunately for the Warriors, Green can't guard James for the full 48 minutes. He's going to need some help and without Iguodala, it's unclear where that help will come from.

While the Warriors have plenty of offensive firepower to blow the Cavaliers out of the building, we've seen their offense go stagnant at times. Kevin Durant as good as he is tends to go iso more often than he should and stands around in the corner far too often, not doing a good job of moving without the ball. There are moments when he wastes possessions and doesn't run the offense the way Steve Kerr wants him to. As for Stephen Curry, he's like a volcano. When he erupts, he's unstoppable, but if he's not erupting, he tends to take a lot bad shots and give away possessions. The same can be said of Klay Thompson to a lesser extent.

When the Warriors are going through those rough patches, Andre Iguodala has done a good job of being the glue guy who holds everything together until everyone else finds their rhythm. That's why his absence has had such a huge effect. When he's not on the court and things start to go south, the Warriors start to panic and let their opponent gain confidence.

If the Warriors want to win this series, they're going to need Andre Iguodala. His presence on the floor and ability keep everything together is vital to their success. If he's not able to go, I don't see them coming out on top.

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Tomahawk Tuesday: Can anyone stop the Golden State Warriors?

The Golden State Warriors have gone 8-0 in the NBA Playoffs so far, sweeping the Portland Trail Blazers and Utah Jazz without hardly breaking a sweat. The Jazz I thought would give the Warriors a serious challenge, but in the end, they were no match for the juggernauts of the Western Conference.

While the Warriors can kick back and drink some Kool-Aid, the San Antonio Spurs and Houston Rockets are engaged in an epic battle that appears to be going the distance (Spurs up 3-2). With Tony Parker out for the playoffs, it's hard to see the Spurs having enough juice to take the Warriors out while the Rockets' style of play is basically a B-grade version of what the Warriors already do.

With the way things are going, it's really hard to see anyone stopping this Golden State Warriors team. When you add Kevin Durant to a team that already consists of Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green, and Andre Iguodala, you have something really scary. The Warriors are almost too good. While it's a thing of beauty to watch them play basketball, it's also a little bit boring just because we already know the outcome of each series they enter. We knew the Warriors would take out the Trail Blazers, we knew the Warriors would take out the Jazz, and I'm already comfortable saying that we know the Warriors will take out the winner of the Spurs/Rockets series.

The Warriors have too many weapons and they all know how to play together. We've seen teams try to stockpile on talent and have it backfire. What makes the Warriors' formula work is that their pieces all know how to play together and are willing to make sacrifices for each other. There are no egos on this team. The willingness of this cast of players to make sacrifices for each other is what makes this team virtually unstoppable.

With this being the case, can anyone stop this Warriors team? The answer yes, but there is only one team who can: The Cleveland Cavaliers. While the Warriors are the more talented and deeper team, the Cavaliers have LeBron James, who is still the best basketball player in the world. The Cavaliers have a ton of weapons in their own right with Kyrie Irving, Kevin Love, and Kyle Korver in addition to LeBron James. They have the pieces to take out this Warriors team, but even for them it will be no easy task.

Without giving away my inevitable Warriors-Cavaliers NBA Finals preview, I will say that at this point, the only team who can take out the Golden State Warriors is the Cleveland Cavaliers. Everyone else in these playoffs can go home and figure out how to get better over the summer. I know it sounds harsh, but it's the truth.

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Wednesday Windmill: The Golden State Warriors didn't defy the laws of basketball

     One of the so called "takeaways" from the Golden State Warriors' championship is that they defied the laws of basketball by going small and relying on perimeter shooting. I don't deny that these were key elements to their success, but unlike most people, I don't think that this is why they won the 2015 NBA championship. Further, I don't think the Warriors have proved Charles Barkley's criticism of jump-shooting teams to be unwarranted.

     There are three universal laws or truths of basketball that will always remain with us. The first truth is that having more size is always an advantage. The second truth is that it is easier to score by hitting layups and free throws than it is to hit three-point shots and mid-range jump shots. The third truth is that having more depth than the other team is always an advantage.

     Some people are quick to say that the Warriors have dispelled the first two truths and that going small and hitting threes is the new path to win championships. People who say this don't know the game of basketball. That may sound harsh, but it's the truth.

    There will never come a day in which the NBA will no longer consist of 7-foot players. Further, there will never come a day when a dominant big man won't be on the top of everybody's draft boards.
Here is an argument that proves this:

Defense and rebounding are the most sure-fire ways to win basketball games;  players who are best at playing defense and rebounding are the most valuable players; nobody rebounds and plays defense better than a dominant big man; therefore, a dominant big man will always be the most valuable player.

     If you take the assumption about defense and rebounding to be true, then this argument is logically sound and true. If you don't take the assumption about defense and rebounding to be true, then you have to say that offense wins championships. If you are comfortable saying "offense wins championships", that's fine, but just know that every respected person in the game of basketball disagrees with your stance.

     In regards to the second universal truth that I mentioned, I think this is self-evident. It is always easier to score by hitting layups and free throws than it is by making threes and mid-range jump shots. Anybody who says this isn't true has never played basketball and lives in world of video games. I will just leave it at that.

     The third universal truth is that having more depth than the other team is always an advantage, and this is also self-evident. If one team has six good players and the other team has nine good players, the team with nine good players has an advantage over the team with six good players. Even if the team with six good players has the best player overall, it is still a universal truth that the team with more good players has an advantage in that they have more good players. This doesn't mean the team with more good players will win, but it does mean that having more good players gives them an advantage.

     So what does this all have to do with the Warriors? Didn't they win by hitting jump shots and going small? Didn't they show that you don't need to worry about foul shots, layups, or size? The answer is no.

     They merely showed that if you have more depth and weapons than the other team, you are likely to come out victorious, which is the third universal truth I mentioned. In other words, the Warriors' depth and teamwork is the primary reason they won the NBA title. Their style was a secondary feature and something that worked for them largely because of their specific set of players and depth.

     If you look at the per game averages of the players on the Warriors, their depth isn't really seen. It looks like the Stephen Curry & Klay Thompson show with a few good role players. Where their depth really gets seen is if you look at their per 36 minutes averages. Out of the 15 players on their roster, the Warriors had 13 players who averaged at least 10 points per 36 minutes of playing time. A surprise that I saw when seeing this was Marreese Speights, who averaged 23.6 points per 36 minutes. He's a guy who on average played only 15.9 minutes per game!

     In addition, the Warriors had 6 players who averaged at least 9.4 rebounds per 36 minutes, 7 players who averaged at least 1 block per 36 minutes, 10 players who averaged at least 1 steal per 36 minutes, and 5 players who averaged at least 4 assists per 36 minutes.

     To give you a sense of how this compares to other teams, I will give you the per 36 numbers of the Cleveland Cavaliers and Los Angeles Clippers. The Cavaliers had 6 players who averaged at least 10 points, 1 player who averaged above 9 rebounds, 5 players who averaged at least 1 steal, 1 player who averaged at least 1 block, and 2 players who averaged at least 4 assists. The Clippers had 16 players who played for them during the season who averaged at least 10 points, 1 player who averaged above 9 rebounds, 15 players who averaged at least 1 steal, 3 players who averaged at least 1 block, and 5 players who averaged at least 4 assists.

     In comparison to the Cavaliers, the Warriors were vastly more deep and versatile across all phases of the game. Against the Clippers, the Warriors had a definite edge in interior defense and rebounding, while in the other areas it was pretty much a toss up.

    What does all this analytics tell us? It tells us that the Warriors had great depth, played good defense, and rebounded well. If we go back to the three universal truths of basketball, the Warriors actually excelled in two of those three areas. They clearly had enough size to rebound well and they clearly had more depth than everybody else.

     In regards to the part about it being easier to score by hitting layups and free throws than it is to hit threes and mid-range jump shots, the Warriors somewhat defied this law, but not entirely. A lot of the threes that they hit were open looks and in addition, they benefited from having Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson in their backcourt, two guys who happen to be the best three-point shooting tandem the NBA has ever seen. If you have those two guys in your backcourt, you clearly don't have to worry as much about the number of threes you are taking.

     In regards to layups and free throws, the Warriors excelled in these areas as well. They shot 76.8% from the foul line as a team which ranked 9th overall in the league. The reason why they didn't opt to use layups and free throws as their primary means of scoring is simple: They had two guys who were really really good at hitting threes and a bunch of guys who could knock down an open three when given the chance.

     In conclusion, the Golden State Warriors won the NBA championship because they had more depth and versatility than everybody else while also possessing a lethal shooting backcourt. Thanks to their depth and versatility, they were able to go small when they wanted, go big when they wanted, and let Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson go to work from beyond the arc. They didn't change the way the game is played. They merely had the depth and versatility to play the game the way they wanted.

---Ben Parker: follow me on twitter @nba_lord  and like my Facebook page NBA Lord Nation for NBA news 

Bear Territory Tuesday: Will the Golden State Warriors' success rub off on Cal basketball?

     The Golden State Warriors won their first NBA championship in 40 years last week, eliminating the Cleveland Cavaliers in six games. Andre Iguodala won the MVP of the series primarily because everything swung in the Warriors' favor once he was inserted into the starting lineup in favor of Andrew Bogut.  The Warriors' small ball lineups featuring Iguodala ended up making the difference in the series. The faster tempo created by going small was simply too much for the Cavaliers to overcome.

     If they tried to go small, the Cavaliers would get beat because the Warriors had a better small ball lineup. If the Cavaliers tried to go big, they would also get beat because the Warriors would get too many easy looks in transition. In the end, we saw the better team win even though LeBron James was clearly the best player of the entire series. It was sad to see the Cavaliers lose after all that LeBron James had done, but in the end I was happy to see the Bay Area get its first NBA title since 1975.

     The city of Oakland hasn't had a lot to cheer about over the years. The economy has been in decline, drugs and violence have been an issue, and they are on the verge of losing their pro sports teams to bigger markets (The Warriors to San Francisco and possibly the Raiders to Los Angeles). It was nice to have an NBA championship parade in the city of Oakland in light of all their struggles. It certainly brought joy, optimism, and pride to the community.

     In addition to lifting up the spirits of the city of Oakland, the Warriors' championship also appeared to inspire the Cal men's basketball team. Here are some tweets from the team.

Congratulations @TheoRobertson3! NBA CHAMPION! #GoBears pic.twitter.com/jzQ7yp5MRU

— Cal Men's Basketball (@CalMensBBall) June 17, 2015

The Bay going up on a Tuesdayyyyy

— Jaylen Brown ® (@FCHWPO) June 17, 2015

Like Singo said, we are next. #GoDubs #GoBears #bg

— Brandon V Chauca (@bchauca10) June 17, 2015

Congratulations, @warriors! #BayArea STAND UP!!

— Yann Hufnagel (@yhufnagel) June 17, 2015

You left off the next big thing... #TogetherWeAttack https://t.co/5R5wXALNBJ

— Yann Hufnagel (@yhufnagel) June 17, 2015

Congratulations to the Warriors! Great finish to a hard fought season! #StrengthInNumbers

— Cuonzo Martin (@CuonzoMartin) June 17, 2015 

Stephhhhhh!

— Ivan Rabb (@YoungIvee) June 15, 2015

     It is clear from all of these tweets and reactions that the Cal men's basketball team has gotten a jolt of excitement and inspiration from watching the hometown Warriors win an NBA title. Realizing that an NBA championship team is so close to them has certainly made them realize that winning a championship in the East Bay can be done. What especially makes this hit home for Cal is the fact that the Warriors play just 11 miles away from UC Berkeley and also bear a name that represents the entire state, calling themselves "Golden State Warriors" in a manner similar to UC Berkeley calling themselves "California Golden Bears".
   
   Even though the Cal men's basketball team will have to go out and earn a national championship like every other team, the hometown Warriors can serve as an inspiration for them and be there as an example of what it takes to win a championship. The Warriors won an NBA championship because they played as a team, made sacrifices, and played hard on both ends of the floor. If Cal can do those same things and try to model themselves after the Warriors in those areas, odds are good that the East Bay will have a Final Four championship team in 2016.

---Ben Parker: follow me on twitter @nba_lord and like my Facebook page NBA Lord Nation

Win or lose, LeBron James should win the NBA Finals MVP award

     When was the last time a player won the NBA Finals MVP award while playing on the losing team? The answer is 1969 when Jerry West of the Los Angeles Lakers took home the award after seeing his team lose in seven games to the Boston Celtics. While it is rare to give the NBA Finals MVP to a player on the losing team, I think the 2015 NBA Finals should be one of those rare times should the Cleveland Cavaliers lose the series to the Golden State Warriors.

      The NBA Finals MVP award should go to the player who has made the biggest impact on the series, played the best, and done the most to help his team win the title. Since LeBron James has by far made the biggest impact on the series, played the best, and done more to help his team than anyone else in the series, he should win the NBA Finals MVP award. It's that simple.

     If we were going off the numbers alone, this wouldn't even be a contest. Through five games in the NBA Finals, LeBron James has averaged 36.6 points, 12.4 rebounds, and 8.8 assists. The player on the Warriors with the most comparable stats has been Stephen Curry, who has averaged 26.2 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 5.8 assists. But those 26 points per game have been fairly quiet in comparison to LeBron's 36 points, so even though his scoring has been solid, he hasn't appeared to make the same type of impact with his scoring that LeBron has.

     As for the player who everybody is saying should win the MVP award for the Warriors, Andre Iguodala, he has averaged 14.6 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 3.8 assists. Those numbers are a fraction of what LeBron James is putting up, so clearly there has to be more to why he is getting MVP consideration than what we see on the stat sheet. The reason why Iguodala has been getting MVP consideration is for his defense and energy, but if you consider that his primary responsibility has been to prevent LeBron James from having big games, it's hard to say that he has done his job as well as everybody wants to believe. LeBron James has had his way with everybody on the Warriors and nobody on that team has been able to stop him, so with that being established, it's hard to argue a case for Iguodala.

     I think that what really needs to be understood is that regardless of which team wins the series, LeBron James has been the most valuable player hands down. He has played the best of anybody while also simultaneously having to work harder than anybody. Stephen Curry and Andre Iguodala have been able to rely on other teammates to step up for them and take the pressure off of their shoulders, making their workload lighter.

     But as for LeBron James, he has had to carry his entire team on his back and exert way more energy than anybody else playing in this series. In addition to having to exert more energy and have more responsibility, he has had to produce at levels that nobody else on the Warriors could even conceive of doing. If you put Stephen Curry, Andre Iguodala, or Klay Thompson on the Cavaliers, none of those guys could be doing what LeBron James is doing even if they tried.

     The bottom line is when you consider all that should be taken into an account for winning an NBA Finals MVP award, LeBron James is clearly the one who should be getting the award regardless of what happens in the series. He has played the best, done more to help his team win, exerted way more energy, and single-handedly made this series compelling.

     The fate of this entire series revolves around LeBron James and whether or not he can continue to produce at such an elite level against a vastly superior team. No player on the Warriors has even come close to making this type of an impact on the series, which is why giving the NBA Finals MVP to a player on the Warriors would make a mockery of the award and require us to change its name from the "NBA Finals MVP" to "Best player on the winning team".

---Ben Parker: follow me on twitter @nba_lord for NBA news 

Painful Re-Boot Ahead In Philadelphia

                                                                 (image from twitter.com)

During the 2011-12 NBA season, the Philadelphia 76ers had one of the more exciting and promising teams in the NBA with swingman Andre Iguodala, guard Jrue Holiday, and guard Lou Williams as their nucleus along with power forward Thaddeus Young. They weren't a team with one definitive star, but rather a team made up of young athletic players who loved to run the fast break and score easy buckets in transition due to their defense, which was one of the top five defenses in the entire NBA. They ended up finishing 8th in the Eastern Conference that season, but thanks to Bulls point guard Derrick Rose tearing his ACL, they got out of the first round before being knocked out of the playoffs by the Boston Celtics. At the end of that season, everybody who followed the NBA believed that the 76ers were a team that was going to be competitive for a very long time. They were yet to show that they were serious contenders for a championship, but the pieces were there to work with, and that for 76ers fans was very exciting.

                                                      (image from docsports.com) 

In the summer of 2012 after that season ended, the Philadelphia 76ers tried to capitalize on their young nucleus of talent and turn it into a contender right away by trading away small forward Andre Iguodala to the Denver Nuggets in a four way trade with the Magic, Nuggets, and Lakers that sent Dwight Howard to the Lakers and Andrew Bynum from the Lakers to the 76ers. I'll spare you the nitty gritty details of that trade, but it is suffice to say that the 76ers gave up their best player Andre Iguodala to land Andrew Bynum who at the time was one of the most promising young centers in the NBA. The one problem with Andrew Bynum was that he had a history of being hurt, but at the time, the 76ers were confident he would play for them that upcoming season, and also were confident that they could convince him to stay in Philadelphia long term. 

                                                         (image from nba.si.com) 

Well, it's been a year since that trade went down and Andrew Bynum has not played a single minute for the Philadelphia 76ers. He had plenty of time to grow a wild Afro and go bowling, but he was never healthy enough to see one minute of playing time during the 2012-13 NBA season. To make things worse, he isn't with the team anymore, and he is now the potential headache of the Cleveland Cavaliers, who gave him a softball offer of $6M guaranteed over two seasons with as much as $24M total should he play and stay healthy. In addition to losing Bynum and Iguodala as a result of getting Bynum, the 76ers no longer have Lou Williams, Jrue Holiday, or young promising center Nikola Vucevic (who was traded to Orlando as part of the Bynum deal).  In addition to losing all those players, the team also is no longer coached by Doug Collins, who stopped coaching the team back in April at season's end. As for finding his replacement, the 76ers are more than three months into their head coaching search, and they still haven't found anybody. The current Philadelphia 76ers team is merely a shell of what it was during the 2011-12 NBA season, and it hasn't even been 18 months! The team has suddenly gone from thinking they were on the cusp of winning a championship to being one of the bottom feeder teams in the Eastern Conference. Upon retracing their steps from 18 months ago, it is truly unbelievable that they are in the position that they are now in.  To call it a shock is an understatement. The sky appeared to be the limit for this young team and now the limit seems to be 30 wins. 

In terms of what the next step is for this team, I personally think it is to act as if they've been rebuilding for quite a while, rather than remembering where they just were. It's time for the entire Philadelphia 76ers front office to start bringing out the whisky in an attempt to binge-drink the Andrew Bynum trade out of their memory. A trade that they thought was going to bring the city their first NBA championship since the Michael Jackson Thriller album has instead sunk the team so low, that tanking for the heavily anticipated 2014 NBA Draft seems to actually be the best solution for the team at this point. The only thing that could make this all right in Philadelphia would be if they somehow won the 2014 NBA Draft lottery and selected Kansas freshman sensation Andrew Wiggins. That would truly cap off a crazy roller coaster ride for the franchise with a happy ending. But that is all just wild speculation at this point, and what is really important is for the Philadelphia 76ers organization to start looking towards building around young shooting guard Evan Turner and rookie power forward/center Nerlens Noel, who many thought was going to be the number one overall pick. Whether they like it or not, this team is going to be in the draft lottery next season, and unless the basketball gods smile on them and give them a top three pick in next year's draft, the process of re-booting this team into another exciting young team will be slow and painful. Bring out the fishing rods Philadelphia, your 76ers might be going fishing for quite a while. 

---Ben Parker: follow me on twitter @nba_lord