Can Jalen Brunson lead the New York Knicks to an NBA title?

                                             (Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images) 

 
 As the New York Knicks look to win their first NBA championship since Phil Jackson's playing days (1973), all eyes are on their 6'2", 190 pound floor general Jalen Brunson, who is averaging 26.0 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 6.8 assists per game on 46.7% shooting from the field, 36.9% shooting from 3-point range, and 84.1% shooting from the foul line. Brunson has guided the Knicks to their first NBA Finals appearance since 1999 in which they fell to the Spurs in five games. In case you were wondering, yes, that was the 50 game lockout season. The season after Michael Jordan's final season in Chicago. 

Brunson has been amazing all season long and proven himself to be among the best guards in the NBA. He is incredibly shifty with the basketball and crafty around the rim, capable of scoring in a wide variety of ways with floaters, mid-range jumpers, 3-pointers, etc. There's really no way he can't score, which is why he's so difficult to contain. 

In their four-game sweep of the Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference Finals, Brunson averaged 25.5 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 7.8 assists per game. He had two 30+ point performances, his best performance coming in Game 1 in which he had 38 points, five rebounds, six assists, and three steals. The Knicks rallied from 22 points down to win 115-104 in overtime. That comeback sucked the soul out of the Cavaliers, who pretty much curled up into a ball the rest of the series and lost the will to fight. 

Brunson has shown he can play at an elite level on the biggest of stages and none are bigger than the NBA Finals. Basketball is a team sport and so Brunson won't be able to do this on his own. He's going to need help from his teammates, most notably Karl-Anthony Towns, who is averaging 20.1 points, 11.9 rebounds, and 0.5 blocks per game.  Towns is going to have to do his part to take the pressure off Brunson and deliver the goods. If he has a big series, the Knicks could make this interesting. 

Ultimately, I do see the Spurs winning the championship in six games, but at the same time I'm not totally counting the Knicks out. When you have a guard as good as Jalen Brunson, you have to feel like any night can be your night and when you find yourself playing in the NBA Finals, you have to believe. It'll be fun to see how Brunson does and what kind of impact he has on this series. 

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San Antonio Spurs have remarkable one-year turnaround to reach the NBA Finals

 

                                              (Credit: Nate Billings/AP) 

Just one year after going 34-48, the San Antonio Spurs are going to the NBA Finals, defeating the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 7 of the Western Conference Finals 111-103 on the road in OKC. The Spurs finished the regular season with a record of 62-20, which was the second best record in the league behind the Thunder, who went 64-18. Not many teams have reached the NBA Finals after missing the playoffs the season prior. That puts the Spurs in a pretty elite group of teams in league history. 

What's been key to the Spurs' turnaround has been the combination of great coaching from head coach Mitch Johnson, all-around team play (a hallmark of Spurs basketball during the Gregg Popovich years), and having a fantastic one-two punch in Victor Wembanyama and De'Aaron Fox. Before the season, I wrote a blog post on here saying I felt like Wembanyama/Fox could form a championship caliber duo. But even I didn't think they'd rise to championship level this fast. 

“You know, as a I said earlier, experience a lot of times is used in the form of a best used or the lack thereof when you need it the most,” Johnson said of what his team accomplished being so young. “And people don’t talk about as much the habits, the character, the togetherness, the competitive response. The things we talk about in these media sessions every single day. And this team has now been pretty damn consistent for a long time. For over a hundred games for the most part. And so, I’ll take those things with the experience that we’ve gone through when you want to look back in terms how we started the year, how we go to the cup on the road vs. Denver and LA. What we did in the cup. Playing these guys around Christmastime a few times. Expectations. We’ve played in three playoff series without Victor, without Fox multiple games, I don’t know who has as much experience as we do this year in the season of 2025-2026.”  

“It feels great,” Fox said of reaching his first career NBA Finals. “Especially doing it with this group of guys with just how young and how talented they are. To be able to be this resilient. Especially against you know, some teams that have been here. You know, playing Minnesota, they’ve been in the conference finals the last two years and then obviously OKC been to the conference finals the last two years, been a number one seed the last three years. Just won a championship. Being able to do it against those types of teams I think prepare you for whatever you’re going to see at the end and it’s definitely great…And then coming here my first full year, being able to be in the finals, I don’t know if I thought that, but I knew that we were gonna have a damn good team and we continued to get better just throughout the course of the season.

“While we were winning games, we were getting better every step of the way and by the time we got to, I would even say like all-star break, I was like, it could be real. Like, we can, we definitely have a chance this year and this is just another stepping stone to that goal.”

That being said, what made me confident in their potential is the fact that Wembanyama is such a unique talent at 7'4", 235 pounds. Averaging 25.0 points, 11.5 rebounds, and 3.1 blocks per game, he can score from anywhere on the floor. Fox in turn is a dynamic point guard, averaging 18.6 points, 3.8 rebounds, 6.2 assists, and 1.2 steals per game. Point guard/big man duos like that typically do really well in the NBA. 

“Yeah, he has such a vision in my opinion of who he wants to be as a person and as a player,” Johnson said of Wembanyama. “And the commitment and investment that he puts into that vision is nothing like I’ve ever seen before. And I think we’ve seen a few moments where his emotions probably in my opinion, again, meet all the things that he’s putting into for these achievements and accomplishments and milestones and goals of his. In terms of championing his cause and his journey, I thought in the first half, he floated a little too much at times.

“And we needed him to be demonstrative, we needed him to play with strength. We needed him to bring his will more than his talent and it’s hard for these young guys who have never been in this spot. So there is the experience thing and I understand that they’re learning on the fly what it takes, but I think the second half we doubled down and invested on leaning into willing our plays to execution and to completion and not our talent. And when we did that appropriately we still had enough talent when needed to make the appropriate plays.”

On top of having a fantastic one-two punch, this is the Spurs we are talking about. Johnson learned from the best in the business in Popovich, quickly ascending the coaching ranks after his playing days at Stanford. At just 39 years of age, Johnson greatly benefited from being an assistant under Popovich starting in 2019 before eventually taking over the head coaching job in May 2025. When you combine great talent with elite level coaching, that's a recipe for success. 

Looking ahead to the NBA Finals, it'll be interesting to see if the Spurs can cap off this amazing run with a championship. The New York Knicks, whose last appearance in the NBA Finals was in 1999 against the Spurs, will look to avenge that 4-1 defeat 27 years later. The Spurs have to hope that if history doesn't repeat itself, it will at least rhyme with another championship for their franchise. 

“Winning the Larry O’Brien, it’s a childhood dream,” Wembanyama said. “And having a real shot at it. Having a chance. A tangible chance at winning it, realizing a dream, it’s a chance. It’s a lifetime chance. You know, it’s, you never know when it’s going to happen again. But it’s, the day we win it, speaking for myself it’s going to be an amazing day of like, realization of a dream. You know, it’s hard to put into words. It’s almost like the meaning of my life, you know?" 

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How many titles are in the future of the Oklahoma City Thunder?

 

                                            (Credit: Justin Ford. Getty Images) 

The Oklahoma City Thunder defeated the Indiana Pacers in seven games to win the NBA Finals, winning Game 7 in Oklahoma City by a final score of 103-91. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was named NBA Finals MVP, finishing with 29 points, five rebounds, 12 assists, one steal, and two blocks in the deciding game. It capped an off amazing season for the Thunder as they won their first championship in franchise history. The Seattle Sonics won an NBA championship back in the 1979, but that doesn't really count. Especially since once Seattle gets a team, the colors, name, and history of the Seattle Sonics will be returned to the city in full. 

Anyways, I digress. This was an historic championship for the Thunder and now the question is how many are in their future? Will this be the only one this group wins or are we looking a team that has the potential to win multiple? Given the fact that their average age is 25.6 years (the second youngest team to win an NBA title behind the 1977 Portland Trail Blazers), they have to like their odds of stringing together at least a couple more titles. So long as they keep their trio of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (32.7 points, 5.0 rebounds, & 6.4 assists), Jalen Williams (21.6 points & 5.3 rebounds), and Chet Holmgren (15.0 points & 8.0 rebounds), they should remain a dominant force in the NBA. They have a nice blend of inside and outside scoring while playing with a pace of play that is difficult to stop. 

On top of that, Gilgeous-Alexander is the reigning NBA regular season MVP. He was the best player in the game last season and at 27 years of age, he should have several more seasons of elite basketball ahead of him. When you have the best player in the game on your team, you are always difficult to stop. 

The biggest question mark I think is how they'll handle being the hunted. They kinda came out of nowhere to win the title. Next season, they're going to have a target on their backs as the defending champions. They're going to get everyone's best effort and there's going to be a more concerted effort to stop them. Some teams rise to the occasion and remain on top while others fall. It's going to be fascinating to see how they handle that. 

Regardless of what the future holds for the Thunder, they had a memorable championship run and brought a lot of joy to their city. They made history on multiple fronts and did so playing an exciting brand of basketball. That's something that can never be taken away from them. 

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Are the Pacers and Thunder destined to play a Game 7 in the NBA Finals?

 

                                             (Credit: Matthew Stockman/Getty Images) 

The NBA Finals is tied up 2-2 after the Oklahoma Thunder took back home court from the Indiana Pacers with a 111-104 victory on Friday in Indiana. Game 5 will be on Monday at 5:30 PM PT/8:30 PM ET on ABC in Oklahoma City. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the way for the Thunder with 35 points on 12/24 shooting from the field and 10/10 shooting from the foul line. He was playing fantastic and did all he could to ensure his team didn't go down 3-1. 

One of my five things to look for going into the NBA Finals was how much home court advantage would matter given the passionate fanbases that both teams have. Each have won a game on each other's home floor, but given the raucous environments that we've seen, I have a hard time seeing a road team win another game in this series. The Thunder certainly seemed poised to go up 3-2 on Monday and then on Thursday in Indiana, I have to think the Pacers bounce back to make it 3-3, forcing a Game 7. 

As well as the Pacers have played during this series, I don't see them dropping three straight games to lose the series 4-2. Tyrese Haliburton has simply been playing too well to let that happen. I also don't see Aaron Nesmith scoring eight points again in Indiana, either. One has to think in a do or die game in Indy, Nesmith will come out as a flame flower. As for the Thunder, I do think they're the better team on paper and so on those grounds, I can't see them dropping another game at home. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander for the most part as lived up to his MVP status and I think when the lights come on, he'll deliver the goods. Especially on his home floor. 

While anything is possible in the NBA Finals, just given the vibe and the way things are going, I do see this series going to a Game 7. And if it does, Oklahoma City will have the advantage. Winning a Game 7 on the road in the NBA Finals is incredibly hard to do, but I suppose if anyone is up to hit a game-winning shot in those circumstances, Tyrese Haliburton would be your guy. It should be fun to see how this series shakes out!           

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Tyrese Haliburton is having an NBA playoff performance for the ages

 

                                             (Credit: Alonzo Adams/Imagn Images) 

Indiana Pacers star point guard Tyrese Haliburton is having an NBA playoff performance that is on track to be one of the greatest of all-time should his team go on to win the NBA Finals. Haliburton hit a game-tying buzzer beater at Madison Square Garden to force overtime in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Knicks (the Pacers went on to win) and then he hit a game-winning shot to beat the buzzer against the Thunder in Game 1 of the NBA Finals. Hitting a buzzer beating shot is rare y'all. Like, even if you are an all-time great, it still doesn't happen very often. To do it twice in a playoff run, both in the first game of the Conference Finals and then NBA Finals is just nuts. It's beyond storybook. 

What's amazing about this as well is the fact that Haliburton is just 24 years old and only in his fifth year in the NBA. He's doing stuff that many quality seasoned veterans have never done. To have the confidence and poise to hit these kind of shots at this age is remarkable. 

Of course, it's not just the game-winning shots that makes Tyrese Haliburton so special. He's leading the NBA playoffs with 9.5 assists per game, doing a fabulous job of creating scoring opportunities for his teammates. He's a true floor general that plays unselfishly while also having the ability to hit big shots when called upon. 

Lastly, what adds to Haliburton's mystique is the team is playing for. The Indiana Pacers have never won an NBA championship and are only in the NBA Finals for the second time in their history. To be doing what he's doing in a Pacers uniform I think makes it stand out all the more. While there is work to be done, if Haliburton and the Pacers win this series, we're gonna be talking about this playoff run for a long time. 

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Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's meteoric rise has been phenomenal

 

                                             (Credit: Kyle Phillips/AP file) 

The Oklahoma City Thunder will be facing the Indiana Pacers in the NBA Finals, starting this Thursday. The Thunder took out the Timberwolves in five games while the Pacers took out the Knicks in six. The star of this year's Thunder team has been point guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who is a three-time All-star and also this season's NBA MVP. In just his seventh season, Gilgeous-Alexander has risen to superstar status. It's truly been a phenomenal and meteoric rise. 

Gilgeous-Alexander was drafted by the Charlotte Hornets with the 11th overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft, but was traded to the Los Angeles Clippers on draft day. Gilgeous-Alexander had a solid rookie season with the Clippers, averaging 10.8 points, 2.8 rebounds, 3.3 assists, and 1.2 steals per game, finishing 6th in the Rookie of the Year voting. Despite that strong season, the Clippers traded him to the Oklahoma City Thunder during the summer in a mega trade that landed them Paul George. 

In hindsight, that traded ended up being a big mistake for the Clippers as Gilgeous-Alexander began his rise to stardom the next season, averaging 19.0 points, 5.9 rebounds, 3.3 assists, and 1.1 steals per game. Since then, he's gotten better each season and in the last three seasons, he's been an All-Star, averaging 30+ points per game, finishing top-five in the MVP voting each of those three seasons and of course this year, taking home the hardware with a first place finish. In his MVP season this year, Gilgeous-Alexander averaged 32.7 points, 5.0 rebounds, 6.4 assists, and 1.7 steals per game, leading the league in points per game, field goal attempts per game, and free throws made per game. 

During the playoffs, Gilgeous-Alexander has played up to his MVP status, averaging 29.8 points, 5.7 rebounds, 6.9 assists, and 1.6 steals per game, guiding the Thunder to their first NBA Finals appearance since 2012. He's done a terrific job of making plays for his teammates and being someone who they can count on to make winning plays in crunch time. What makes him so good is the fact that he is effective on both ends of the floor as a true two-way player. He plays elite defense on top of being an elite finisher, scorer, and facilitator. The greatest players of all-time get it done on both ends of the floor and he has clearly taken that to heart. 

Looking ahead to the NBA Finals, it'll be fun to see how Shai Gilgeous-Alexander performs. His rapid ascension to the top of the NBA has been spectacular and as a result, he's being rewarded with the chance to showcase his skills on the game's biggest stage. Well deserved! 

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Saturday Slam: The evolution of Jaylen Brown

                                              (Credit: Michael Dwyer/Associated Press) 

Before my current position as publisher of CardinalSportsReport.com, covering all things Stanford for the Rivals network, I covered Cal basketball for GoldenBearReport.com, Rivals' Cal affiliate site. My first season covering Cal was Jaylen Brown's freshman year, giving me a chance to cover him up close. I got to watch him practice when he first got to Berkeley, I got to be in attendance for his first media session all the way through his final game in the NCAA tournament, in which Cal got upset by Hawaii as a #4 seed in their region. 

Being totally honest, I was a bit surprised Brown went #3 overall to the Boston Celtics in the 2016 NBA Draft after just one year at Cal. Not because I didn't think he had the talent. The talent was obviously there. But just because he seemed to still have a lot of growth and maturation to undergo. I just wasn't certain if he was going to become an NBA All-Star level talent. My doubts have certainly been quieted and Brown has established himself as one of the top players in the NBA, playing a major role on a Celtics team that finds themselves tied 2-2 in the NBA Finals against the Golden State Warriors, the best team of this generation. 

In his freshman year at Cal, Brown averaged 14.6 points, 5.4 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 0.8 steals, 0.6 blocks, and 3.1 turnovers per game in 27.6 minutes per game. He shot 43.1% from the field, 29.4% from 3-point range, and 65.4% from the foul line. This past season with the Celtics, his 6th season in the NBA, Brown averaged 23.6 points, 6.1 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 1.1 steals, 0.3 blocks, and 2.7 turnovers per game in 33.6 minutes per game. He shot 47.3% from the field, 35.8% from 3-point range, and 75.8% from the foul line. 

When looking at his numbers, what really jumps out is how much better of a shooter Brown has become.  At Cal, he was not a reliable 3-point shooter or foul shooter. Now, the interesting thing is when watching him in practice at Cal, it looked like he couldn't miss. So, I think a lot of this comes down to just getting more comfortable and confident in game situations. He was a good shooter back at Cal. He just didn't have the confidence yet. 

Now, he has found out how to translate his excellent in-practice shooting to the game and that has really been the biggest difference. That may sound like a small thing to figure out, but there are so many guys who look good in practice but for whatever reason cannot put it together in the game. The fact that Brown has figured this out is huge and no small feat. 

Brown always had the physical tools to be an elite NBA player. That was obvious when he was at Cal. Look up his dunk against Oregon State. It remains one of the most amazing dunks I've seen college or pro. It was just a matter of him figuring out how to become a better overall player and polishing his game. The rate at which he has polished his game and honed his craft is what makes his evolution so incredible. 

In addition to evolving as a basketball player, Brown has evolved as a person as well. At Cal, he was very quiet, reserved, and thoughtful. He also was very bright and articulate. One of the brightest athletes I've ever covered. With the Celtics, he has learned how to channel his intelligence and thoughtfulness into championing causes for social justice and being a voice for his people back in the Atlanta, Georgia area. He certainly is a guy who has big plans for himself outside of the game of basketball. 

In closing, I just want to quickly say it has been a lot of fun watching Jaylen Brown evolve from his first days in Berkeley to an All-Star playing for the Boston Celtics on basketball's biggest stage. It's fun to reflect on my times interviewing him and talking with him after games and practices and just seeing how far he has come. Even more fun is to think about how much farther he will go in the coming years both on and off the court. 

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2022 NBA Finals Preview: Golden State Warriors vs. Boston Celtics

 

                                             Credit: Getty Images/TSN

Tonight, the 2022 NBA Finals tip-off in San Francisco with the Golden State Warriors hosting the Boston Celtics. The Warriors come in having taken out the Dallas Mavericks in five games in the Western Conference Finals while the Celtics snuck past the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference Finals, winning the series in seven games. 

The Warriors come into this series as the seasoned NBA Finals veterans having won three NBA championships in 2015, 2017, and 2018 while also reaching the NBA Finals in 2016 and 2019. As for the Celtics, while their franchise historically is tied with the Los Angeles Lakers with most NBA titles (17), this current Celtics group is new to this big of a stage. 

Stephen Curry (25.5 points, 5.2 rebounds, & 6.3 assists) is the leader of this Warriors team, playing some of the best basketball of his entire career. While Kevin Durant is no longer on the team, the Warriors have picked up right where they left off before he even joined them in the first place. They're looking like the Warriors team that won in 2015 with Klay Thompson, Draymond Green, Jordan Poole, and Andrew Wiggins forming a solid core around Curry. 

As for the Celtics, Jayson Tatum (26.9 points, 8.0 rebounds, & 4.4 assists) leads the charge along with Jaylen Brown (23.6 points, 6.1 rebounds, & 3.5 assists). The two of them form a really dynamic wing duo that is very difficult to stop. They too have a solid cast around them in Dennis Schröder, Marcus Smart, and Al Horford. 

As for what's going to determine this series, I think a lot of this comes down to whether or not the Warriors play a clean, efficient series or not and whether or not the Celtics will be able to force them into playing sloppy basketball. The Warriors are the more experienced team. If they play their best basketball, they're going to win this series. However, they sometimes have lulls or moments where they are sloppy and not playing their best. If the Celtics can take advantage of those moments and play a clean, efficient series on their end, this series could get interesting. 

For the Warriors, Curry is going to need to come up big and have an NBA Finals MVP-level performance. They cannot expect to win this series if he isn't playing at his best. He really is the engine that makes this Warriors team go. As for the Celtics, they need Brown and Tatum to be on their game. If those two guys are balling out, the Celtics have a chance. 

Prediction: I got the Warriors winning this series in six games. They have championship experience and know what it takes to win an NBA championship. I think the Celtics will do enough to take a couple games of the series, but when it's all said and done, the Warriors will be the ones lifting the Larry O'Brien Trophy. Stephen Curry will also take home his first NBA Finals MVP award. 

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Saturday Slam: Milwaukee Bucks' Giannis Antetokounmpo has solidified himself as an all-time great

 

                                             (Credit: Getty Images) 

Before I shift my focus to the 2021-22 season, free agency, and all that good stuff, I want to stop and smell the flowers a bit by reflecting more on what Giannis Antetokounmpo has accomplished this past season. The young Milwaukee Bucks star brought back an NBA championship to Milwaukee for the first time in 50 years by taking out the Chris Paul/Devin Booker led Phoenix Suns in six games. In those six games, Antetokounmpo averaged a jaw-dropping 35.2 points, 13.2 rebounds, 5.0 assists, 1.2 steals, and 1.8 blocks per game en route to an NBA Finals MVP trophy. 

Immediately after securing the championship, Antetokounmpo was overcome with emotion. Tears were flowing down his face. You could tell that he was still processing everything that was happening around him. After he was able to compose himself and do an interview, he remarked that even if he never wins another NBA championship in Milwaukee, at least he got one. He accomplished the mission that he set out to accomplish. 

I would like to take Antetokounmpo's comment a step further. By winning this one championship in Milwaukee, Antetokounmpo has solidified himself as an all-time great. I don't know where he ranks among the greatest of the greats and quite honestly, it's too early to say where he ranks given that his career is far from over. But regardless of where he stacks up, it's safe to say that he is now one of the games' greatest all-time players. 

In this NBA Finals, we saw it all come together for "The Greek Freak." He was basically score at will inside, he was making huge defensive plays, he was crashing the boards, and was the most dominant player all series long. The only real weak spot for him was the foul shooting and 3-point shooting, but he was able to overcome those weaknesses by being such a dominant force inside the 3-point line and around the basket. When you got the physical gifts that he has and are able to put it together like he did inside, foul shooting and 3-point shooting don't become a huge concern. 

What makes this all the more impressive is this was his first trip to the NBA Finals. It would have been easy for him to choke and cave under the pressure given this was his first time on this big of a stage. Many of the all-time greats have done it themselves. Instead, he rose to the challenge and delivered a sublime performance that few have rivaled. 

Perhaps the best part of this whole story is how this all began for Antetokounmpo: Far away in Greece, first discovered as an intriguing yet raw talent picked 15th overall in the 2013 NBA Draft. Nobody saw him becoming the all-time great that he is today. I'm not even sure if he saw it coming. Yet with hard work, humility, and a commitment to keep getting better each and every day, Antetokounmpo has seen the fruits of his labors deliver the goods in a big-time way. 

While I have no doubt that this is only the beginning for Antetokounmpo and that he has the potential to win several more championships, I think it's important to reiterate that regardless of what happens from here on out, Antetokounmpo has emerged as one the greatest players to ever play the game. He brought an NBA championship back to a city that was long thirsting for one and he did so with humility, class, and pure greatness. 

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2021 NBA Finals Preview: Phoenix Suns vs. Milwaukee Bucks

                                                (Credit: clutchpoints.com) 

The 2021 NBA Finals begins on Tuesday and will feature a matchup that nobody on earth predicted at the start of the season: Phoenix Suns vs. Milwaukee Bucks. It's been a crazy journey for both of these teams to reach this point. Starting with the Suns, they took out the Lakers, Nuggets, and then Clippers to win the Western Conference crown. The Lakers were hobbled due to Anthony Davis not being at full strength, making them a vulnerable opponent. The Nuggets were without their star Jamal Murray, but they did have 2021 NBA MVP Nikola Jokic on their side. Jokic just wasn't able to do it all on his own in the end. As for the Clippers, Paul George and co. put up a real fight, but the absence of Kawhi Leonard also proved to be too much. 

As for the Bucks, they went through the Heat, Nets, and Hawks. The Heat were led by Jimmy Butler like last year, but they weren't able to recapture the magic they had in the bubble a year ago. The Nets had injury issues of their own with Kyrie Irving and James Harden missing some time. Kevin Durant played incredible basketball, but once again, it's a team sport and one man can't do it all on his own. As for the Hawks, they played really well as a team and had Trae Young not gotten injured, they might have reached the NBA Finals. 

The commonality in both the Western Conference and Eastern Conference brackets is that injuries played a big role in how things turned out. However, that isn't to say that the Suns and Bucks didn't have injury issues of their own. The Suns had to deal with Chris Paul missing action due to COVID protocols and Devin Booker had a busted nose. As for the Bucks, they've been without Giannis Antetokounmpo for the last two games due to a hyperextended knee and while there is no structural damage to his knee, it is unclear when he'll be back. Hopefully for Tuesday's Game 1. 

Ultimately, when looking at this upcoming Suns/Bucks series, a lot hinges on the health of Antetokounmpo. If he's healthy, the Bucks have a real shot to knock off the Suns due to their depth, length, and 3-point shooting. Khris Middleton has been a really nice number two option for them, shooting it well from the perimeter and giving Giannis the help that he needs. On top of that, veteran big man Brook Lopez and veteran guard Jrue Holiday have been playing well. The pieces around Antetokounmpo are definitely there. But he has to be present. 

As for the Suns, they appear to be pretty healthy right now. Paul is back from his COVID hiatus and while having a busted nose isn't fun, Booker hasn't been affected much by it. He also seems to pretty much be back from the injury anyways. Big man Deandre Ayton is getting it done inside (E.g. Valley-oop) and is giving the Suns the interior presence that they need. 

At this point, I do have to give the Suns the edge to win this series. They're the healthier team at the moment and they do have home court advantage. The NBA championship goes through Phoenix and not Milwaukee. Plus, it just feels like it's Chris Paul's time. He's paid his dues and he has the entire Suns team playing really good basketball. Everyone is feeding off his energy and I think everyone is extra fueled by the possibility of helping the great CP3 finally get a ring. 

In regard to how many games this series goes, I think if Giannis is able to go for the entire series, Suns win in 7. If he misses multiple games, then we could be looking at Suns in 5 or 6 games. After seeing such an injury ridden NBA playoffs, it would be nice to at least have an NBA Finals that features the best players of both teams. Hopefully the basketball world gets what they want. 

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Saturday Slam: The Chicago Bulls should have gone for a 7th title

(Photo: Jack Smith, AP)

Upon finishing The Last Dance, one of the burning questions that remains is whether or not the Chicago Bulls should have gone for a 7th title. Jerry Krause, who was the general manager of the Bulls during their dominant run created a lot of tension between the players and the front office, especially during their final year together. What created so much tension was the fact that the players all knew that the 1997-98 season would be the last year that they would be together. If you watched the 10 part ESPN documentary, you would know that the name "The Last Dance" comes from the nickname that head coach Phil Jackson gave to that season.

They knew this would be their last time together because of Krause and his desire to begin the rebuilding process. Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, and Phil Jackson all would have preferred to give it another go after they won their 6th title. If it was up to them, they would have all come back and chased a 7th title.

While every dynasty must come to an end and front offices need to think about the future, it's odd that Krause was so quick to shut the door on a run for a 7th title. Hell, Krause told Jackson before the season started that he could go 82-0 and he still wouldn't be back. Regardless of how successful the 1997-98 season was to be, it was to be the last that Phil Jackson, Michael Jordan, and Scottie Pippen would all be together.

What makes it odd is the fact that the Bulls were still kicking butt. They were just two seasons removed from their historic 72-10 season. While there were some signs of them slowing down a bit, they were still the best team in the NBA. We've often seen players choose on their own to walk away when they're at their peak, but it's another thing for an organization to do so. Especially when that organization historically hasn't been very good.

Before Michael Jordan came onto the scene, the Bulls were not a very good team. They were mediocre to bad. They were the least popular team in Chicago and there was very little buzz around them. The arrival of Jordan changed that, turning them into a franchise that gets mentioned in the same sentence as the Los Angeles Lakers and Boston Celtics. For them to think that it was totally cool to prematurely end Jordan's run was ludicrous and to this day has proven to be a mistake.

Since Jordan's retirement, the Bulls haven't come close to sniffing another NBA championship. The Derrick Rose era was a little exciting, but fleeting. The Bulls are back to being a bad franchise and there is no sign of them changing course anytime soon.

Going back to the 1997-98 season, considering the success that they were having, the Bulls should have at least remained open to the possibility of one more go with Phil and the gang. When you have such a good thing going, why not ride it out and see how far that wave can take you? 

What makes it all the more difficult to justify the early disbandment is the fact that the 1998-99 season was a lockout year in which only 50 regular season games were played. Jordan and Pippen would have gotten some extra time to rest up and that may have made the difference in their quest for a 7th title. On top of that, the 8th seeded New York Knicks won the Eastern Conference crown. It's hard to think that Jordan and Pippen wouldn't have disposed of them rather easily. As for who they would have met in the NBA Finals, the San Antonio Spurs proved to be a great dynasty in their own right, but at the time, they were sort of the new kids on the block with Tim Duncan leading the way. In hindsight, one would have to pick the veteran Bulls to snatch one from the Spurs, giving Jordan seven rings and Duncan four.

Now, I don't think the Bulls would have won an eighth title had they come back in the 1999-2000 season given the emergence of the Shaq and Kobe Lakers. The Bulls would have had no answer for Shaq inside and with even more mileage on them, it's fair to wonder if that series would have even been much of a fight. Still, it is fun to think about Jordan's Bulls going up against Shaq and Kobe's Lakers. I mean, had the Bulls actually won, that would have put the Jordan/Kobe debates to rest, right?

To wrap this all up, I think it's clear that the Chicago Bulls should have gone for a 7th title. They had the greatest player of all-time, perhaps the greatest coach of all-time, and would have had a shortened season to give them an edge. Perhaps all things do happen for a reason and that it's fitting things ended the way that they did, but all the same, it does feel like this team had one more dance in them.

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Saturday Slam: How should the 2020 NBA champion be viewed?

The 2019-20 NBA season is tentatively scheduled to resume on July 31st with an NBA Finals ending on October 12th at the latest. The NBA Draft will be October 15th, free agency will start October 18th, 2020-21 training camp November 10th, and the 2020-21 season starting December 1st. These dates are per ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.

The rest of the season is tentatively set to be played at Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida. All 16 current NBA playoff teams plus six additional teams that are within six games of the final playoff spot in their conference will make up a 22 team field. There is some discussion about what the other eight teams that aren't invited will be doing. At the moment, nothing is planned, but it is possible that they get allowed to do some joint workouts together or form their own summer league kinda thing. For more details on what the rest of the season will look like, click here.

The big question that I think is yet to be addressed much is how should the 2020 NBA champion be viewed? It's a unique season in that the champion will be determined at a neutral site location. Home court advantage won't be a factor. This of course means that lower seeded teams gain an advantage while higher seeded teams are put at a disadvantage. There is some discussion of giving higher seeds other advantages like an extra challenge or an extra foul for their best player, but let's be real, nothing the league can do can make up for home court advantage. Probably the best thing the league can do is give the higher seed a three point advantage in each game or something like that. But that would still feel kinda weird and artificial.

Personally, I think there's no way around the fact that there will be somewhat of an asterisk next to whatever team wins the 2020 NBA championship. Especially if it's a team that comes out of nowhere to win it. I think if one of the higher seeded teams wins it, there will be less of an asterisk, but if a five or six seeded team wins the title, there will be a greater asterisk for sure. I don't think it's totally fair as the playoffs will be played in a traditional best-of-seven format all the way through, but it is what it is.

On the flip side, one could argue that winning in this format and season is even harder and that it will require an even greater mental fortitude. Everyone is given the same set of challenges and whichever team prevails certainly will deserve credit. There also won't be the stink of home cooking from officials, so that in a way will make the games feel more legitimate.

Also, the NBA has had champions in unusual seasons before. The 1998-99 lockout season was a 50 game season in which the top seeded Western Conference team San Antonio Spurs defeated the eighth seeded Eastern Conference team New York Knicks in the NBA Finals. One could just as easily put an asterisk next to the Spurs' 1999 championship. At the time, I think there was some discussion about that, but as time has gone on, that championship has been viewed as legitimate. I think in part because of the fact that the Spurs went on to win four more NBA championships.

I think when it comes to how the 2020 NBA champion will be judged, I think a lot of it will come down to which team wins it and how that team does in subsequent seasons. If say the Milwaukee Bucks win the title and go on to win a few more afterwards with Giannis Antetokounmpo at the helm, I think the 2020 NBA champion will be still be remembered as an oddity, but there won't be much of an asterisk if any next to their name. If instead, a team like the Indiana Pacers shock the world, odds are greater there will be more scrutiny.

Regardless of how the 2020 NBA champion will be viewed, I think it's safe to say that this season will be one to remember and hopefully the most unique season in league history. While I do think odds are high that there will be at least a tiny asterisk next to the champion, I really don't think there should be one. Winning an NBA championship is not easy and if you are able to survive that grind and get across that finish line, you deserve to be remembered as a champion no matter how you got the job done.

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Tomahawk Tuesday: The Golden State Warriors screwed Kevin Durant

                                         (Credit: Getty Images) 


The Golden State Warriors' dramatic 106-105 win over the Toronto Raptors on Monday night was overshadowed by Kevin Durant going down once again with what is believed to be a torn right Achilles tendon. Normally, a team would be all smiles or at least giving off vibes of relief after keeping their NBA Finals hopes alive, but that was not the case with the Warriors last night. Instead, they were giving off vibes of frustration and sadness as a result of losing their best player for the season and possibly beyond. The post-game press conference held by Warriors GM Bob Meyers perfectly encapsulated that frustration and sadness as he was holding back tears talking about Durant.



Before I begin explaining why the Warriors screwed Durant, let me first say that anyone questioning Durant's toughness or lack of willingness to play in the NBA Finals is a MORON. As one who has gotten to know high level basketball players as part of my job covering Cal hoops for Rivals.com, I can confirm that these guys will play at all costs and never want to miss a game. Basketball is who they are. If you are saying a guy like Durant isn't tough for not coming back earlier, you either have a negative agenda or you don't know high level basketball players. Or both.

With that mini tirade out of the way, let me begin another tirade if you want to call it that. The Warriors screwed Durant. Plain and simple. I'm not saying it's any one individual's fault. I don't agree that it should all fall on Meyers' shoulders, though I applaud him for being willing to accept the blame. That takes courage on his part.

The Warriors as a collective whole screwed Durant. The coaching staff, front office, medical staff, and even teammates all played some role in pressuring Durant to return when it was clear to all of us that his return was being rushed. There were reports earlier that if this wasn't the playoffs, Durant would be out for several weeks, indicating that the Warriors knew this was a really serious injury.

Even more cynically, I think it's pretty clear that Durant's injury was worse than what the Warriors were letting on. They said calf strain, but the vibe was that it was something much more serious like a torn Achilles. Meyers insists that it was a calf injury the first time and that this time around, it's an Achilles. I have a really hard time buying that. While I'm no medical doctor, I'm pretty familiar with the severity of sports injuries and the whole time the vibe I got was an Achilles. As soon as Meyers coughed up that it was an Achilles, I thought to myself: "That's what it was the first time, too."

The Warriors knew they were playing with fire by bringing Durant back and yet they rolled the dice anyways. Sometimes when you play with fire you get burned and that's exactly what happened to the Warriors. Actually, it was Durant who got burned, which makes it all the more tragic. As a result of the Warriors' reckless decision to put Durant in harms way, they may have cost him his NBA career. A torn Achilles is no joke. It's like the kiss of death for NBA players. He may never come back from this, which is why the Warriors should feel like trash right now.

If you think I'm being too harsh, don't take it from me. Take it from Meyers. His body language was that of one who knew his organization screwed up. That's why he was crying. If this was another freak accident, he wouldn't have come to the podium to address the media. The fact that he addressed the media at all indicates the Warriors knew going in it was a risk to play Durant. They did not believe Durant was fully healed or anywhere close to full strength, which puts the blame squarely on them.

The only way to defend the Warriors is to say that Durant really wanted to play and that if he wants to go out there and ball, he should be allowed to do as he pleases. The problem I have with that is you have to see the bigger picture in matters like this. One championship isn't worth sacrificing someone's career. It just isn't. Especially when you've already won three titles in four years.

On top of that, the Warriors know how to win without Durant. At this point of the series, even if Durant could play, you could argue it would be better to not play him over concerns of him messing with their flow or getting off to a rusty start. The fact that he came out on fire doesn't change this. The Warriors have enough firepower to win without Durant and their lack of confidence in themselves to do so continues to baffle me.

The bottom line here is the Warriors decided to sacrifice Kevin Durant's career to get a one point win in an NBA Finals that they are probably going to lose no matter what. Is anyone's health or career worth that? The answer is no and the Warriors know it. End of story.

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Skyhook Sunday: Do the Toronto Raptors need to win Game 5?

                                         (Credit: Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images) 

On Monday, the Toronto Raptors will get the chance to win their first NBA championship on their home floor. Even more impressive is the fact that this is Game 5. When I predicted the Golden State Warriors would win the series in six games, I thought I was showing the Raptors a fair amount of respect. I believed they were a dangerous, good team. My main reservation was the fact that this was their first time in the NBA Finals and they were going up against a team that has won two straight titles and three of the last four NBA Finals. The fact that the Raptors have owned the Warriors through the first four games of this series is incredible. It's just a matter of them finishing what they started and not letting the Warriors come back.

With that in mind, the question that I want to address tonight is do the Raptors need to win Game 5? Of course they want to finish this sucker ASAP, but what I'm asking is should they still feel confident in their chances to win this series even if they don't close it out on Monday night? Is having an insurance Game 7 at home enough to give them the peace of mind to not overly stress about Game 5?

My answer to this question is rather nuanced and I apologize in advance: The Raptors do not need to win Game 5, but it would be really nice if they did! I think the Raptors have played well enough that they deserve to be favorites for the rest of this series. My belief is you should always pick the home team to win a Game 7, which means if this series does come down to one final game in Toronto, the Raptors should be favored to win. Period. Kawhi Leonard has proven to be a terrific closer and if he's given a chance to close out a series twice on his home floor, you best believe he'll get it done one of those two times.

That all said, the longer this series goes on, the more life the Warriors will have. Especially since Kevin Durant could be back for a Game 7 or possibly sooner than that. The official status of KD is he practiced on Sunday and is a game-time decision for Monday, though it seems unlikely he'll play. If he is able to get back on the floor and give the Warriors any sort of boost, it could be lights out for the Raptors. The possible return of KD in a Game 6 or 7 should he not play in Game 5 should be enough to motivate the Raptors to win this series now.

                                          (Credit: Silverscreenings.org) 

When the six-fingered man had Inigo Montoya on the ropes in The Princess Bride, he should have finished the job when he had Montoya severely wounded. Instead, he toyed with Montoya, allowing him to strike back and avenge the death of his father. The Raptors do not want to be like the six-fingered man. They want to end this while they have the Warriors on the ropes. So while they don't have to win Game 5 on Monday, this series will suddenly get really interesting if we are having a Game 6 in Oakland on Thursday night.

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Wednesday Windmill: The Toronto Raptors are in the driver's seat to win the NBA Finals

                                         (Credit: Frank Gunn-The Associated Press) 

On Wednesday, the Toronto Raptors defeated the Golden State Warriors 123-109 to take a 2-1 series lead in the NBA Finals. Kawhi Leonard had a huge game with 30 points, 7 rebounds, 6 assists, 2 steals, and 2 blocks, doing a little bit of everything to help the Raptors get the win. As for Stephen Curry, he was sensational on the other side for the Warriors, scoring a playoff career-high 47 points to go along with 8 rebounds, 7 assists, and 2 steals. The problem for him was he didn't get enough help as Klay Thompson (hamstring), Kevin Durant (calf), and Kevon Looney (collar bone) were all out.

I said on Tuesday that the Warriors would be hard pressed to win without Thompson and that certainly proved to be the case in Game 3. Basketball is a team sport and when you lose enough guys, it's tough for any team to win. Even if they have a guy as good as Curry on their team.

At this point in time, the Raptors are in the driver's seat to win this series. They've stolen home court advantage right back, putting all the pressure on the Warriors to win Game 4 on Friday. By extension, there's a ton of pressure on the Warriors to get Thompson back. Without him, I don't see them winning another game in this series.

On that note, Steve Kerr sounded optimistic that Thompson would play on Friday in his post-game comments while sounding much less sure about Durant. If I had to guess, I would say Thompson plays on Friday while Durant will once again be inactive. Odds are starting to look good that Durant won't play at all in this series and that the Warriors have known this the whole time.

Assuming Thompson is a go on Friday, the Warriors still have a chance to win this series, but the odds are not in their favor. The Raptors have the advantage now and need to make sure they shut the door on the Warriors while they can do it.

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Wednesday Windmill: Three things the Toronto Raptors need to do to defeat the Golden State Warriors

Yesterday, I provided my list of three things the Golden State Warriors need to do in order to defeat the Toronto Raptors in the NBA Finals. If you didn't read that, click here.  Today I'm looking at this series through the lens of the Raptors and what they need to do to knock off the Warriors. And yes, just like yesterday, I'm going with the old school logo!

#1. Kawhi Leonard needs to go wild: If the Raptors want any chance of winning this series, they need Kawhi Leonard to have the series of a lifetime. What allowed the Cleveland Cavaliers to knock off the 73-9 Warriors in the 2016 NBA Finals was the surreal performance of LeBron James. Leonard has more pieces around him than James did, but that doesn't lighten the burden that is on him to deliver the goods. Leonard needs to be averaging 30+ points per game in this series while also playing lock down defense.

#2. Defend Jurassic Park: If you've been reading my recent blog posts, you would know that I've been hammering home the fact that the Warriors will not have home court in the NBA Finals regardless of whether it's the Bucks or Raptors that they face. Of all the major sports leagues in America, home court/field/ice advantage is most important in the NBA. For whatever reason, home teams do better in the NBA than they do in the NFL, MLB, and NHL. I think a lot of it has to do with the influence that home court has on the officiating and the way stars get calls.

So long as the Raptors are able to defend their home floor, they will continue to have the advantage in this series. They need to defend their home floor like a pod of velociraptors protecting their nest from the egg snatching oviraptorsaurs. If the Warriors steal a game or get an egg, the Raptors will be in a really difficult spot.

#3. Role players need to step up: As important as it is for Kawhi Leonard to carry the load, he can't win this series all by himself. He's going to need help from his supporting cast. Especially Marc Gasol, Pascal Siakam, and Kyle Lowry. Those three guys in particular need to have a big series. If those guys step up and take the edge off Leonard, the Raptors will be tough to stop.

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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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Saturday Slam: The Toronto Raptors are going to the NBA Finals for the first time

For the first time in franchise history, the Toronto Raptors are going to the NBA Finals, defeating the Milwaukee Bucks 100-94 on Saturday night to win the Eastern Conference title. Kawhi Leonard was sensational with 27 points, 17 rebounds, 7 assists, 2 steals, and 2 blocks. It was one of those performances that all-time legends have.

The Raptors' first season was in the 1995-96 season, finishing 21-61. The one bright spot in that season was their 109-108 victory on March 24 over the Chicago Bulls, who would go on to finish the season 72-10 and win their fourth NBA championship. Damon Stoudamire led the way for the Raptors that night with 30 points while Michael Jordan had 36 points for the Bulls (click here to watch the highlights). What's rather ironic in all of this is that their NBA Finals opponent Golden State Warriors went on to have the best regular season record in NBA history (73-9) in the 2015-16 season in part because of that victory. As we all know, that Warriors team would later fall to the Cleveland Cavaliers in the NBA Finals.

After indirectly helping the Warriors make history in 2016, the Raptors are out to make history for themselves in the 2019 NBA Finals. After years and years of choking and not getting over the hump, the Raptors finally have a championship caliber team and home court advantage in the NBA Finals. Their turnaround has been really fun to watch and while Kawhi Leonard deserves a lot of the credit, it's really been a complete team effort from president Masai Ujiri to head coach Nick Nurse to Kyle Lowry to undrafted guard Fred VanVleet.

                                         (Credit: Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP) 

Even though I already got into NBA Finals predictions in my most recent Wednesday Windmill piece, I don't want to do that here. I just want to congratulate the Raptors on finally reaching their first NBA Finals in franchise history. This is a big moment for them and tonight I want to focus all of my attention on this monumental accomplishment. We can talk more about the Warriors next week.

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Saturday Slam: The Golden State Warriors built a dynasty the right way

                                          (Credit: The Associated Press)

On Friday, the Golden State Warriors completed their four-game sweep of the Cleveland Cavaliers to win their third NBA championship in four years. Kevin Durant (28.7 points, 10.7 rebounds, and 7.5 assists) was NBA Finals MVP for a second consecutive year and the Warriors officially etched themselves into NBA history as a true dynasty. As phenomenal as LeBron James was in the NBA Finals (34.0 points, 8.5 rebounds, and 10.0 assists), the Warriors were the better team and it showed over the course of the series.

A lot of people like to taint the Warriors' championships by saying they are too stacked and that it's unfair they are this good. Such remarks are very shortsighted. A person who makes these remarks is only thinking of the addition of Kevin Durant, forgetting that this team won a championship and reached the NBA Finals twice before he got there. In order to attract a star of Kevin Durant's magnitude, you need to put a winning formula in place and to the Warriors' credit, they did just that, building through the draft, making smart trades, and bringing in quality free agents.

Starting with the draft, the Warriors' scouting department and front office has knocked it out of the park, drafting Stephen Curry with the 7th overall pick in 2009, Klay Thompson with the 11th overall pick in 2011, and Draymond Green with the 35th overall pick in 2012. Those three guys are the foundation of this team. They were together long before Kevin Durant got to Golden State.

If there is one moment that we can look back on that definitively marks the beginning of this new Warriors era, it would be the trade that sent Monta Ellis to the Milwaukee Bucks for Andrew Bogut. Monta Ellis doesn't get enough credit for how good he was and what he did for the Warriors' organization, but at the same time he wasn't a guy who you could build a championship team around. By moving Ellis for a big man that could anchor a championship caliber defense, the Warriors' front office showed they cared more about winning championships than getting on highlight reels. That trade is what officially put the Warriors on the trajectory that they are currently on.

Before the Warriors landed Kevin Durant in free agency, they landed another quality free agent in Andre Iguodala in the summer of 2013. Iguodala had been traded to the Denver Nuggets in the previous season from the Philadelphia 76ers and decided he didn't want to stay in Denver, opting to sign with the Warriors instead. Little did the Warriors know, but Iguodala would go on to be NBA Finals MVP in 2015, playing an integral role in their first of three championships in four seasons.

To cap everything off, the Warriors landed Kevin Durant in the summer of 2016, officially establishing themselves as an NBA juggernaut. The move sparked some controversy as the Warriors blew a 3-1 lead to the Cavaliers in the NBA Finals while the Thunder had also blown a 3-1 lead to the Warriors in the Western Conference Finals. To make the optics look even worse, the Warriors were coming off of a 73-9 season, the best regular season record in NBA history. It just looked like the rich getting richer while also acknowledging that they didn't have enough to beat LeBron James.

While it's certainly understandable for NBA fans to be upset at how this all unfolded, one certainly cannot blame the Warriors for making the moves that they did. If you have the cap space to add Kevin Durant to a roster that already consists of Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green, and Andre Iguodala, you should do it. It's a no brainer decision.

Regardless of how you feel about the Warriors, one thing cannot be denied: They built their team the right way. They drafted and scouted well, made good trades, added quality free agents, and put themselves in a position to attract Kevin Durant. They took no short cuts and are being handsomely rewarded as a result.

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