Denver Nuggets' Nikola Jokic has first 30-20-20 game in NBA history

 

                                            (Credit: Ron Chenoy/Imagn Images) 

On Friday night in a 149-141 overtime victory over the Phoenix Suns, Denver Nuggets big man Nikola Jokic became the first player in NBA history to have a 30-20-20 game (30 points, 20 rebounds, & 20 assists). Jokic actually slightly eclipsed that mark with 31 points, 21 rebounds, and 22 assists. Not to be ignored is the fact that he also had three steals and just four turnovers while shooting 13-22 (59.1%) from the field. Just an all-around brilliant performance that the NBA has never seen before. 

While he sometimes gets discounted a bit for not appearing to have out-of-this-world athleticism, Friday's performance reminded the basketball world that Nikola Jokic is truly an all-time great and one of the best big men in NBA history. As if leading the Denver Nuggets to an NBA championship didn't already hammer that home. We all knew Jokic was special, but still. One can't help but be in awe of what we saw. 

As far as which aspect of this performance is most impressive, the answer is simply all of it. In truth, any game with where you have 30+ points or 20+ rebounds or 20+ assists is a great night. But to do all three in one game? There's really no words that can perfectly capture just how special this was. All you can do is be in awe. 

I don't know where Jokic ranks among the NBA's greatest big men, but he's definitely in the conversation with guys like Shaquille O'Neal, Hakeem Olajuwon, Tim Duncan, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Arvydas Sabonis, and Bill Russell. In many ways, he's kind of giving the NBA a heavy dose of what it would have been like to play against Sabonis in his prime. Due to being behind the Iron Curtain, Sabonis didn't get to play in the NBA until he started to enter the twilight years of his pro career, but Jokic has been able to play at the peak of his abilities and carry the torch that Sabonis never fully got to carry. 

It's really special that we get to watch Nikola Jokic in real-time. I'm sure when his career is over, we'll look back and feel like we didn't appreciate him enough. He really is the kind of guy that might only come around once, so we better appreciate him while we still can. 

NBALord.com on X (Twitter): @nba_lord 

NBALord.com on Facebook: @NBALordNation 

Ben Parker on Facebook, IG, Threads, X (Twitter), & Blue Sky: @slamdunk406 

Mock Draft Monday: How good is USC's Evan Mobley?

                                 

                                     (Credit: John McGillen/USC Athletics) 

One of the top prospects in the 2021 NBA Draft is USC freshman forward Evan Mobley, who is averaging 16.4 points, 8.5 rebounds, and 2.9 blocks per game. Listed at 7'0", 210 pounds, Mobley has tremendous physical tools and has been a dominating force in the paint this year in the Pac-12. In the game against Cal that I covered, he ate the Golden Bears for lunch with 25 points, 8 rebounds, and 2 blocks. He was the single dominating force that won the game for the Trojans. The Bears simply did not have an answer for him inside. 

While dominating Cal and dominating NBA players are very different, Mobley has shown all season long that he is a legitimate NBA talent and deserves to be in consideration for the top pick in the 2021 draft. Guys with his size, quickness, length, and skill don't grow on trees. They're very hard to find and whatever NBA team gets him will have a really exciting player to work with. 

In addition to being a great individual talent, Mobley has shown he can have a winning impact on his team. The #19 ranked Trojans are 19-6 overall and 13-5 in the Pac-12. When Mobley succeeds, his team does in the process. He's not one of those players that puts up big stats a on a bad team. He's putting up big time stats on a team that has the potential to reach the Sweet Sixteen and possibly deeper. 

As far as who he reminds me of in the NBA, he kinda reminds me of a more athletic version of Tim Duncan, which is really high praise. Like Mobley, Duncan could score around the basket with ease, get rebounds, and block shots. On top of that, Duncan was a great team player and made everyone around him better. Duncan knew how to win and be a part of a winning formula. 

With the NCAA tournament coming up, one player to keep a close eye on is USC's Evan Mobley. He has tremendous physical gifts and has a chance to perhaps vault himself into the #1 draft spot with a good showing in March. It's going to be fun to see how things go for Mobley in next week's Pac-12 tournament and how the rest of his collegiate career goes before he presumably leaves for the NBA. 

To connect with NBA Lord on Twitter, click here. 

To connect with NBA Lord on Facebook, click here. 

To connect with Ben Parker, click here. 

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.

To connect with NBA Lord on Twitter, click here.

To connect with NBA Lord on Facebook, click here.

To connect with Ben Parker, click here.

Saturday Slam: Five players who challenge Michael Jordan as the GOAT

                                         (Credit: USA TODAY Sports) 

Given that ESPN's 10 part series "The Last Dance" about Michael Jordan's career is the most exciting thing happening in basketball right now, I thought I would do a blog post about his Royal Airness and those who tried or are still trying to knock him off his perch as the greatest basketball player of all time a.k.a. the GOAT.

In this blog post, I'm not going to argue that someone is the GOAT instead of MJ. I think MJ's career speaks for itself. He led the Chicago Bulls to six NBA championships, is #1 all-time in points per game (30.1), is #3 all-time in steals (2514), won six NBA Finals MVPs, five regular season NBA MVPs, is a 10x scoring champ, 3x steals champ, 9x All-Defensive, was the 1987-88 Defensive Player of the Year, 11x All-NBA, 14x All-Star, the 1984-85 NBA Rookie of the Year, 1984 Naismith College Player of the Year, 1982 NCAA champion, member of the NBA's 50th anniversary All-Time Team, member of the 1992 Dream Team, and a member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

Jordan is the GOAT. I don't dispute that. However, I think there are five players who legitimately challenge him in their own way. My list may shock you and that's ok. I'm not about writing what's always popular.

                                          (Credit: NBA.com) 

#1. Magic Johnson: The guy who I feel challenges Michael Jordan the most in the GOAT conversation is a guy who also has the initials "MJ." Magic Johnson. Magic Johnson alongside Kareem Abdul-Jabbar led the Los Angeles Lakers to five NBA championships, is a 3x NBA Finals MVP, 3x NBA MVP, 4x assist champ, 10x All-NBA, 12x All-Star, an NCAA champion (1979), member of the NBA's 50th Anniversary All-Time Team, member of the 1992 Dream Team, and a member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

Why Magic Johnson: The reason why Magic Johnson challenges Michael Jordan is because he was a more complete player. Magic Johnson is #1 all-time in assists per game at 11.2 and also averaged 19.5 points per game along with 7.2 rebounds. At  6'9", 215 pounds, Johnson could play the point guard position as well as anyone who played the game and could also play the other four positions on the court as well.

When you watch highlights of Magic, it's not hard to see how he earned the nickname "Magic." He was literally like a magician out there on the court with his passing, court vision, and ball handling. There's probably never been a more complete player than Magic. To top it all off, Magic has five NBA championships, something that is big in the GOAT discussion.

Why not Magic Johnson: The number one reason why Magic Johnson is not the GOAT is because he doesn't have six NBA championships. If he had six rings and had beaten Jordan in the 1991 NBA Finals, then I think the debate would be much more fierce. Also, Magic played alongside Kareem Abdul-Jabbar who is also in the conversation for GOAT. It's not really fair to dock Magic because he played alongside another all-time great, but one can ask if Magic would have won five rings if he didn't have Kareem alongside him.

One other reason why Magic isn't the GOAT is because the overall accolades don't match that of Jordan. He didn't win as many NBA Finals MVPs or NBA MVPs or All-NBA teams. If he had more MVPs under his belt, that would help his case a lot more.

                                               (Credit: NBA.com) 

#2. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar: The second player on my list is Milwaukee Bucks/Los Angeles Lakers legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Kareem is the NBA's all-time leading scorer (38,387) and is arguably the greatest center in NBA history. Alongside Magic Johnson, he led the Los Angeles Lakers to five NBA championships and before arriving in Los Angeles led the Milwaukee Bucks to their lone NBA championship. Kareem is a 19x All-Star, 6x NBA champion, 3x NCAA champion, 6x NBA MVP, 2x NBA Finals MVP, 11x All-Defensive, 2x scoring champ, 4x blocks champ, 15x All-NBA, 1969-70 NBA Rookie of the Year, 1969 Naismith College Player of the Year, a member of the NBA's 50th Anniversary All-Time Team, and a member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

Why Kareem Abdul-Jabbar: Right off the bat, one has to acknowledge that Kareem has six NBA championships and won one of his titles without Magic Johnson. That's always the number one argument people use to say Michael Jordan is the GOAT, conveniently forgetting that Kareem also has six. If you look at the accolades, Kareem stacks up pretty well, too. He has more MVPs, more All-Star appearances, more All-Defensive nominations, more NCAA championships, and has four blocks championships to Jordan's three steals championships. Plus, no small thing, Kareem is #1 all-time in scoring.

When you look at the whole package that Kareem brings to the table, one could actually argue he's an even bigger challenge to Jordan than Magic Johnson. Especially when you consider his college career.  He played a different position than Jordan, which I think helps him and in his prime was nearly as dominant with that patented skyhook.

Why not Kareem Abdul-Jabbar: The first reason why I think Kareem doesn't surpass Jordan is he had more help around him when he was with the Lakers. He played alongside Magic Johnson, who has already made my list of guys who challenge Jordan as the GOAT. If he doesn't play with Magic Johnson, I don't know if he has six NBA championships. I hate to hold that against him, but it is something to consider. Especially since as I mentioned earlier, he won one title, his first, without Magic in Milwaukee.

Secondly, Kareem wasn't as dominant offensively as Jordan. While he does have more total points, he ranks 15th all-time in points per game (24.6). Considering he spent all those years playing alongside Magic Johnson, who is #1 all-time in assists, one could argue that Kareem should have averaged more points per game for his career. If Kareem had more points per game and was a bit more dominant on offense, the gap between him and Jordan would be much closer.

                                         (Credit: Mark Duncan/AP) 

#3. LeBron James: LeBron James is the modern challenger to Michael Jordan in the GOAT discussion as his career is still unfolding. LeBron is a 16x All-Star, 3x NBA champion, 3x NBA Finals MVP, 4x NBA MVP, 15x All-NBA, the 2003-04 NBA Rookie of the Year, and future member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. Ever since he entered the NBA, LeBron has been compared to Jordan and so far has done about as good of a job of living up to the hype as possible.

Why LeBron James: The number one reason why LeBron James challenges Jordan is that he was a better and more complete player at a much younger age and also played a more complete game. James was a phenom in high school and was drafted #1 overall in the 2003 NBA Draft, skipping college altogether. Jordan in contrast played three years of college at North Carolina and had to spend more time polishing his game.

To a certain extent, the fact that Michael Jordan played college is also reflective of the era he played in. Had he come up in today's era, he probably would have been a one and done player. But that notwithstanding, James was pound for pound a more complete and better player out of the shoot. Remember, Jordan was selected #3 overall in the 1984 NBA Draft behind the infamous Sam Bowie and Hakeem Olajuwon, who while not making my GOAT list, was definitely the better pick at the time.

On top of being the better player out of the gate than Jordan, LeBron also has put together a pretty impressive resume of his own with three NBA titles, three NBA Finals MVPs, and four NBA MVPs. If the eye test matters at all, it's hard to imagine anyone being better than LeBron James. He's a 6'9", 250 pound freak of nature that can do it all on the court with Jordan-like athleticism.

Finally, LeBron led the Cleveland Cavaliers to an NBA championship. The freaking Cavaliers! One championship in Cleveland is arguably worth several in another city. The fact that he delivered the goods for his hometown team and brought them a title against a Golden State Warriors team that won a league record 73 games absolutely puts him in the GOAT discussion. That might be the greatest NBA Finals performance of all-time, putting up a triple-double on the road in a Game 7 to beat a 73 win team.

Why not LeBron James: The first reason why LeBron isn't the GOAT is because of the whole "I'm taking my talents to South Beach" thing. While he did deliver a title to Cleveland, one cannot ignore the fact that he bailed on Cleveland for the Miami Heat where he won his first two titles with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh. Michael Jordan never bailed on the city of Chicago when the going got tough against the Bad Boy Pistons. Instead, he kept getting better and had the patience to figure it out.

Secondly, LeBron doesn't have as many rings as Jordan. He's got three to Jordan's six. That's a problem if you are arguing that he's the GOAT. While his accolades and personal achievements are amazing, they don't quite stack up to Jordan.

Finally, this is a super technical thing, but LeBron has never been a good foul shooter, shooting a career 73.5% from the line. LeBron has shot less than 70.0% from the foul line in four of his 17 seasons. LeBron's best foul shooting season is 78.0% in his sixth season. Jordan in contrast shot 83.5% from the foul line for his career with his worst foul shooting season being 78.4% in his final year in Chicago. That's right, Jordan's worst foul shooting season was still better than LeBron's best foul shooting season. If you had to have Jordan or LeBron at the foul line to win a game, you would have to take Jordan for sure.

                                            (Credit: NBA.com)

#4. Bill Russell: When talking about the greatest basketball players of all-time, Bill Russell absolutely deserves to be in the conversation. Russell is an 11x NBA champion, 12x NBA All-Star, 5x NBA MVP, 11x All-NBA, 4x NBA rebounding champion, 2x NCAA champion, member of the NBA's 50th Anniversary All-Time Team, and a member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

Why Bill Russell: The first reason why Bill Russell challenges Jordan is the simple fact that he won 11 NBA championships and was the anchor of those Boston Celtics teams. He is the greatest team player of all-time. 11 NBA championships plus two NCAA championships. In his last two championships in the NBA, he was player-coach!

Russell knew the game better than anyone and understood better than anyone that basketball is a team sport. He said the happiest he's been was when he was on a team in middle school that won a title even though he didn't play much. It was his first taste of success and he was happy to be on a winning team above anything else. If that doesn't say how great of a team player he was, I don't know what does!

On top of the consummate team success, Russell was an amazingly gifted player who averaged 15.1 points, 22.5 rebounds, and 4.3 assists per game. We don't know how many blocks he got because they didn't keep track of that stat back then, but if they did, that would just add to his already impressive stats. If you put him in today's NBA, Russell would be one of the top players in the league. Period.

Why not Bill Russell: This is mostly due to being a victim of his own era. In his last season (1968-69), the NBA had 14 teams. For most of his career, the NBA had 10 teams or fewer. It's a lot easier to rack up championships when there's only nine other teams to compete against. If you put him in today's NBA, Russell wouldn't have won 11 titles and I'm not even sure if he would have won six.

If you want to put a modern comparison to Bill Russell, it's probably Tim Duncan. Russell in today's NBA probably wins 4-5 titles if given the right system and pieces around him. Duncan was a fabulous team player who learned how to maximize his talents by buying into Gregg Popovich's system and putting the team above individual accolades. That sounds just like Russell.

By the way, Tim Duncan, I'll quickly slip in as a bonus honorable mention for the GOAT discussion: 5x NBA champion, 15x All-Star, 15x All-NBA, 15x All-Defensive Team, 3x NBA Finals MVP, 2x NBA MVP, 1997-98 NBA Rookie of the Year, and a member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. If I'm going to say Tim Duncan is a modern day Bill Russell, I kinda can't leave him out of this blog post.

The reason why Duncan isn't #5 on my list is because of his individual statistics. He led the NBA in total rebounds just once (2001-02) and never led the league in any other major category in any other season, whether it be totals or per game. As great as he was, you would think he would have led the NBA in rebounds per game and blocks per game at least a few times.

                                            (Credit: NBA.com) 

#5. John Stockton: I said at the beginning that I would have a controversial choice and that choice is John Stockton. Stockton is #1 all-time in steals (3,265) and #1 all-time in assists (15,806). He is a 10x NBA All-Star, 2x steals champion, 9x assist champion, 5x All-Defensive, 2x Western Conference Finals champion, member of the 1992 Dream Team, member of the NBA's 50th Anniversary All-Time Team, and a member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

Why John Stockton: If you want to talk about who the best pure basketball player is of all-time from a technical/IQ standpoint, it's hard to find a better player than John Stockton. At 6'1", 170 pounds, Stockton was as well-rounded as they come. He could shoot, pass, rebound, and defend at an elite level. He is the consummate point guard. No one in NBA history knew how to run an offense better than Stockton. His assist numbers reflect that.

Stockton was also an amazing defender as is evident by his all-time steals record. He wasn't afraid to guard the team's best player and had many fierce battles with Michael Jordan over the years, giving him as tough of a run in the NBA Finals as anyone else. As a matter of fact, Hall of Famer Gary Payton said Stockton was the toughest player he ever had to go up against. Not Michael Jordan:

"It's not Michael Jordan because it's fun to play against Michael Jordan. It's a fear to play against him [Stockton] because I had to guard him 94 feet every time. He had the ball all the time. When a guy can shoot 10 times and make eight, he shoot 10 free throws and make nine, he has 16 assists, he has five rebounds, and five steals. You do the math of that."

If you got Gary Payton saying you were tougher than Jordan and you're 6'1", 170 pounds, that's pretty amazing. One other thing Stockton has going for him is his durability. He played in 1504 games in his 19 year career. He played in all 82 games in 16 of his 19 seasons. One of those seasons was the 1998-99 lockout season in which the NBA played in 50 games. In case you were wondering, Stockton played in all 50 games that season.

As a result of his durability, Stockton is way out in front of the rest of the field in steals and assists. #2 in steals is Jason Kidd (2,684) and #2 in assists is also Jason Kidd (12,091). I don't know if either of those records will ever be broken. To be #1 all-time in two of the five major statistical categories has to put you in the GOAT conversation. Especially when you hold those records by miles and miles.

Why not John Stockton: Considering that he's a controversial pick, I feel I had to say a little more about Stockton and why he deserves to be on this list. The reason why Stockton is not the GOAT starts with the fact that he never won an NBA championship. It's somewhat unfair because he was so amazing, but you can't be the GOAT without a ring. He also played alongside a phenomenal power forward in Karl Malone, who was responsible for a lot of those assists. Without the Mailman by his side, one has to wonder if Stockton has the legendary career that he has. And vice versa. Without Stockton, Malone may not have reached #2 on the NBA's all-time scoring list.

Also, Stockton wasn't as physically gifted as Michael Jordan. He could barely dunk and while being lighting quick and possessing hands the size of frying pans, Stockton wasn't anything near the physical freak that Jordan was. What makes Stockton amazing is that in spite of not being a physical freak like Jordan, he was able to hang with him and give him a run for his money. But, at the end of the day, not being as physically gifted as Jordan is what prevents him from being the GOAT. But, as I said earlier, you wanna talk pure technique and basketball IQ, no one was better than Stockton.

                                         (Credit: Blazersedge.com) 

Honorable mention-Arvydas Sabonis: An honorable mention in this discussion is Arvydas Sabonis. Born behind the Iron Curtain in Kaunas, Lithuania, Sabonis was truly a victim of his own era. When he finally reached the NBA in the 1995-96 season with the Portland Trail Blazers, Sabonis was past his prime by quite a bit. Sabonis had his best years from 1981-1989 with his hometown team BC Zalgiris based in Kaunas, Lithuania. Sabonis was 1995-96 NBA All-Rookie, FIBA's 50 Greatest Players (1991), 50 Greatest Euroleague Contributors, and a member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

Why Arvydas Sabonis: When he was coming up, Sabonis was arguably the best player in the world. There were articles written about how the best basketball player in the world (Sabonis) wasn't even in the NBA. At 7'3", 292 pounds, Sabonis was truly ahead of his time as a versatile big man that could score, rebound, defend, and facilitate. He had guard like skills at 7'3" in an era when most guys his size were just there to block and rebound. Had he played in the NBA since the 1980s, he may have won several NBA championships and given Jordan a real run for GOAT.

The fact that Sabonis was as productive as he was when he did finally reach the NBA (16.0 points and 10.0 rebounds in his third NBA season) just shows how gifted he truly was. To be that productive at age 33 is remarkable. Especially when you've had all the mileage that he had.

Why not Arvydas Sabonis: This one goes back to the simple fact that he wasn't allowed to play in the NBA until later due to being a citizen of the USSR. The Iron Curtain held him back. While he could have played in the early 90s, he was such a rock star over in Europe that it makes sense why he didn't play in the NBA earlier. Had he played a full NBA career in his early 20s as well as his late 30s, we might be talking about him as the GOAT instead.

To connect with NBA Lord on Twitter, click here. 

To connect with NBA Lord on Facebook, click here. 

To connect with Ben Parker, click here. 

Saturday Slam: Tim Duncan is the Bill Russell of our era

                                                (Credit: Keith Allison. Click here for source) 

     Earlier this week, Spurs power forward Tim Duncan retired after playing 19 seasons and winning five championships in the NBA. He's competed against Karl Malone, Reggie Miller, Shaquille O'Neal, Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, and Andrew Wiggins. He's virtually a living basketball history exhibit. What's even more impressive is that he played all 19 seasons in a San Antonio Spurs uniform. In an era where even the best of players typically play for at least three teams, Tim Duncan played for just one.

      When it comes to looking back on Tim Duncan's career, it's hard to know where to begin. The man has accomplished so much and in the process said very little about himself, choosing to put his team first. He always shied away from the spotlight and never wanted to be the center of attention. He never went for the Top 10 play on Sports Center and didn't give a crap that he played a more finesse style that was less flashy. If banking a turnaround jump hook off the glass was the best shot, then that would be the shot he would roll with. He honestly didn't care if it wasn't as flashy because he was consumed with one thing and that one thing was winning.

     Duncan's selfless approach to the game of basketball yielded a lot of fruit for him personally. In addition to winning five championships, he won the NBA Finals MVP award three times, NBA regular season MVP award two times, been named to the NBA All-Star Team 15 times, the All-NBA First and Second Defensive Teams a combined 15 times, and the All-NBA First Team 10 times. Plus, he won the NBA All-Star Game MVP Award in the year 2000.

     If there is any player who I can compare Tim Duncan to in NBA history, it would be Bill Russell. Like Tim Duncan, Bill Russell won a lot of championships with one team and was the centerpiece of those championship teams (Boston Celtics). Bill Russell won 11 championships and five NBA MVP awards and did it while not being the flashiest player of his era, which was Wilt Chamberlain. Bill Russell says the most excited he's ever been on a basketball court is when he won his first championship during grade school. He was so excited that his team won even though he himself hardly played any minutes. He says what made him so excited was the fact that his team won and that was all he cared about.

                                                  (Credit: Kip-koech. Click here for source)

     Tim Duncan has a similar attitude. Towards the end of his career, he didn't care that he was no longer the best player on his team. He happily let Kawhi Leonard and LaMarcus Aldridge take over those roles because what he cared about was winning championships, not personal accolades. Don't get me wrong, Tim Duncan didn't mind winning all those MVPs, but personal awards and recognition wasn't his aim. Winning championships was his aim and the personal awards followed as a result. Let that be a lesson to all you young basketball players out there! If you make winning your priority, good things will come your way as a result.

     As far as where Tim Duncan ranks among the games' greatest players, I'm not sure he's a top-ten player from a one-on-one standpoint. But, if you are ranking the games' greatest players from the standpoint of team player and franchise centerpiece, he has to be in the top-five behind only Bill Russell, Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.

     To help you better understand this train of thought, when ranking the games' greatest players based on their individual achievements, one-on-one abilities, and overall package (both physical and skill), I would rank LeBron James ahead of Tim Duncan. But, given that Tim Duncan has won five championships all with one team and been the cornerstone of that franchise for the last 19 years, he's been a better team player and championship centerpiece.

     The beauty of Tim Duncan is that he did everything the right way. He didn't leave San Antonio to chase rings somewhere else, he didn't let his ego blow up a franchise, and he didn't have to be the one who scored the most points. He's the ultimate team player because he put his team first and understood that winning championships was a team effort. In his prime, he was no doubt the best player on those Spurs championship teams, but he still made sure everybody understood it was the San Antonio Spurs who won the championship and not Tim Duncan.

     What separates Tim Duncan from guys like Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, and even to some extent Shaquille O'Neal, is the fact that he was never on a quest to win championships for HIMSELF. He was always on a quest to win championships for his TEAM and never once was he consumed with the whole "I gotta get this many rings to be considered great" plague that has in many ways been a curse for so many players.

     It's not that Tim Duncan didn't care about his legacy so much as he wanted his legacy to be about putting his team first and letting his game speak for itself. As a result, he goes down as perhaps the most successful basketball player since the great Bill Russell, a man who had the same approach to the game. Hopefully more young basketball players will see Tim Duncan as THE player to model their game after as opposed to guys like Kobe Bryant, who at the end of the day are only worried about themselves.

Wednesday Windmill: The Warriors smacked the Spurs

     On Monday night, the Golden State Warriors (41-4) and San Antonio Spurs (38-7) faced off for the first time this season and boy did the Warriors send the Spurs a message. The Warriors won going away by a final score of 120-90 to the delight of their home crowd.

     Stephen Curry was simply sensational, scoring 37 points on 12-20 shooting from the field, 6-9 shooting from 3-point range, and 7-7 shooting from the foul line. It felt like every time Stephen Curry threw something at the basket, it went in, which is something that we are accustomed to seeing. In addition to Curry going wild, the Warriors really fed off of the energy of their home crowd and turned a 10-12 point lead into a 30 point blowout. There's a lot of things we can take away from this game, but for the sake of simplicity, I have cut my list to five things.

     The first thing we should take away from this game is that while the Warriors dominated the Spurs, this is just one game and it was on the Warriors' home floor. I know that Warriors fans see this game as proof that the Warriors are just going to steamroll every team in the playoffs, including the Spurs. While I agree that the Warriors should be the favorites to win the NBA championship, we need to keep in mind that Monday's game was only one game and that the Warriors had the advantage of playing at home. The Spurs are also undefeated at home on the season and they will certainly be eager to defend their home floor when they face the Warriors in San Antonio.

     The second thing we need to take away from this game is that the Spurs need to be healthy in order to compete with the Warriors. Tim Duncan did not play in this game due to knee soreness and his absence was huge in this game. The Spurs are all about staying healthy for the playoffs and Monday night showed us why. The Spurs understand that if they don't have their guys at full strength or close to full strength, they cannot beat the Warriors in a 7 game series. Duncan's absence doesn't diminish the Warriors' win, but it does underscore the importance of Tim Duncan and the Spurs needing to be at full strength.

     Third, we learned that the officials did not give the Warriors an advantage. The Spurs actually attempted 31 foul shots while the Warriors attempted 25 foul shots. When I said the Warriors benefited from home court advantage, I did not say that they got home cookin'. The officials officiated this game fair and square. The Spurs lost this game because they couldn't contain Stephen Curry and they turned the ball over 25 times and only had 21 assists.

Fourth, the Spurs' desire to play fast may hurt them against the Warriors. A team that may give the Warriors more trouble is a team that slows it down and grinds it out. The Memphis Grizzlies don't have the firepower to beat the Warriors, but they have the style. If the Spurs want to beat the Warriors in a seven game series, they may not want to try to beat them at their own game, which is an up-tempo style of basketball. If the Spurs remain committed to playing at a fast pace, they probably won't find success against the Warriors regardless of what city they are in.

The final thing we need to take way from this game is that a lot can happen between now and May, which is when these teams are projected to face each other. If all stands pat, the Warriors probably win the NBA championship and defeat the Spurs in the Western Conference finals. However, if the Warriors start to get inflicted by injury and if the Spurs keep their core healthy, the Spurs may be the ones who win the NBA championship as opposed to the Warriors.

     In conclusion, the main thing to take away from this game is that it really is just one game and there is plenty of basketball to play. These teams will face each other three more times in the regular season before the playoffs begin. While it's easy to look at this game as validation of the Warriors' supremacy in the NBA, they are called "defending champions" and not yet "back-to-back champions". The Warriors still have plenty of work to do as do the the Spurs. It's no question that they are the best two teams in the NBA, but it's still too early to say that one team has the clear upper hand at the moment.

Saturday Slam: Clippers and Spurs have a series for the ages

     The Los Angeles Clippers defeated the San Antonio Spurs 111-109 on Saturday night to advance to the Western Conference Semifinals. It took a full seven games to decide who the winner of this series would be and I say "full" because Game 7 went down to the last second. Game 7 alone had more drama in it than most playoff series' ever do in all of their games combined:  Chris Paul went down with a hamstring strain and returned to hit the game winning shot; Tim Duncan had a huge night with 27 points and 11 rebounds; J.J. Redick, Jamal Crawford, and Matt Barnes hit clutch threes to keep the Clippers alive; Boris Diaw and Danny Green hit clutch threes for the Spurs; and Blake Griffin had a triple-double composed of 24 points, 13 rebounds, and 10 assists.

     Both teams stepped up and deserved to win Game 7 and that is what made it so memorable. Both teams played at a very high level and unfortunately only one team could win. Fortunately for the Clippers, they are the team that advances, but regardless of the outcome, both teams need to be commended for the performance that they displayed on the basketball court. As a fan it was truly a treat to watch these two teams battle it out. I can't remember a more fun and entertaining series in all my years watching NBA basketball and I've been watching NBA basketball since I was an infant.

    In addition to all the sensational shots, plays, and moments of heroism, what really made this series interesting was that home court advantage didn't matter. The Clippers and Spurs split the first four games, the Spurs won Game 5 in Los Angeles, and the Clippers forced Game 7 by winning Game 6 in San Antonio. Usually, home court advantage has a much greater impact on a seven game series. Even if it is between two evenly matched teams.

     But in this series, it really did not matter. Neither team was afraid to go on the road and get a win and neither team felt secure playing on their home floor. I don't want to diminish the fact that the team with home court advantage won the series, but if you look at how this series played out, there's no way one can say home court advantage decided this series. What decided this series was the Clippers playing one percent better in Game 7 and that one percent came from their own will and determination.

     I know that we have only ended the first round of the playoffs and that we still have many interesting series' ahead. But I do not believe that any series we see, including the NBA Finals, will be as intense, dramatic, or compelling as this series. This series had everything you could want in an NBA playoff series and more. While it's a shame that one of these two teams has to be sent packing, it's a blessing that we were able to see them face each other. As fans, we should feel grateful for what we have witnessed.

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

Wednesday Windmill: Why Karl Malone is the Greatest Power Forward of All-Time

                                          (credit: JazzFanatical) 

     Karl Malone is the greatest power forward of all time. Not Tim Duncan, Charles Barkley, Dirk Nowitzki, Kevin McHale, James Worthy, or Moses Malone. All of those players deserve to be in the discussion, no doubt, but upon analyzing all of their career accomplishments and statistics, it seems pretty obvious to me at least, that Karl Malone is the greatest power forward to ever play the game of basketball.
     He once averaged 31.0 points and 11.1 rebounds per game during just his 5th season in the NBA. He won two NBA MVP awards and went to the NBA Finals in back-to-back seasons. He is a 14x NBA All-Star, 11x All-NBA First Team, 3x All-Defensive First Team, a member of the NBA's 50th Anniversary Top 50 Greatest Players of All-Time Team, the NBA's #2 all-time leading scorer, a member of the original 1992 Dream Team, and posted career averages of 25.0 points, 10.1 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 1.4 steals, and .8 blocks per game. Those are mighty impressive accomplishments. Accomplishments which I believe in totality make him the greatest power forward to every play the game of basketball.

     However, not everybody is convinced that he is the greatest power forward of all-time. As a matter of fact, few people today call "The Mailman" the greatest power forward of all time and instead say it's Tim Duncan a.k.a. "Mr. Fundamental". The argument for Tim Duncan is a pretty straight forward argument: He is a 5x NBA Champion, 3x NBA Finals MVP, 2x NBA MVP, 10x NBA All-First Team, 8x All-Defensive First Team,  and the 1998 NBA Rookie of the Year. What makes many put Duncan ahead of Malone is the fact that Duncan has won five NBA championships and Malone has won zero. As a matter of fact, that seems to be the only reason.

     I don't think it's wrong to factor in team accomplishments into the equation of who is the better of two players, but I do think it's a mistake to make it the only criteria. If rings are the only criteria, then Bill Russell is hands down the greatest basketball player of all-time, and Dennis Rodman is a better power forward than Karl Malone and Charles Barkley. But clearly, it feels wrong to make these statements, since obviously, we all know there is more to comparing players than just rings. It's one area to take into consideration, but not the only area.

     In addition to rings, here are some other areas to take into consideration when comparing players: Who has the better statistics both in career average and in their best seasons? Who did the player compete against? Who did the player have on his teams? How long was the player successful for (i.e. longevity)? Who would you rather start with to build a team around?

     Upon looking at these other factors, Karl Malone I think takes the cake over Duncan and over everybody else I mentioned above. However, for the sake of time, I will just compare Karl Malone to Tim Duncan, though I may reference another one of those players as I see fit. The reason I am choosing Duncan is because he is considered the greatest power forward of all-time by most basketball experts and so if I can convince you that Karl Malone is greater than Tim Duncan, I thus have a strong case for why he is the greatest power forward ever.

                                          (Via Bleacher Report: Rocky Widner/Getty Images) 

     Let me start off by addressing each additional category that I've asked us to consider. But before I do, let me re-establish that Tim Duncan does have Karl Malone beaten in the championships department and that I think it is one of the categories or areas that we have to look into when determining who the greatest power forward is.

     The first area to look at is who had the better statistics both in career average and in their best seasons? During the entire course of his career, Karl Malone averaged 25.0 points, 10.1 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 1.4 steals, and .8  blocks per game. As for Tim Duncan, he has averaged 19.8 points, 11.1 rebounds, 3.1 assists, .7 steals, and 2.2 blocks per game. I think upon analyzing both of their career stats, Karl Malone is the better overall player, though Tim Duncan is the better post defender given the advantage in shot-blocking.
   
      As for best individual season, Karl Malone averaged 31.0 points, 11.1 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 1.5 steals, and .6 blocks per game in the 1989-90 season, his fifth season in the NBA. Tim Duncan's best season came in the 2001-02 season in which he averaged 25.5 points, 12.7 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 0.7 steals, and 2.5 blocks per game. He won MVP that season.
   
     Once again, I think that Karl Malone's best individual season is better, given the amount of points he scored, though I give Tim Duncan the edge in defense due to the blocks. However, it should be noted that Karl Malone got twice as many steals as Tim Duncan, which may also point to how both players played defense differently. Duncan I grant was the better defender, but Karl Malone was a great defender in his own right, too.
   
     The next area of consideration is who did these guys play against? For Karl Malone it would be Michael Jordan and Hakeem Olajuwon. As for Tim Duncan, Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant both would be considered the best players he ever faced, along with LeBron James. In this department, I think Karl Malone had a tougher hill to climb than Tim Duncan because Hakeem Olajuwon is arguably the greatest center to ever play the game of basketball and Michael Jordan is hands down the greatest player of all time.

    However, what people want to quickly point out is that Malone still ended up ringless and Duncan walked away with five rings (and counting). The issue I take with this, is that Tim Duncan never actually defeated Shaquille O'Neal in his prime. That's right. Shaquille O'Neal won three straight championships as the leader of the Lakers in 2000, 2001, and 2002 and Duncan didn't stop him. Duncan did get the better of Shaq and the Lakers in 2003, but one could argue that Shaq and the Lakers were no longer in their prime at that point.

     As for who they faced in the NBA Finals, Karl Malone easily had the hardest task in taking down the great Chicago Bulls teams of the 90s lead by Michael Jordan. I don't think anybody would say that Tim Duncan had a task so hard as that. Duncan didn't have a cake walk in all of his trips to the NBA Finals, but he never faced a team as good as either of those Chicago Bulls teams.

     Luckily for Tim Duncan, he never had to deal with Michael Jordan as a threat to a championship. Instead, he had to face an 8th seeded New York Knicks team in 1999, a solid, but not intimidating New Jersey Nets team in 2003, a very sound and complete Detroit Pistons team in 2005, a Cleveland Cavaliers team that had LeBron James and a bunch of scrubs in 2007, and a Miami Heat team led by LeBron James and Dwyane Wade in 2013 and 2014,  losing only to the Heat in 2013.

     I would argue the toughest team that Duncan faced was that Pistons team in 2005. That team won the championship the year before in 2004 and was one of the most complete teams we've ever seen, led by Chauncey Billups, Richard Hamilton, Ben Wallace, and Rasheed Wallace. Those Pistons teams were great teams because they played together as a collective unit, something that the Spurs have mirrored over the course of their own championship runs.

     However, as I said above, the Michael Jordan led Chicago Bulls teams of the 1990s would have beaten those Detroit Pistons, and likely would have beaten any Spurs team that Tim Duncan was on. It's no knock on the Spurs or Tim Duncan. It's just pointing out how dominate those Chicago Bulls teams were. Those Utah Jazz teams with Karl Malone and John Stockton probably would have won an NBA championship or two if it weren't' for those Chicago Bulls teams, who similarly ended the title hopes of other great players like Charles Barkley, Patrick Ewing, and Reggie Miller.

     The next area of consideration is who did each player have on their teams. In this area, I think Karl Malone may have had more help around him given the fact that John Stockton is arguably the greatest point guard of all time. Tim Duncan has played with some great players like Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili, and Bruce Bowen, but none of those players come close to being as great as John Stockton. John Stockton is a household name, which is why I think that Karl Malone probably had more help around him.
   
     However, Tim Duncan may have had more complete teams around him and also wasn't asked to deliver the amount of production that Karl Malone was asked to do. The Spurs championship teams  have been much more reliant on a community effort while the Jazz were essentially telling Karl Malone to get them 25-30 points every night while John Stockton and Jeff Hornacek took the pressure off by getting him the ball and knocking down open threes.
   
     As for the area of longevity, Karl Malone blows Tim Duncan out of the water. Karl Malone's career averages are 25 points, 10.1 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 1.4 steals, and .8 blocks per game. Tim Duncan's best season is 25.5 points, 12.7 rebounds, 3.7 assists, .7 steals, and 2.5 blocks per game. In essence, over an 18 year career Karl Malone was able to average numbers close to Tim Duncan's best career season!

     In addition, Karl Malone averaged 20.6 points and 7.8 rebounds per game in his last season with the Utah Jazz at the age of 39. Tim Duncan, who is 38 years old, hasn't averaged 20 points per game since he was 30 years old. Karl Malone arguably peaked when he was 33 and 34 during his two trips to the NBA Finals with the Utah Jazz in 1997 and 1998, whereas by that point of his life, Tim Duncan was on the decline, playing around 65 games per season. As for Karl Malone, he was still playing 80-82 games per season.
   
    Lastly, the final question we need to ask ourselves is who would we rather have on our team? Or who would we rather have to build a championship team around if we could only have one of the two players? To make this question more simple, assume that you are starting a franchise from scratch and have to draft one of these two players as your franchise player. Who would you pick?

     I would take Karl Malone over Tim Duncan. He produced more on average, he played more total games, got hurt less, and was more productive over the entire course of his career. He was "The Mailman". He delivered rain or shine every night. It's not to say that Tim Duncan didn't, but he wasn't the sturdy brick that Karl Malone was. As a matter of fact, nobody was the sturdy brick that Karl Malone was except for Michael Jordan, the very man who defeated Karl Malone in two straight NBA Finals.
   
     In addition, the Utah Jazz wouldn't have won two championships if Tim Duncan replaced Karl Malone, especially considering how Tim Duncan was producing when he was 33 and 34 years old. On the contrary, if the San Antonio Spurs had drafted Karl Malone in 1997, I think odds are good that under the guidance of Gregg Popovich the Spurs would have won 5 championships.
   
     In conclusion, my article isn't to undermine the great Tim Duncan or slurp Karl Malone. It's to analyze both players and compare them across multiple areas of consideration. I think very highly of both players and I have no problem with anybody saying that Tim Duncan is the greatest power forward of all time. He deserves to be mentioned in this discussion.

However, I personally think that Karl Malone is the greater player of the two and thus the greatest power forward of all-time with Tim Duncan as the #2 greatest power forward of all-time. Of course, some say that Tim Duncan is actually a center, but that is an interesting debate for another time.

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

What Should We Take Away From The NBA Finals?

                                               (credit: miamiherald.com) 

            I’m sure if you are reading this, you are fully aware that the San Antonio Spurs won their 5^th NBA Championship on Sunday night after dominating the Miami Heat in 5 games. As J.A. Adande pointed out on twitter, the Spurs’ 528-458 scoring edge over the Heat was the largest point differential in the history of the NBA Finals. What was expected to be a close 7 game series ended up being a 5 game beat-down, which has left many of us who analyze the NBA scratching our heads.  

We knew the Spurs were a really good team and that with home court advantage the series was theirs to lose, but none of us foresaw the shellacking that they delivered the Miami Heat. The key question going into the series was “Can a better team defeat a team with the world’s best player?” and the answer we got was a resounding “Yes”. After watching this series it is abundantly clear that the San Antonio Spurs simply are heads and shoulders above the Miami Heat and playing at an entirely different level from anybody else in the Eastern Conference. Remember how the Heat thumped the Pacers and looked like they were on another level? Well the Spurs looked even more dominant against the Heat than the Heat did against the Pacers. This means that the Spurs and the Pacers don’t even belong on the same floor together and the Pacers had the #1 seed in the Eastern Conference!

There truly are so many different things to take away from the NBA Finals that I could devote multiple articles to the topic. What I will do instead for the sake of time and efficiency is touch on multiple things instead of doing an in-depth analysis of just one thing. 

The first thing to take away from this NBA Finals is that the San Antonio Spurs are truly a team for the ages. I don’t mean just this team, but more specifically the Spurs during the Tim Duncan & Gregg Popovich era. Over these last 17 years with both Duncan and Popovich in the organization, the Spurs have won 5 NBA championships and been to 6 NBA Finals, with the only loss coming to the Heat last year. They have been the ultimate model for consistency, teamwork, and class over the course of this time. To see Tim Duncan and Gregg Popovich get a 5^th NBA title as their careers come to a close truly is fitting.

The second thing to take away from this NBA Finals is that the future remains bright in San Antonio thanks to the emergence of NBA Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard. Over the last 3 games of the NBA Finals, Leonard averaged 23.7 points, 9.3 rebounds, 2 steals, and 2 blocks. A new star was born before our eyes, and the Spurs organization has to like the fact that at just 22 years of age, Kawhi Leonard is already blossoming into a player who can be the face of the franchise once Tim Duncan is gone. 

As for the Miami Heat side of things, three questions must be asked: Where do the Heat go from here? Was “The Big Three” A Success? Will LeBron James stay in Miami? I will try and answer each question briefly, though keep in mind that there is no right answer to each question.

                                    (credit: sportsglory.com) 

              

As for where the Heat go from here, it is really tough to know. 2 championships in 4 years is really good and 4 straight trips to the NBA Finals is an incredible achievement. With LeBron James as their franchise player, the Heat have to like their chances of continuing to contend for titles provided they keep this core group together and that they stay healthy. Nobody in the Eastern Conference gives the Heat any real scare at the moment, and so provided they all opt in to their contracts for next season, the Heat should like their chances to get back to the NBA Finals. However, there is reason for them to worry. First of all, Dwayne Wade’s health is a huge concern. If he doesn’t feel like he can stay healthy and that he is ready to hang it up, then the Heat are looking at a rebuilding process ahead, which means that they may not hang on to LeBron James. In addition, Shane Battier is retiring, Ray Allen may be gone, and other members of this team aren’t likely to be back. Michael Beasley and especially Greg Oden were failed experiments and so the Heat really doesn’t have any more ways to get better this offseason unless they somehow land Carmelo Anthony or Kevin Love, which right now appears to be pie in the sky.

The Heat need to find a way to improve their team even if they keep this core group together and it’s not entirely clear how they do that. I see these three guys sticking together for one more season, but unless they make some good moves this offseason to get better complimentary pieces, their chances of winning a 3^rd title in 5 years looks slim. 

 Was “The Big Three A Success”? This question is a really difficult question to answer and obviously a question that must be asked. LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh won 2 titles together in a span of 4 years together and each year they didn’t win a title, they lost in the NBA Finals. It’s hard to say that they weren’t a success considering how rare a feat it is to do what they did. That being said, the expectations that they put on themselves were ridiculously high and each season was approached like with a “championship or bust” type of mentality. For them to only have a 50% success rate at accomplishing their goal, especially when looking at how they almost didn’t get it done last year, it’s hard to say that they can feel wholly satisfied with how things have gone. The final piece to all this of course is whether or not “The Big Three” is done or not. If they are done, then we can look at them as a failure to accomplish lofty goals that they alone set for themselves. On the other hand, if they plan to be together for a few more years, then we have to say that they are still a work in progress, which makes them sound rather scary given the success they’ve already had.

            This leads us to the third question “ Will LeBron James stay in Miami?” I think this ultimately comes down to whether or not Dwyane Wade is confident that he can be healthy. If he is confident that he can be healthy going forward, then LeBron James stays in Miami. If Wade comes to him and says he doesn’t think he can be healthy going forward and that retirement is something he is considering, then LeBron James has to consider other options. One option is to of course stay in Miami, but expect a rebuilding period or at least a period of finding new free agents to sign. This option has the benefits of continuing to build his legacy in the same place where he has already won titles and also the benefit of not facing more scrutiny for being a guy who leaves a team once the going gets tough. That being stated, LeBron James is all about winning titles and he doesn’t care what we in the public think, which means if he likes his chances to win elsewhere, he’ll leave Miami. If he does leave Miami, the question on everybody’s mind is “Will it be Cleveland?” I personally doubt he ever dons a Cavaliers jersey again, but truth is stranger than fiction. Perhaps he wishes he had won a title in Cleveland and also he might like the fact that the Cavaliers have some attractive pieces to work with. E.g. Kyrie Irving and whoever they pick at #1 this year. The notion of him going back to Cleveland isn’t insane, but it also has the feel of being just wishful thinking. Why leave a place where you have won for a place where you failed to win? I don’t have a good answer to that question, but perhaps he feels like his legacy will be hurt unless he delivers Cleveland a championship.

            In conclusion, there are a ton of things to take away from this NBA Finals, and I hope I gave you a good list of key things to think about as we look back on this NBA Finals. This series featured two great teams, multiple hall of fame players, and a hall of fame coach. There are so many things I could have touched on that I didn’t and I encourage you think about what some of those things might be. One thing I didn’t touch on was LeBron’s 2-3 record in the NBA Finals, but I didn’t address that because the comparisons to Michael Jordan are asinine. Michael Jordan is the greatest player to ever play and LeBron James’ career isn’t over yet, so perhaps we shelf that debate until LeBron gets enshrined in the Basketball Hall of Fame so that we can do a final tally of all the things that both men accomplished. I personally think that even at that point, Michael Jordan’s resume for greatest of all time will be much stronger.  But as we look at what this Finals means for the here and now, it means that the Spurs are still a championship organization, the Heat have serious questions to answer, and the future of the NBA remains a mystery. What could possibly be more exciting conclusions to reach as we look forward to next year? 

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