Eyes On NBA: Media Day Highlights

By @TrueGodImmortal

Well, the NBA season is here. Media Day has arrived and the beginning of the NBA season has been marked. With that, we wanted to take a brief look at some of the teams and the feeling you get from them on Media Day. These are only my perspectives based on what was said, and the interviews. What teams stuck out the most to me in Media Day? Let's take a look.

*Toronto Raptors 

-So, the only thing that mattered for Media Day was seeing top 5 player Kawhi Leonard finally show up in his jersey. That was an amazing moment for most NBA fans, but it had to feel bittersweet as well. While many suspect that Kawhi will leave the Raptors after this season, there is a feeling that he could be persuaded to stay. The Media Day moment is honestly one of the most peculiar, as Kawhi has been more active in just this small window of time than he was last season period. Regardless, the Raptors going against any top team in the East is an instant must watch game now due to the presence of Kawhi. While Toronto has made a small bit of noise before this season, with Kawhi there, it feels like all eyes will be on them this season, for better or worse.

*Boston Celtics 

-We saw what this team was capable of last year in the preseason. The Celtics with Kyrie and Hayward back fully healthy are easily the Eastern Conference favorites and for good reason. They have quite possibly the second best roster in the NBA. If I'm comparing overall rosters, besides the Warriors obviously, the Celtics have the second best team in the NBA and the second best roster. We just discussed their season recently on the site, so no need to really go too much into it here, but they all look focused on Media Day and that could be a great sign for the Celtics fans. Will the Celtics win the East this year? It's looking more and more likely.

*San Antonio Spurs

-I opted out of putting the 76ers on this one, because we have a season preview for the team coming in the next few days. However, the most interesting thing I've seen involving another team at Media Day is DeMar DeRozan officially being in his Spurs jersey. It will be interesting to see how DeMar handles being in the system of Coach Pop along with the dynamic of the Spurs being without a number of centerpieces from their franchise history. Manu is retired. Tony Parker is finishing his career in Charlotte it seems. Kawhi Leonard, who seemingly was passed the torch from Tim Duncan is a Toronto Raptor. For the Spurs, this season is a rebuild and a new beginning. Will they continue making the playoffs? Will the younger guys be pivotal? Will LaMarcus Aldridge mesh well with DeMar? We shall see.

*Detroit Pistons

-So, you might be wondering why the Pistons are here for their Media Day stuff. I have only one reason for featuring them here and it is simple: Andre Drummond has the greenlight to shoot more threes this season and Dwane Casey is the new Pistons head coach. This is actually a sleeper team in the East to me, especially if they are able to pull off a trade to unload Reggie Jackson and maybe another piece for Jimmy Butler. The franchise has money invested in Drummond and Blake Griffin and that alone makes them intriguing in an East that is wide open. Will the Pistons make some noise this season? That is unknown, but they have every opportunity to do so.

*Cleveland Cavaliers

-The question on the Cavs is pretty simple: where do they go from here now that Bron is gone? The answer to that one might be hard. Sure, Kevin Love is now the face of the Cavs franchise, but is that a good thing? He was the face of the Wolves years ago and they made absolutely no progress, but that was before he had been to the Finals three straight times and won a championship. This will be an opportunity for Ty Lue to show his coaching prowess without Bron over his shoulder, and they have some decent pieces who could find rejuvenation this year like Rodney Hood, J.R. Smith, Larry Nance Jr., Jordan Clarkson, George Hill, Channing Frye, and more. Cedi Osman shows promise, as does David Nwaba and of course, Collin Sexton could end up becoming a big time player for the team. All these unanswered questions for the Cavs will soon be answered. Let's hope things work somewhat in their favor.

*Minnesota Timberwolves

-So, Jimmy Butler is on the way out. Andrew Wiggins is their investment. Karl Anthony Towns just signed a max deal extension. Those two are the centerpieces of the Wolves franchise. However, what will this team look like come October? Surely, Jimmy Butler will be traded off and there will be new pieces in place, but from where? What team makes the trade? Sources say the Wolves will ship Butler to the East, and that leaves more question marks. Will Taj Gibson, Derrick Rose, Luol Deng, and all of the former Bulls players mesh well with the Jeff Teague, Andrew Wiggins, and Karl Anthony Towns trio that they've invested in? That remains to be seen.

*Los Angeles Lakers

-So, of course. The Lakers. The team that everyone is hyping up as usual. It never fails. With all of the competition in the West, I suspect a rough go of it for the Lakers this season, at least early on. Bron is Bron, so they'll eventually turn a corner, but it seems like the foursome of Lonzo, Ingram, Kuz, and LeBron is being promoted as the starting lineup, well at least 4 of that, and the bench has Javale, Lance, Rondo, and Michael Beasley. This is such a weird team, with poor spacing and more than likely mediocre defense. The stakes are higher now and the pressure is on for the team, yet LeBron says he feels no pressure. While many Lakers fans are deservedly excited about this team, other fans are skeptical. Maybe this Lakers team could be a top 3 seed in the West. Maybe they could be top 6 seed in the West. Maybe they could even miss the playoffs. Whatever the case may be, this Lakers team will be one to watch all year for sure.

*Oklahoma City Thunder

-So, I am not sold on the Houston Rockets this year. I see Carmelo Anthony is now a Rocket, and while many people point to his spotty performance in Oklahoma City Thunder and blame Russell Westbrook, I think the issue was and has been Melo. I think you'll see this season that the duo of Paul George and Russell Westbrook together alongside the returning Andre Roberson and Steven Adams with new pieces Dennis Schroder and Nerlens Noel could be a solid group and a possible top 3 seed in the West. If George is committed, Russ is healthy, and the pieces flow together well, this could be the year the Thunder make the Western Conference Finals again. Maybe. Time will tell, but what I gathered from Media Day is that this is a more focused team than the prior year. Where that takes them, only time will tell.

*Golden State Warriors

-The Champions. The dynasty. The quest for the fourth title in five years and to complete a threepeat. The favorites. The Warriors. This season is rather strange to me, as many seem to be overdoing their reporting stating that the Warriors feel like this could be the last year they are all together, but I think they are reading too much into it. I think the Warriors, with Steph, Klay, and Draymond are here to stay and I feel KD is not leaving just yet. I think the Media Day vibes were a little odd only because of the one thing people seem to ignore: this is the last season in Oakland for the Warriors. The end of the Oracle legacy. That itself makes this season that much more special, and now allows the Warriors to have a reason to want to win another title and go out on top in Oracle. However, I see the team staying together for another year or two, as KD, Steph, Klay, and Draymond have all expressed how important it is to be around each other and work towards that goal. Oh, and I forgot to mention, Boogie Cousins is on Golden State now. So, yeah. The overall feeling from Media Day was fun, but also the dread and knowledge that the title likely will stay in Oakland for the final time. Whether or not the Warriors stay together, this season is an end of an era.... for Oracle Arena. What better way to close it out than with a title?

-True

Read More

Eyes on the Ring 8:30 PM  5 comments

Eyes On NBA: The Golden State Warriors Playoff Strategy

By @TrueGodImmortal

If you are a bandwagon Golden State fan, a Houston Rockets fan (I'll pray for you), or a scorned Cleveland Cavaliers fan, then this article might not be for you. If you're a casual basketball fan, then this article might not be for you. I said this last year, and I'll say it once again: the Golden State Warriors will be your NBA Champions. For the third time in four years. They will go back to back. With no attempt to discredit the Houston Rockets who are playing amazing basketball, the Warriors are setting up a strategy to provide themselves with a challenge they haven't had in the last four years: being underdogs. While their 4 losses over the last 7 games might look bad in essence, there is a method to that madness that motivates their guys come playoff time. With perhaps the deepest team in the league and the most versatile team at that, it has been evident the Warriors have literally just been waiting for the playoffs to begin.... since the start of the season. Currently at 53-18, the Warriors have conceded the concept of winning 65 games and their streak of winning 60 games might be in jeopardy too.... however, this is probably the smartest strategy possible for a team riddled with complacency and injury to play their best basketball come playoff time. What is the strategy exactly? Let's take a look.

*Resting The Starters
So, Steph Curry has missed 21 games this season. That's the most amount of games he has missed since 2012 when he suffered a season ending ankle injury, and this year has seen Steph struggle at times with ankle injuries, with many fans being overly concerned (and rightfully so to an extent), but if you've followed the Warriors for the last few years, what makes this different is that Steph has had multiple minor injuries over the last few years, and missed some games, but he has played through and with injuries during that time. Steph is not invincible or indestructible, so when we saw Steph injure his ankle at the beginning of December, many felt this was cause for concern. His recovery time was slated to be 3-4 weeks, and he could have returned earlier than he did, but the Warriors took a different approach. They understood that the season is a marathon, not a sprint, so with Steph out for nearly a month, the Warriors beefed up their defense, and played through Kevin Durant, something they hadn't done before. This would work wonders for the Warriors in focus, as defensively they were tougher, grinding out victories, while offensively of course, they were a little different. Still, the Warriors didn't look bad with Durant as the no. 1 option, just different. Steph is the key to their success, even with Durant and Klay as viable scoring options, so him being healthy was top priority.

After a small ankle tweak by Steph following his return, he would come back and claim the Player of the Month award in January, which was well earned and deserved. While February seemed to be up and down for Steph heading into the All Star Break, following the All Star Break, the Warriors seemed focused and ready, with Steph leading the charge. Defensively and offensively, they looked more and more like themselves. However, following a small ankle tweak that caused him to leave a game against the Hawks, Steph would tweak his ankle yet again against the Spurs. It was at that moment that the Warriors, Steve Kerr, and their staff saw a bigger picture, one that a number of teams haven't seemed to catch on to yet. Steph Curry asked and tried to talk his way back into the game against the Spurs, but for Steve Kerr and the organization, perhaps this ankle tweak was a blessing in disguise. The Warriors have relied heavily on their four All Stars, and Klay Thompson has been the most durable of the four, with Durant being right behind him. Draymond Green and Steph Curry, the true heart and soul of the team have been carrying a load for the Warriors and have yet to get extended rest. Draymond has had a lingering shoulder injury that might not fully heal until the off-season, but it hasn't affected his play during the stretch without Curry and since the All Star Break. Regardless, with the Curry ankle tweak, a light bulb seemingly went off in the Warriors' head and as a result, they would soon understand that health and preservation is important to their bottom line more than home court advantage and the no. 1 seed in the West.

It was clear during the Portland and Minnesota games following the Curry injury that the Warriors seemed lost without their leader (and several pieces of their bench), and that's a big reason why they lost. 

However, watching that team fight back and take leads against full fledged playoff teams had to be encouraging for Kerr and the staff, especially with the revitalized play of Andre Iguodala and Shaun Livingston, two big pieces of the core. So, when it was realized that Klay Thompson had suffered a minor thumb injury and Draymond was having shoulder soreness, Kerr and company decided to rest Draymond one game and shut down Klay for multiple weeks. Now, the truth about the injury to Klay is that he probably could have played through it, or only missed a game or two to rest up and get better. However, the Warriors, seeing a bigger picture, gave Klay two weeks off (at least) to not only physically recharge, but mentally recharge. It was a controversial decision to many, but Klay will be evaluated in the next 24-48 hours and likely cleared to play again in another week, so essentially, this isn't a major injury, but a minor problem that Klay could play through (if this was the playoffs he would be playing), and allows for him to rest for the playoffs, seeing as though the Warriors are clearly confirmed at the no. 2 seed.

For Kevin Durant, as the no. 1B option for the Warriors, he's been forced to carry a heavy load for the Warriors with Steph out. Some fatigue would begin showing in the Blazers and Wolves games despite a heavy scoring load, but it was evident the Warriors relied too much on him and not their other pieces who can score and create offense. After Durant took a shot to the ribs in the Wolves game, he would play without Draymond, David West, and Klay against the Lakers, but the Warriors utilized the Strength In Numbers motto that got them to where they are and pulled out a victory. Following that game, it was noted that KD was questionable and had a rib injury, which would sideline him from two to four weeks. Now, we know that KD is hurt, but according to the man himself, he could probably play through the injury. The Warriors however, would take no chances. For the Warriors fanbase, it might be shocking for the Warriors to shut down their three best starters as the no. 1 seed starts fading, but health is paramount to the playoffs and their future. Risking a bigger injury is honestly not worth it. So with that, the Warriors have created a strategy that may be more genius than we realized. Resting their starters during meaningless games to allow them to get fully healthy and be well rested against teams that are scraping and struggling to obtain a playoff spot, or scraping to hold onto the no. 1 spot in the West (more on that later). Why is this a genius strategy? Let's look at that.

*Getting Into Rhythm
-With Draymond Green leaving the Spurs game while the Warriors were down 10 points to the Spurs, it seemed as if the Warriors were done for. They would be down 15 at one point in the second half, but they would not have the cushion of Steph coming back in for the 2nd, or Klay and KD coming back in, or even Draymond, they had to figure it out themselves. The truth is, this year, the Warriors have one of their most versatile and talented rosters ever, but they haven't produced like it consistently. Their second unit has been great in spurts led by Iguodala, David West, and Livingston, but the over reliance on the Death Lineup and their All Stars has led the Warriors to become complacent in a way. Their own success has come back to bite them in a way, but with the starters out, this move allows the bench and the players who will need to be sharp come playoff time focused. Nick Young has been inconsistent and out of shape at moments this year, but with Klay out, he has to find the rhythm and get into better shape for the playoffs. Javale McGee has been solid since the All Star Break and needs to be starting at the 5, but it is clear the Warriors are saving their most deadly starting lineup for the end of the season and playoffs (the Warriors were much more athletic and better in the first quarter with Javale at the 5), and if Kerr is smart, he will maximize Javale and his minutes leading into the playoffs. Kevon Looney has stepped up big time in the absence of KD and at times Draymond, while Quinn Cook has shown he deserves a regular roster spot for the Warriors offensively and defensively. Jordan Bell is still getting his legs back, Patrick McCaw just returned from injury, and so has David West. With some games coming up against the Jazz, Bucks, and Pacers, the rest of the Warriors will be tested and if so, their Strength In Numbers will be needed more than ever. The deepest team in the league will have to play like it.

So far, though the loss have been frequent since losing their starters, there have been flashes of brilliance for the Warriors. After the crushing loss to the Kings at home, they put up 124 points against the Suns, before fighting without their 4 stars to nearly beat the Spurs in San Antonio (with a mostly full Spurs squad in tact, minus Kawhi of course). Here is what has to be encouraging for the Warriors in this instance. While the Warriors lost 89-75, in previous games, the Warriors gave up 92, 105, and 107 points to the Spurs, with their rosters mostly in tact. With their roster depleted, the Warriors played some of their best defense against the Spurs, holding the Spurs to only 19 points in the second quarter and 14 in the third and even took a lead into the 4th quarter. While their late game execution needs to improve, the Warriors have been doing exactly what they wanted to do when the All Star Break ended and that is build better habits. Now, the bench and second unit is battle tested and should be ready to be called upon when need be in the playoffs. The question remains, can they start focused and in rhythm as the stars return? Here is the tricky yet ingenious part of it all.

*Bringing The Stars Back
-So, as the Warriors sit at 53-18, they have the benefit of three days of rest and a Friday game against the tanking Atlanta Hawks. Draymond Green should be likely to play, and surprise, surprise, Omri Casspi should also be back by then as well for the bench (he'll miss a week for an ankle sprain and might be held for precautions until their game against the Jazz). Still, the biggest story here is that Steph Curry is likely to return Friday from his injury. Steph has been practicing and in shootarounds with the team, and his return will be welcome. Steph will find himself in a familiar position that will be perfect for getting into rhythm again and what better way to return than against a team who need to lose for better draft position? Steph is ready to play again, and a starting lineup with Steph, Nick Young (or Quinn Cook), Draymond, Iguodala, and Javale or Zaza should be solid against the Hawks and maybe even against the Jazz. Utah however is a tough team to beat, but the Warriors could very well pull out that victory with a focused Steph and Draymond in the lineup. Letting Steph run the first unit with some good spacing and Andre and Draymond or David West and Andre running the second unit can be important for rotation purposes come playoff time. Steph will be back in form over these next few games and it'll be interesting to see how the Warriors fare with Steph back in the lineup as the leader and likely with 25 shots per game.

As for Klay Thompson, by the time Steph is back Friday, Klay will have been out for well over a week, and approaching the end of his second week out. It is plausible for Klay to be back for the game against the Bucks or the Pacers, and I expect him to return for one of those and since the Warriors are done with strenuous back to backs (their last two back to backs this season feature the Kings and the Suns in at least one or both of the games), this allows them to get into a rhythm for the playoffs and rest as well in between games. So, by the end of the month, barring any setbacks, Steph and Klay should both be back playing and prepping for the playoffs. 

What about KD? This is where it gets a little tricky. KD is likely to heal from his rib injury sooner than the expected time, and I suspect he will be back for sure before the playoffs begin for rhythm purposes. If one is looking for a game that KD could make his return, look no further than April 3rd against the Oklahoma City Thunder in OKC. After the Warriors got whooped pretty badly in both Oracle and OKC, they responded by destroying the Thunder in Oracle and likely will want to carry any momentum into OKC. If KD is cleared in two weeks when he is evaluated, then I feel as though he could either return in the April 1st game against the Suns just to get back into a groove, but logically, the OKC game seems likely. So, barring any setbacks, the Warriors can be fully healthy and ready for the playoffs by the beginning of April. Coincidence? Not exactly. The Warriors were always going to have to fight off these issues this season and they knew it. Considering the circumstances, they are much better off than they could have been, and in a short time, they will be fully healthy and deadly once again. This is a long term plan and strategy that could work wonders in the playoffs. Which leads me to the final piece of this discussion.

*Playoff Push And Goal
-I'll keep it brief. The Warriors have a plan to go 16-0 in the playoffs and they are building to that clearly. The weeks of rest for their stars, the focus and detail they are giving their bench players, the amount of ball movement and trying to keep every piece involved, it is clear. With the bench not producing as well as they should have, they have found a star in Quinn Cook and a reliable scoring option and decent defender for their second and third unit. So, heading into the playoffs, the Warriors could have a fresh and rested Steph, Klay, and Durant running the first unit with Draymond and Javale, or even Jordan Bell or Looney at the 5 for youth and length. They could run with Nick Young, Quinn Cook, Livingston, Iguodala, and David West for the second unit, or even look to Zaza if they need to. Their options are unlimited and if they can balance their defense with their shooting in these rotations, 16-0 is possible. Is it likely? No, but neither were 73-9, or 16-1 and we saw how that turned out. Their biggest challenge is the Houston Rockets and unfortunately for Rockets fans, the 1st seed might give you home court advantage, but it also might present the toughest road to the Western Conference Finals. Imagine a fully healthy Spurs as the 8th seed facing the Rockets, or a fully healthy Timberwolves squad facing the Rockets. The type of defense the Spurs play in the playoffs will be trouble for the Rockets, and the Wolves healthy could be a slight issue for the Rockets. Then, if they are able to get through those teams, then comes the second round. Right now, if the playoffs started today, the Thunder or the Spurs would be their second round opponent. For the Warriors, they know they have the HCA over every other team in the West except Houston, and despite the Rockets being 2-1 this season over the Warriors, come playoff time, a fully healthy Warriors would be the favorites in a series. The Rockets have a very good roster and a very good offense, but the advanced stats are a bit misleading for all the Nick Wrights and ESPN announcers of the world.

The Rockets defense has improved this year, but they still struggle in transition, and their reliance on ticky tack foul calls and the three point shot will be a problem in the playoffs.... for opponents and themselves. In terms of efficiency, the Warriors have a more deadly attack, plus they share the ball better, which is a result of the Rockets utilizing a lot of ISO from James Harden and even late game ISO from Chris Paul. Against a team that plays the best team defense and defends ISO very well in the playoffs, the Rockets will find trouble. The adjustments that the Warriors make in the middle of a game are what make them so deadly, and come playoff time, this is what makes them the favorite. A number of high IQ players and the ability to defend well. So, what is the true goal of the Warriors for the playoffs? They want to be healthy and well rested to avoid ailments affecting their consistency. If they can get out of the first round within 4 games, and even the second round within 4 or 5 games, this allows their players to rest up and recharge in between each series. 

While it may seem impossible to give the Warriors a chance to sweep the Rockets even without HCA, keep in mind that up until recently, the Warriors were the best road team in the league and played better on the road than at home for a majority of that time. All of that was by design. The Warriors knew the challenge that would be ahead and they've been an excellent road team while knowing they can still depend on Oracle to be live for them. If the Warriors don't face the Rockets in the WCF, their strategy will have paid off and they'll likely still have HCA through the playoffs anyways. For GS, they used the end of the season to get fully healthy and gifted the Rockets the no. 1 seed in favor of getting fully healthy and to be well rested heading into the long term grind of the playoffs. Talent wise, there is no team better than the Warriors in the league. IQ wise, there is no team better than the Warriors in the league. Offensively, there is still no team better than the Warriors in the league. Defensively, they are top 5 in the league, even with their struggles of being complacent. They lead the league in assists and blocks, are top 10 in rebounds, top 6 in steals, and they are battle tested. After three straight Finals trips, this team knows what it takes to avoid mental and physical burnout and how to win. Their strategy is simple: show up and play hardest when it counts. You can count on the Warriors to head into the playoffs with their eyes on one thing: perfection. Watching them work towards that goal will either be a beautiful thing for us, or an ugly occurrence for the rest of the world. Still, if you are a Warriors fan, hater, or just a NBA fan, the truth is clear: a fully healthy and well rested Warriors team is a disaster for the NBA playoffs and any opponent they face. Can the Warriors get their third title in four years? It's almost time to buckle up for the ride.

-True

Read More

Eyes on the Ring 1:42 AM  No comment

Eyes On NBA: Keys To Victory In The Finals

By @TrueGodImmortal

Let me say this to start this off: this is NOT an article predicting who will win the NBA Finals. I will not give a prediction. I will NOT say I think the Warriors could become the first team to sweep through the playoffs. I will NOT say I think that Steph Curry and Kevin Durant are due to have huge breakout series, and it will be a toss up between the two for Finals MVP. No, I will not say that if things don't run smoothly for the Warriors that the Cavs could win in 7 and Kyrie wins Finals MVP instead of LeBron. No, I will not say that it's possible for LeBron to average a 30 point triple double in the series and that he could get his 4th ring and Finals MVP in the process. No. That's not what I'm here to do (Dubs in 4, 5 at best if I had to choose, hypothetically speaking) at all. I'm here to provide insight for both teams on their keys to win this series. The third and heavily anticipated meeting between the two juggernauts has many wondering who will win this series. There's no possible suspensions, there are no flagrant fouls racking up and technical fouls racking, this is just exactly what we wanted. A healthy Cavs team. A healthy Warriors team. So who wins? Let's take a look at the keys to victory for each team, starting with Cleveland.

Keys To A Cleveland Victory 
The Cleveland Cavaliers are the best team in the Eastern Conference and the defending NBA Champions. They have the best player in the league in LeBron James, a sniper and great player in Kyrie Irving, and a comfortable power forward in Kevin Love. In addition to that, they have a 80 million dollar rebounder in Tristan Thompson, as well as J.R. Smith, a veteran like Richard Jefferson, and two former all stars off the bench in Kyle Korver and Deron Williams. On paper, this is almost an unbeatable lineup. When they were constructed this team back in January, on paper, they seemed like the proverbial favorites to win. Yet, for some reason, they are the underdogs in this series. Should they be? Actually, I don't think they should be. Let's take a look at the keys to a Cavs victory and a repeat championship run.

*LeBron James 
-LeBron has to play at an extremely great level in order to win the Cavs to a victory. He's the biggest key to a victory for them. Without Bron playing at his absolute best, the responsibility falls on the rest of the team and we saw how that's worked out in Game 3 of the Celtics series. The Warriors are a different animal than the Celtics and the Cavs need LeBron to be unstoppable. One has to wonder if fatigue will set in for him if they put Bron on KD, and what possible defensive stops could KD, Draymond, and Iguodala get on Bron. That is the biggest question for the Cavs, but we all expect LeBron to show up and have a very good Finals showing, as always really (except 2011). LeBron is essentially the main key, but of course, he's not the only one.

*Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love
-Lost in the narrative for Bron is that he has two multiple time All Stars who are more than willing to show up when needed. Kyrie is a star, Kevin Love is playing at the best level he's played since he's been in Cleveland, and everything is aligning right. If Love can play really good defense, if Kyrie can continue to score in bursts and make his amazing plays, and they can manage to be almost flawless against this top tier Warriors defense, the Cavs have a clear path to victory. Kyrie seems focused. Love seems focused. However, they both seemed focused before last year's series before they went down 3-1, so in addition to their focus, execution is key for them both and I don't doubt that Kyrie and Love are up to that challenge.

*The Bench Production 
-There isn't a single bench in the NBA that's as strong on paper as the Cavs bench. There is just one issue: their strength is offensive only. After bringing in Andrew Bogut for nothing, getting rid of Larry Sanders and Birdman Chris Andersen, they've found a rhythm with Kyle Korver and Deron Williams, two veterans who are making their first appearances in the NBA Finals. Iman Shumpert is another vital piece, as is Derrick Williams, Richard Jefferson, and Channing Frye. Truthfully, their bench won't get AS MUCH play because it's the Finals and that could be slightly detrimental to them depending how it goes. Regardless, the Cavs have a great chance if their bench is clicking and playing to the highest level.

*Defense
-Let's be honest here: the Cavs have very little competition in the East. They haven't really turned on the switch like that so far in the playoffs, as we've seen their struggles through the 13 games they played so far, but their biggest struggle is defense. The Cavs had a tough time containing the Pacers, a slightly easier time against the Raptors, who aren't a great shooting team (and missed a lot of wide open shots), and they couldn't sweep a Celtics team that were without Isaiah Thomas, their biggest scoring threat. They didn't play bad defense, but they didn't play champions defense and that's going to be a difference maker in this series. Do I think the Cavs come out playing amazing defense in games 1 and 2? No, I don't. I think they'll play decent defense and make some shots tougher for the Warriors, but the defense is going to make all of the difference going forward. To put it plainly, both the Jazz and Spurs are much better defensive teams and they were swept by the Warriors. Can the Cavs avoid those pitfalls and stay tenacious on defense? That will be the deciding factor in this series for sure. If the Cavs can defend very well in this series, they can win.

Keys To A Golden State Victory
The Golden State Warriors are the best team in the NBA yet again. In 2015, on paper, fully healthy, the Warriors were slightly outmatched by the Cavs, but a series of events led to Kevin Love and Kyrie not being involved in the series. I think the Cavs were a better team then. In 2016, everything was pointing to a Warriors repeat, as they were 73-9 and able to win 3 games, being just one game away from winning the series. Injuries to Iguodala, Bogut, Steph, and Draymond missing game 5 changed the momentum of the series and lead to the decisive game 7, where the Warriors blew it in the final minutes (they led a majority of the game). The Warriors were the better team this year, but did not win due to injuries and the momentum shift. Similar to 2015, the result of 2016 was decided by momentum and injury in a way. Here we are at 2017. It's do or die. It's win or be ridiculed. It's redemption or another loss that they can't afford. This 2017 NBA Finals literally means everything to the Golden State Warriors and they will need many keys to win. Here are the keys that will make the Warriors tough to beat.

*Steph Curry
-The two time MVP has been playing the best basketball of his career in the playoffs this year and it looks like he is finally comfortable next to Kevin Durant. After deferring a bit for KD to get him into integrated into the system, Steph has returned to MVP form just in time for the NBA Finals. He's well rested and despite a small nagging elbow "injury", it doesn't seem like Steph will be taken off of his game. He's my personal pick to end up winning Finals MVP in the event that the Warriors win, as I think revenge and redemption is weighing heavy on his mind. When Durant went down, Steph stepped up huge when they needed him and returned to form as one of the top 4 players in the entire league. Cleveland, in the playoffs, haven't necessarily had his number, but they've slowed him down a bit. In 2015, in his first Finals, he led the team in scoring and clutch plays averaging 26 points, but 2016 was a bit tougher, as he only had two 30 point games in the entire series and didn't shoot very well. This year, he's healthy, focused, and ready. If Steph goes off, he could very well end up winning Finals MVP and be the vital piece. He's still the leader of the team and he will be the most important piece of the Warriors in this Finals.

*Kevin Durant
-The X Factor. The Warriors last year matched up well with the Cavs. Kyrie and Steph. Klay and JR. Love and Draymond. And either Harrison Barnes or Iguodala against LeBron. Now substitute those names against LeBron with KD. That changes the entire vibe of the series. Dramatically. Will KD go off? He's one of the players that you can't stop or shut down and he's elevated his game. If he's playing great on both ends of the floor, he could end up winning Finals MVP and secure the ring for the Warriors.

*Top Defense And Ball Movement
-The best defense in the playoffs and a top 3 defense all season? The Warriors. They've found that rhythm and are due to hit their final form going into this Finals series. If they play tough defense on the Cavs, they can slow down the scoring barrage the Cavs would try and go on and slow down their pace, which would work wonders for the Warriors. Defense is going to be very important for the Warriors in this series and if they can move the ball like they always have, and defend extremely well, they have great chances.

*Draymond Green
-The heart of the Warriors. Draymond will be your Defensive Player of The Year finally, and he's well deserving. This is his biggest test yet. Draymond is a student of the game and he's had to have been watching and scouting Kyrie, Love, LeBron, and even JR. If he's focused defensively and motivating the team on both ends, the Warriors will take off and score at will and defend perfectly. Draymond is the true biggest secret to victory for the Warriors. Simple as that.

*Klay Thompson 
-During this playoff season, Klay has struggled some. I don't expect it to continue this Finals series. I think the four headed monster of Klay, Steph, KD, and Draymond will all be locked in, which could be very deadly for any team, and if Klay has his shot falling along with his good defense going strong, the Cavs will be in for a brutal series. Klay is needed to produce and I don't think he will let his team down in the Finals. Not this year.

*The Bench Production  
-I remember when the season started and we all felt like the biggest issue that the Warriors would face is the bench, as they brought in faces like Javale McGee, who on paper didn't seem like a factor, and even Zaza Pachulia, who also seemed to not be a factor. After the Durant injury, they would also acquire Matt Barnes, who filled his role pretty well on both ends of the floor, minus a few choice moments. In addition to that, the Warriors drafted Patrick McCaw and Damien Jones, and it was believed that they would not be big factors for the season, but how wrong we were. Alongside 2015 Finals MVP Andre Iguodala, Shaun Livingston, and Ian Clark, the Golden State Warriors bench could really be a difference maker during those 2nd and 3rd quarter moments where they are needed to step up.

Who Wins
Well, I said I wouldn't give an official prediction and I'm not. Who wins in this? The fans do. This will be the most watched NBA Finals in quite some time, and no matter who wins, the result works very well for the league. Who has more to lose? I'd say the Warriors have more to lose in every aspect, and they're playing for revenge. In any event, that could be dangerous and could work AGAINST them instead of for them. However, I've been saying this entire season that this reminds of the 2014 playoffs when Miami had an easy road through the East and got demolished by the Spurs, who were looking for true revenge. The Heat were a better defensive team in that era against a Spurs team with less weapons than the Warriors, which is why the Warriors are the favorites. The Cavs have all the tools to win, but if you ask me who I'm pulling for personally? I love to see redemption. I didn't mind LeBron getting his redemption and revenge last year, and if the Warriors get redemption this year, along with a ring for KD and Javale, I'm more than fine with that. Whoever wins, it'll be a great series in terms of attention, money, and drawing for the NBA. The NBA is the greatest spectacle on earth IMO and this Finals is a big supporter of that. Let the games begin.

-True

Read More

Eyes on the Ring 1:14 AM  3 comments

Eyes On NBA: Stephen Curry's 2016-2017 Season

By @TrueGodImmortal

So, Steph Curry isn't a MVP candidate this year to many. If you ask me, he's probably 5th or 6th in MVP voting this year under Russ, Harden, Kawhi, Isaiah Thomas, and LeBron James in that order. Now, with that out of the way, we have to take a look into his year so far. The season is getting ready to end, but Steph has seemingly set himself up to have a tremendous season. Shooting 47% from the field and a career low near 41% from three point range, Steph is currently averaging 25.3 points per game, 4.4 rebounds per game, and 6.6 assists per game. To put it in perspective, during Steph's first MVP season, he put up 23.8 points per game, 4.3 rebounds per game, and 7.7 assists per game. While Steph has seen a higher amount of points and rebounds (barely) per game this season compared to 2 seasons ago, this year was seen as a slump season. Was that accurate? Somewhat.

His shooting percentages have taken a hit, and his shooting slump really made things tough for him percentage wise, but if this is a bad season, it's only a bad season by Steph standards based on the year he had last season. Steph put up 30 points a game, pulled down a career high in rebounds, averaged almost 7 assists, was the NBA steals leader, and put up 400 three pointers, which was 100 plus more than his first MVP season. When the Warriors added Kevin Durant, who is a 26 to 27 point scorer in his own right, we knew Steph would take a hit and that his numbers would suffer a little bit. However, he's exactly where he should be. With Durant out for over a month, it allowed Steph to truly find his leadership role again, and he's once again looking like a two time MVP. He's had meetings against the three main MVP candidates in the West the last few weeks, and he's outplayed each of them in those games, showing a focus that will be vital for the Warriors for the rest of the playoff season I'm sure. So, is Steph having a bad year? A slump year? Let's examine his year.

*Steph Struggles To Adjust

-The first game of the season for the Warriors saw them get annihilated by the Spurs, but it was because they were a new team trying to figure things out. Despite the clear issues that they faced, Kevin Durant seemed to fit in well as the Warriors went on a 12 game winning streak as the Warriors attempted to make KD feel right at home in their run and gun offensive style. Steph had some rough games in the beginning of the season, none worse than the 0 for 10 performance he had from three against the Lakers early on. It ended the streak he had of consecutive regular season games with a three, and it showed a weakness in him that we didn't see much the previous two seasons. Despite that, Steph would have some really good games, but by his standards, it seemed like he wasn't fully in rhythm like that. The Warriors found their way, but Steph was struggling off and on, even during their initial 12 game win streak early in the season. Would he find his rhythm? Of course he would.

*Steph Breaks The Three Point Record

-After a terrible game of going 0 for 10 from three, Steph decided to go as hard as possible and break the record for the most threes in a single game. After having a 150 plus game streak of hitting a three end, Steph went and lit up the New Orleans Pelicans for 46 points on 13 of 17 from three, making another mark in history. That's crazy in a big way. Steph ended up making 400 threes the previous season, then break the record for single game with threes in the next season. It's a testament to his greatness that he was able to pull off these feats.

*Steph Begins To Find His Rhythm 

-As KD was coasting and enjoying a fairly easy season (so it seemed), Steph was finally finding his rhythm again. He would start to fit comfortably alongside Durant as leaders of the team, and had big time games against the Wolves, Lakers, Suns, Raptors, and Pelicans where he seemed to be in rhythm. The only issue is that it seemed like it wasn't consistent enough, as Steph would follow a great two games in a row up with a subpar performance once or twice in a row. It wasn't the MVP we were used to seeing, but he was still adjusting, and the Warriors were winning huge games by large margins. It did seem like he found his rhythm after the Christmas Day loss to the Cavs, and he would put together a consistent string of great games and shooting performances afterwards. As the All Star Break approached, Steph was putting up crazy numbers on the Hornets, the Clippers (and once after All Star), and a few more teams. Had Steph finally found the rhythm for the remainder of the season?

*Shooting Slump And 5 Losses In 7 Games

-There was a time where Steph was going 2 for 8 from three, 0 for 9 from three, and that persisted for a short period. His confidence seemed shot, and his shots just weren't falling. The shooting slump affected him and the Warriors as games they usually would have won were going to the final moment or they were losing to lesser teams. Then, when KD went out, it was on Steph to take the reigns again like he had in the past. It seemed as if Steph was exhausted and outside of two solid games over the Knicks and the Hawks, the Warriors took losses to the Wizards, the Bulls, the Wolves, the Celtics (at home), and of course the Spurs (a game where Klay, Steph, Andre, and Dray didn't play). This slump signaled that it could be trouble for the Warriors and as the Spurs inched closer to getting the no. 1 seed, the Warriors knew needed to regroup.

*Steph Leads The Warriors On A Win Streak Without Durant  

-As of this writing, the Warriors have won 13 games straight (they're playing a game as I finish this with Steph sitting out). If there was ever a stretch where Steph put in his MVP campaign, this was it. In those 13 games, he's averaged about 28 points per game, 7.9 assists, 4.5 rebounds, 2.3 steals and he's been in that 50-40-90 club during this time, shooting 50% from the field, about 47% from three, and of course 92% from the free throw line. Some of these tough wins over the Grizzlies, Rockets, Spurs, Wizards and Thunder (all playoff teams) have shown that Steph is still very much the leader of the offense on this team and that's the way it needs to be for the Warriors to go further and further. This stretch of wins shows you just how valuable Steph is, in case you forgot.

*300 Three Pointers 
-This is why I think his year is one of the best we've seen this season. In addition to averaging 25 points, nearly 7 assists, and almost 2 steals per game, Steph has put up well over 300 three pointers this season. As of this writing, he has 313 three pointers, and though he won't break his own record, you'd have to admit that for a guy who is supposedly having a down year that being the only man to ever hit over 300 three pointers (and do it in back to back seasons) is one hell of a feat. The legacy of Steph as the greatest shooter ever continues to grow when he does things like this.

*Steph Puts 42 on The Wizards And The Suns  

-This was essentially the MVP game. Steph had some great games during the season, but the Wizards is his best game thus far if I had to say so. Even better than his 13 three pointers game just about. Well maybe not better than that, but it was right there with it. He was excellent and in the Human Torch mode, showcasing that he's not lost a step and that he's in rhythm for the playoffs, which would be dangerous for every single NBA team. He would also show out against the Suns in the last game, putting up 42 points (with 11 assists) in a really efficient shooting night, and he outscored the entire Suns team in the first quarter 23-18. That right there is just yet another testament to the true greatness that Steph possesses and with him in rhythm going forward, this will be interesting, especially now with Durant back in the fold.

Final Thought
Is this really a bad season for Steph? Not at all in reality. Is it the season he had last year? No, but anyone expecting him to have the season he had last year was delusional. He's having a great year overall, and by all means, if shooting nearly 48% from the field, 41% from three, with 25 points a game, 313 three pointers on the season, and almost 7 assists a game is a bad season (with a 65-14 winning record and the no. 1 seed in the West), then I'm sure 99% of the players in the league would love to have that "bad year". Is Steph having an unanimous MVP year? No, not at all, but he's having a damn good year and is still one of the top 5-6 players this season regardless (if you think otherwise you're not watching close enough). Will Steph continue his rhythm into the playoffs? One can only hope for the Warriors" sake, but if he does.... it's going to be a tough road for any team in the NBA.

-True

Read More

Eyes on the Ring 10:30 PM  No comment