The Conference Finals so far…
Now that we have all had a chance to watch game 3 of both of the Conference Finals, there are a couple of things that I have noticed about the key participants. Most obvious is that because of the Warriors and Cavs both leading their respsective series’ 3–0 we will, by the looks of it, have a long break before the finals. That is great, because the two likely participants in this championship fight will have time to rest up, get healthy, and prepare for their challenger.
Such long break makes sense to me for a couple of reasons. First, it gives the chance for the NBA to hype the Finals like the NFL does for the Superbowl. Having a week or more to promote the finals could do wonders for the all-important ratings. The second benefit of this potential break is that the media can go to work emphasizing the storylines that the fans can connect to.
Observing storylines is fun, and in Last Words, that is what I will be doing. Let’s get to it.
Storyline Numero I. (Chef) Steph Curry
The tweet above tells us everything that we need to know. Steph Curry is the warring maestro conducting his orchestra on the road, and everyone in the arena plays an instrument. Everyone, even the exuberant fans in the front row, is subject to Curry’s guiles. What I am watching in a Steph Curry playoff game is unlike anything I have ever seen before. This is the League MVP who was never supposed to be here because for all of the ‘Jordan being cut from his varsity team’ mystique, everyone saw the athletic gifts and in the league could look at that so-called failure of Jordan’s as a foolish mistake by his high school coach.
Not so with this MVP. Curry was literally overlooked in the college recruiting process because of his appearance, stature, and lack of build. This trend continued even in the NBA draft process. This always seemed odd to me. I always saw the talent and the almost mechanical measures Curry took to destroy opponents at Davidson. I was a believer since his March Madness. The question was the success he could have in the NBA. Injuries always seemed to be an issue early on. He missed a significant amount of time in multiple seasons, and even after he led his squad to the second round in the 2012–2013 season, he had to settle for a 4 year, $44 million dollar extension, far less than someone like Blake Griffin would end up receiving.
The irony is that in 2013, even after setting the then-record for 3-pointers made in a single season with 272, Curry was still a risk for GSW. That season had seen him stay relatively healthy, but he had had several scares in the postseason against the Nuggets and the Spurs.
Boy, that seems like a long time ago. What I am watching seems otherworldly, and not just ‘at times’. Through the course of only season, I think that I am seeing the transformation of the point guard. What Curry is able to do is change the energy of the entire arena. He is not just on track to become the best 3 point shooter, he is right now, the most dangerous player in the league. When people try to use the ‘best player on the best team’ argument in order to justify his selection for league MVP, they are denigrating his supreme ability. To be so otherworldly good at a certain skill is useless without the complete package. Steph has the handles to break any defender down, he can find his teammates with vision unmatched by possibly anyone other than LeBron, and is almost criminally underrated as a defender. His basketball IQ appears to be through the roof on both ends of the floor, and he uses a surprisingly cerebral approach to annihilation.
I think that both so far and for the rest of the playoffs, the storyline at the top of the league is the most unlikely league MVP in History, Steph Curry. The level of smackdown he laid on the Houston Rockets in Game 3 completely and utterly deflated that ballclub and that brings us to storyline number two.
Second Storyline: Clutch City?
This extremely sad picture painted by the infamous Houston Rockets Twitter account is indicative of the failure that took place in game 3. 115–80. 115–80. 115–80. That is an embarrassing final score for Houston to suffer. The fact is, Houston did suffer, they got humiliated by a superior team at home. The only couple of games that I can compare this game 3 to are games 3 and 4 when the 2001 Lakers that were 15–1 in the postseason destroyed the Spurs by 29 and 39. Even those two results do not compare to this game 3, because those Lakers dominated at home. The Rockets were spanked at home.
I think that between games 2 and 3, there was a lot of focus given to the close final scores that had defined game one and game two. That focus gave the public the belief that Houston was only a possession or three away from leading the series 2–0 rather than trailing said series. It may even have conveyed that to the players. However, that belief was false. Golden State won game 1 even after putting themselves in a 15+ point hole early on, and after leading by double digits in the fourth quarter, letting Houston back into the game with sloppy play. Game 2 was not defined by a dominant James Harden performance because the Warriors uncharacteristically turned the ball over 17 times and if I am keeping track, that might have a chance for Houston to get back in the game.
My point with games 1 and 2 is that even in the game 2 post game press conference, Houston was under the impression that Golden State had ‘done what they were supposed to do’ by winning games one and two. However, the reality is that James Harden had been unbelievable in both games, yet Houston had been unable to close the deal. Golden State had stolen both games with sub-par (for them) performances. I thought with the amount of credit Harden was getting, Golden State would amp up their intensity to send a message.
The story of game 3 was Steph Curry, and it was Golden State taking far better care of the ball, but most importantly, it was Harden crashing to earth with a below-average performance, and ultimately, it was about Clutch City wilting under the onslaught of the best team in the league.
I will talk about this when I get to Atlanta, but the reality is that both Houston and Atlanta have exceeded their preseason expectations by being in the Conference Finals. I only wish that Houston could have extended the series on Saturday night rather than fading into the game 4 night.
On to the Next One: The Return of the King
Before Game 3, I was going to discuss LeBron’s playoffs in general, and how he has taken the New York Knicks to the Conference Finals, and all of those storylines are fair game, including his shooting struggles, his game winner, and his evolution since leaving Cleveland the first time. Game 3 overshadows that for now.
I do not think that the take away point from game three was LeBron being injured. That was close enough to the final horn that I do not think that was a defining plot point to the game. I do think that the 37 shot attempts are fascinating, because the 18 rebounds and the 13 assists are magical and unbelievably dominant. LeBron’s stat line is amazing from last night, but I do have to wonder if any other superstar in the league’s history missed his first ten field goal attempts, and ended up taking 37 shot attempts, what the outcry would have been. I recognize LeBron as an all-time great who has meant a lot to the league, but I do think it is interesting that when LeBron misses his first ten shots, and ends up with 37 points on 37 shots, he is praised, and when someone like Kobe Bryant does a similar thing, he is almost universally marginalized as someone who scored a lot because of the attempts he took. I recognize that Kobe is a gunner and assassin, but we have to consistent in our criticism of great players.
I am Number Four: Atlanta Sadness
The only thing I can say about the Hawks is that I feel really bad for them. More than any of the four teams represented in the Conference Finals of the NBA, they are the anomaly. They share the ball, the responsibility, and the wins. However, for numerous reasons they have been hit by injuries. As many people associated with the NBA say, injuries are a part of the game. It is only unfortunate that Atlanta got hit with them at such an inopportune time.
I only hope that the fans and media recognize how much of a leap the Hawks made this year. They were not expected to do what they did, securing the number 1 seed in the East, and getting to the Conference Finals. The fact remains that they did.
Respect Atlanta.
Some of these stories will continue and some of these will end. I can’t wait to see what happens next.
