LeBron You Da Real MVP…at least for that one game
We still don’t know if Monday’s game will be remembered as the LeBron turned into Megatron game, or the Draymond suspension game. I have my suspicions, and they rhyme with schmaymond schmuspension schmame.
It largely depends on how the series ends. Odds are still in favor of the “Light Years Ahead” Warriors figuring things out before it’s too late. But given LeBron’s supernova performance and Kyrie’s reignited ability to make terrible jump shots look good, as well as torching one of the leagues best defenders in Klay Thompson, we can’t be sure this things over just yet.
Game 6 will feature more plotlines than an episode of Parenthood (are will sure that show was good? Are we sure I should admit I watched it?). We have one of the nations most tortured fan-bases in Cleveland who will certainly make sure Draymond doesn’t get away with any extracurriculars Thursday night. Not to mention the bespectacled overlord of the NBA, will he do anything else to make sure we get to a game 7?
I’m not sure it’s time to move on just yet. We saw peak LeBron Monday night in what might end up being 48 of the best minutes we’ve ever seen in the finals. The Warriors still weren’t able to get Steph free to do Steph things, which at this point might need to be given more credence as a serious problem and not just an abortion. Steph has yet to really put his mark on these finals in a meaningful way. The same cannot be said for Klay.
Klay’s performance in game 5 was monumental. At several points in the second and third quarter it felt like the Cavs were going to pull away and Klay would manufacture a small Warriors run that would keep them firmly planted in the thick of it.
But it wasn’t meant to last. The downstream effects of Draymond being out were just too much for the Warriors to overcome. The lack of rim protection was apparent as Kyrie got it going early and then spent the rest of the night felling very good about himself. In what might just end up being the first of many Kyrie finals montages over the next few years, he got buckets early and often.
But that wasn’t the real difference. That happened when Golden State went small and Iguodala or Barnes was playing the 5 on defense, this left Livingston or a rotating door of small forwards and shooting guards attempting to guard LeBron. That doesn’t end well on a Tuesday night in February, and we saw how it ends in a closeout game in the Finals. Bad, real bad.
To add insult to injury the Warrior tried to counter these poor defensive matchups by sagging off LeBron in an effort to dare him to shoot, going under picks and backing off him an unnecessary amount. And like Liam Neeson with dreadlocks, they released the Kraken.
I wonder if they forgot what happened when the Spurs dared LeBron to shoot in the 2013 finals. Oh I’ll tell you, he DESTROYED them. I think that’s why Pop had to end up growing that beard, to hide his shame.
The possessions where Speights got matched up on him were the most comical. It was either Marreese forgetting he’s too slow to guard anyone that tight, let alone the hurricane that is a pissed off LeBron, or daring him to shoot after he had already shown his hot hand. It. Went. Poorly.
No matter how this series ends we were treated to an incredible basketball game on Monday night. A game that will either be a footnote to the greatest season ever, or a testament to The King. Whichever one it is we have a few “errant” kicks and punches to thank for some added intrigue.
Long live the NBA Finals.
