June 17, 201511 yr The MVP shocker is not that Iggy got it but that Steph had zero votes. Really poor early on. Hurt him badly. Wasn't even doing much last night until the Warriors were already taking over the game. Had the Cavaliers won last night, there'd be no argument for not giving it to LeBron even if they'd lost game seven. Heck, I'd still have given it to him last night. His series average on points is almost exactly what Jerry West had in the 1969 Finals in which he was awarded MVP despite being on the losing team; LeBron's other stats make the argument easily.
June 17, 201511 yr We for instance let's slot OKC into the 4 seed. Running through the 8 seed Spurs, 4 seed Thunder and then the Rockets and a healthy Cavs. Trust the Warroirs to get through that? As for Delly and TT, they're better in small doses. If Cleveland's healthy they play fewer minutes and their faults don't become as exposed. LeBron becomes efficient with the full roster. Completely different series with Cleveland healthy. Maybe still not enough, but they would have had a chance. To I "trust" them? I don't know, but I'd never deny for a second that getting through the playoffs in the West in recent years has been like running the gauntlet. But we're playing these "health" hypotheticals pretty fast and loose. Maybe the Spurs are the four seed and OKC the five. Maybe Golden State plays Dallas in the first round. Maybe Chris Paul doesn't get hurt in Game 7 of the West quarters and the Clippers make the conference finals and not the Rockets. This isn't a very easy line to draw.
June 17, 201511 yr Harrison Barnes had his first-ever sip of alcohol last night in the post-game celebration. AC Green is NOT impressed.
June 17, 201511 yr Refclecting on this the next day, I'm mostly happy for Oakland. I'm glad the residents of that place got a title while the arena was still in their city before management moves the team across the bay in a few years. It's not inconceivable that a city with three major professional teams will have zero within the decade.
June 17, 201511 yr MVP Award Be Damned, These Were The LeBron Finals "At least we know there will never again be a Finals MVP from a losing team; if it didn’t happen last night, it’s clear that hidebound media voters have a categorical antipathy for separating performance from result. That’s OK. A trophy’s a trophy, and a legacy’s a legacy. The Warriors were the league’s best team from wire-to-wire, and deserved this championship—basketball’s role as the most meritocratic of major sports is refreshing sometimes—but none of that will be as memorable as James lugging this roster to 14 playoff wins. The league’s young stars are beginning to take over, but James showed he’s still the world’s best, one of the best ever, and in losing, somehow managed to play the doomed, tragic hero archetype. Sympathy for LeBron—who’d have ever thought?"
June 17, 201511 yr MVP Award Be Damned, These Were The LeBron Finals "At least we know there will never again be a Finals MVP from a losing team; if it didn’t happen last night, it’s clear that hidebound media voters have a categorical antipathy for separating performance from result. That’s OK. A trophy’s a trophy, and a legacy’s a legacy. The Warriors were the league’s best team from wire-to-wire, and deserved this championship—basketball’s role as the most meritocratic of major sports is refreshing sometimes—but none of that will be as memorable as James lugging this roster to 14 playoff wins. The league’s young stars are beginning to take over, but James showed he’s still the world’s best, one of the best ever, and in losing, somehow managed to play the doomed, tragic hero archetype. Sympathy for LeBron—who’d have ever thought?" Despite the loss, I felt LeBron's aura and/or mystique grew ten fold by the second game of the finals. I didn't come away any more or less impressed, but playing with a less than stellar deck helped his legacy.
June 17, 201511 yr Despite the loss, I felt LeBron's aura and/or mystique grew ten fold by the second game of the finals. I didn't come away any more or less impressed, but playing with a less than stellar deck helped his legacy. Even when his teams are better, I'll now forever have this notion of LeBron rolling his team up the Sisyphean hill forever. Even going back to last year, my biggest takeaway was LeBron dragging Dwyane Wade's old man legs through the playoffs.
June 17, 201511 yr College is way more physical than the NBA. Not even remotely close. 99% of college players can't handle the physicality of the NBA game.
June 17, 201511 yr I tend to agree. The Cavs "healthy" through the season (with their Big 3) went 53-29. A 14 win differential. 5th best in the league and probably about where they were. In fairness, after their slow 19-20 start, them and the Warriors had the league's best records with some of the Cavs' losses being at the end when things were decided. What about the Big 3 with Mozgov, JR, and Shumpert?
June 17, 201511 yr Author Iggy is the first Finals MVP ever to not start a single regular season game. That's amazing. Lebron is the only Cavs starter who started the first game of the season. That's amazing. I think Lebron should have won MVP for the season, and for the Finals. Iggy clearly stepped up and was the key for GS to win, but as has been mentioned LBJ has carried this team the whole way. Also, still give credit to Steve Kerr. Eliminating Mosgov, the only player who stepped up offensively for the Cavs in games 3-4 by keeping Bogut out, was the one of the key differences in the series.
June 17, 201511 yr Not even remotely close. 99% of college players can't handle the physicality of the NBA game. Agreed. During the regular season, you might get a little more freedom to roam than in college, but come playoff time, its insane what these guys do to each other on the court.
June 17, 201511 yr Draymond Green played 41 minutes last night and had a triple-double: 16 pts, 11 reb, 10 ast. I watched him A LOT in college; I absolutely NEVER saw this version of Draymond Green coming.
June 17, 201511 yr "LeBron James needs more help." The rallying cry of 75% of LeBron's career. The exceptions being his first three years in Miami. Not fully dismissing the notion, but it just seems to follow him each season. He had help but it got hurt.
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