NBA Finals: Dub Nation Prevails

IguodalaII

It was billed as The Great Player vs The Great Team.  That description couldn’t have been more accurate.  Outside of having your favorite team in it, the Golden State Warriors versus the Cleveland Cavaliers series left NBA fans wanting nothing else….unless of course you were a Cavs fans, then of course a championship was the goal! 

Although I gave a slight nod to the Warriors, if Cleveland had forced a seventh game, it would have been a-ok with me! While watching the games it became crystal clear to me how much impact perception has on reality….the outcome of the series would, in fact, change the direction of at least one yet to be unproven theory!

LeBron James left zero stones unturned!  He is to be commended for the effort it took getting the Cavaliers a mere two games shy of a trophy!  At no time in history has one player hoisted a team on his shoulders and took them to the championship stage.  I fully believed that if it were to be done…if the theory would be disproven, it would be carried out on the jersey of Cleveland’s #23.  To the dismay of Cavs fans, this theory held true.  No matter how great a player is, basketball is a team sport…as such, everybody is called upon to do their fair share of the work. 

My son was rooting for LeBron and Company.  Many times throughout the series, when Cleveland had possession of the ball he’d yell out “Where’s LeBron?”.  Unfortunately, that seemed to be the cry of the Cavs roster as well.  Let’s be clear….LeBron has arguably been the best player in the league since he got to the league.  Super human abilities, though, does not mean that one is not human.  Playing seven games over a condensed, intense timeframe is challenging to even the best athletic talent in the world!

As a sidebar, the argument that Kobe nor Jordan would have shown fatigue is a non-argument.  Neither has played in five finals in a row, ever….nothing compares to playing five in a row quite like, playing five in a row!!

On the other side of the court… a theory or two were squashed or perhaps splashed, is far more appropriate!  We’ve been told over and over how an offense focused on three pointers will not get it done.  How a trophy will not be hoisted without a big man on the scene. All of those things are true until, well, they aren’t. 

As with most cases, be careful of the messenger:  we could have done without snarky questions on the effectiveness of three pointers from Knicks Executive Phil Jackson, who given his team’s OVERALL effectiveness, could have been resting comfortably at home or anywhere in the world…but the playoffs, for that matter!!

I’ve mentioned before how entertaining it was to watch the Warriors.  Surprisingly enough, three pointers aren’t their only bread and butter…as it turns out, they make moves from the paint, utilize short range jumpers and perhaps most surprisingly, are far tougher on defense than I ever gave them credit.  Hats off to them for being the league’s best from the beginning to the end of the 2015 season!

Another theory was shattered over the course of the series.  The one about nice guys finishing last that is!  Not only do they finish first, they walk off into the sunset with a Finals MVP in hand!!  Golden State’s Andre Iguodala displayed the type of unselfishness throughout the season that coaches in basketball camps from coast to coast are sure to teach this summer!

Congratulations to Golden State’s team and organization for a sensational season!!!

To the other twenty nine teams, 2015-16 will be your year, I just know it!!!

http://kfabskorner.com/featured/basketball/nba-final-dub-nation-prevails/

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *