Credit: Jason Miller – Getty Images
You know those times when you have so many thoughts, but putting them all together seems more impossible than Dellavedova throwing an adequate lob pass? Well that’s where I’m at right now. As such, there are three ways I can go with this piece:
- I could provide links to every time Charles Barkley said jump-shooting teams can’t win titles. Then again, that piece might exceed 2,000 words.
- I could just put a gif of Andre Iguodala’s son high-fiving and hugging his Dad, as his Dad was presented with the MVP trophy. This is probably the best idea.
- I could attempt to express all my scattered, emotional, unorganized, and excitement filled thoughts on the Warriors being NBA champions.
In honor of our beloved Dubs, I’m going to take option three.
-== Top 11 Steph Curry Moments Of His Career ==-
–It was from 9:48 in the 4th quarter to 6:01, which won the Warriors the final game of this series. Fittingly, that run -which brought the Warriors from a seven point lead to a fifteen point lead- was defined by five threes (Steph 2x, Iggy 2x, and Klay’s back-breaker) and the Warriors’ smallest lineup (with Draymond and Livingston). Last night’s most crucial moments were decided not by fortuitous foul calls or the Cavs combusting on offense, but by the Warriors playing their signature style. That’s how you want to win a championship.
Credit: Craig Mitchelldyer – USA TODAY Sports
–There’s nothing like watching the demeanors of professional athletes when they win a title. In mere minutes, grown men transform from hyper-focused professionals into little kids with ear-to-ear smiles who just accomplished something they’ve been dreaming about since their first pickup game at the park. Nothing makes you smile like watching Steph repeatedly yell “What?!” as the final seconds clock ticked away, or Klay turning the trophy presentation ceremony into his personal bounce house, or Draymond yelling “They told me I couldn’t play in this league” to his Mom. In those moments the emotion was beyond palpable. The emotions of an entire region were united in pure joy, and the athletes demonstrate that unadulterated happiness better than anyone.
–Meanwhile, an update on the rest of the Pacific division:
- The Kings just renamed their arena the “Golden 1 Center”. On the bright side for Kings fans, it’s better than “Power Balance Pavilion”.
- The constantly in need of floor spacing Clippers acquired Lance Stephenson. In related news, this season Lance Stephenson shot the lowest three point percentage EVER for anyone with more than 100 attempts in a season.
- The Suns appear capable of pulling a 2000s Atlanta Hawks, and being stuck in mediocrity for the next half-decade.
- Finally, the Lakers still employ the league’s biggest proponent of long twos as their coach. But hey, three-point shooting teams can’t win anyway.
–If you’re into advanced stats, here’s one for you: this Warriors team finished with the second highest Elo rating* ever. The one team ahead of them: the 1996 Jordan Bulls.
*Elo is a measure of strength based on the final score of each game, where it was played, and when it was played. It’s widely viewed as one of the NBA’s single best analytics.
Credit: David Richard – USA TODAY Sports
–I was contemplating the idea that Steph just won a ring before Chris Paul, Dwight, Blake, Rose, Harden, and Durant. But then I realized my focus was misguided. The stat which really matters is, Steph has one more ring than Charles Barkley.
–I hope everyone enjoyed witnessing Happy Festivus part two*! Last night Ezeli averaged a point a minute, and nearly collapsed the Bay Area with his and-one dunk in the third quarter. The Warriors’ future at center is bright with Festus and Draymond (yes, Draymond).
*Part one being Game Five vs Houston.
–Not only was Iggy the MVP, but he provided two of the best three quotes from last night. The quote power rankings:
- “I want to thank all the chaplains around the NBA, helping us out every single night” -Andre Iguodala
- “We gunna be championship” -the whole team as they lifted the trophy
- “I want to be just like Steph when I grow up” -Andre Iguodala
- “Tell Mike D’Antoni he’s vindicated! We just kicked everyone’s ass playing the way everybody complained about” -Alvin Gentry
- “Four years, seven months, and one day” -Joe Lacob on how long it’s been since he took over the team. Remember when Prokorhov promised Nets fans a title in the first five years of his ownership? Lacob just delivered on that for Warriors fans.
–Remember when we were saying, “If only Bogut can stay healthy…”.
–Lebron’s average usage rating* during these NBA Finals was 40.6 (which is insane). For context, Steph Curry’s average usage rating during the Finals was 34. Intriguingly, Lebron’s usage rating during the first three games of this series was 44.1, but declined to 37.1 as the Warriors won the final three games of this series. To compete with the Warriors, the Cavs needed Lebron at the highest usage rating in the history of basketball.
*Usage rating is a metric that analyzes what percentage of a team’s possessions a player “uses” while on the court.
David Richard – USA TODAY Sports
–Irrational idea: players who win a championship should get championship belts in addition to t-shirts and hats. Then those players can repp those belts to every game the next season. This may sound like a terrible idea, but imagine Draymond rolling into every game next season with a WWE style championship belt. I know right!
–The Warriors’ plus-minus by quarter during these NBA Finals…
- 1st quarter: +6
- 2nd quarter: +3
- 3rd quarter: +1
- 4th quarter/OT: +39
–This Warriors organization seems to have mastered the art of decisions being made by the collective whole -not the guy at the top of the organizational chart. 28-year-old special assistant Nick U’Ren was famously the origin of the idea to start Iguodala instead of Bogut, and by many accounts the decision to not trade Klay for Kevin Love last off-season was inspired by the coaching staff and not necessarily all of the front office. This is how an organization should work. Every opinion should be genuinely listened to, because every opinion holds value -even if wrong. Success in sports is an endeavor that operates at the margin. The Warriors’ inclusive organization is a differentiating factor which helps the team win that margin.
–Conspiracy theory: Lebron’s attempting to make Cavs owner Dan Gilbert pay so much in luxury tax over the rest of his career, that he can purchase the team when he retires. Grantland’s Zach Lowe explained the Cavs’ cap situation well.
If they max out Love, retain Thompson at something close to the max, use Brendan Haywood’s nonguaranteed deal to land a key piece, and re-sign Shumpert and Dellavedova at reasonable numbers, they could set an all-time record for salary and tax payments next season with a bill north of $200 million.
–The Warriors are not only one of the best teams ever, but they’ve got some of most “I’d let that athlete babysit my kids” players in the league with Steph, Iguodala, Harrison Barnes, and Mo Speights (okay, kidding about that one).
–Steph Curry’s the basketball equivalent of that really funny friend who raises everyone else’s level of humor in the room. Often times we hear about superstar’s creating mismatches for their teammates by bending defenses with their mere presence, but non are more tangible than Steph. Any pick-and-roll with Steph turned into a four-on-three this series. If anything, the Warriors are a live by the four-on-three, die by the four-on-three team. That’s a generalization I like.
–Steve Kerr changed a lineup that rolled through the regular season and Western conference playoffs. That takes balls. He’s also one of the most humble coaches I’ve ever seen. Can we give the man a lifetime contract yet?
–Finally, don’t let anyone tell you there’s an asterisk next to this Warriors championship because the teams they played had injuries. Did the Warriors get lucky? Sure. But, so has every franchise whose won a ring. It’s part of the sport, and doesn’t yield on asterisk.
The Warriors have emerged from 40 years of darkness. If this were Game of Thrones, we’d say that at long last winter has ended. My thoughts are still scattered, but my heart is not. Take a moment and smile. We won the title.