The 2017 NBA playoffs have been all about dominance. No teams were able to dent the unrelenting barrage of the champion Cleveland Cavaliers and contender Golden State Warriors, and the numbers tell the whole story.
This is the third straight Finals war between the two teams – an NBA record. They combined for a nearly perfect 24-1 record so far in the playoffs and are running with 11 total All-Stars – also an NBA record for two teams in the finals.
However, the most telling numbers are those you see in action, and certain players from both the Warriors and Cavaliers have shown just how hungry they are to gain the edge in their finals trilogy.
Kevin Love
2016 playoff averages: 14.7 points, 8.8 rebounds, 0.5 steals, 0.4 blocks, 39% shooting, 41% 3PT
2017 playoff averages: 17.2 points, 10.4 rebounds, 0.8 steals, 0.8 blocks, 46% shooting, 48% 3PT
Career-highs across the board. That’s how badly Kevin Love wants it.
Aside from making up for all the years where he never even came close to making the playoffs, he is making up for lost time when he was actually in it, as he went down after just 4 games in 2015 and was never fully healthy the next year when they won it all.
Now at full strength, Love has integrated himself well into the Cavaliers’ pass-and-shoot offense and will be extremely crucial in containing Defensive Player of the Year candidate Draymond Green.
The monster from Minnesota is back. It’s up to him now to keep it going for at least 4 more games.
Steph Curry
2016 playoff averages: 25.1 points, 5.5 rebounds, 5.2 assists, 1.4 steals, 44% shooting, 40% 3PT
2017 playoff averages: 28.6 points, 5.5 rebounds, 5.6 assists, 1.9 steals, 50% shooting, 43% 3PT
A good Steph Curry is a scary Steph Curry. A motivated Steph Curry is just downright frightening.
Despite the historic collapse in last year’s finals and the huge addition of Kevin Durant in the offseason, the former 2x MVP is actually playing even better in this year’s playoffs than last year without Durant. Gone are the days when he would chuck up 10-15 threes 5 steps behind the 3PT line. Now, he is working harder to find more efficient shots and the numbers have reflected his newfound discipline.
Clearly, like the rest of the Warriors, the captain is sick and tired of the “3-1” jokes. He will make sure that won’t happen again this time around.
Tristan Thompson
2016 playoff averages: 6.7 points, 9.0 rebounds (4.1 offensive), 0.9 blocks, 53% shooting, 58% FT
2017 playoff averages: 9.2 points, 9.3 rebounds (4.2 offensive), 0.8 blocks, 60% shooting, 67% FT
Amid critical comments regarding his maxed-out salary and relationship with a Kardashian (which apparently is a curse for professional athletes), Double-T is proving everyone wrong with his stellar play on the biggest stage.
Perhaps the most glaring difference this year to his championship campaign last year is his vast improvement on the offensive side, with increases across the board in points, shooting percentages and most importantly, free-throw percentages. He is still a very respectable defender and is still one of the best, if not the best offensive rebounder in the league.
Against the best offense in the league, the Cavaliers will certainly need everything they can get from their big man, and Thompson’s dirty work may prove to be the x-factor the champs need to edge out “the powerhouse out west.” (James, 2017)
JaVale McGee
2016 playoff Averages: 2.0 points, 1.5 rebounds, 0.0 blocks, 50% shooting, 7.0 minutes
2017 playoff Averages: 7.0 points, 3.2 rebounds, 1.1 blocks, 74% shooting, 10.5 minutes
Before anything else, the Warriors should cut the crap and give this man the minutes he deserves. Zaza Pachulia is a decent center and all, but McGee clearly knows what he is doing out there despite being on a very tight leash.
The fact that he manages to squeeze out 7 points and a block a game while sinking three-fourths of his shots in just 10 minutes is just astounding. He gets more shower time than playing time and that’s just sad, really. It’s not like McGee is in the twilight of his career, either. He’s just 29 years old and has proven series after series that he is playing to win, not to get out of Shaqtin’ a Fool permanently.
Maybe interim coach Mike Brown is saving him up for the biggest stage, who knows. But the fact remains that this playing time for a player this efficient isn’t doing anyone any favors aside from the opposition.
Let the dog loose, Coach Brown. He’s out there for blood and you know it. – Rappler.com
There are no comments yet. Add your comment to start the conversation.