Five Most Underrated Storylines In the NBA Finals

Memorial Day weekend signals the unofficial beginning of summer; warm weather, beaches, and family vacations are on the horizon. 

And one more thing. The NBA Finals. 

San Francisco will host the opening night of the NBA Finals, as the Golden State Warriors take on the Boston Celtics, and like other great series from the past, this one is filled with many storylines. 

The most obvious is the contrast between both squads. The Warriors are heading into their 6th Finals since 2015 and a chance at claiming ring number four. The Celtics haven’t been to the Finals since 2010, aiming to claim a league-high 18 titles, breaking the tie with the Los Angeles Lakers. 

Some of the most obvious storylines include Steph Curry's run at a Finals MVP, which many think he needs to solidify his legacy. 

Jason Tatum, Jaylen Brown, and Marcus Smart are knocking on the door to be with an elite group, especially with their road to the title being against all individuals with Finals experience. 

Will Klay be a factor? Klay Thompson is playing good basketball but we all know how quickly he can take over a game, especially in these moments. 

Marcus Smart v. Steph Curry

This matchup is very intriguing. How will the Defensive Player of the Year guard the best shooter ever for an entire series? Marcus Smart is a treacherous defender on the perimeter, but this is a little different. Steph is one of the few players, if you play him close, it’s more dangerous than giving him space. Steph has a great ability to create separation and draw a foul. If you’re Smart, how do you keep your scrappy in your face style against a guy who can create a legitimate four-point play from anywhere on the court? 

Other defenders have been successful. We can not forget how Matt Dellvedova frustrated Curry in the 2015 NBA Finals. Smart is much more dangerous than Dellvedova. Smart can create on the offensive end and I’m not sure if Curry can guard him on the open floor. It will be an interesting chess match between Stever Kerr and Ime Udoka. 

Will Jaylen Brown be the Finals MVP? 

I think Jaylen Brown has a great opportunity to be the Finals MVP because he is a matchup problem for everyone on the floor. He is a big guard and we’ll probably see Draymond Green defending him at times.

Jayson Tatum will garner all the attention, and I’m curious if they will double him. I’m expecting Kerr to assign Andrew Wiggins to Tatum. If I believed Klay was back to pure form, it wouldn’t be a concern. 

Brown is a tough check though. As the second option, he still averages 23 points, shooting 49% from the field on the three fewer shots than Tatum. And like Klay, he is a real two-way guard, being able to play the best player on the defensive end. Brown’s best postseason work came against the defending champs. In the crunch time of the game, Brown made crucial stops against the most dominant player in the NBA, Giannis Antekounmpo. Offensively, he contributed 23ppg and 7rebs per game while shooting 48% from the field (44% 3PT). 

Where do you rank the Warriors Dynasty? 

Spurs of the Early 2000s, 90s Bulls, Showtime Lakers, 80s Celtics. Once a decade you see a franchise with dynasty-like chemistry. 

This is a controversial topic. The past generations - whether players or fans, don’t believe the current Warriors' brass wouldn’t last in the previous eras, and understandably. Certain things weren’t tolerated during the glory years of the NBA. The "Curry Shimmy" might not be a thing during those times because, someone was going to foul him, and hard. 

That’s not this NBA. This NBA is much cleaner and safer for the offensive player, but it's not fair to blame the Warriors for playing in this era. All generations must give them credit for changing the sport of basketball, especially Steph Curry. Mark Jackson created the vision of building a team around the best shooters ever, but Steve Kerr added to it with steady ball movement, player development, and defense.

Draymond Green, Klay Thompson, and Steph Curry together have been to six finals. That kind of chemistry is rare in today’s NBA. Three players to stay together and honor their roles is rare in today's NBA.

Age v. Experience 

The Celtics' Big 3; 28, 25, 24, and rank among the league’s elite. 

The Warrior's Big 3; are 32, 32, and 34, but they’ve been to six Finals. They are the elite. 

The age difference worries me, especially the rare form Tatum and the rest of the Celtics are in. This is not a young team, excited to be there, they actually believe they can win, hungry is an understatement. 

You can argue Jayson Tatum is the best player in the NBA Finals, and have a strong argument. Like Brown, he is unguardable. As they keep winning in the playoffs, he keeps improving, and when you list the matchups; v. Kevin Durant, v. Giannis, v. Jimmy Butler.

This time he faces champions, three of them. The Warriors know how to win, they’ve been in every situation. Don’t forget, the same year they allowed LeBron James and Kyrie Irving to orchestrate a 3-1 comeback, they did the same thing against Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook. 

Kevin Looney becomes the most important player in the Finals.

If you ask Steve Kerr who is the most important player during the Warriors playoff run, Kevon Looney's name might come up. 

Kerr built a system where guards can flourish around the perimeter and have space in the paint, shoutout to the Wildcats of Arizona. The negative impact of that style is playing with a smaller lineup. It’s been a consistent concern when discussing the Warriors but it hasn’t hurt them often. 

Looney is entering at a pristine time. Looney was a rookie in 2016 when the Cavaliers made that historical comeback. Looney minutes have increased from 4.2 to 21.1 minutes per game. He is playing career basketball averaging, and while his stat line may look unimpressive, (6ppg, 7rpg, 2ast) it's very valuable. 

In the conference semi-finals series-clinching game, Looney only scored points but snatched 22 rebounds, 11 of them on offense. His string of offensive rebounds during the final minutes of the game is one of the biggest moments during the Warriors' playoff run. 

Looney gives the Warriors an interior presence by cleaning the boards and protecting the paint, but he can also pass the ball, allowing the Warriors to move the ball all over the court.