The 75th NBA season has concluded. Congrats to the Golden State Warriors for winning their 4th championship in eight seasons. The Warriors are a world class organization from top to bottom and have built a culture that seems to infect everyone who joins their franchise. Steph Curry wanted this championship badly and you could see the emotion he had right after the game. Curry was named Finals’ MVP, as the kid from Charlotte secured the only thing that was missing from his resume. What are some takeaways from the Finals and things to look forward to next season?
Steph Curry is Solidified:
Any questions about Steph Curry’s Finals perfomance were silenced in this series. Curry averaged 31.2 points, six rebounds, and five assists per game during the Finals. When his team needed him the most in Game four, trailing Boston and the Warriors down 2-1 in the series, Curry delivered. In that pivitol game Steph had his signature Finals’ moment, scoring 43 points to tie the series. Curry is now one of seven players in NBA history to win four championships and multiple MVP’s – joining Michael Jordan, LeBron James, Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Tim Duncan, and Bill Russell. Curry’s place among the greats is solidified and you cannot tell the story of the game of basketball without mentioning his name.
Lights Were Too Bright for Tatum:
Jayson Tatum had a rough NBA Finals…to put it lightly. Tatum only shot 31% on two-point attempts, struggling to finish around the basket and often taking tough shots from midrange and three. Andrew Wiggins is going to live in Tatum’s head rent free all offseason, as his defense put Tatum in a jail cell the entire series. Tatum had a NBA record 100 turnovers this postseason. Moving forward to help Tatum and Jaylen Brown, Boston needs to find a true floor general to get them in the right positions to succeed. Boston, as a team, can only blame themselves for losing the Finals. They turned the ball over at high rates and some of their shot selection was questionable. We also saw the Celtics lose their poise at times. The Warriors’ core players have been here many times and it showed often throughout this series. Tatum is still young, but this series is going to stick with him for a while.
Redemption for Andrew Wiggins:
Andrew Wiggins has caught a lot of slander throughout his career, so this postseason had to feel nice for the former number one overall pick. Wiggins was often the Warriors’ 2nd best player this postseason and he was the 2nd best player in the NBA Finals. His defense on Jayson Tatum was outstanding and he averaged 18 points a game and nine rebounds. The Warriors do not win game four in Boston without Wiggins’ 16 rebounds. Sometimes a player has to find the right organization and system to become the best version of themselves and we saw that with Wiggins this season.
Who are the Favorites to Win the Title Next Season as of Today
1. Warriors – They’re the champs until someone knocks them off.
2. Bucks – If Middleton doesn’t go down we see Giannis vs Steph in this year’s finals and there’s a good a chance we see it next year.
3. Clippers – A healthy Kahwi Leonard and Paul George will return to a deep team and Ty Lue is one of the best coaches in the business. The Clippers will be in the mix.
4. Celtics – The Celtics are young and will be hungry after this defeat. Tatum and Brown still have growing to do. Can Boston find a floor general?