JENNY DIAL CREECH WARNS OF POWER IMBALANCE.
Basketball season is over. And the ending was all too predictable.
Once again, the Golden State Warriors celebrated. Champagne and cigars in the visitors’ locker room in Cleveland. Parties in the Bay Area again.
The Warriors were the best team in the NBA — and they were a lot better than Cleveland. Everyone knew it was coming.
So instead of excitement in the NBA Finals — a series that has often given us nonstop drama and thrills — there was a large dose of inevitability.
We held out hope it would be better. That LeBron James would be good enough to make up for the lack of a supporting cast. He almost was in two of the four games, too. But one of the greatest to play the game isn’t enough when the other team has four All-Stars.
Rockets second to one
The Rockets were easily the second-best team and might be planning their victory parade had it not been for an unfortunately timed injury to Chris Paul.
After the Warriors and Rockets, few teams were in the conversation about having a chance at a title. That needs to change.
The first Cavs-Warriors Finals four years ago was really good. It was even better the year after that when the Cavs rallied from 3-1 down to win.
But since the Fourth of July, 2016, the balance in the NBA is gone.
The second the Warriors signed Kevin Durant and became a super team, it was a wrap. And they have two straight titles to prove it.
Something has to give. The NBA has so much to offer.
The level of basketball is second to none. The coaching is creative. The league has done a great thing to globalize the sport. It has been the best sport at dealing with social issues.
When there is balance, the NBA playoffs are one of the best postseasons in sports, period.
When there is not, NBA fans are more interested in discussing twitter burner accounts, where James will play next season and what American food staple Giannis Antetokounmpo is trying next.
The Warriors deserved to win the championship. And dynasties aren’t a bad thing. But right now, in the NBA, you need a super team to compete.
So now, the offseason will become about keeping up with the Kerrs, the Currys and the Durants.
The summer will be a lot more entertaining than the NBA Finals.
Yes, it would be better if actual basketball was the most exciting part of the year. But until someone takes down Golden State, the offseason is going to be the most competitive part of the year.
Where will James land?
All eyes will be on James. Will the King stay in Cleveland and try to build the Cavaliers back up?
Or maybe he will find a home on another team in the Eastern Conference — the Philadelphia 76ers and Miami Heat have been the subjects of rumors surrounding James.
Perhaps he heads west — maybe to the Lone Star State to join forces with fellow superstars Paul and James Harden.
That’s a group that could dethrone the Warriors. Paul is a free agent, but the way Mike D’Antoni and Daryl Morey spoke about the point guard after the Western Conference finals made it sound like he plans to stay put.
Every team will try to build its own version of the Golden State Warriors. Hopefully, someone will. The NBA needs it.