STOCKING STUFFERS
Cavs-Warriors rematch highlights Christmas Day sked
The Cavaliers did the impossible last season. Now they just have to do it again — except it’ll be a little more impossible.
The highlight of the NBA’s Christmas Day quintet of games is undoubtedly the NBA Finals rematch — and likely preview — between Cleveland and Golden State. It’s the first meeting since the Cavaliers stormed back from a 3-1 Finals deficit to capture the championship from the Warriors. Golden State certainly resembles the team that won a record 73 games last season, except the Warriors are even more efficient and perhaps unbeatable thanks to the offseason addition of Kevin Durant.
“A lot of these answers won’t come till the playoffs,” former Knicks coach and ESPN analyst Jeff Van Gundy said of any potential Warriors’ deficiencies.
“The regular season is such that any weaknesses the Warriors may have — because of their great offensive talent and defensive versatility — will be covered up. I think we’ll find out if they have any weaknesses — if that lack of size or anything else matters — when we get to the playoffs.”
That is what happened a year ago when the Warriors had to scrap back from 3-1 deficit against the Thunder in the Western Conference Finals before a Draymond Green suspension opened the door for a Cleveland rally a round later. But this season’s team has Durant, a fourth superstar added to Steph Curry, Klay Thompson and Green.
“I was surprised that they lost last year. I would be absolutely shocked if they lost this year,” said Van Gundy, who will be calling Sunday’s game alongside Mike Breen and Mark Jackson. “You have to wait until the end to know.
“They certainly have more offensive talent. Durant has always been an underrated defender, so he has that ability to give them more versatility and size. … But Cleveland obviously has an easier path in the East. As good as some of these teams are playing in the East, I just don’t see how anybody beats Cleveland.”
The Knicks and Celtics can be included in that group of teams that are dangerous but that feel destined to be also-rans behind LeBron James and Co. Coincidentally, the Knicks and Celtics are the appetizer for the Cavaliers and Warriors when they meet at the Garden at noon Sunday. Both teams have shown flashes of potential, but both have also shown maddening runs of inconsistency.
In New York, Joakim Noah has become the face of the Knicks fans’ frustration. Where Derrick Rose, the other key offseason addition, has developed into a key part of any Knicks success, Noah has looked far from the $72 million player team president Phil Jackson made him. That massive contract, Van Gundy said, should be the only thing Noah should not be concerned about.
“Noah’s situation has gotten a lot of play and rightfully so,” Van Gundy said. “I am a big Noah fan and he can’t worry about living up to his contract. The only thing he has to do is do what he does well: rebound, pass and defend and not worry at all about how the outside world is judging him over his contract.
“The only people he should worry about pleasing are himself, his coaches and his teammates because if he makes a maximum effort and plays to win and for the team then he has nothing to apologize for. He didn’t sign himself to that number. He just agreed to it.”