2 series show superiority of team play
The members of the congregation rejoice, savoring the sweet validation of it all. Their religion is the purest form of basketball, brought so vividly to life in the NBA playoffs, and recent days have borne witness to a glorious truth.
In the hands of a single man, there can be no reward.
Who knows where it goes from here? Perhaps LeBron James singlehandedly orchestrates a couple of wins in Cleveland, drawing his Cavaliers even with the Celtics at two wins apiece. Maybe James Harden simply wills his way to a philosophy-saving victory against the Warriors in Houston on Wednesday night.
More likely, these conference finals tell a
story cherished by every teamoriented coach in America, every hard-working soul who would love to command Steve Kerr’s Warriors or Brad Stevens’ Celtics for just a single day. Move the ball. Share the glory. Be the most tough-minded team, while you’re at it, and point to the others’ contributions before your own.
It’s not James’ fault that the Cavaliers are so poorly constructed. As they fell to the Boston Celtics 107-94 in Monday night’s Game 2, the team’s fractured state drew a glaring spotlight once again. Below James’ awesome power is a paper-thin foundation: strictly offensive players (Kevin Love, Kyle Korver, George Hill), a solitary defensive presence (Tristan Thompson), a tired veteran who isn’t doing much of anything ( J.R. Smith) and a bunch of kids whom James wouldn’t trust to pick up the mail.
Confronted with such confounding disarray, coach Tyronn Lue couldn’t coax a championship lineup to save his life. It’s beyond his capability. Better to enjoy the great LeBron before his season ends and realize that, as ESPN’s Mark Jackson put it, “One team is together, and one team is not.”
Celtics coach Brad Stevens, a disciple of NBA basketball that brought us Bill Russell, Walt Frazier, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird and Bill Walton — not to mention a Golden State team that won a championship with Rick Barry and a host of true believers — has taken his lessons from history. He won’t say he orchestrates these Celtics in the Warriors’ mold, because it’s just so obvious: Every great team plays the selfless game. That spirit emanates from the organizational mastermind, general manager Danny Ainge, who lived the Celtics’ mystique with a uniform on his back.
Stevens doesn’t have a Stephen Curry, or a Kevin Durant, or a Klay Thompson. But with his rugged, compelling starting lineup of Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum, Al Horford, Terry Rozier and Marcus Morris, he has five players who can create their own shots, spread the floor, hustle without fail and play relentless all-court defense. The prospect of a Warriors-Celtics matchup in the Finals is so deliciously appealing, one hesitates to make assumptions.
It does not hurt to dream, however.
The Warriors are up against a Houston team built strictly on analytics and, remarkably, a 180-degree turn from what makes the Warriors so invincible. The Rockets’ idea of a really terrific play is to leave the ball in the hands of Harden, dribbling madly away, until about five seconds remain on the shot clock and it’s desperation time. Credit the man, and sidekick Chris Paul, for making it work so well throughout the season. But the Rockets are up in the penthouse party now, and they don’t seem to be on the guest list.
It took just one game to put the Rockets on the defensive. Faced with a barrage of criticism, coach Mike D’Antoni said his team certainly won’t change its strategy now, and that goes without saying. But there was some grumbling after Tuesday’s practice.
Clint Capela, to USA Today: “We’re just out here waiting on (Harden and Paul) to make the decisions, and it’s hard to start the offense by walking up the floor. This is not what we do.”
Eric Gordon, to the Undefeated: “I definitely would like to get the ball more for me to be aggressive and get good looks. We can’t isolate as much against a good defensive team like that. It’s going to be too tough.”
Harden: “I can’t do it myself. We need everyone to be at their top play. Whether it’s Chris, Eric or P.J. (Tucker), we need to get better.”
( Just wondering: Shouldn’t these guys be discussing their issues in private, instead of airing their gripes to the media?)
Through it all, the Warriors’ backcourt was nowhere near vintage form. Klay Thompson knows he can shoot a lot better from three-point range (6for-15), and Stephen Curry was out of sorts by his standards. He attempted only five three-pointers, his second-lowest total of the season. He made just one, and that happened only one other time this season.
And yet, still in a state of recovery from his knee injury, Curry consistently burned the Rockets with his clever drives to the hoop. Thompson allowed himself some time on the postgame TNT set with Charles Barkley and crew, and he charmed them — as well as a national audience — with his endearing chill, self-deprecating humor and genuine gratitude for being part of this team.
Those two have a lot more to offer. So do the Warriors and Boston Celtics. Reserve a church seat now, lest the congregation overflow.