Curry, Green’s defense will be key for Warriors
The Steph factor
For all the focus on Kevin Durant and his debut in the Cleveland Cavaliers- Golden State Warriors NBA Finals rubber match, it’s Stephen Curry who holds the key to Golden State’s title hopes. Curry was fantastic during the Warriors’ unprecedented 12-0 postseason run-up to the Finals, with only one stat needed to illuminate that reality: His plus-minus mark of +215 is the highest on record since the NBA started tracking it in 1996. The goal for him is to keep that trend going and to greatly improve on the -7 mark he logged in the 2016 Finals. Having Durant should be a game-changer in terms of how the Cavs defend Curry, as it’s a whole lot tougher to trap him as the ballhandler when there’s another elite shooter in the midst. . While shooting guard Klay Thompson likely will lead the way when it comes to slowing the Cavs’ electric point guard Kyrie Irving, Curry will have to do his part, too. When he gets switched onto LeBron James, good luck.
Guarding King James
Contrary to popular belief, James has been human in the Finals, most notably in 2011 when his Miami Heat fell to the Dallas Mavericks in six games. The Warriors slowed him just enough to survive in 2015 by throwing Andre Iguodala his way for the last three games. It will be a committee approach, with Durant up first and Draymond Green to Iguodala, Thompson, Curry, Shaun Livingston, Patrick McCaw, Matt Barnes and David West helping out along the way.
Mike Brown reunion
The ongoing Steve Kerr situa- tion is a significant factor, with the head coach sidelined because of back surgery complications. Enter Brown, who is standing in for Kerr and takes on the Cavs team he coached during James’ first tenure (2005-10) and right before James returned (2013-14). With one Finals appearance already on his résumé (the 2007 sweep by the San Antonio Spurs) and an overall record of 9-7 in playoff series with the Cavs and Los Angeles Lakers, he has the ultimate don’t-mess-it-up coaching challenge in front of him.
Can Green make amends?
As Finals Game 7 performances go, Green’s 32-point, 15rebound, nine-assist, two-steal outing was as good as they get. But it didn’t matter in the end. Now is his chance for redemption. Say what you will about the Warriors’ dominance making for boring basketball, but Green’s defense alone has been reason enough to watch this season. Durant’s arrival has given Green the freedom to expend even more energy on that end because his scor- ing isn’t as much of a necessity anymore. That should come in handy against the Cavs, who spent the first three rounds of the playoffs scoring at a higher rate than any team since 1977 (120.7 points per 100 possessions, per NBA.com/stats). Green and the Warriors will need to be at their defensive best.
Durant: Validation or humiliation?
Durant knows the deal. Win the title, and the narrative will be about how he did what he went to the Warriors to do when he decided to leave Oklahoma City last July. A Finals loss, however, will bring the naysayers out like never before. At 28, Durant is still in search of his first ring and still trying to get the best of a Jamesled team when it matters most. His Thunder fell to James’ Heat in the 2012 Finals, and James holds an 18-5 record against Durant all time (14-4 regular season; 4-1 in the playoffs). This is hardly a mano a mano matchup, though. Durant has help on both ends this time, meaning the pressure is immense.