Rubber Soul: Cavs-Warriors Part III

So we've finally arrived at a 2017 Finals matchup that was preordained the moment Kevin Durant joined the dark side.

After a quasi-inconsequential regular season, we were treated to the least suspenseful playoffs in recent memory, hurt not only by the obviousness of its destination, but everything from Toronto's indifference to Zaza Pachulia's defensive fundamentals.

We can lament what could've been over the past few months, but instead let's focus on the legendary potential of what's about to unfold in front of us.

To start, we're going to see a Finals rubber match for the first time in history. Never happened. Not even in the multiple epochs of Celtic-Laker rivalries (they've squared off in back-to-back years on four separate occasions). So that's pretty cool, if not slightly redundant.

The perpetual battle has spawned some not-so-awesome sentiment between these teams, which will make for peak intensity, and increased potential for hilarious animosity-fueled antics (especially when the likes of JR Smith and Javale McGee are involved).

This epic rivalry should also inspire great basketball porn from two simply remarkable teams. The symphony of offensive destruction - orchestrated by likely the NBA's three biggest superstars - should be a classic.

So let's get the obvious out of the way first: YES the Cavaliers do have a chance in this series, just not an incredibly good one.

Golden State completely decimated the West bracket, sporting not only a flawless record, but the highest point differential in playoff history; they certainly look unbeatable. That said, who could've realistically challenged them? The Blazers were a .500 team (#blowoutfodder). The Jazz were (obviously) below full-strength and couldn't have hoped to score with GSW. The Spurs became the first team ever to lose a playoff series while being up 23 in Game 1. The Warriors have been tested very poorly thus far.

The Cavs pose the first serious threat that Golden State has seen all season. After cruising through their schedule like an Easy Rider scene, they'll get their first taste of Fury Road, though it's unclear just how rough things will get for them.

We know that theoretically Golden State should be heavily favored. After all, they likely could've won the title last year if Draymond Green didn't bag-tag LeBron, but still added the NBA's 2nd-best player anyway. Instead of examine what the Warriors need to do to win (show up, play basketball, don't get injured or suspended), let's look at what factors might help the Cavs pull this off:



Defend the Land

The big question obviously is whether the Cavs' defense - which looked suspect for large chunks of this season - can withstand perhaps the best offensive team ever. At first glance it seems like a hard "no", but Cleveland has a few cards to play here.

First off is LeBron; a mirror-image of Draymond Green in his ability to matchup with virtually anyone defensively, and snuff a variety of attacks. They'll be getting Bron's 100% effort on D for likely the first time all year, which could have an immense impact.

Liable defenders Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love have both visibly raised their effectiveness vs. Golden State. Tristan Thompson is also a great insurance policy against the Death Lineup; a rim protector who can switch on pick & rolls, and close out on perimeter players among the best bigs in the league. Steph Curry will not be doing this to him.

Last June, Cleveland did a stellar job of closing the perceived defensive gap between these teams, holding the Dubs to 99.9ppg, while posting similar turnover%, true shooting% and d-rating. That will prove tougher this year, but to suggest the Cavs won't improve their D for this series could be dubious.

Pray for Klay to Stay Down
Also decent news for the Cavs' D is that Klay Thompson is mired in one of the worst offensive stretches of his career. Thompson averaged 22.3 ppg on .468 from the field this season. Last year's playoffs saw him post 24.3 on .444. This postseason, those numbers have plummeted to 14.4 on .383. You certainly can't be leaving him - he can erupt at a moment's notice - but against an attack where Curry and Durant have to be your focus, not having Klay On Fire punish slow rotations is a huge advantage. An off game or two from Thompson could be costly enough.

Test Iguodala
Containing LeBron James is a very relative term, and it's not a great sign for the Warriors that their main means of guarding him is dealing with a bum knee. Not only will a hobbled or absent Andre Iguodala stretch the Warriors that much thinner on D, but will force either Durant or Green to spend the bulk of their minutes on James, burning max effort and potentially risking foul trouble.

Iggy says his knee is "good" (really, what else would he say?) but he'll need to be at his best vs what has all the makings of an apex LeBron performance. Having LBJ attacking his lateral movement (more drives, fewer 3s) could expose weakness and force the Dubs to adjust.

Win the Grit N Grind Battle

One of the biggest keys to Cleveland's win last year was exerting both a physical and mental edge on the suddenly-shook Warriors. The Cavs were running Curry into pick-and-rolls on every possible possession; throwing him into hard screens and physical switches. They were waxing glass with an added nastiness, bodying perimeter movement, and - most valuably - getting inside the heads of their best opponents.

Granted Curry isn't hurt this year, but the same beat-em-up grind can take him off his game. Draymond Green is every bit the same liability if provoked. Zaza Pachulia's thuggish antics will be under the tightest of scrutiny. And the Warriors - even with their pristine playoff record - come into this series still wrestling with demons of the 3-1 collapse, and LeBron quite literally testing them by himself in 2015. Saying they're vulnerable mentally isn't really an overstatement.

Let Mike Brown Live
While coaching the Warriors is more or less cruise control, there's no doubt that they'll miss Steve Kerr, from whom Mike Brown is a reasonable downgrade on the bench. While the Warriors' D - Brown's specialty - will be their main edge in this series, he scores demerits in almost every other key attribute, from in-game adjustments to offensive creativity and motivational appeal. There's a reason why he flamed out in three consecutive head coaching gigs of sharply decreasing length.

A contested playoff series is an on-the-fly battle of wits between coaches, and thus far there's been no example of how Brown responds if this team is threatened. The Finals aren't exactly the time to be figuring those things out, perhaps the only downside of their total blitzkrieg in the West.

Beat the Warriors at Their Own Game
Any team that hopes to beat Golden State over seven games had better be packing heavy artillery, having to out-gun a team that's averaging a ridiculous 118ppg. Their numbers are vaulted slightly by their massacre of the Kawhi-less Spurs: 124.5ppg on .538 and .406 from three. Perhaps the greatest testament to Kawhi's defensive value, the league's #1 D was gruesomely flayed without him.

Meanwhile, the Cavs played the Celtics largely without their worst defender, facing a tough matchup and still dropping 120ppg on .534 and .436. For the Playoffs, they're averaging only 1.5ppg fewer than the Warriors, arguably against tougher overall defense (GSW got complete walks vs the D of 2/3 opponents thus far), while shooting an outrageous 43.5% from long range, hitting 2.5 more per game than the Warriors. They can put numbers on the board in a hurry.

It was long posited that Golden State couldn't be beaten in a shootout series. But the Cavs, having finally flipped "The Switch", look ready to challenge that notion.

Have a LeBron Moment

Much as the Warriors have an array potential gamebreaking stars, the Cavs have LeBron. He's the one human capable of dominating a basketball game in more ways than anyone in history. He's playing some of the best ball of his career right now. And the once-mocked possibility of being mentioned as the G.O.A.T is very much in play for him.

The crescendo towards this series suggests, both in narrative and basketball precedent, that we're about to witness LeBron's piece de résistance. Not only has he never faced greater motivation than to crush the Warriors in this fabled grudge match and enter the Jordan debate, but LeBron has a lengthy history of exceeding big expectations.

Excluding the 2011 Finals - which any rational person can accept as an outlier that will never repeat itself - King James has managed to rise beyond pretty much every occasion, and this shouldn't be any exception.

While there are a number of catalysts for Cleveland to pull off four wins, several of them will likely have to happen at once for the Cavs to prevail. Golden State has an on-paper edge on both sides of the ball, only one of which can really be overcome. Cleveland cracked Boston's rotation-heavy pressure, but the Warriors are longer, better built to stop LeBron, and will have Draymond at peak badass. This team also has another level to attain offensively if Klay Thompson wakes up, at which point the rain might be too much.

It's frustrating that the Warriors are likely going to be validated for concocting a team so unfairly. Golden State benefitted from extremely good fortune on numerous counts, the Durant signing seemingly so flukey and greasy that the league immediately introduced measures to prevent it from happening again. Still, the Warriors pulled it off, and will carve their own niche in the NBA's annals. They'll either be remembered among the greatest teams ever, or as the team LeBron beat to become perhaps the greatest player ever. The stakes could not be higher.

If this series ran 100 times, the Cavs project to win roughly 25-28 of them (based on an advanced algorithmic system that exists only as a front for me just guessing).

Over one series? WARRIORS IN SIX. 

Banter's 2017 NBA Awards

Today marks the final stanza in a chaotic, indecisive and statistically hyperbolic NBA regular season. Uncertainty and disbelief were abound:"Can Joel Embiid please stay healthy?", "When will it click for the T-Wolves?", "Which PED did the Heat start taking?", "What is Rob Hennigan's endgame?", "How many times can Draymond Green kick someone in the junk?", "How long until a Kings fan assassinates Vivek Ranadive?"...The questions were endless.

True to form, this year's awards races were also highly nebulous. One award's would-be landslide winner fell victim to a technicality, four were contested battles among numerous worthy contenders, and a final one - the most important - required literally hair-splitting four historic individual seasons.

Let's try and make sense of the madness, with Banter's 2017 NBA Awards:

ALL ROOKIE TEAMS
First: G-Malcolm Brogdon, G-Buddy Hield, F-Dario Saric, F-Marquese Chriss, C-Joel Embiid
Second: G-Jamal Murray, G-Tyler Ulis, F-Jaylen Brown, F- Rodney McGruder, C-Willy Hernangomez


ROOKIE OF THE YEAR: DARIO SARIC 
Joel Embiid created the ultimate awards conundrum this year, putting forth a historic rookie season, only to have it cut short by a minutes restriction, and ultimately a torn meniscus. Embiid's health was the room's proverbial elephant well before he was drafted, a scenario that's only underscored now that he's proven himself a generational talent.

The cold reality is that I simply can't in good conscience give an award to a guy who barely played in a third of the season's games, regardless of how sensational he was in that time.

While few other rookies stepped forward to make a legit ROY claim, Dario Saric gave the Sixers plenty of hope for the future after Embiid went down. While he's struggled with his shot from distance, Saric is clearly a crafty-passing, multi-gifted threat who the Sixers can count as a core piece now that #TheProcess has begun to build. That the rest of the rookie class was so weak only makes him stand out more.

Regards To: Joel Embiid, Malcolm Brogdon
Preseason Pick: Joel Embiid (if only...)

SIXTH MAN OF THE YEAR: JAMES JOHNSON

Up until this season, Johnson had spent his career flashing obvious skill and athleticism, but bouncing from team-to-team amid nebulous character and discipline issues. Few outsiders knew exactly why he pissed off every coach, but it was clear that given the opportunity, he could be a valuable addition to an NBA rotation.

Said opportunity came this year when the Heat were seemingly lottery-bound, and stud swing defender Justise Winslow went down for the year. With nothing to lose, Erik Spoelstra tossed Johnson major minutes off the pine.

Shedding a visible amount of his bulk, Johnson was still mean as ever, though noticeably quicker off the dribble and on re-jumps. Not only did Bloodsport uphold his reputation as a defensive wrecking ball, but became a multi-faceted scoring threat, secondary ball-handler, and crunch-time staple for the surging Heat. His 13/5/3.5/1/1 line came on 48% shooting with a top-20 defensive rating. Not sexy, but damn effective.

He brought a wider array of assets off the bench than anyone not named Andre Iguodala, playing a crucial role in the Heat's midseason miracle. Also an outside contender for MIP, Johnson's unlikely explosion couldn't have happened for a more appropriate team.

Regards To: Zach Randoph, Eric Gordon, Andre Iguodala, Greg Monroe, Lou Williams
Preseason Pick: Brandon Knight (possibly drunk at the time)

MOST IMPROVED PLAYER: GIANNIS ANTETOKOUNMPO

2016-17 was the year of the Greek Freakout; an explosion of cataclysmic magnitude which had been observed on the horizon for years, but whose breadth was not fully understood at the time.

Instead of making the leap to NBA All-Star this year - the toughest leap to make as a basketball player - he leapfrogged to legit fringe MVP candidate.

The Freak may have hinted at this production after his move to point guard late last season, but having all his pieces come together this well, so soon, is transcendent. Giannis is about to finish Top 20 league-wide in points, rebounds, steals, blocks and field goal%, top-25 in assists, and his advanced stats portfolio has skyrocketed among the NBA's best.

What he did this year was nothing short of versatility history, and devastating for the rest of the league, knowing they'll be fed a steady diet of Antetokounmpo Stew for the next decade-plus. Leading a playoff team in all five "popcorn stat" categories at 22, a typical Giannis sequence can see him covering the stereotypical roles of all five positions. The guy does literally everything but shoot (even going from "god-awful" to merely "sub-par" in that department).

His rapid ascent is the only reason the Bucks weren't already dead in the water once Khris Middleton returned and resurrected their defense. When Giannis' shot arrives, it's all over for the rest of us.

Regards To: Nikola Jokic, Otto Porter, Myles Turner, Rudy Gobert, Bradley Beal
Preseason Pick: Myles Turner (not far off)

COACH OF THE YEAR: ERIK SPOELSTRA

This was supposed to be a down year in Miami. Hell, as recently as mid-January when the Heat were 20 games below .500 and about to punt the season's remainder for better draft position, it was a down year.

But then alchemist Erik Spoelstra engineered an imaginative and massively unlikely turnaround, weaving a rag-tag bunch of castaways and no-namers into one of the NBA's hottest teams. Miami is 28-11 since the season's midway point, their entire roster playing above expectations, and even at that greater than the sum of their parts.

Spo dramatically flipped this team's identity on both sides of the ball at a juncture where nobody could've blamed him for rolling over and playing dead. He was inventive enough to craft free-wheeling, 3-bombing lineups from a scrapheap, motivating journeymen like the aforementioned Johnson, noted headcase Dion Waiters and perpetually lost Wayne Ellington to play out of their minds with unprecedented consistency.

He did more with less than any coach in the NBA this year, did so seemingly overnight, on the fly mid-season, and as legendary competitor Pat Riley prepared to raise the white flag. In an award race that values an abstract variety of accomplishments, Spo's resonate loudest.

Regards To: Gregg Popovich, Mike D'Antoni, Scott Brooks, Brad Stevens
Preseason Pick: Quin Snyder (valiant effort)

ALL-DEFENSE TEAMS
First: G-Chris Paul, G-Tony Allen, F-Kawhi Leonard, F-Draymond Green, C-Rudy Gobert
Second: G-Patrick Beverley, G-Andre Roberson, F-Giannis Antetokounmpo, F-Anthony Davis, C-Hassan Whiteside

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: DRAYMOND GREEN 

There was only so much holding him back. After losing this award narrowly to Kawhi Leonard in back-to-back seasons, it was finally Draymond's turn this year, and not because of some reputation nod (which should hold no governance over any award).

Draymond Green was the most versatile, disruptive, and simply best defender in the NBA this season, crushing the widespread preseason doubts about the Warriors' D. Instead of crumble, Golden State was within a hair of the league's best defensive rating all season, and Green was the glue holding it all together.

He defends all five positions at an elite level, able to switch effortlessly in pick-and-rolls, thus rendering the NBA's most common offensive weapon useless against him. His name is plastered at or near the top of every advanced defensive metric, and he joins Giannis Antetokounmpo as the only players to rack up both 100 blocks & steals.

Early on, the Warriors' surprise success on D was falsely attributed to Kevin Durant's increased effectiveness, a fallacy laid bare when he missed over a month without their D-rating budging an inch. Draymond was the difference all year, making this award undeniably his.

Regards To: Rudy Gobert, Kawhi Leonard, Anthony Davis 
Preseason Pick: Draymond Green (bullseye)

ALL-NBA TEAMS
First: G-Russell Westbrook, G-James Harden, F-LeBron James, F-Kawhi Leonard, C-Anthony Davis
Second: G-Steph Curry, G-John Wall, F-Giannis Antetokounmpo, F-Jimmy Butler, C-Marc Gasol
Third: G-Chris Paul, G- Isaiah Thomas, F-Kevin Durant, F-Draymond Green, C-Rudy Gobert 

MOST VALUABLE PLAYER: RUSSELL WESTBROOK

Westbrook just put forth a one-man act of destruction unlike any the NBA has ever seen (ball-hogging and stat-padding accusations notwithstanding).

He dragged one of the shallowest and least-proven rosters in the NBA to a 6-seed, for a franchise his re-signing directly rescued from a crippling rebuild (talk about value).

He led the league in scoring at a clip bested only three times in the past 20 years. To boot, he posted a better assist % than the assists per game leader, with whom he just happens to be tangling for this award.

He was the epitome of the eye test, a dizzying blur of perpetual motion who loomed with omnipresence; equal parts Bugatti Veyron and nuclear warhead.

He was beyond clutch in a litany of close calls, single-handedly winning innumerable games, like his much-fabled triumphs in Orlando and Denver.

As you perhaps have heard, he averaged a season-long triple double, breaking what was long thought to be among pro sports' untouchable records.

And he absolutely decimated some of the NBA's most valued advanced metrics this year, not only leading the league, but doing so by margins that weren't close at all (per Basketball Reference):



Westbrook also shattered the NBA's all-time Usage % record this season, or in layman's terms, the Thunder leaned on him more than any single team did a player in league history. While some might argue if it was for better or worse, a variety of statistics tell us OKC would have been completely fucked without him.

Westbrook did everything for a team that was only even remotely competitive because he did everything for them. History has predicated that the MVP must come from a top-3 team, but in a season where individual performances made an absolute mockery of historical precedent; this award should do the same. Ball-hogging and all.

Regards To: James Harden, LeBron James, Kawhi Leonard
Preseason Pick: Kawhi Leonard (so close, yet so far)

Banter's 2017 All-Star Reserves

The NBA All-Star reserves were announced last night, rounding out the rosters that will be lacing up their exclusive-makeup kicks in Charlotte New Orleans next month.

It's sure to be an unreal offensive display, and while puritans whine about the game's lack of defense and competitive nature, the All-Star Game is what it is; a showcase for all fans that's supposed to maximize highlights and minimize injuries. Those same talking heads would likely be crowing about the ASG's danger to players if someone were to Paul George themselves.

Regardless of your view on its pure basketball value, the All-Star Game is the single best collection of basketball players on the same court, anywhere, every year. For that reason alone, it should always be significant.

So who are those players this year anyway? Before we get to the reserves, a quick refresher on my starters:

EAST STARTERS
G - Kyle Lowry
G - Isaiah Thomas
F - Jimmy Butler
F - LeBron James
F - Giannis Antetokounmpo

WEST STARTERS
G - Russell Westbrook
G - James Harden
F - Kevin Durant
F - Kawhi Leonard
F - Marc Gasol

As I alluded to in my starters column, the conferences have been two vastly different landscapes in terms of top-tier talent this season. The voting tribunal selected the exact same 12 players I did in the East and it couldn't have been more obvious, while with so much talent in the West there were bound to be a slew of worthy snubs. Let's dive in:

EAST RESERVES

G - Kyrie Irving, Cleveland Cavaliers 

All-Star Because: He's having by far the best scoring season of his career for a first-place team
Not Starting Because: Defense remains an issue, Playoff Kyrie > Regular Season Kyrie

G - John Wall, Washington Wizards
All-Star Because: Absolutely crushing statisically for a team that's suddenly an overperformer
Not Starting Because: Washington sucked for the first quarter of the season

F - Kevin Love, Cleveland Cavaliers
All-Star Because: Has cracked the 20-point & double-double avg plateaus; both firsts as a Cavalier
Not Starting Because: LeBron

F - Paul Millsap, Atlanta Hawks
All Star Because: His all-around excellence has kept Atlanta competitive amid a minor identity crisis
Not Starting Because: He started the season in a major slump, and Giannis isn't human

F - Paul George, Indiana Pacers
All-Star Because: Even on cruise control, he's still likely a top-15 player league-wide
Not Starting Because: Of the time he's spent on cruise control & Indiana's somewhat lackluster start

WC - Demar DeRozan, Toronto Raptors
All-Star Because: Has taken the mid-range game to new heights this year for Toronto's elite offense
Not Starting Because: He's not even the best guard in his own backcourt

WC - Kemba Walker, Charlotte Hornets 
All-Star Because: Having a remarkably efficient career-year for a team that needs his scoring
Not Starting Because: Lowry and Thomas are having more apex-efficiency seasons for better teams

EAST SNUBS
Kristaps Porzingis - The Knicks have underwhelmed, and Melo/Rose prevent a full unleashing
Joel Embiid - Undeniable impact aside, he's spent too much time on the pine for a 17-27 team
Dwight Howard - The Hawks aren't quite good enough to justify a 2nd All-Star
Bradley Beal - Neither are the Wizards
Andre Drummond - Detroit has been one of the NBA's biggest disappointments

WEST RESERVES

G - Chris Paul, Los Angeles Clippers


All Star Because: He's the same sublime 2-way monster he's been his whole career
Not Starting Because: Harden and Westbrook are having two of the best seasons in modern history

G - Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors
All-Star Because: If you're a reigning unanimous MVP, your All-Star spot is a mere formality
Not Starting Because: Kevin Durant's clearly established himself as the Warriors' alpha dog

F - Anthony Davis, New Orleans Pelicans
All-Star Because: He's having an absurd statistical season, even by his own lofty standards
Not Starting Because: The Pelicans continue to surround him with crap

F - DeMarcus Cousins, Sacramento Kings 
All-Star Because: He's too good for his team to consider trading someone so volatile
Not Starting Because: He plays for a team with perhaps the sketchiest braintrust in professional sports

F - Draymond Green, Golden State Warriors
All-Star Because: He's a historically versatile force and DPOY frontrunner for NBA's best team
Not Starting Because: The West is unfairly stocked with talent right now

WC - Damian Lillard, Portland Trailblazers
All Star Because: He's one of most feared scorers in the league
Not Starting Because: He's one of the most inviting defenders in the league

WC - Rudy Gobert, Utah Jazz
All-Star Because: Utah succeeds by their D, and Gobert is quite arguably the NBA's best defender
Not Starting Because: Still not a massive offensive presence,

WEST SNUBS
Klay Thompson - The Warriors' fourth-best player, and thus, odd man out
Gordon Hayward - Very possibly not the Jazz's most important player
Mike Conley - Broke his back (though somehow only missed three weeks)
CJ McCollum - Just wayy too many elite guards in the West
LaMarcus Aldridge - Having his least impactful statisical season in a decade
Blake Griffin - got himself injured for the like 80th straight season
DeAndre Jordan - Still a give/take player, while Clippers have cooled off
Karl-Anthony Towns - Give Minnesota a couple years
Eric Bledsoe - Give him a better team

The 2017 Halftime Awards

With every NBA team now across the season's midway point, it's time to check up on this year's
awards races at a key interval.

2017 brings an interesting mix of awards debates: some highly-contested, others non-existent. We're going to break them down in order from most to least obvious, which conveniently builds quite climatically:

(stats as of Jan 23)

ROOKIE OF THE HALF: JOEL EMBIID, PHILADELPHIA 76ERS
Total cakewalk here. Not only is Embiid a transcendent rookie who's putting up eye-popping stats despite a minutes restriction and breathing life into The Process, he's facing a draft class as weak as any in recent memory.

Stuck on just 25 minutes a night, Embiid's per-36 numbers look made-up for a rookie: 28/11/3, 1 steal & 3.5 blocks. If he qualified, he'd lead the NBA in block% by a mile, and be 5th in defensive BPM.

Even on a short leash, he's been invaluable to the Sixers, who are suddenly 7-3 in their last 10 games, and maybe not even the second-worst team in their conference. Let's pray Embiid stays healthy; his is the case of something beyond potential; it's a promise.

Regards To: Malcolm Brogdon...Pascal Siakam? Dario Saric? God this year's rookie class stinks so far. (For the record, it would take a season-ending injury tomorrow, and ensuing PED scandal for Embiid to lose here)

MOST IMPROVED PLAYER: GIANNIS ANTETOKOUNMPO, MILWAUKEE BUCKS
This pick is also pretty obvious, but for underlying reasons. On the surface, Antetokounmpo's popcorn stats have all risen dramatically as he's made himself a league-wide storyline. However, adjusted vs last season's post-All-Star numbers (when he made the shift to point guard), his only large leap is in scoring.

But delve a little deeper, and you'll see his key advanced stats have increased noticeably across the board, skyrocketing in PER and both offensive and defensive BPM. His usage rate is up huge, but his turnover % has decreased; an impressive correlation, especially given how much he controls the ball in a spacing-deficient offense.

Giannis also chalks up bonus points in three areas:
- making an immediate leap into the NBA's upper-tier and MVP discussion; leapfrogging what's supposed to be the most difficult step as a player

- improving his play to elite levels in so many areas simultaneously

- doing so for a team that's more competitive than anyone thought, and succeeding largely due to his huge strides (pun completely intended).

Add it all up and we're in the midst of cataclysmic Greek Freak breakout that NBA heads have been bracing for. And the kid's still only 22; the best is yet to come.

Regards To: Myles Turner, Anthony Davis, Jabari Parker

SIXTH MAN OF THE HALF: ERIC GORDON, HOUSTON ROCKETS
There's a lot going right in Houston this year. Gordon is a huge part of it; an elite sniper who, while having regressed from his days as a stalwart defender, is still capable of bodying an array of opposing wings.

Gordon's been neck-and-neck with Lou Williams (who bolted out to an early lead in this race) as a bench assassin this year, only more efficiently, fueling the second unit of one of the NBA's best offenses ever.

It's Houston's surprise success that also allows Gordon to overcome the fact that Williams outranks him in a lot of advanced metrics. Those numbers a lot more hollow on a floundering team of youngsters - Gordon's getting his for the NBA's token overperformers, giving him an edge in the first race in which there should be much debate.

Regards To: Lou Williams, Enes Kanter, Patty Mills

COACH OF THE HALF: GREGG POPOVICH, SAN ANTONIO SPURS
Mike D'Antoni is the trendy pick here, with the Rockets shocking the NBA at 3rd in the West. This isn't to slight D'Antoni; he's done an amazing job, but been gifted with a situation tailor-made for his system.

The pieces all fit perfectly for him: from the front office's score-first mandate, to James Harden's awesomeness, a bevy of elite shooters, and emerging pick-n-roll potential. D'Antoni teams always over-perform in the regular season anyway, and while this is a regular season award, I can't help but feel like we're inflating Houston's stock just a bit.

Meanwhile, Popovich is steering the Spurs on a 65-win pace, having to revamp their identity on the fly with Tim Duncan gone, Tony Parker looking ancient, two old-school big men starting, all kinds of new rotation adjustments, and a serious downgrade in overall defensive talent. It's a dramatic transition, only one that appears seamless because Popovich is so fucking good at his job.

There's a lingering sentiment among some of the NBA's voting community that Popovich should win this award every year by default. Some years another contender does something impressive that can't be ignored, but this year that guy is Pop himself .

Regards To: Mike D'Antoni, Dave Fizdale, Brad Stevens

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE HALF: DRAYMOND GREEN, GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS
There's a serious bout for DPOY this year, and Kawhi Leonard isn't even really involved: Two-time runner up Draymond Green is squaring off against human fly-swatter Rudy Gobert. While the two dominate in generally different ways - Green by stopping anything he faces anywhere in its tracks, Gobert as an impenetrable fortress around the hoop - the tale of the tape leaves very little between them.

Both are absolutely crushing defensive stats this year: Gobert leads in blocks, defensive win shares and defensive rating . Draymond leads in defensive BPM, is right behind The Stifle Tower in D rating and D win shares, and sits third in steals as one of only two players in the Top-20 of both steals and blocks (Greek Freak being the other).

The teams they lead are even neck-and-neck in most defensive metrics, adjusting for Golden State's much greater pace. The Dubs and Jazz sit 1-2 in opponent FG%, points per shot, and overall defensive rating.

Ultimately though, this award should be Green's as of now. He's been the usual multi-faceted monster on D, doing an elite bit of everything for Golden State, while enabling them to unleash a new brand of Death Lineup and survive without Andrew Bogut. It's acceptably stated that his contributions have never meant more to their success, and have addressed a serious question mark for the Warriors going into this season.

Regards To: Rudy Gobert, Kawhi Leonard, Chris Paul

Before we conclude the proceedings, a brief detour in honor of the first half's All-NBA recipients:

ALL-ROOKIE
FIRST TEAM
G-Joel Embiid, G-Joel Embiid, F-Joel Embiid, F-Joel Embiid, C- Joel Embiid

SECOND TEAM
G-Malcolm Brogdon, G-Andrew Harrison, F-Dario Saric, F-Pascal Siakam, C-Joel Embiid

ALL-DEFENSE
FIRST TEAM
G-Chris Paul, G-Tony Allen, F-Kawhi Leonard, F-Draymond Green, C-Rudy Gobert

SECOND TEAM
G-Patrick Beverley, G-Thabo Sefolosha, F-Giannis Antetokounmpo, F-Anthony Davis, C-DeAndre Jordan

ALL NBA
FIRST TEAM
G-Russell Westbrook, G-James Harden, F-Kevin Durant, F-LeBron James, C-Anthony Davis

SECOND TEAM
G-Chris Paul, G-Kyle Lowry, F-Kawhi Leonard, F-Draymond Green, C-Marc Gasol

THIRD TEAM 
G-Stephen Curry, G-John Wall, F-Jimmy Butler, F-Giannis Antetokounmpo, C-DeMarcus Cousins

...which leads us to...

MVP: RUSSELL WESTBROOK, OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER
Lastly by both design and coincidence, we have the MVP; a clusterfuck of compelling narratives if ever one existed. On the fringe, there are big men with absurd stats on awful teams (Anthony Davis, DeMarcus Cousins), pint-sized point machines (Kyle Lowry, Isaiah Thomas), a guy who's steadily ascended the league's heirarchy (Jimmy Butler), an annual contender who refuses to regress (pre-injury Chris Paul), the NBA's quietest storm (Kawhi Leonard) - and its loudest (Draymond Green), a grizzly bear (Marc Gasol), a guy who defies explanation (Giannis Antetokounmpo), and two former MVPs doing what they've always done (LeBron James & Kevin Durant).

At the center are James Harden and Russell Westbrook, whose seasons are stretching the superlative stratosphere. Deciding between these two in any regard is like pulling teeth with rusty pliers; either is a worthy winner, and for maybe the first time in my life I could accept either choice without a single debate.

Harden's been an unparalleled offensive catalyst this season. Accounting for Houston's record pace of 3-point bombs, The Beard's producing a ridiculous 56ppg in pts+assts, while both the eye test and metrics suggest his once-comical defense is improving quickly. Patrick Beverley is the only Rocket with a better defensive BPM, and Harden actually sits 15th league-wide in defensive win shares, if you believe that.

Houston being wayyy the surprise of the NBA so far only fuels his candidacy, and while it's a legitimate narrative, it's been written by many pens. As alluded to in my COY pick, the Rockets' success has been a perfect storm of variables that have slid together seamlessly; it's entirely possible (read: somewhat likely) that Harden is benefiting as much from D'Antoni's system and the players around him as vice versa. His performance is especially inspiring after a sub-par 2015-16 run, but a comeback should really hold no weight here.

If we're talking pure value, Russell Westbrook is putting up one of the most epic seasons in NBA history. His narrative is as compelling as they come: a superstar spurned in a controversial exodus, who stayed loyal to a franchise he potentially saved in the process. After Durant's departure, few could have blamed Westbrook for wanting out of OKC, but he's kept them competitive, given them hope amid desolation, and is literally doing everything for them. He's the ultimate eye test player; he never stops competing.

You want stats? Westbrook is the league's leading scorer, and on pace to shatter the all-time record for usage rate. He also leads the league in BPM (by a mile), PER and VORP, three of the main pillars of advanced metrics. Even Harden's defensive strides loom in the shadow of Russ' 4.5  DBPM, second in the entire league. That's all without even mentioning the obvious (though it's worth re-stating) that he's on pace record the NBA's 2nd triple-double average ever, and first in 55 years.

And while Harden's blissfully cruised through this season in an absolutely ideal situation, Westbrook's spent time in relative trenches, grinding out a slew of tough wins with a young roster that, while showing potential, is maligned and completely fucked without him. He doesn't get to benefit from a tailor-made offense, or perfectly complementary talent, he's just too good to be stopped anyway - both on the court in the MVP race right now.

Regards To: James Harden, Kevin Durant, LeBron James

Enjoy the second half - Banter's All-Star benches are coming soon!

2016-17 NBA Preview - Part 3: The Hardware

Now that I've crowed on about why your team's not going to beat the Warriors/Cavs for several thousand words, it's time to get to the real fun of Banter's NBA Season Previw - The Hardware.

(Premature) Envelopes Please!

ROOKIE OF THE YEAR - JOEL EMBIID PHILADELPHIA 76ers

With teammate and #1 pick Ben Simmons gone for possibly the whole season, and Kris Dunn being brought on slightly slower than first thought, this could be Embiid's award to lose provided he can stay healthy. While pinning ROY on a guy who's missed two full seasons prior to his debut, the patience seems to have paid off with Embiid, who has been beyond impressive in a small sample.

Sternly reminding everyone why he was so hyped pre-injury, Embiid gets to compete against a pretty shallow class, with a number of likely impact-rookies - Dunn, Jaylen Brown, Domantas Sabonis, etc - stuck in competition for minutes. Embiid will have all the opportunity, he just needs to dodge some bad injury luck.

CONTENDERS: Kris Dunn, Marquese Chriss, Buddy Hield, Dario Saric


SIXTH MAN OF THE YEAR - BRANDON KNIGHT, PHOENIX SUNS


Much as it pains me not to go with Z-Bo, newly-minted to Memphis' bench mob, I have to give Brandon Knight the benefit of the doubt here. There's just too much potential for him to beast weaker second units, and being able to see minutes at both guard spots alongside either of Phoenix's starters will give him ample opportunity to contribute.

Knight has lots going for him as a young, athletic and largely-overqualified sixth man on a free-flowing team whose backcourt is sure to buoy its offense. What's more, the biggest knock on Knight - his poor shooting -might be moot, since Jamal Crawford has won this award three times.

CONTENDERS: Zach Randolph, Evan Turner, Bismack Biyombo, Andre Iguodala, Enes Kanter, Jamal Crawford


COACH OF THE YEAR - QUIN SNYDER, UTAH JAZZ

COY is always kind of a crapshoot since it's often predicated on defying expectation and may have the most abstract criteria of any of the NBA's awards.

This year, like any, it could go a number of ways: Pop is always a contender, Brad Stevens may steer the Celts' ascent high enough to snare the honor, Tom Thibodeau will preside over a T-Wolves leap, and someone else will come out of nowhere like Dave Joerger and Terry Stotts did last year.

But Snyder might stand the best chance, with Utah's stock set to skyrocket up the West standings, likely crashing the 50-win barrier and possibly homecourt with a top-4 seed. Snyder's coaching chops have been put to the test through two injury-riddled seasons on the Jazz bench; if he's as good with a healthy lineup as he is with reserves, he'll be right in the thick of this race.

CONTENDERS: Brad Stevens, Gregg Popovich, Tom Thibodeau, Coach X


MOST IMPROVED PLAYER - MYLES TURNER, INDIANA PACERS

This might be easily said after Turner opened the season with a 30/16/2stl/4blk rampage, but this is sort of something I've seen coming; stashing him all last year in my fantasy keeper league, while happily making him the fourth round's first pick in my yearly.

Turner possesses uncanny movement for a player of his size and reach, and his range on offense makes him a nightmare to account for pretty much anywhere on the floor. Now that Indiana's starting center spot is unquestionably his, the consistent playing time and confidence boost should translate to multi-faceted improvement for a player with such a vast potential of elite skill sets.

CONTENDERS: D'Angelo Russell, Devin Booker, Victor Oladipo, Dennis Schroder, Clint Capela, 


DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR - DRAYMOND GREEN, GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS

So it's pretty much accepted that Kawhi Leonard is the NBA's best defender. He sustains himself on swingmen's souls. But just like LeBron James has been the NBA's best player for the last decade and has only 4 MVPs to his name, best doesn't always equate to the award. I think Draymond ships it this year, for four reasons:

1. He's lost two of the closest voting races in DPOY history to Kawhi the past couple seasons.

2. He's going to have to exert himself far less on offense with Durant eating so many touches, and can devote even more effort to defensive destruction. Draymond will also be playing with a chip on his shoulder, as he knows he very possibly cost his team an NBA title, and is not the type to take that lightly.

3. Tim Duncan - the NBA's leader in defensive plus-minus last season - has now become repeat liability Pau Gasol. The Spurs' D is thus highly unlikely to crush the team rankings like they did last year, removing a proverbial feather from Leonard's cap.

4. As much as we hate to admit, there's definitely a "boredom bias" against awarding a multiple-repeat winner, at least among some voters. As close as it's been between these two, that could be enough to tilt things Green's way. Said bias is only going to be further shifted by what you're about to read below.

CONTENDERS: Kawhi Leonard, Rudy Gobert, Hassan Whiteside, DeAndre Jordan


MOST VALUABLE PLAYER: KAWHI LEONARD, SAN ANTONIO SPURS


The pieces are all in place for this to happen for last year's runner-up. Timmy D's retirement means the Spurs are now unquestionably Kawhi's team, and he's a pretty consistent occasion-riser. A completely dominant defender across multiple positions, and one of the NBA's most efficient offensive weapons, he's likely to further benefit from a number of outside factors.

Curry and Durant will likely devour each other's odds of winning, LeBron will be on cruisiest of controls until April, and Westbrook and Harden's teams aren't going to be good enough for them to win unless they massively upend historical precedent. As such, Leonard may have just stepped into MVP status by default.

CONTENDERS: Russell Westbrook, James Harden, LeBron James, Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant


EAST ALL-STARS
STARTERS: G-Kyle Lowry, G-Kyrie Irving, F- Jimmy Butler, F-LeBron James, F-Paul George

Not really a whole lot to think about here; these guys should be pretty clear-cut starters in a perfect world. In reality Melo will probably swerve into a starting spot, but unless the Knicks greatly exceed expectations it won't be in merit.

BENCH: G-John Wall, G-Giannis Antetokounmpo, F-Paul Millsap, F-Andre Drummond, F-Al Horford, WC-Demar DeRozan, WC-Isaiah Thomas 

Wall is an obvious pick, and could-be starter if the Wiz didn't suck.  The Bucks are going to be mediocre at best this year, but Antetokounmpo will be hard to ignore when he's flirting with triple-doubles nightly.  Isaiah Thomas also gets the nod for what should be a top-3 team, ditto for DeRozan.

Millsap can also punch his ticket; coming off a career year, his all-around game even more valuable to Atlanta with also-slotted Al Horford gone, whose Celtics could very much be a "Should Have Two All-Stars" team. Andre Drummond gets a slight nod over Carmelo Anthony, mostly because Detroit will be noticeably better than New York.

Snubs: Carmelo Anthony, Kemba Walker, Hassan Whiteside, Kevin Love, Dwyane Wade, Reggie Jackson, Serge Ibaka


WEST ALL STARS
STARTERS: G-Stephen Curry, G-Russell Westbrook, F-Kevin Durant, F-Kawhi Leonard,
F-Draymond Green

Picking between the Curry/Westbrook/Harden/Paul Mount Rushmore of backcourt awesomeness is like pulling teeth with no anesthetic; those spots can go any way. Leonard is a no-brainer at one frontcourt spot, while Durant and Green should both still rep for the Dubs if reality meets expectations.

BENCH: G-Chris Paul, G-James Harden, F-Blake Griffin, F-Anthony Davis, F-Karl-Anthony Towns, WC-Damian Lillard, WC-Marc Gasol
Harden and CP3 are automatic, Blake Griffin should be as well if he can avoid breaking his hand on someone's face. Karl-Anthony Towns has all kinds of momentum in his favor, and if the Wolves make a leap, he'll likely be here. As should Davis, with his annual Great Player/Awful Team challenge. Bad D and all, Lillard is still a must for one Wild Card spot, and a healthy Gasol is still an all-around beast for what should be a top-5 team.

Lots more depth of top-tier talent here obviously, with Cousins and Aldridge both serious threats to Gasol's spot. Cousins would have pretty safe odds if the Kings weren't in complete disarray, while Aldridge is in limbo and might not even be on the Spurs by midseason.

Snubs: DeMarcus Cousins, LaMarcus Aldridge, Klay Thompson, Gordon Hayward, Mike Conley, Eric Bledsoe, DeAndre Jordan, CJ McCollum, Derrick Favors, Dirk Nowitzki 


ALL-NBA TEAMS

FIRST: G-Russell Westbrook, G-James Harden, F-LeBron James, F-Kawhi Leonard, C-Anthony Davis

SECOND: G-Stephen Curry, G-Chris Paul, F-Kevin Durant, F-Paul George, C- Karl-Anthony Towns

THIRD: G-Kyle Lowry, G-Damian Lillard, F-Draymond Green, F-Paul Millsap, C-DeAndre Jordan

Now comes the fun part: Seeing how wrong I am.

Enjoy the season everyone!

Banter's 2016 All-Stars

All-Star voting. Don't get me started.

Whatever, too late. The whole process is backwards; starting with the fan voting. It's a popularity contest, which at the same time is used as a highly-touted yardstick when measuring a player's legacy and/or Hall-of-Fame credentials. The sometimes-quizzical coaches do a by-and-large better job of putting the right guys on the bench, but even they are subject to bias and error.

The NBA made a nice adjustment a few years back, eliminating the forced "Center" position to reflect the increasingly perimeter-oriented nature of the game. But even that measure has left out many deserving players, with more All-Star caliber guards than the NBA has ever seen.

Put simply, there's fewer All-Star spots available to the positions with the most talent. A "Perimeter"/"Frontcourt" designation with more spots allocated to the former would make a logical next step for wing players- we live in a world where Kobe Bryant was somehow just voted in as a Forward.

While the coaches did a mostly solid job of mopping up the mess left by the starters' voting, let's wipe the slate clean and travel to an alternate universe where I decide the All-Stars because I'm clearly smarter than every NBA coach, and the millions of fans who cast votes.

Using an abstractly weighted assessment of the player's overall season (Personal Performance x Team Success), I've come up with the 24 guys who truly deserve to be repping the title "All-Star" this season; the guys who have defined the season with outstanding play. Here are Banter's 2016 All-Star picks:

EAST STARTERS

G - Kyle Lowry

Lowry was already an elite two-way PG, but over the summer he lost a visible amount of weight and has thus attacked this season with the voracity of his former self at In-N-Out. Still an aggressive bull on both ends, Lowry's now a step quicker, and possesses greater bounce. It's translated to him averaging career-highs in (points+assists), rebounds, and steals - the latter of which he sits 2nd in the league.

Meanwhile the Raptors have somewhat-surprisingly been perhaps the East's steadiest team this year, and the only ones really threatening Cleveland's #1 seed. Canadian fans pulled a last-ditch rally to bump Lowry into the starting lineup for the 2nd straight year, and there's no question this time it was deserved.

G - Jimmy Butler
Much like Lowry, Butler's a menace on both ends of the court for one of the conference's best teams. While the Bulls have had some periods of adjustment through a new coach and their usual boatload of injuries, Jimmy's been a monstrous presence, carrying Chicago offensively for stretches and willing them to wins by himself on several occasions.

Unfortunately it's doesn't look like the Windy City has enough huff & puff to challenge Cleveland in the East this year, but even with John Wall's recent rampage of box score destruction, Butler's been the better season-long player for a top-3 team, making this spot his.

F- LeBron James
25/7/6, with a combined 2 steals/blocks per game would be a banner year for 99.9% of the NBA. For LeBron, it's become routine, beyond the point of being taken for granted. The Cavs have coasted to the #1 spot, even through chemistry issues, injuries and unforeseen coach-firings, and LeBron's pretty much been LeBron; as automatic an All-Star starter as has existed in the NBA.

F- Paul George
Both the Pacers and George have cooled off slightly after completely scintillating starts to the season, but in a conference somewhat light on compelling cases for starters, PG is a total no-brainer. He's rebounded from his injury-porn broken leg to have his best year statistically so far.

Moreover the Pacers have been pleasantly competitive over a first half marred by injuries and large doses of unfamiliarity on a mostly-flipped roster. Even if they'd slid outside the playoff bracket, George would still be a must-start.

F - Paul Millsap
Lost in the usual rhetoric about the Hawks' team play and their slight stumble in the East standings is that Millsap is having an absolute monster of a season. Already one of the NBA's most versatile players, he's currently averaging career highs in all five of the major statistical categories. He sits top-10 in steals, top-20 and blocks and rebounds, and top-30 in scoring. Millsap's brilliance has been subtle (aside from this vicious assault on John Henson) and unheralded, but he rounds out a fairly obvious East frontcourt. #SmallBall.

EAST BENCH

G - John Wall
Has been playing the best ball of his career over the past six weeks. Even with the Wizards decimated by injury and performing well below par, he needs to be here.

G - Demar DeRozan
DeRozan's smoothly transitioned from a mid-range gunner to a relentless attacker who shoots the third-most free throws in the NBA. He's top-ten scorer on a top-two team, making it very hard not to give the host Raptors a 2nd All-Star.

F - Carmelo Anthony
Melo has been getting jerked off a lot lately for trusting his teammates, trying on defense, and more or less playing the way everyone's been wishing he would for a decade now. Regardless, the Knicks are far less of a laughing stock, so Anthony's All-Star stock has risen as well.

F - Chris Bosh
Not that the Heat "need" an All-Star by any logical stretch, but both Bosh and Dwyane Wade (who's been remarkably durable this year) carry decent cases for bench spots. In the end, the Boshtrich gets the nod, largely due to having more potential roster spots and less competition.

F - Andre Drummond
If you can stomach the absolutely abhorrent free-throw shooting, Drummond's a destructive force that's cleared a path for Detroit's seemingly likely return to the playoffs. Hasn't dropped as many 20/20s lately, but still has left a large crater in this season.

WC - Isaiah Thomas
The first Wild Card spot goes to Thomas, who's having a borderline-dominant offensive season as the heartbeat of the wily, cagey Celtics, who thanks to the new division champs rules, are a game back of homecourt in the East.

WC - Pau Gasol
This spot comes down to a bunch of guys with somewhat-compelling cases. I changed my mind 2 or 3 times and went with Pau, still putting gaudy numbers on the board for a top-3 team, which none of the guys below can really front on.

REGARDS TO: Kemba Walker, Al Horford, Reggie Jackson, Dwyane Wade, Nicolas Batum, Kevin Love

WEST STARTERS

G - Stephen Curry
Duh.

G - Russell Westbrook
Westbrook's been a supremely destructive force on box scores and defenders alike, offset only slightly by Kevin Durant's return to health. Russ sits 7th in scoring and 2nd in assists, accounting for more raw offensive output than anyone but Chef Curry. For good measure, he also leads all guards in rebounding, and the entire league in steals.

Westbrook's relentlessly undying energy is a perpetual force of nature on the basketball court. You can expect the reigning All-Star MVP to put up a solid title defense, simply because he doesn't understand the meaning of "not trying".

F - Kevin Durant
It hasn't taken long for the Slim Reaper to slay all that preseason fretting about his foot and the total hatchet job OKC's medical staff pulled on it last year. Playing slightly fewer minutes than seasons past, his output is par for the Durant course, among the league's scoring leaders, shooting dangerously close to 50/40/90. Welcome back KD.

F - Kawhi Leonard

That season we were all waiting for, when Timmy, Tony and Manu finally turned the reigns over and Kawhi Leonard was fully unleashed, is happening. Not only is he continuing to wreak utter havoc on the defensive end, he's dropping a career-high 20/game on arguably the most efficient-shooting season in NBA history. Not even LaMarcus Aldridge's arrival has been enough to offset the assertion that it's Leonard Time.

F- Draymond Green
You have to love Draymond Green. He backs up every single brash and/or boisterous statement he makes with a pure embodiment of (sorry, Grizzlies) Grit and Grind. This guy isn't a transcendent athlete, he wasn't blessed with any otherwordly talents (like, say one of his teammates). He's just a very smart basketball player who hustles on every play and has busted his ass over the past 18 months to expand his game.

As a result, you'd be very hard-pressed to name a more versatile player in the league, such that he's averaging numbers nobody has since Grant Hill 19 years ago. To boot, Dr. Dray kicks in almost 3 steals/blocks per game, while capably guarding as wide a range of opponents as anyone. Curry may be the Warriors' best player, but Green is their heart, hustle, and a borderline MVP candidate himself.


WEST BENCH

G - Chris Paul
The Clippers were a sinking ship in November, but Paul's return to full health has sparked a dramatic resurgence in Blake Griffin's absence. They're back in the top-4, largely due to CP3's dominance on both ends.

(side note: I single out "CP3" as one of two examples of those dumb, once-trendy initial-to-number nicknames that should be used. The monosyllabic rhyme-rattle just works too well. The other is CB4, which is probably the coolest thing Chris Bosh has ever initiated, even if unwittingly.

G - James Harden
Houston's been a pretty big disappointment this year, but Harden's been a beast. You can only penalize a guy so much for his team, and there's no denying The Beard belongs. He's still putting up LeBron-esque numbers, so book his ticket.

F - Dirk Nowitzki
The Mavs aren't quite a team that demands an All-Star, but their unexpected status as mortal locks for the West playoffs is noteworthy, as is Dirk's refusal to quit leading a competitive team. This isn't a "Legacy Nod" like the fans gave Kobe, this is a "Still Got It" nod.

F - Anthony Davis
The Pels have been bit by the injury bug, the inconsistency bug, and the "All our Centers Suck" bug, but Davis is doing what he can. He hasn't yet displayed the growth many had hoped for this year, but the player he already was is really fucking good.

F- DeMarcus Cousins
Another West star who started the season in an injury-mired funk, Cousins has been Godzilla on the block this month, averaging an absurd 34 & 14 on 61% True Shooting. The Kings are also fighting for a suddenly-available playoff spot, making the All-Star game an official Boogie Nights production.

WC - Klay Thompson
The competition for the final two spots here was a lot fiercer than in the East, but Klay seems like a relatively easy pick. His numbers have dipped ever-so-slightly with Curry in GodMode, but Golden State might be the best team in history, so, you know...

WC - Damian Lillard
Finally there's the often slept-on Damian Lillard, who's been putting up outrageous numbers for a Portland team that maybe five people on Earth thought would fight for the playoffs this year. Even if he's a crappy defender, he's a destructive offensive player whose team's highly-unlikely 'success' propels his case.

Regards To: Marc Gasol, LaMarcus Aldridge, DeAndre Jordan Gordon Hayward, Rajon Rondo

Golden State Indeed

...And just like that, another NBA season's over.

The conclusion was fitting, if not seemingly inevitable. The critically-wounded Cavaliers put up more of a fight than anyone thought was left in them, but the Golden State Warriors punctuated their season-long dominance with a Larry O.

It was the essence of a team effort; while it wasn't pretty at times (Cleveland forced them into some decidedly un-Warriors rhythm for large chunks of this series) the Dubs got contributions from all the right places, and proved once again the power of numbers.

These Finals were the ultimate testament to Golden State's versatility, something I've lauded all season long. They were like a poisonous chameleon, able to take on many deadly forms seamlessly. Give much credit to Steve Kerr for making all the right adjustments - knowing when to suffocate LeBron, going so small as to force the Cavs' destructive front line out of the lineup, clogging the paint on D and letting JR Smith and Matthew Dellevadova shoot the Cavs out of games, the David Lee Experience, the list goes on - he coached LeBron James David Blatt into the corner.

But while the Warriors ride off into the Moet-soaked sunset, the Cavs, and LeBron James (as he usually is) remain under the microscope. What happened in this series was very simple: the better team won, but the losing team came in (literally) without an arm and a leg. After LeBron's cinematic return to Cleveland, there was bound to be much said about their season either way, and now it's ended in the most bitter way imaginable. There's no telling how exactly a healthy Kevin Love and Kyrie Irving would've impacted this series (especially with Cleveland's defense being their sudden calling card), but for most of the Finals, four of the five best players on the court were Warriors.

The LeBron haters are coming out in droves to give him the Cersei treatment, like he just did something other than average 36/13/9 in the fucking NBA Finals. Give him, and me a break. Sure, his legacy in a vacuum is beginning to look like a cross between Jordan and Karl Malone, but nobody has ever won a title with as little talent as LBJ had around him the past couple weeks. Blaming him for losing in these Finals (even  if he was kind of a jackass about it) is completely ridiculous and unfair.


Another thing that seems pretty ridiculous is this whole notion of knocking LeBron (or any superstar for that matter) for 'losing' in the Finals. Even without a title, it's not like the season was a massive disappointment, or that he didn't totally put the team on his back. I get that it's in the East and all, but five straight trips to the Finals is something I think should be celebrated rather than "shame"d.

But enough about LeBron. Much as it was last year, this shouldn't be about him, but about the awesome team that just beat him. There's so much to be happy for with the Warriors:

Steph Curry is not only the MVP, but the NBA's burgeoning media darling and arguably most exciting player, and now a champion. This is the perfect moment for him. (a Finals MVP would've been a nice touch, but an unnecessary one. That said, it's shocking that he didn't even get a single vote).

Andre Iguodala humbly took a bench role for the first time in his career, and now he's a Finals MVP (!!!).

Steve Kerr proved how great of a hire he was, got rewarded for wisely choosing the Warriors over the Knicks last summer, and won as graciously as possible.

While Draymond Green isn't the most gracious player at times, he's certainly among the most hard-working, hilarious, and likable. And now he's got a ring to back up the talk; #swagonfleek.

Shaun Livingston battled back from one of the most injury-ravaged careers in NBA history to be a vital bench contributor for this team. After the Dubs' backup PG spot was a major issue last season, Livingston was a steady veteran presence, and one of the most deserving champions imaginable. (side note: while the Warriors were best team in the NBA this year, they were also unequivocally the healthiest)

And if you aren't happy for Festus 'The Court Fester' Ezeli, then screw you. Straight up.

The 2014-15 Warriors were a landmark NBA team; one that thrived on both sides of the ball, could play big or small, and gave teams problems in every permutation. They spent the entire season running roughshod through the league, blowing out opponents with stunning basketball and demoralizing flair. We wondered all year if anyone could stop them; apparently not even the "best player in the World" was enough.

Banter's 2015 NBA Awards

Coming to you on tape delay from a kush-shrouded computer desk in Halifax, Nova Scotia; it's the official unveiling of Basketball Banter's 2015 NBA Awards!!!

This season was admittedly a little bit of an adjustment for me and my NBA addiction; I watched noticeably less basketball this year, the least I have since getting League Pass six years ago.

I spent most of the '13-'14 season on Torn Achilles Island, so LP was my best friend. The previous three seasons, I was unemployed and playing online poker for most of my income; my nightly routine was a bunch of tournament tables on one screen, and the evening's premiere matchup on the other.

Opening and managing a restaurant proved to be slightly more constricting; I was working more than ever this season, having to cover an array of hours and get business done on-demand. Obviously this left me with a little less time to channel-surf NBA games and mindlessly rant about my observations on here. But it also taught me plenty about time management; I came on strong after the All-Star break, sorta like the Spurs only less awesome. I took in more games - whether live or replayed - getting back into a familiar zone after missing too much 'Amazing' this NBA season.

This year's playoffs are going to be something special, but before we get to those, it's time to look back on the past six months and hand out some hardware to those that showed out this season. So without further ado...

All-Rookie Teams
First: G-Elfrid Payton,G-Jordan Clarkson,F-Andrew Wiggins,F-Nikola Mirotic,C-Nerlens Noel Second: G-Zach LaVine, G-Rodney Hood, F-KJ McDaniels, F-Tarik Black, C-Jusuf Nurkic

Rookie of the Year: Andrew Wiggins

After Jabari Parker went down with an ACL tear a month into the season (sigh), Wiggins started absolutely crushing this award, looking like a unanimous choice. Since then, the gap has narrowed considerably with Mirotic, Noel and Payton all having stellar second halves. Narrowed, but not closed.

Wiggins was dominant for a first-year player. He led rookies in scoring by a mile (17ppg; the next-closest was 12), while being a very good defender, with a more well-rounded skill set than anyone gave him credit for coming out of Kansas. Unlike the other contenders here, he excelled all season long, and even though the Wolves were a disaster this season, Wiggins was often a lone bright spot. He's reason in-and-of himself for them to be optimistic about the future (and ecstatic about the Kevin Love trade).
Regards to: Nikola Mirotic, Nerlens Noel, Elfrid Payton

Coach of the Year: Mike Budenholzer

I was sincerely torn here. As recently as yesterday I was ready to give this award to Brad Stevens (who got Boston to the playoffs - albeit in the East - despite one of the NBA's least-talented rosters, a slew of injuries and his own front office's intentions to tank), but felt maybe I was just being a biiiit too much of a contrarian.

To deny Bud would be to ignore the impeccable job he's done in getting the Hawks to smash expectations on both sides of the ball with the most seamless, selfless play we've seen outside of San Antonio. The Hawks were shockingly dominant this season, playing above the sum of their parts and making believers out of every possible critic. Bud got everyone to buy into the team-first concept, milked the most out of his whole roster, and sustained excellence through the entire season.
Regards to: Brad Stevens, Steve Kerr, Jason Kidd

Sixth Man of the Year: Isaiah Thomas

Of course the one thing the Celtics' front office did to actually help this year's product was to swipe Thomas from Phoenix's backcourt meltdown at a very fair price.

In a season where nobody really stepped up to claim this award, Thomas wins sorta by default, as the 6th Man with the smallest hole(s) in his case. Jamal Crawford was predictably shitty on defense and shot under 40% from the floor. Ryan Anderson was almost as terrible on D and missed a quarter of the season. Lou Williams was grossly one-dimensional and put up his best performances in the absence of starters (both Demar DeRozan and Kyle Lowry).

Thomas meanwhile led all full-time bench players in both scoring and assists, averaging 19/5 for the Celtics to help push them towards the playoffs. He's likely never going to be a starter for a winning team, but Thomas may have found his niche already as a pocket-rocket who can carry a second unit's scoring.
Regards to: Lou Williams, Ryan Anderson, Jamal Crawford

Most Improved Player: Draymond Green

Let's be honest here: nobody saw this coming. Even though Green was a tough, dynamic bench player last year, "Draymond Green will become a borderline All-Star and one of the NBA's most versatile players this year" would've made you sound like a bonafide base-head last October.

Obviously it didn't hurt that David Lee went down to star the year, but Green came out on fire and made Lee's bench demotion a total must within two weeks. He didn't really cool off after; he was one of the NBA's better-passing forwards, he expanded his offensive game, and he was just a total menace on defense, whether chasing a stretch big on the perimeter or bodying someone in the low post. For perspective; he was paid $915,243 this year, and very well might ink a max deal this summer.

Props have to go to Jimmy Butler, who also made an eye-popping offensive improvement this year, and lost very narrowly. In the end, it was Green's leaps on both sides of the ball that sealed this in my books.
Regards to: Jimmy Butler, Rudy Gobert, Donatas Motiejunas

All-Defense Teams
First: G-Chris Paul, G-Tony Allen, F-Kawhi Leonard, F-Draymond Green, C-Rudy Gobert
Second: G-Klay Thompson, G-Jimmy Butler, F-Anthony Davis, F-Serge Ibaka, C-DeAndre Jordan
Defensive Player of the Year: Kawhi Leonard

DPOY is usually a 'big man's award', and while that isn't likely to change much with the advent of defensive metrics and every NBA pundit getting a boner for 'rim protection', this season needs to be an exception because Kawhi Leonard is just that good.

He might be a cyborg that RC Buford and Gregg Popovich secretly-developed to stop LeBron James and Kevin Durant; he's got not only the size and length but all the tools of an apex perimeter defender: long arms and freakishly huge hands, potent lateral quickness, great instincts, precise timing, and the perfect mix of zen-like calm and 'just fucking try and get by me' shoulder-chippage.

He makes what he does look effortless in same vein as a Steph Curry three or a LeBron fast break; it just seems unfair. As would giving this award to anyone else.
Regards to: Draymond Green, Anthony Davis, Rudy Gobert

All-NBA Teams
First: G-Steph Curry, G-James Harden, F-LeBron James, F-Anthony Davis, C-Boogie Cousins
Second: G-Russell Westbrook, G-Chris Paul, F-Pau Gasol, F-LaMarcus Aldridge, C-Marc Gasol
Third: G-Klay Thompson, G-Jimmy Butler, F-Paul Millsap, F-Kawhi Leonard, C-DeAndre Jordan

Most Valuable Player: James Harden

So here we are, at the NBA's most touted individual honor, which this year was a particularly painful mind-fuck of cluttered candidacy. The decision between Harden and Curry was a brutal one that could've gone either way, with three more players (Russell Westbrook, LeBron James, Anthony Davis) also putting up very MVP-worthy seasons.

For me it comes down to a question of what "value" truly means, and by most definitions, Harden was that dude this year. He aced all the major MVP tests, while lifting a team that was hit by both offseason losses and injuries to the West's 2nd seed (and yes, I'm obviously aware that the 2nd-6th seeds were basically the same thing this year). The Warriors were an absolutely dominant team, but I'm sticking with my opinion that we need to stress the "team" part; that Curry's brilliance was lubricated by those around him.

I've had this debate with tons of hoops heads whose opinions I respect over the past weeks and months, and I continue hearing the same retort: that I can't "hold Curry's teammates against him". I'm sorry guys, but especially in a race this close, I feel like a) I absolutely can, and b) that it's not so much an assessment of Curry's teammates as it is Harden's. Between a summer exodus and injuries, Houston lost 70% of its rotation this year, and still managed to be one of the best teams in what could be the toughest conference ever. And Harden basically did everything for them, including a much-improved effort on D. I don't know what more you could ask of the guy, so I won't.
Regards to: Steph Curry, Russell Westbrook, LeBron James, Anthony Davis

Now bring on the postseason.

P.E.D Watch 2014

It's time for another fond Basketball Banter tradition; the annual scrutinizing of which players have re-invented themselves to start this season, and essentially birthed the race for this season's Most Improved Player award.

It's time to give due to those who've put in work over the summer (or added an aggressive, undetectable training supplement to their regimen), expanded their games, and taken on greater roles while forcing the rest of the NBA to take notice.

It's time for P.E.D Watch 2014:

Anthony Davis
I mean, really, what else is there to say about the guy at this point. He's been an omnipotent force all over NBA courts this year. At 21 years old, he's years away from his prime. It's very possible that he's either a super-athletic alien cyborg or Hakeem Olajuwon's son. This is greatness in the making.

Evan Fournier
Count me among the many who face-palmed upon learning that the Magic had given Arron Afflalo back to the Nuggets for this unproven Frenchman. You can also count me among those with his foot partially inserted into his own mouth. Fournier's proven himself a capable starter (albeit on a certain lottery team); a dangerous shooter and surprisingly cagey defender for a frail kid from a country known for surrendering. His numbers are up across the board, and he'll continue to grow with the rest of the Magic's young core.

Darren Collison
The battle to fill Isaiah Thomas' pint-sized shoes as the Kings' starting PG was supposed to be a war of attrition, but Collison won the job out of training camp and never looked back, dropping a career year in his Sac-Town debut. No longer stuck behind Chris Paul or in the confines of an Indiana offense, Collison has set new bests in points, rebounds, assists, steals and blocks. Even with their franchise in an awkward purgatory with a wrongfully-fired coach and an owner openly talking about playing 4-on-5 defense, the Kings can be confident that they nailed this signing.

Klay Thompson
While he may have already been worth that offseason extension the Warriors cut for him, Kassius Klay has leveled up so far in 2014. Part of this has to do with the extra touches and floor space that David Lee's absence has afforded Golden State's offense, but Thompson's responded by not only raising his scoring average, but becoming a more diverse offensive weapon - a better playmaker who's also becoming a threat off the dribble and getting to the line at a career rate. The Dubs are the NBA's best team thus far, and Thompson certainly deserves some of the blame.

Draymond Green
Of course, not to slight Mr. Thompson, but he's not even the most improved player on his own team

so far this year. Green has assumed the de-facto starting PF spot, and played so well that it's highly unlikely he'll lose it when Lee returns. Dr. Dray's been a dangerously effective and versatile swing-forward; strong and long enough to contain larger bodies, while still mobile and agile on the perimeter and containing pick-and-rolls. He's averaging career-highs across the board and enabled the Warriors to find perhaps their ideal scheme on both sides of the ball.

Donatas Motiejunas
While we're on the topic of injured power forwards, credit has to be given to the Rockets' Don Dada, who's stepped up considerably with Houston's front line in shambles. Motiejunas has put together a strong 2014 debut, showing flashes of stardom in his new starting role and perhaps giving Daryl Morey yet another appealing trade asset with which to manipulate opposing GMs. Motiejunas has not only proven his crafty post game, but played with an increased toughness, and an improving awareness that will only get better as his consistent playing time rises. He nails the eye and numbers tests, and only if his role diminishes significantly when Terrence Jones returns will he not contend for this award.

Jimmy Butler
I can't really make up my mind as to whether this season's outburst from Butler has been more overdue or unexpected, but in any case it's damn impressive. His scoring and shooting averages have leapt up alarmingly; no longer just a spot-up 3-and-D guy who doesn't shoot very well, Butler's become a dangerous mid-range threat off the dribble. His status as Chicago's offensive alpha-dog was hardly ascribed - with Derrick Rose's return and Pau Gasol's arrival - but he seized the opportunity and now looks like one of the NBA's most complete two-way players.

Marc GasolLast but not least we have Marcy Marc; a complex addition to this list who may not get the attention he truly deserves as an MIP candidate, simply because he's also firmly in the running for MVP. There's an unwritten (but fairly well-anchored within NBA circles) rule that a leap from starter to star is more difficult and relevant (and thus in this award's context, more valuable) than a rise from nowhere to relevance. Thus it should logically follow that a sudden rise from stardom (considered by many to be the NBA's best all-around center) to the league's pantheon deserves an adjusted score as well. Gasol's upped his scoring to almost 20/game, with his assists close to his career-best. He's accounted for a higher clip of Memphis' offense while still providing an elite defensive foundation. Most of his numbers across the board are on par with his personal bests; Gasol is a nimbler, more confident version of the beast he always was, he stays within the flow of the game and never "does too much" to the detriment of his team. His steadiness as a facilitator has been key to Memphis' all-around improved offense, which is the main reason they're so dangerous this season.