A season of exciting storylines has come to an end this Thursday night, as the Warriors defeated the Celtics for their 4th NBA championship in the last eight years. Paced by first-time Finals MVP Stephen Curry, who averaged 31.2 PPG, the title returns to the Bay Area in just six games.
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| Photo by AP |
The series kicked off in San Francisco June 2nd with a Boston upset victory. An explosive 40-16 fourth quarter erased a 12 point deficit and propelled the Celtics past the Dubs to a 1-0 series lead. Golden State took a two point lead into halftime of game two, which exploded to a 23 lead going into the final frame after a 35-14 third quarter. Led by Curry's game-high 29 points, the Warriors tied up the series 1-1 before going on the road for a two game set.
The Boston showdowns were split in a very similar tone to the first two games. Game three saw the Celtics dominate the final quarter again, outscoring Golden State by 12 to win 116-100. Curry exploded again in game four for 43 points to help overcome a lackluster performance by Draymond Green and an inefficient showing from Klay Thompson to send the series back to California tied 2-2.
Game five was a sloppy display by the Celtics, turning the ball over 18 times. The unforced errors and ten missed free throws doomed them in a very winnable game that saw the Warriors only shoot 22% from three. Steph, who went 0/9 from deep, had an amazing streak ended during this game. It was the first time in his last 133 postseason appearances that he failed to make a three-point field goal. This game was a signature performance for Aaron Wiggins, shooting 12/23 for 26 points and willing Golden State to victory on both ends of the floor .
Back in Beantown for a must-win game six, the C's jumped out to an early 14-2 lead, electrifying a sold out TD Garden. The good times ended there, as the Warriors' accelerated pace began to give them trouble. Three-pointers started falling in bunches for the Dubs, shooting just under 42% on the night and finishing the first half on a 52-25 run. Golden State also grabbed fifteen offensive rebounds, allowing them to make Boston pay even after an initial defensive stop. In the end, Steve Kerr's playoff tested Warriors were too much for a Celtics team that seemed to lack a true go-to guy in critical moments of these games.
This captivating finals series was precluded by one of the more unpredictable and highly entertaining first three rounds that I can recall from recent memory. Unlike so many recent seasons, the parity on display from both the Eastern and Western conferences allowed for some excellent matchups throughout the playoffs. Between hyped individual battles and high-tension game sevens, each series provided plenty for even the casual NBA viewer to satiate themselves with.
We’ll break down the rest of the playoff series' below, as well as provide a suggested move for each team to surpass their outcomes next season. Let’s hop into the first round:
Round One
(1) Miami 4-1 over (8) Atlanta
(2) Celtics 4-0 over (7) Brooklyn
(3) Milwaukee 4-1 over (6) Chicago
(4) Philadelphia 4-2 over (5) Toronto
The first round in the Eastern Conference was as chalk a round as any could have written, with all four higher seeds advancing. Atlanta generally looked lost versus a well-coached Heat team, losing 4-1 with an average margin of defeat just over 15 points per game. Trae Young actually had more turnovers this series then made field goals, a horrific stat for the 4th year guard from Oklahoma. The Hawks fell far short this season of the expectations they set for themselves last year, pushing the Milwaukee Bucks to six games in the Eastern Conference Finals. The Heat moved on to play the Philadelphia 76ers, who defeated the Toronto Raptors in six games. The Sixers closed out the series with a 132-97 victory in Toronto, led by Joel Embiid’s 33 points on 12/18 shooting, and hoped that he and Harden had the chemistry to continue Philadelphia’s playoff push.
Brooklyn seemed so competitive in the first game of their series, until Kevin Durant fell asleep on defense in the last six seconds of the game, allowing for a game-winning layup by Jayson Tatum to steal the game. It was all downhill from there for the Nets, who were ultimately swept by the Celtics in a series that looked much closer on paper than in actuality. There will be a lot of questions surrounding this Brooklyn team throughout the offseason as they try to surround their two superstars with a supporting cast that can surpass the elite teams in the East. The Milwaukee Bucks, winners over Chicago in five, advanced to play Boston in round two. After losing Khris Middleton to a knee injury in game two, the Bucks ran off three straight wins to close out their series. Giannis was playing at an all-world level and would need to carry that into the Celtics series to give Milwaukee a chance to return to the conference finals.
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| Photo by Maddie Meyer- Getty Images |
(1) Phoenix 4-2 over (8) New Orleans
(2) Memphis 4-2 over (7) Minnesota
(3) Golden State 4-1 over (6) Denver
(4) Dallas 4-2 over (5) Utah
Similar to the Eastern Conference, no lower seed was victorious in the first round of the Western Conference playoffs. CJ McCollum and Brandon Ingram gave the Suns some fits during their series, but were not enough to overcome Chris Paul, Devin Booker and a talented supporting cast, who won it in six. They will advance to play the Dallas Mavericks, who also only needed six games to defeat the Utah Jazz. Luka Doncic was aided by spectacular performances from impending free agent Jalen Brunson to send the Jazz into an offseason full of questions regarding the long-term capabilities and compatibility of their star players.
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| Photo by Tom Pennington- Getty Images |
A Move to Improve for Eliminated Teams:
Atlanta: Rediscover their identity
After an improbable Eastern conference finals run last season, it seemed that Trae Young and the upstart Hawks were going to be a force throughout this 2021-2022 season. They started slow out of the gate and finished on a similar trajectory. Young increased his shooting efficiency through the year, but the team's lack a true secondary go-to guy stifled any consistency for the team. If the Hawks can rediscover the style of play that was successful last season, they’re hoping John Collins or Kevin Huerter can make some leaps to step into that role and help Atlanta back to the top of the conference.
Brooklyn: Figure out Kyrie situation/surround superstars with a stronger supporting cast
Two-part answer here, the most obvious being the Kyrie Irving saga. With his very public anti-vaccine stance, Irving only played in 29 games this season for the Nets. Predictably, the team was heavily reliant on Kevin Durant (who wore down as the season went), and ultimately underachieved. Even Irving admitted at the end of the season that this was likely a distraction, drawing sarcastic “duh” jeers from many pundits. With a $36 million dollar player option looming, the Nets surely want to get more than just 29 games out of their star guard. They would also benefit from a stronger group of players around him and Durant. LaMarcus Aldridge’s best days are well behind him, and the grouping of Joe Harris, Patty Mills and Seth Curry are capable of being solid contributors for a team, but are insufficient #3 options for a contending team. Brooklyn will need to prioritize finding this third scoring option if they’re going to make a deeper push next postseason. And I wouldn't bet on Ben Simmons filling those shoes.
Chicago: Figure out the guard situation
Alex Caruso missed playoff time. Zach Lavine is an impending unrestricted free agent. Lonzo Ball never healed up from January knee surgery, and David Kaplan (via NBC Sports Chicago) reported that the Bulls have “serious concerns” regarding his recovery. With this news, does Chicago make a stronger push to resign Lavine? Have they reached their pinnacle with him over these last five seasons? With DeRozan, Coby White, Caruso, and Ball as guards currently under contract next season, is there even a spot for Lavine? Hindsight is 20-20, but it would’ve been a very savvy move to have flipped him for a solid wing player around the trade deadline, to avoid him walking for no compensation.
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| Photo by Michael Layton- Getty Images |
Toronto: Find a true superstar
Even with Scottie Barnes emergence this season, Pascal Siakam and OG Anunoby seem like tier II stars. Guys who can complement a great team as well as any in the league, even taking over games at times, but are not truly elite players. With Nick Nurse as a fantastic coach at the reins, one true superstar could put this uber-talented roster back into the finals. Unfortunately for them, Toronto is far from a top free agent destination, and current top projected free agent Zach Lavine doesn’t seem to be a guy who could fit this bill anyway. So, Toronto may need to get creative with a trade this offseason to get the most out of the team in 2022-2023.
New Orleans: Find out if Zion wants/can play for them again
What a frustrating saga this Zion Williamson situation must be for the few and true hardcore Pelicans fans out there. You finally have a young talented core with Brandon Ingram and Lonzo Ball, draft the “can’t-miss” Zion with your number one pick, and can’t retain it. Lonzo left for Chicago after the season and Zion hasn’t played since. CJ McCollum was a nice replacement for Ball, eventually acquired at this year's trade deadline, but he doesn’t seem to be the missing link for this team to emerge into a contender. New Orleans was fortunate to have qualified through the play-in tournament to be able to label themselves as a playoff team this year, despite proving they belonged with a strong series vs. #1 Phoenix. They have some tough decisions ahead regarding the future of their tremendous, yet seemingly unreliable young star. For the right price, it would at least be worth considering trading Williamson for a maximum return that can provide a positive blueprint for the team's long-term outlook.
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| Photo by Chuck Cook- USA Today Sports |
Minnesota: Decide if Karl Anthony-Towns is a necessary piece to take the next step as a team
This Minnesota team has its foundational superstar, and it isn’t Karl Anthony-Towns. Despite averaging just under 25 and 10 a game this season, plus improving to 41% from three, Anthony Edwards was the one who seemingly seized control of the team. With KAT set to become a restricted free agent, and a four year- $210 million dollar contract offer on the table, one has to wonder if the Timberwolves would be better off investing that money into players who stylistically pair better with Anthony Edwards and D’Angelo Russell (who is already under contract through next year). I anticipate Minnesota resigning Anthony-Towns, but performances such as his 8-point showing in game three vs. Memphis this postseason, leave me skeptical of such a move.
Denver: Help Nikola Jokic
Jamal Murray is so solid when healthy, but having played in 59, 48 and 0 games over the last three regular seasons, it’s safe to label him as unreliable at this point. In one of my least favorite moves from last offseason, the Nuggets gave a 5-year, $207 million dollar contract to Michael Porter Jr., who has averaged over 10 PPG once in his career. They were immediately repaid with his back flaring up and only nine games played this season. As a result of his non-existent supporting cast, Jokic led the team in all 5 major statistics. If Denver doesn’t want to waste the generational talent they have in The Joker, they’ll need to work hard to find him some help.
Utah: Set the team up for success once this Donovan Mitchell-Rudy Gobert divorce inevitably happens
It truly feels like this Utah Jazz team have hit their ceiling as a current unit. Led by the duo of Mitchell and Gobert, the Jazz have not advanced past the second round in the last four seasons, blowing 2-0 and 3-1 series leads in the process. With the track record being pretty apparent, paired with reports of discontent between the two stars since Gobert's COVID stunt, I would recommend committing to one player while trying to get appropriate value in a trade for the other. Whatever they decide, Utah has to maintain trust of whichever star stays and build a team around them that can exceed their current levels. They currently have Jordan Clarkson and Mike Conley under contract through next year to help provide veteran support for whatever path they select.
Round Two
Miami (4-2) over Philadelphia
Boston (4-3) over Milwaukee
So much for the “Kobe-Shaq 2.0” that a few zealous broadcasters prematurely titled this Embiid-Harden pairing. The momentum built by the two after the initial trade faded down the season, and even more so during this second series. Miami was too scrappy, too well-coached, and simply too much for a Philadelphia team that Joel Embiid, and his broken face, tried so hard to carry. James Harden shot 32/79 in the series, good for a surprising 40%, but displayed effort inconsistently and was a ghost for much of their elimination game six. Harden only took two shots during the second half of the 76ers 99-90 loss at home, prompting some skeptical (and justified) comments from Embiid at his post-game press conference. Tyrese Maxey was one positive for Philly at least, some encouragement for their future.
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| Photo by Mitchell Leff- Getty Images |
Miami advanced to face the Boston Celtics, who had a gutsy series win after falling down 3-2 to the Milwaukee Bucks. With Khris Middleton out for the entire series, the Celtics, led by Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, were able to play sound team basketball on the offensive and defensive sides of the court, eventually wearing down the Bucks in seven games. Even with Boston constantly keying in on him, the Greek Freak had little problem scoring and facilitating at will. Giannis may have firmly established himself as the best all around player in the NBA, averaging just over 30 points, 14.7 rebounds and 6.7 assists per game through this series. In the end though, despite the heroics of Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee lost games six and seven by an average of 15 points, missing out on the opportunity to repeat championships.
Dallas (4-3) over Phoenix
Golden State (4-2) over Memphis
What a statement by Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks. Down 0-2 and 3-2 at points in this series, the Mavericks found a way to storm past the Suns and take the series. They absolutely embarrassed the defending Western Conference champions in games six and seven by an average of 30 points per game. Their 123-90 game seven loss was arguably the worst showing of basketball I’ve ever witnessed, given the gravity of the situation. Chris Paul gets a year older now, after choking away a career fifth 2-0 series lead, an unenviable statistic. Devin Booker also deserves a ton of blame for this choke, after a steady stream of shit talk toward Luka and the Mavs when the Suns appeared to have momentum. Dallas doubled down when it mattered most in this series, as Doncic was aided by more masterful performances from Jalen Brunson, as well as Spencer Dinwiddie. This loss sends Phoenix into a long offseason, where they will need to find answers to some tough questions.
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The Warriors eliminated the Memphis Grizzlies in six games to move on to face Dallas in the Western conference finals. Steph Curry paced Golden State to the tune of 26 points per game, receiving tons of support from Klay, Andrew Wiggins and Jordan Poole. Ja Morant injured his right knee late in the midst of a 34-point game-three performance, in a play some considered dirty by Poole, and was unable to finish the series. Memphis was able to shock the Warriors with a Ja-less 39-point victory in game five to stave off elimination, but were unable to complete the comeback versus a stacked Golden State team without their star.
A Move to Improve for Eliminated Teams:
Philadelphia: Find a way to not have to pay James Harden $47 million dollars
From one tough situation with Ben Simmons to another, this time featuring James Harden. The mid-season trade involving the two superstars seemed to bear fruit for Philadelphia early, but reality came back quickly as Harden reverted back to his poor playoff showings and visible lack of effort for long stretches of time. With the emergence of Tyrese Maxey, and massive financial obligations to Joel Embiid and Tobias Harris, the 6ers would be best suited to find a way to have Harden pass on his player option. Given his declining speed, shooting percentage and perpetually poor defense, it would be addition by subtraction if Philadelphia was able to move on from him.
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| Photo by Tim Nwachuku- Getty Images |
Milwaukee: Get Khris Middleton back and healthy
This Bucks team really doesn’t have much to improve upon. Having Middleton for their second-round matchup would have likely resulted in them advancing once again to the Eastern Conference championship. Bringing in a few other key contributors to help overcome adverse situations would be a prudent move to set up success for next year. Grayson Allen, Pat Connaughton, and Brook Lopez are not exactly role players who strike fear in the opposition when Giannis, Khris and Jrue need a blow.
Phoenix: Figure out the plan moving forward for Deandre Ayton AND Chris Paul
I still cannot make heads or tails of the game seven dismantling the Suns endured at the hands of Dallas. 27 points in the first half of a game seven at home; tied with Luka Doncic alone. With Chris Paul nor Devin Booker recording a field goal until there was 7:29 remaining in the third quarter…I’m not sure it would’ve been possible to script a worse showing. Two cogs who are in need of assessment are Ayton and Paul. Paul will be 37 next year and is under contract through 2024. Deandre Ayton will only be 24 next season, with boundless upside. However, his current offensive limitations would make me hesitant to offer him the four-year, $172 million dollar contract he would be in line for. After narrowly missing a title last year and a disastrous finale to this year’s playoffs, the Suns find themselves in a much more difficult spot than anticipated regarding some of their key players.
Memphis: Find the right supporting cast to maximize Morant
Despite only playing in 1 ½ series this postseason, it was hard to argue there was a more dynamic showing by a player then Ja Morant. Highlight reel dunks and hustle plays rang so much true when realizing that he also averaged 27/8/10 + 2 steals a game these playoffs. I have a feeling New Orleans may forever be haunted for selecting Zion over this young stud. If Memphis is able to find him a capable running mate, either through free agency or developing Desmond Bane or Dillon Brooks into that role, then the Grizzlies will find themselves competing for a title sooner than later here.
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| Photo by Thearon W. Henderson- Getty Images |
Round Three
Boston (4-3) over Miami
Golden State (4-1) over Dallas
In what may have been the most entertaining series through the playoffs, the Heat's playoff run came to a halt at home in game seven, as a potential go-ahead three-pointer by Jimmy Butler clanked off the brick with 16 seconds remaining. The back and forth affair between the top two seeds in the Eastern Conference was action packed until the very end, as the Celtics emerged victorious. Jimmy Butler had a furious second quarter, cutting their deficit to just six after trailing by double digits almost the entire first half. However, key plays down the stretch by Al Horford, Marcus Smart and Grant Williams aided Boston's stars in finishing off Miami. Let us not fail to credit Ime Udoka deservedly for his role in fostering and expanding upon the cohesion between Tatum and Brown in his first season as the Celtics head coach, which has led them to the NBA finals.
Uneven performances may be the best summary of this series for the Miami Heat. Jimmy Butler had offensive explosions of 35, 47 and 41, but also averaged just nine points in games three through five. Love Jimmy Butler as a player, and wish so badly he'd have drove at Horford instead of pulling up for that three-pointer, but I just don't think he's the offensive stalwart needed to head a championship team. Kyle Lowry also had some familiar disappearing acts during games four and five, shooting a combined 1/12 for three points and five turnovers. Boston expectedly won both of these games, swinging the series from 2-1 Miami to 3-2 Boston. Erik Spoelstra may be the best coach in the NBA, but this team seems just one piece away from really being a serious contender.
Dallas' improbable push to the finals fell short vs. Golden State, in a decisive five game series. Luka Doncic left it all on the court on the offensive end, averaging 32 points per game throughout the series, but too often was a defensive liability for the Dubs to pick on. Steph Curry respectably averaged 23.8 PPG, leading the way to victory with ample support. Consistent performances by Wiggins, Thompson and Poole allowed for the Warriors to coast through this series on their way back to the NBA Finals, after missing the playoffs the last two seasons.
The Mavericks now enter the offseason deflated, after a heavy crash from their high of eliminating Phoenix. Doncic showed through this series that he can be the focal point of Dallas' offense versus elite teams, but did not have enough help on the offensive or defensive ends to really challenge this Golden State team. The Mavs have solid complementary players like Dinwiddie and Reggie Bullock under contract for the next two seasons, but it's clear that we may not see this current set of talent be able to take Dallas any further in the playoffs.
A Move to Improve for Eliminated Teams:
Miami: Improve guard-play
This is a tough answer for a #1 seed with a great coach that so narrowly missed a berth in the NBA finals. I think the one glaring weakness of this team was their guards. Kyle Lowry is a good player, with the ability to be great at times, but is 36 and too inconsistent overall. Max Strus is long and played relatively well during these playoffs, but seemed to be able to be neutralized for long stretches of games. Tyler Herro is a great sixth man and impending free agent Victor Oladipo is a solid two-way depth guy. And can't forget about Duncan Robinson was getting paid a pretty penny to sit on the bench much of this postseason. Of the aforementioned, none are really able to be considered part of a "big-three" with Butler and Bam. With Jimmy turning 33 by the start of next season, his championship window may be closed without an upgrade at guard this offseason.
Dallas: Get Luka help
Not the most creative answer, sure, but the Mavericks seemingly have a generational-type player in Luka Doncic. They've also seemed to have hit their ceiling as a current unit. As mentioned above, there are some solid role players on this team who would bolster any competing team. But Doncic has nobody close to a consistent #2, which is essential in this league to push for the title regularly. Dallas' salary cap situation is tight and they only have the 26th pick in the upcoming draft (the Wizards own their second round draft pick from the Porzingis-Dinwiddie trade). So they will likely need to think outside the box with a trade to make any substantial improvements to their roster.
Championship Team Moves to Improve:
Boston: Continue Robert Williams' development
Jayson Tatum raising his efficiency and consistency would be huge for him to ascend into full-on superstardom, but in terms of things the Celtics can control, refining Robert Williams' would be their fastest way to improve as a team. Al Horford was rejuvenated for much of these playoffs, but will be a free agent after 2023 and isn't getting any younger at 36 years old. Williams has been steadily improving over his first four seasons in the league to fill Horford's shoes, improving in all five major statistics every year of his career. It seems that now is the time for the Texas A&M product to step full-time into the starting 5 role in Boston.
Golden State: Trade away Klay
A crazy move maybe, but after this Finals series I feel more confident in this take then ever. Returning off of two ACL surgeries anywhere near 100% is beyond admirable, a true testament to the competitor Klay Thompson is. He was incredibly inconsistent through playoffs however, culminating with a 36/101 shooting effort throughout the finals.
Klay is in line to earn $40 and $43 million dollars the next two years, respectively. He'll also be turning 33 in the middle of next season. With 27 year old Andrew Wiggins as an unrestricted free agent and the emergence of Jordan Poole in the backcourt with Steph, I believe this offseason would be as good a time as any to break up the Splash Brothers. Given the talented core that will remain in Golden State and that probability that Thompson would still net a nice return in a trade, this move would undoubtedly best prepare the Warriors to be title contenders through the twilight of Curry's career.
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@Choppinglines
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