NBA Finals 2017 by HOOP

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A LETTE R FROM TH E COM M I S S ION E R

June 1, 2017 Dear Fans, Welcome to the 2017 NBA Finals, the culmination of one of the most memorable NBA seasons in league history. This year has been ﬁlled with incredible team efforts, extraordinary individual achievements and a historic MVP race. There were numerous records set, including league marks for threepointers made, triple-doubles and the number of players scoring 50 points or more in a game. Now it’s time for the Finals. These two teams, made of a remarkable group of players and coaches, have fought all season long for the opportunity to compete for the Larry O’Brien Trophy on the game’s biggest stage. While only one champion will emerge, every team played a vital role in making this season a success. And thanks to our dedicated fans, we set an all-time regularseason attendance record for the third consecutive year. Our games are seen in 215 countries and territories around the world and we have more than 1.3 billion fans following our league, teams and players on social media. It’s been a fantastic season and I am excited for what promises to be a thrilling Finals. Enjoy the series and thank you for your continued support of the NBA.

JENNIFER POTTHEISER/NBAE/GETTY IMAGES

Sincerely,

Adam Silver

The Finals 2017

TH E FI NALS 2017 COM M E MORATIVE PROGRAM

CONTE NTS FEATURES

34 POINTING THE WAY With point guard becoming the position of importance in today’s NBA, the 2017 NBA Draft will conveniently feature a bevy of prospects that could be potential franchise-changing ﬂoor generals for teams. We take a look at the top talents in the upcoming draft.

40 WINNING ROOTS Before the Boston Celtics became one of sports’ greatest dynasties, they needed to win their ﬁrst title. In 1957, they did just that. It wasn’t easy as the St. Louis Hawks were a formidable foe (so much so that they would defeat the Celtics in a rematch a year later), but it was the start to one of the greatest 10-year runs in pro sports.

50 ONE FOR THE DIPPER By any measure—be it points, rebounds or sheer dominance—Wilt Chamberlain was the most gifted individual talent the game of basketball had ever seen, but Chamberlain had fallen short of a championship, the achievement that completed the greats. That all changed in 1967, when the Big Dipper led the Philadelphia 76ers to the promised land.

56 WHAT THE BLAZES The Portland Trail Blazers came from nowhere to capture the 1977 NBA Championship. This was, after all, a team that was just in its seventh season of existence, had never even been to the postseason and was led by a player whose pro career thus far had been marred by injuries. When the Blazers ﬁnished the year as champs, with Finals MVP Bill Walton hoisting the championship trophy and putting Portland on the map, it was quite the shock.

66 BEST IN SHOWTIME The ’80s “Showtime” Lakers’ brand of fastbreaking, glamour-ﬁlled, winning basketball made them as big as any Hollywood blockbuster of the time. They would go on to win half the titles during that decade, but none of them quite as emphatically as the 1987 one. The 1986-87 Lakers were at the zenith of their powers—their 65 wins were the best of the “Showtime” era, their core was at the peak of their primes, but

most importantly, they dispatched their archrival Boston Celtics for the second time out of three Finals meetings.

76 MIDST OF A BULLS RUN As far as the Chicago Bulls’ second threepeat goes, the 1997 championship is the forgotten year. It was neither the fabled 72-10 “greatest team ever” campaign the year before nor the ﬁnal one in Michael Jordan’s legendary career. While it paled in narratives, it’s important to remember that without it, there would be no repeat threepeat.

86 10 STORYLINES TO FOLLOW THIS WNBA SEASON As the WNBA tipped off another season—its 21st and still the longest-running professional women’s sports league ever—there is no shortage of narratives to pay attention to.

93 REWIND 2016-17 After a few seasons of the three-pointer dominating the conversation, the long-range shot took a backseat to the triple-double, basketball’s statistical standard of having an all-around game. Russell Westbrook’s seasonlong triple-double drove the conversation, but he was echoed by many other players who ﬁlled box scores with double-digits. Of course, threepointers never left, as teams continued to rain from outside at a record pace and the venerable dunk still remains a crowd-pleaser. We look back at the 2016-17 season, through the lenses of the NBA’s best photos.

DEPARTMENTS 3 135 138 140 142 144 148 152

A Letter from the Commissioner 2016-17 NBA Monthly and Weekly Award Winners NBA Cares Jr. NBA D-Velopments NBA Digital All-Time Finals Leaders All-Time Finals Results

THE FINALS TEAMS 6

Back Where They Belong

20 Even More Golden

12 Marching On

26 Return Engagement

14 Cleveland Cavaliers Roster

28 Golden State Warriors Roster

16 Cleveland Cavaliers Stats

30 Golden State Warriors Stats

Editor in Chief Ming Wong Design Director Kengyong Shao Associate Editors Phil D’Apolito, Dan Holzhauer, Adam Kaufman, John Martin Assistant Editor Teressa Capobianco Copy Editor Trevor Kearney Contributing Writers Michael Bradley, Jon Cooper, John Fawaz, Andy Jasner, Jeramie McPeek, Bob Ryan, Michelle Smith, Sam Smith

Professional Sports Publications 519 8th Avenue, New York, NY 10018 Tel: (212) 697-1460 Fax: (646) 753-9480 Executive VP Operations Jeff Botwinick Executive VP, Business Development Martin Lewis Executive VP, Sales Steve Farkas Executive VP, Sales Mitch Gibbs Executive VP, Team Relations Dave Gerschwer Executive Administrative Director Julie Wanjon Manager, Marketing Services Aron Sawyer Production Manager Jaime Ziegler Production Assistant Will Kilcommons

National Basketball Association President and Executive Producer, Content Danny Meiseles Senior VP, Corporate Services Jarad Franzreb Senior VP Content, Production Paul Hirschheimer Senior VP, Entertainment & Player Marketing Charlie Rosenzweig Executive VP, Communications Mike Bass VP, Editorial & Daily Content John Hareas President, Global Operations and Merchandising Sal LaRocca Vice President, Global Partnerships Matt Holt Coordinator, Global Partnerships Daniel Lupin Coordinator, Global Partnerships Harley Opolinsky Manager, Global Media Programs Felecia Groomster Vice President, NBA Photos Joe Amati Director, NBA Photos David Bonilla Senior Specialist, NBA Photos Brian Choi Specialist, NBA Photos Kevin Wright All NBA photos appearing in this magazine, unless otherwise indicated, are copyright of NBA Entertainment. All WNBA photos appearing in this magazine, unless otherwise indicated, are copyright of WNBA Enterprises. All NBDL photos appearing in this magazine, unless otherwise indicated, are copyright of NBDL Enterprises. HOOP is published bimonthly, December through June, by PSP. © 2017 Professional Sports Publications. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or part without permission of publisher is prohibited. PRINTED IN THE USA

The Finals 2017

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EASTE RN CON FE RE NC E C HAM PION S

By Michael Bradley

BACK WHERE Even though it didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t look like a sure thing during the regular season, the Cleveland Cavaliers are playing in their third straight Finals.

NATHANIEL S. BUTLER/NBAE/GETTY IMAGES

The Finals 2017

THEY BELONG

t was preordained. Cleveland would win the Eastern Conference title and reach the Finals for a third straight year. So why even play the season? Just put the Cavs on the final line of the East’s playoff bracket and see which team rises up from the West to meet them. It made sense. As the 2016-17 season dawned, the Cavs and LeBron James were clearly the class of the East. Boston was moving up and actually the No. 1 seed in the East. Toronto was still good, and Washington had talent. But anybody being completely honest had to consider Cleveland the prohibitive favorite in the Eastern Conference. That may have been the consensus feeling, and Cleveland did indeed reach the Finals for a third straight year. But the regular season was hardly easy for the Cavs, and there were those who wondered whether the strain of being so dominant in the conference for such a prolonged stretch was beginning to make things harder for Cleveland. The offseason featured some questions, most notably whether two guard J.R. Smith was going to return to the team. His contract negotiations dragged on through the late summer and three weeks into the preseason, before Smith signed a fouryear deal that brought last year’s starting five back together and gave those who worried about the Cavs’ chances reason to exhale. Among those were the players themselves—including Smith. “We are extremely happy and proud to say that we have agreed to terms to come back to the Cleveland Cavaliers, aka the champs, aka my brothers. It’s been a long road,” Smith told ESPN.com. “I appreciate everybody sticking out through this rough patch of time. I know this holdout and everything else has been long and tedious for everybody, but it’s extremely huge for us. We’re happy to be a part of the Cleveland family and just want to take it one day at a time.” If getting Smith re-signed was long and tedious, then the regular season itself could only be described as “arduous.” Every season is different, and the difficulties of mounting a strong defense when everybody expects you to be one of the last two teams standing can be wearing, especially after a team finishes a six-month 82-game season and plays well into June, as

The Finals 2017

Easte rn Con fe re nce C ham pion s

Kyle Korver

Kevin Love

Derrick Williams

Channing Frye

Richard Jefferson

LeBron James

James Jones

Iman Shumpert

The Finals 2017

January. Few expect the defending champs to stagger around like that in the middle of the year. That kind of behavior is reserved for pretenders who finally confront reality when their fast starts collide with the NBA’s long season. Forward Kevin Love had to deal with back spasms and a bout with food poisoning during the stretch. Guard Kyrie Irving had a hamstring issue. Mixed in was a six-game road trip. These aren’t excuses. They are just facts. And nobody on the team was panicking during the bumps on the road. That’s what winners do. “This team expects to be there at the end and that’s good. That’s what you want,” Kyle Korver told Cleveland.com. “Obviously everything around this team is talked about quite a bit and that’s part of it. I don’t sense anything negative with our team. I think everyone sees the bigger picture and I think there’s a sense of urgency that we have to play better and continue to form that identity. But no one around here seems to be panicking, so as the new guy I’m definitely not going to do that.” Korver was indeed the new guy. The Cavs acquired him in early January in a trade with

Atlanta that cost Cleveland a future firstround draft pick, Korver brought immediate three-point pop with him in the form of his career 2,000-plus three pointers, shot at a 43-percent clip (both are good for top 10 all time). Korver’s presence made it tougher for opponents to double-team James and Irving when they drove to the basket, parting the floor like Moses did the Red Sea. It wasn’t the kind of move that made a dramatic difference, but it added another weapon to the Cleveland bench while providing residual benefits to the existing core. Korver shot a scorching 48.5 percent from behind the arc in his 35 games with the Cavs and averaged 10.7 ppg. “It adds another dynamic piece to our team,” LeBron James said in an ESPN.com article at the time of the trade. “Helluva sharpshooter and just a great guy. Great professional, as you’ve seen over his career, a guy that’s played at a high level for a long time, has championship aspirations. And he has another rocket launcher.” The other significant moves the Cavs made during the season were signing two “D-Wills” in February—guard Deron Williams in late

Nathaniel S. Butler; David Liam Kyle (2); David Sherman; Garrett Ellwood; Chris Schwegler; Andrew D. Bernstein; Brian Sevald/NBAE/GETTY IMAGES

the Cavs did during the 2015-16 campaign. Anybody expecting Cleveland to barrel through the first six months of 2016-17 without any problems was way off. The Cavaliers endured a losing January and a four-game slide to end the season. In the process, they ceded homecourt throughout the Eastern playoffs to Boston. It certainly wasn’t an attractive season, but if everybody else was waiting for the playoffs to start, it only makes sense that the players were mildly distracted at times, too. And as the postseason dawned, and the “experts” were questioning whether the Cavs were ready for the main portion of their defense, even the players had some questions, too. “I mean, I wish we had another 10 games,” forward Channing Frye told NBA.com before the playoffs began. “We got some [stuff] to work out. You know what I’m saying? That’s just my take on it. I haven’t been to the playoffs too many times, maybe three, so I think for me, I’m like, let’s just play and make sure we’re a well-oiled machine before we go in there.” Frye’s concerns were real, but it wasn’t as if the Cavs were disinterested or didn’t know what it took to win. Take the 7-8 record in

Easte rn Con fe re nce C ham pion s

J.R. Smith

Kay Felder

Deron Williams

Dahntay Jones

The Finals 2017

Edy Tavares

needed to start playing top basketball again. “I think just the idea of getting locked in and having a do-or-die type mentality knowing that we can be sent home, I think that has a good calling for this team,” Love told NBA.com. “I think we need that right now, and having one game left in the regular season, yeah, I think we’re ready to get this over with, and then it will be go time. I’m definitely confident in this team, but you never like having to think that you have to flip a switch.” Whether the Cavs flipped a switch, got their minds right or simply realized that it was time to start playing winning basketball, they began to resemble champions once the postseason started. They swept the Pacers in the first round, even though none of the games was a blowout. In the first, Indiana’s C.J. Miles missed a last second shot that would have given Indiana the win. The Cavs’ largest margin of victory in the next three contests was six points. But they eliminated Indy in the fewest possible games, a good indication that the team was prepared for May and June. “You have to mentally challenge yourself every

Tristan Thompson

year and go out and try to do what’s right—putting your body on the line, putting your team on the line and trying to be successful,” James said in an ESPN.com article after the final game against the Pacers. “It’s very hard.” The second-round series against Toronto was expected to be much more difficult, because the Raptors had a two-pronged star punch of Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan. But Lowry sustained an ankle injury in the second game and missed the rest of the series. Without him, the Raptors—who had posted the same regular-season record as the Cavs—lacked punch and a viable defensive matchup against Irving, and Cleveland cruised to a sweep. The Cavaliers’ back-to-back, four-game dispatches of their first two post-season opponents set a record. And the sweep was Cleveland’s sixth in three years, another NBA mark. The Cavs played smart basketball, rode James’ production and leadership and headed into the Conference Finals for the ninth time in James’ 14 years in the League. “It’s not satisfying, but it is rewarding when you can advance,” James said in an article on Cleveland.com. “It’s not just given to you. You have to go out and earn it. And once again I’m part of a team that’s been able to advance to the Eastern Conference Finals.” In that Eastern Finals, Cleveland overcame a stern test from the top-seeded Boston Celtics to reach the Finals, just like everybody expected it to do. But just because something seems simple to predict in October doesn’t mean it’s an easy task to accomplish. Just ask the Cavs.

David Liam Kyle (4); Issac Baldizon; David Sherman; Mark Sobhani/NBAE/GETTY IMAGES

February and forward Derrick Williams. The former Williams is a two-time All-NBA point guard who provided ballhandling off the bench and more three-point marksmanship. The latter Williams is an active and athletic big whose dunks and inside finishes were the beneficiary of a lot attention given to Cleveland’s many offensive weapons on the floor. He also spelled Love while he was recovering from knee surgery. Cleveland also signed Andrew Bogut midseason to bolster its front line while adding some revenge motivation to the roster: Bogut was collateral damage in Golden State’s signing of Kevin Durant as his salary was cast aside to make room for Durant, until a broken leg suffered in Bogut’s first game as a Cavalier dashed that hope. That setback hurt, but Cavs fans were more concerned as the regular season ended, and Cleveland headed into the playoffs two games behind Boston for the first playoff spot in the East. Although Thompson expressed some doubt about the team’s readiness, Love believed that after 82 long games, the beginning of the playoffs would provide the necessary push Cleveland

Kyrie Irving

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EASTE RN CON FE RE NC E C HAM PION S

By Michael Bradley

STILL ELEVATING In his 14th season and at an age when most players slow down, LeBron James is still peaking.

The Finals 2017

FERNANDO MEDINA/NBAE/GETTY IMAGES

he sports world is more interested in numbers than ever before. Instead of merely celebrating milestones like Wilt Chamberlain’s 100 points, Joe DiMaggio’s 56-game hitting streak and Pittsburgh’s six Super Bowl titles, we dive even deeper. There are “next-gen” stats, advanced metrics, analytics and every possible way imaginable to break down the games. Don’t be surprised if future numbers-crunchers devise a way to measure various players’ efficiencies based on what they have for breakfast each morning. But even with every figure broken down to its basic factors, some performances continue to amaze us. Take LeBron James’ play against Toronto in the Eastern Conference Semifinals. Cleveland swept the Raptors, and James became the first player in NBA history to score 35 points in each of the four games. He put up exactly 35 three times and scored 39 in the Cavs’ Game 2 triumph. Some might yawn at the accomplishment, choosing to focus on the opposition. Toronto wasn’t exactly a robust foe, despite its success over the past few seasons. The Raptors just didn’t have anybody capable of staying in front of James. That approach misses the larger point. James’ scoring 144 points in four games isn’t the headline. The big story is that at age 32, in his 14th NBA season, it’s quite possible James may be playing his best basketball. And it’s not just because of his statistics, which remain remarkable. James’ impact on the game is more pronounced than ever, even with a collection of teammates—most notably Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love—who are All-Stars. They get their moments, like in the final game of the Toronto series, when Irving went off in the fourth quarter as Cory Joseph tried futilely to contain him.

David Liam Kyle; Kevin Liles; Mark Blinch/NBAE/GETTY IMAGes

But the center stage is James’ alone. As the Cavs drive toward what could be a championship repeat, he is operating at an efficiency level unknown in today’s NBA. He led the League in minutes during the regular season, at a moment in League history when coaches are extremely careful about managing their top players’ time on the floor. It is telling that his 37.8 minutes per game were 4.5 fewer than his average in 2005-06, his career high—but not League leading—number. James’ offseason workout regimen is legendary. After

the Cavs won the NBA title last year, he barely waited a couple weeks before resuming his strength and conditioning work in preparation for the title defense. As a result, he is not only the League’s best player but also its endurance king. In an NBA season that begins in October and ends in June for the Finals participants—a place LeBron has found himself for the seventh time in a row—James is usually pacing the pack during the final lap. Cleveland coach Tyronn Lue calls James “Benjamin Button,” referring to the character who started his life old and became younger. He

also bristles at those who criticize him for using James for more than 40 minutes a game during the postseason. “I don’t understand why people make a big deal out of his minutes,” Lue said to reporters after the Cavs’ first-round series win over Indiana. “He had a week off before the series started. We won four straight games and then he had a week off again. So next he might play 48 minutes. … Bron today just said he feels worse when he doesn’t play.” When he is on the court, his game is

some problems in January and at the end of the season, the 32-year old James, who has played 14 NBA seasons and the equivalent of three more when postseason and Olympic competition is considered, was a constant for the defending champs. And once the playoffs started, he was even better. Through the first two series the Cavs played, James was averaging 34.4 ppg, the second-best performance of his career. He’s not supposed to be doing this. His body is supposed to be betraying him in ways large

overpowering. For all the attention that Russell Westbrook deservedly got for his triple-double season, LeBron was 1.5 assists and rebounds from matching Oscar Robertson’s 1961-62 season. He established career highs in rebounds (8.6 per game) and assists (8.7), shot the third-best three-point percentage of his career, after struggling the previous two seasons, had his third-highest field goal percentage figure and averaged the third-fewest shots of his career, while still scoring 26.4 ppg, the most he put up in three campaigns. While the Cavs struggled through

and small. Instead of that, James has worked, willed and whipped his corporal self into a position where it continues to operate at peak efficiency at a time in his career when that isn’t supposed to happen. People speak of “rock star DNA” to describe those who continue to rage forward, despite the alleged ravages of age. James has that and a desire to improve that takes that iron constitution and raises it with a grueling, four-hour mid-August workout. Is it possible that more work actually makes him stronger? “With him playing the minutes he played during the course of the regular season, it has helped him in the playoffs,” Lue said. “Now he is able to play those 42, 43 minutes. Because he’s used to it. His body can take it, so, I’m not worried about what outside people say.” James couldn’t care less about the noise. His goal is another NBA Championship, and if he gets this one, there will be nothing left for the critics to talk about. His legacy will be complete, and his status as one of the best ever—if not the best—will be certain. Should it happen, James will no doubt savor the accomplishment, smile broadly as the confetti falls and then do what he always does: get back to work. The Finals 2017

Easte rn Con fe re nce C ham pion s

CLEVELAND CAVALIERS

Tyronn Lue Head Coach

Kay Felder No.: 20

Channing Frye No.: 8

Kyrie Irving No.: 2

Born: 5-3-77 College: Nebraska Year Coaching in NBA: 2

Position: Guard Height: 5-9 Weight: 176 Born: 3-29-95 College: Oakland Year in NBA: 1

Position: Forward Height: 6-11 Weight: 255 Born: 5-17-83 College: Arizona Year in NBA: 12

Position: Guard Height: 6-3 Weight: 193 Born: 3-23-92 College: Duke Year in NBA: 6

LeBron James No.: 23

Richard Jefferson No.: 24

Dahntay Jones No.: 30

James Jones No.: 1

Kyle Korver No.: 26

Kevin Love No.: 0

Iman Shumpert No.: 4

J.R. Smith No.: 5

Edy Tavares No.: 40

Tristan Thompson No.: 13

Deron Williams No.: 31

Derrick Williams No.: 3

Position: Forward Height: 6-8 Weight: 250 Born: 12-30-84 High School: St. Vincent-St. Mary (OH) Year in NBA: 14

Position: Guard Height: 6-6 Weight: 225 Born: 9-9-85 High School: St. Benedictâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Prep (NJ) Year in NBA: 13

Position: Guard-Forward Height: 6-6 Weight: 225 Born: 12-27-80 College: Duke Year in NBA: 13

Position: Center Height: 7-3 Weight: 265 Born: 3-22-92 Country: Cape Verde Year in NBA: 2

Position: Guard-Forward Height: 6-8 Weight: 218 Born: 10-4-80 College: Miami Year in NBA: 14

Position: Center-Forward Height: 6-9 Weight: 238 Born: 3-13-91 College: Texas Year in NBA: 6

Position: Guard Height: 6-7 Weight: 212 Born: 3-17-81 College: Creighton Year in NBA: 14

Position: Guard Height: 6-3 Weight: 200 Born: 6-26-84 College: Illinois Year in NBA: 12

Coaching Staff Associate Head Coach: Larry Drew Assistant Coaches: Jim Boylan, Mike Longabardi, James Posey, Damon Jones Head Athletic Trainer: Steve Spiro

The Finals 2017

Position: Forward Height: 6-10 Weight: 251 Born: 9-7-88 College: UCLA Year in NBA: 9

Position: Forward Height: 6-8 Weight: 240 Born: 5-25-91 College: Arizona Year in NBA: 6

David Liam Kyle (12); Scott Cunningham (2); Danny Bollinger; NBA Photos/NBAE/GETTY IMAGES

Position: Guard Height: 6-5 Weight: 220 Born: 6-26-90 College: Georgia Tech Year in NBA: 6

Position: Forward Height: 6-7 Weight: 233 Born: 6-21-80 College: Arizona Year in NBA: 16

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Easte rn Con fe re nce C ham pion s

CLEVELAND CAVALIERS

Head Coach:

Associate Head Coach:

Assistant Coaches:

Head Athletic Trainer:

FIELD GOALS NO. PLAYER

3-POINT FG

FREE THROWS

MIN

FGA

PCT

FGA

PCT

REBOUNDS

FTA

PCT

OFF

MISC.

POINTS

LeBron James

2794

736

1344

.548

124

342

.363

358

531

.674

DEF 542

TOT 639

AST

STL

BLK

PTS

AVG

646

26.4

Kyrie Irving

2525

671

1420

.473

177

441

.401

297

328

.905

178

230

418

44 24

1954

1816

25.2

Kevin Love

1885

370

867

.427

145

389

.373

257

295

.871

148

518

666

116

Kyle Korver

859

131

269

.487

200

.485

.933

1142 373

19.0

13 8

Channing Frye

1398

238

520

.458

137

335

.409

.851

253

290

676

9.1

.375

.000

.750

9.0

Dahntay Jones J.R. Smith

1187

123

356

.346

271

.351

.667

351

8.6

Tristan Thompson

2336

262

437

.600

.000

106

213

.498

113 715

17 286

630

8.1

218

10.7

Iman Shumpert

1937

201

489

.411

261

.360

.789

429 179

109

567

7.5

Deron Williams

486

147

.463

.415

.840

179

7.5

Derrick Williams

427

107

.505

.404

.692

156

6.2

Edy Tavares

.750

.000

1614

153

343

.446

186

.333

108

.741

Mike Dunleavy

79 23

6 448

6.0

Richard Jefferson

10 203

6 175

366

.400

.351

.737

106

4.6

Jordan McRae

384

150

.387

.353

.794

47 41

42 35

161

4.4

Kay Felder

386

158

.392

.318

.714

166

4.0

381

.478

.470

.650

18 6

James Jones

41 37

38 34

132

2.8

752

136

.382

.378

.445

101

144

2.4

DeAndre Liggins Chris Andersen

114

.409

.000

.714

2.3

Larry Sanders

.250

1.000

0.8

Andrew Bogut

19880 3275

6963

.470

1067

2779

.384

1431

1913 .748

0 2821

0 3587

1858

0 539

0 327

0 766

Cavaliers

9048

0.0 110.3

OPPONENTS

19880 3333

7284

.458

850

2353

.361

1271

1644 .773

902

2724

3626

2024

598

349

8787

107.2

The Finals 2017

LeBron James averaged at least 25 points per game for the 13th consecutive season with 26.4 ppg.

Kyrie Irving topped 25 ppg for the first time (25.2 ppg) while leading the Cavs in three-pointers (177).

David Liam Kyle (2); Ron Hoskins/NBAE/GETTY IMAGES

Kevin Love averaged 11.1 rebounds per game.

5.7

PROSTATE CANCER IS A MAJOR CAUSE OF DEATH OF MEN IN AMERICA. Protect the At-Risk Men in Your Life. CÂ Ã&#x152; Â&#x2022;Â ÃÃ¾Â Â Ã&#x152; Â&#x2030;Â«Â Ã¦ Í´Íµ Ð&#x201A; Í·Í° Â&#x2030;Ã¢Â Ã&#x2039;Ã&#x201C;Ã¦Ã Â&#x2030;ÃÐ&#x201E;Ã¢Â³Ã¦Ã&#x201A;Ï&#x; Ã&#x152;Â&#x2013;Ã&#x201C;Ã²Ã¢Â&#x2030;Â«Â Ä&#x201E;Ã&#x201C;Ã²Ã¢ ÂªÂ&#x2030;ÃÂ°Â Ã¢Ã¦Ï&#x161; Ã²Ã&#x152;Â&#x2013;Ã&#x2026;Â Ã¦Ï&#x161; Ã¦Ã&#x201C;Ã&#x152;Ã¦Ï&#x161; Â&#x2022;Ã¢Ã&#x201C;ÃÂ°Â Ã¢Ã¦Ï&#x161; ÂªÃ¢Â³Â Ã&#x152;Â&#x153;Ã¦Ï&#x161; Â&#x2030;Ã&#x152;Â&#x153; Â&#x2013;Ã&#x201C;Ð&#x201E;Ã¾Ã&#x201C;Ã¢Ã&#x201A;Â Ã¢Ã¦ ÃÃ&#x201C; Â«Â Ã ÃÂ Ã¦ÃÂ Â&#x153;Ï&#x;

KEY PROSTATE CANCER FACTS + CONSIDERATIONS RISK FACTORS Age â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Most prostate cancer cases occur in men age 60 and older. zÂ ÃÏ&#x161; Â&#x2030; Ã¦Â³Â«Ã&#x152;Â³Ä&#x201D;Â&#x2013;Â&#x2030;Ã&#x152;Ã Ã&#x152;Ã²Ã&#x2039;Â&#x2022;Â Ã¢ Ã&#x201C;Âª Ã&#x2039;Â Ã&#x152; are diagnosed in their 40â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s and early 50â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s. Race/Ethnicity â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Black men Â°Â&#x2030;Ã½Â ÃÂ°Â Â°Â³Â«Â°Â Ã¦Ã Â&#x153;Â Â&#x2030;ÃÂ° Ã¢Â&#x2030;ÃÂ ÂªÃ&#x201C;Ã¢ Ã&#x;Ã¢Ã&#x201C;Ã¦ÃÂ&#x2030;ÃÂ Â&#x2013;Â&#x2030;Ã&#x152;Â&#x2013;Â Ã¢ Ã&#x201C;Âª Â&#x2030;Ã&#x152;Ä&#x201E; Ã¢Â&#x2030;Â&#x2013;Â³Â&#x2030;Ã&#x2026; Ã&#x201C;Ã¢ ethnic group in the US, over twice ÃÂ°Â Ã¢Â&#x2030;ÃÂ Ã&#x201C;Âª Ã¾Â°Â³ÃÂ Ã&#x2039;Â Ã&#x152; Â&#x2030;Â&#x2013;Â&#x2013;Ã&#x201C;Ã¢Â&#x153;Â³Ã&#x152;Â« to the American Cancer Society. Family History â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Men with a ÂªÂ&#x2030;ÃÂ°Â Ã¢ Ã&#x201C;Ã¢ Â&#x2022;Ã¢Ã&#x201C;ÃÂ°Â Ã¢ Ã¾Â³ÃÂ° Ã&#x;Ã¢Ã&#x201C;Ã¦ÃÂ&#x2030;ÃÂ cancer are 2.5 times more likely to develop the disease.

SCREENING FOR CANCER

TREATMENT

Prostate cancer screening is via Â&#x2030; Ã¦Â³Ã&#x2039;Ã&#x;Ã&#x2026;Â Â&#x2022;Ã&#x2026;Ã&#x201C;Ã&#x201C;Â&#x153; ÃÂ Ã¦Ã Ð&#x201E; ÃÂ°Â V] Ð&#x201E; Ã¾Â°Â³Â&#x2013;Â° Â&#x2013;Â°Â Â&#x2013;Ã&#x201A;Ã¦ ÃÂ°Â Â&#x2013;Ã&#x201C;Ã&#x152;Â&#x2013;Â Ã&#x152;ÃÃ¢Â&#x2030;ÃÂ³Ã&#x201C;Ã&#x152; Ã&#x201C;Âª Ã&#x;Ã¢Ã&#x201C;Ã¦ÃÂ&#x2030;ÃÂ Ð&#x201E;Ã¦Ã&#x;Â Â&#x2013;Â³Ä&#x201D;Â&#x2013; Â&#x2030;Ã&#x152;ÃÂ³Â«Â Ã&#x152;Ã¦Ï&#x;

Early Detection â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Early diagnosis Â&#x2030;Ã&#x2026;Ã&#x2026;Ã&#x201C;Ã¾Ã¦ ÂªÃ&#x201C;Ã¢ Ã&#x2039;Ã&#x201C;Ã¢Â ÃÃ¢Â Â&#x2030;ÃÃ&#x2039;Â Ã&#x152;Ã Ã&#x201C;Ã&#x;ÃÂ³Ã&#x201C;Ã&#x152;Ã¦ Â&#x2030;Ã&#x152;Â&#x153; Ã&#x2026;Â Â&#x2030;Â&#x153;Ã¦ ÃÃ&#x201C; ÂªÂ&#x2030;Ã¢ Ã&#x2039;Ã&#x201C;Ã¢Â ÂªÂ&#x2030;Ã½Ã&#x201C;Ã¢Â&#x2030;Â&#x2022;Ã&#x2026;Â outcomes.

There is a strong correlation Â&#x2022;Â ÃÃ¾Â Â Ã&#x152; Â&#x2022;Ã&#x201C;ÃÂ° Â Ã&#x2026;Â Ã½Â&#x2030;ÃÂ Â&#x153; V] Ã&#x2026;Â Ã½Â Ã&#x2026;Ã¦ and/or high percentage changes Â³Ã&#x152; Ã¦Â&#x2013;Ã&#x201C;Ã¢Â Ã¦ Â&#x2022;Â ÃÃ¾Â Â Ã&#x152; ÃÂ Ã¦ÃÃ¦ Â&#x2030;Ã&#x152;Â&#x153; ÃÂ°Â Ã&#x;Ã¢Â Ã¦Â Ã&#x152;Â&#x2013;Â Ã&#x201C;Âª Ã&#x;Ã¢Ã&#x201C;Ã¦ÃÂ&#x2030;ÃÂ Â&#x2013;Â&#x2030;Ã&#x152;Â&#x2013;Â Ã¢Ï&#x; Yet, there are other conditions Â&#x2022;Â Ã¦Â³Â&#x153;Â Ã¦ Ã&#x;Ã¢Ã&#x201C;Ã¦ÃÂ&#x2030;ÃÂ Â&#x2013;Â&#x2030;Ã&#x152;Â&#x2013;Â Ã¢ ÃÂ°Â&#x2030;Ã Â&#x2013;Â&#x2030;Ã&#x152; raise PSA levels.

Active Surveillance â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Increasingly Ã&#x2039;Â Ã&#x152; Ã¾Â³ÃÂ° Ã&#x2039;Â³Ã&#x2026;Â&#x153;Â Ã¢ Â&#x2013;Â&#x2030;Ã¦Â Ã¦ Ã&#x201C;Âª Ã&#x;Ã¢Ã&#x201C;Ã¦ÃÂ&#x2030;ÃÂ Â&#x2013;Â&#x2030;Ã&#x152;Â&#x2013;Â Ã¢ Â&#x2030;Ã¢Â Â&#x2030;Â&#x153;Ã½Â³Ã¦Â Â&#x153; Â&#x2022;Ä&#x201E; Â&#x153;Ã&#x201C;Â&#x2013;ÃÃ&#x201C;Ã¢Ã¦ ÃÃ&#x201C; Â&#x2022;Â Â«Â³Ã&#x152; Ã¾Â³ÃÂ° Ã&#x152;Ã&#x201C;Ã&#x152;Ð&#x201E;Ã¦Ã²Ã¢Â«Â³Â&#x2013;Â&#x2030;Ã&#x2026; ÃÃ¢Â Â&#x2030;ÃÃ&#x2039;Â Ã&#x152;Ã Ð&#x201E; Ã&#x2039;Ã&#x201C;Ã&#x152;Â³ÃÃ&#x201C;Ã¢Â³Ã&#x152;Â« ÃÃ²Ã&#x2039;Ã&#x201C;Ã¢Ã¦ Ã½Â³Â&#x2030; ÃÂ°Â V] Â&#x2030;Ã&#x152;Â&#x153; Ã&#x201C;ÃÂ°Â Ã¢ Â&#x2022;Ã&#x2026;Ã&#x201C;Ã&#x201C;Â&#x153; ÃÂ Ã¦ÃÃ¦ Ð&#x201E; ÃÃ&#x201C; measure the diseaseâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s progress.

High or rapidly changing PSA levels can lead to additional tests. cÂ°Â Ã¦Â Â&#x2030;Ã¢Â Ã&#x201C;ÂªÃÂ Ã&#x152; Ã¦Ã&#x201C;Ã&#x;Â°Â³Ã¦ÃÂ³Â&#x2013;Â&#x2030;ÃÂ Â&#x153; Â&#x2022;Ã&#x2026;Ã&#x201C;Ã&#x201C;Â&#x153; ÃÂ Ã¦ÃÃ¦ Â&#x2030;Ã&#x152;Â&#x153; Â&#x2022;Â³Ã&#x201C;Ã&#x;Ã¦Â³Â Ã¦Ï&#x;

Get Another Opinion â&#x20AC;&#x201C; As testing Â&#x2030;Ã&#x152;Â&#x153; Â&#x153;Â ÃÂ Â&#x2013;ÃÂ³Ã&#x201C;Ã&#x152; Ã&#x201C;Âª Ã&#x;Ã¢Ã&#x201C;Ã¦ÃÂ&#x2030;ÃÂ Â&#x2013;Â&#x2030;Ã&#x152;Â&#x2013;Â Ã¢ improve, its treatments evolve. Seeking a second or third opinion is a great approach.

At Fans for the Cure, one of our goals is to become a trusted source for information on prostate cancer, early detection awareness, treatment options, and clinical trials.

Get detailed, fact-based information about prostate cancer on our website. Fans for the Cure is a nonprofit charity, recognized as tax-exempt by the IRS under Section 501(c)(3).

fansforthecure.org/MiLB2017

Photo By: Peggy Sirota

MAKE BRE AKFAST HAPPEN SO KIDS CAN BE HUNGRY FOR MORE

I was one of our nation’s hungry kids growing up. Today, 1 in 5 children in America struggle with hunger. But when they get breakfast, their days are bigger and brighter. Learning, attention, memory and mood improve. Together, we have the power to get breakfast to kids in your neighborhood — let’s make it happen. Go to hungeris.org and lend your time or your voice. Viola Davis, Hunger Is Ambassador

Hunger Is® is a joint initiative of the Albertsons Companies Foundation and the Entertainment Industry Foundation, which are 501(c)(3) charitable organizations.

The food lover’s heart

The book lover’s heart

The lover’s heart

The pulmonary hypertension heart

Pulmonary hypertension puts unbearable stress on the heart. We’re putting our heart into finding a cure. Pulmonary hypertension (PH) narrows arteries in the lungs. This puts pressure on the right side of the heart as it works extra hard to push blood through those arteries. It can cause death from heart failure, and there’s no cure. n At first glance, PH can look like asthma or other less threatening diseases. And undiagnosed and untreated, the average survival time with PH is 2.8 years. n But with early diagnosis, new treatments are extending life expectancy and improving PH patients’ quality of life. n The Pulmonary Hypertension Association, PHA for short, gives hope to PH patients, caregivers, family members and medical professionals through support, education, research and advocacy. At PHA there’s no breathing easy until we find a cure. n Learn how you can help at www.PHAssociation.org

#Heart2CurePH

WE STE RN CON FE RE NC E C HAM PION S

By Darryl Howerton #21

EVEN MORE GOLDEN

It was practically a given that the Golden State Warriors would find themselves back in the Finals after adding one of the gameâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s best players in the offseason. ROCKY WIDNERW/NBAE/GETTY IMAGES

The Finals 2017

hat do you get the team that has everything? Answer: Kevin Durant. Technically, the Warriors didn’t have everything. Even though Golden State set the standard of best regular season with 73 victories last year, the team did fall short of an NBA Championship, losing to the Cleveland Cavaliers, who marched back after being down 3-1. So after finishing a season where they almost had everything, the Warriors had to regroup for a run in 2016-17. What better way to do that then by getting a former MVP and one of the game’s top-five talents? It began in July 2016, when Golden State management shed the contracts of key rotation players Harrison Barnes, Andrew Bogut, Festus Ezeli, Leandro Barbosa, Marreese Speights, Brandon Rush and Anderson Varejao to sign sixtime All-NBA forward Kevin Durant, well, let’s just say the laughs turned into a gulp, as everyone quickly reset their time dials in hopes of catching up with this time-traveling team sent from the future to dominate the present. I mean, who does this? Which team in NBA history—coming off a Leaguerecord 73 wins in 2015-16 and an NBA Championship the season before that—releases half its squad because it has been able to lure a fourth All-NBA player to its 15-man roster? Nobody. No one. Not nowadays. Not three incumbents and one newcomer coming off 2015-16 All-NBA campaigns as 29-year-old point guard Stephen Curry (first team), 27-year-old shooting guard Klay Thompson (third team), 27-year-old power forward Draymond Green (second team) and 28-year-old small forward Durant (second team) did when they united in July 2016 to form some type of Fantastic Four superteam straight out of comic books. You have to go back 54 years to the 1962-63 Boston Celtics to find an All-NBA quartet—featuring Hall of Famers Bill Russell, Bailey Howell, Tom Heinsohn and Bob Cousy—to find a comparable superteam of superheroes. That was also a time when basketball was a niche sport, free agency was still years away, and the NBA fielded just nine teams. The KD-GSW merger is enough to make today’s jilted feel cheated (Oklahoma City), today’s champions now challenged (Cleveland), or turn today’s contenders into hopefuls (San Antonio and Houston). That is what happens when the NBA’s arguably bestshooting point guard (Curry ranks second at his position with .624 TSP and 25.3 points per game), an elite-shooting shooting guard (Thompson ranks fourth at his post with 22.1 ppg and ninth with .592 TSP) and best-shooting small forward (Durant leads small forwards with .651 TSP and second with 25.1 ppg) synergize with the best The Finals 2017

WE ste rn Con fe re nce C ham pion s

Andre Iguodala

David West

Kevin Durant

Kevon Looney

James Michael McAdoo

Draymond Green

JaVale McGee

Matt Barnes

The Finals 2017

Warriors played 103 games; the 2015-16 Warriors played 106). It is around this century mark when Hallof-Fame role players like Andre Iguodala stand out the most, as the former All-Star did—as a converted sixth man—when he won the 2015 NBA Finals MVP award two years ago for his all-around game and the defensive job he pulled on LeBron James. It is the time of year when super seventh men show off their veteran chops, as Shaun Livingston did when he lead all NBA reserves in cumulative postseason plus-minus during the 2015 and 2016 playoffs (+145 in 45 postseason contests), while logging 19 minutes per game. It is the time of postseason when Golden State’s new center acquisitions—starter Zaza Pachulia, reserves David West and JaVale McGee—show they have the same moxie as past Warrior rim protectors, even if the new bigs seemingly play for only six minutes at a time. Or it is the time when Warriors returning (Ian Clark), recycled (Matt Barnes) and renewed (Patrick McCaw) fill in for departed Dubs wings of a year ago. In terms of talent, the Warriors may be the most top-heavy in the NBA, but the rest of the

roster perfectly complements the stars. Yes, the Dubs are back in their expected place, the Finals showcase, taking the preeminent stage as they have the past two postseasons, where they have finished both as champions (2015), runners-up (2016). Only now, Golden State’s stars need a bigger marquee with another big name in Durant, who in turn have become everything people thought he would be with the Warriors, who have become everything people thought they could be as well. Sure, some doubted two former MVPs—Curry and Durant—could get along on the court so swimmingly, but none of those doubters came from inside the Warriors locker room. “You might expect a guy in Steph’s position to guard his throne, do anything he could to make sure he got his touches,” Green told GQ. “But he’s not like that, and that sets an example.” The proof is in the pudding, with arguably the League’s top offensive player (Curry) and defensive player (Green) seeing a decline in most of their individual statistics across the board since Durant joined the team. That said, there has been a notable exception where they rank as League leaders, topping the entire NBA in plus-minus, perhaps the most

Nathaniel S. Butler; Noah Graham (2); Rocky Widner; Andrew D. Bernstein; Garrett Ellwood; Layne Murdoch; Bill Baptist/NBAE/GETTY IMAGES

defensive power forward in the League (Green was Defensive Player of the Year runner-up the past two seasons). With those kind of credits, it is no surprise the Warriors ranked first in offensive efficiency (113.2 points per 100 possessions) and true shooting percentage (.597), second in defensive efficiency (101.1 points allowed per 100 possessions), while also rating seventh all-time in winning percentage (.817) and fourth all-time in margin of victory (+11.63 points per game). How truly awesome were the Warriors in the 2016-17 regular season? The new kid on the block, Durant, missed 20 games, mostly with an MCL sprain, and his new squad survived the ordeal without batting an eyelash, finishing with a League-topping 67-15 record, good for fifth most all time. That is how good these Warriors were in comparison to the rest of the League. Light-years ahead. The playoffs are always another story. The competition gets stiffer and the opponents grow tougher with each progressive round, while attrition also wears down athletes as they near their 100th game of the regular and postseason campaigns (the 2014-15

WE ste rn Con fe re nce C ham pion s

Klay Thompson

Patrick McCaw

Stephen Curry

Shaun Livingston

The Finals 2017

Damian Jones

fun, yet lively, practices have come to a close. “Practice should be fun,” says Curry, “and the coaches and players here make it that way. They make it a place you want to come to work every day.” Even as Coach Kerr battles through back problems that sidelined him during this postseason—as he was for half of the 2015-16 regular season—the Warriors still keep their championship coach’s template in place. Golden State’s current interim coach Mike Brown is doing the same, telling the San Francisco Chronicle that Kerr and Company have had ownership of this squad for three years, so he’s trying not to change a thing. Livingston expounded on the subject to The Chronicle, adding, “Everyday with Coach Kerr, it’s something new and that’s hard to do. We’re here six to nine months for the past couple years, seeing the same faces. So it’s kind of like a job, but he makes it more like a game, tries to make sure that we’re enjoying ourselves out there.” You can see the change in attitude in Durant’s style of play. In Oklahoma City, he seemed to be fueled by anger and slights.

Zaza Pachulia

At Golden State, he laughs and smiles more. That cannot be mere coincidence, right? Winning definitely brings happiness, but championships— veteran Warriors have discovered— brought absolute giddiness. Which brings us to present day— the 2017 Finals. As Curry tells ESPN The Magazine, “At the end of the day, if I’ve learned anything, it’s what happens next that matters.” Alas, so true. Let us calm back down now. It is Boom or Bust here in the land near Silicon Valley, which knows such bubbles all too well. So as fans continue to raise the roof on resale-marketplace ticket prices (remember NBAtickets.com) in hopes of a live glimpse of America’s most beloved and fun-loving team, the Warriors carry on. As Dubs fans continue to make Warriors basketball must-see TV, resulting in the highest TV ratings for both national and local games this season, the Warriors move forward. Yes, it is a most fun venture, but nowadays, everyone at the fifth floor is working on the most subtle, game-changing nuances—fine-tuning their fast-and-furious machine. Let’s run more pick-and-rolls for both Steph and Kev. We didn’t run enough. We need more off-ball movement to free up shooters with better screens. Keep the floor spaced. Shoot from deep, 28 feet, if you got it. This is not your typical practice. But then again, you knew that, because this is not your typical team.

Noah Graham (4); Jordan Johnson; Chris Covatta; Bill Baptist/NBAE/GETTY IMAGES

important statistic, with Curry ranking first (+1016) and Green second (+824) in the NBA in 2016-17, after Green ranked first and Curry second in 2015-16. (In a hilarious aside, Thompson—famous for saying he wasn’t sacrificing for Durant—has been true to his word, averaging the same amount of points and shots he averaged before KD got to Oakland; that said, he ranks third in the NBA in plus-minus at +799). This selfless attitude by the Warriors’ leaders should surprise no one. Anybody who spent any time around a Steve Kerr-coached, Curry-led, Green-infused squad already knows this is a franchise whose leaders love to share the credit and live to spread the joy to all. If one did not know better, one might think the Warriors practice facility—located on the fifth floor of the downtown Oakland Marriott— was the hottest nightclub in the Bay Area. Only it functions in the daytime when the Warriors practice in daylight. There, you can hear lively, game-simulated music streaming throughout loud speakers as three of the world’s best shooters engage in extracurricular shooting contests well after their 24

Ian Clark

CHANGING THE WORLD IS A CONTACT SPORT. People with intellectual disabilities are excluded and discriminated against every day. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s time we team up and take to the field to change this. Together, as one, intolerance and injustice donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t stand a chance. Game On! Join the team at playunified.org

WE STE RN CON FE RE NC E C HAM PION S

By Darryl Howerton

RETURN ENGAGEMENT

After playing in the Finals five years ago, Kevin Durant knew he’d be back on basketball’s grandest stage.

K 26

The Finals 2017

ANDREW D. BERNSTEIN/NBAE/GETTY IMAGES

evin Durant last appeared on this Finals stage ﬁve years ago when the Oklahoma City Thunder met the Miami Heat in what was supposed to be the ﬁrst of a halfdozen epic clashes for dynasty rights to the 2010s decade. On one side stood the hottest team South Florida could attract: LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh and whichever ring-chasing veterans wanted to sign with the Miami Heat. On the other side stood Oklahoma City’s pure homegrown talent: KD himself, Russell Westbrook, James Harden and Serge Ibaka. Today it is a dream done faded to black: The OKC once-ina-lifetime dynasty that never was. Miami’s hot spot once again belongs to Liv and not the AmericanAirlines Center. Same as it never was. The Miami Heat won the 2012 Finals, 4-1, with the younger Thunder soon realizing that would become their peak achievement.

Noah Graham (2); Brock Williams-Smith/NBAE/GETTY IMAGEs

In short time thereafter, Oklahoma City’s dynasty deliberately dismantled: James Harden was dealt to Houston for fiscal reasons; two-and-a-half years later the team needed a new voice at the helm, replacing head coach Scott Brooks with Billy Donovan; then a year later, Serge Ibaka was traded to Orlando. By the time Durant became an unrestricted free agent in July 2016, the Thunder franchise, as he knew it, was no longer the Thunder franchise he helped raise. So was it really any surprise that Durant—a Seattle-SuperSonic-rookie-slash-OKCThunder original—would leave for a different

Green says the Warriors’ sales job on the team’s culture, dynasty and style of play is what ultimately got KD to sign on the dotted line. Everyone knew Durant would be a perfect fit with these Warriors, with future teammates telling him they were willing to sacrifice their games for the privilege to play with the 28-year-old legend for a 100-plus regular season and postseason games. They weren’t lying about the mesh, best evidenced by Durant’s scoring prowess (25-point scoring average) coupled with an ultra-efficient true shooting percentage (.651). But it was KD’s all-around game—8 rebounds,

that ultimately sidelined him for 19 games. Durant used the time off wisely, studying the ways of the Warriors to see how he could better incorporate his tall-forward efficiency with the Splash Brothers’ lethal speeds of quickness along the three-point arc, coupled with their deep launching codes. “I kind of upgraded how I think the game,” Durant said on The Bill Simmons Podcast in March. “The way we play is so fast. Sometimes you don’t realize what’s going on. And I see different spots where I can hit the floor to free myself up and my teammates up.” Durant would slowly play himself back into shape following the injury rehab, returning to

destination with dynastic destiny? In retrospect, Durant owed it to himself to see what else the hoops world had for him after nine years of dedication to one franchise in two cities. So long, Oklahoma. Hello, Oakland. “It really pains me to know that I will disappoint so many people with this choice,” Durant wrote in The Players’ Tribune on July 4, 2016, as his official free-agent announcement to the world. “But I believe I am doing what I feel is the right thing at this point in my life and my playing career.” Golden State Warriors power forward Draymond Green told The Undefeated (July 4, 2016) it was quite obvious Durant would choose the Warriors over the Thunder once he considered the dynastic ramifications. “We asked him how many championships do you think we can win with the way our team is now? How many championships can you win in Oklahoma City without us? How many do you think we can win together here at Golden State?”

5 assists and 2 blocks in a career-low 33 minutes per game—that was making NBA folk compare his 2016-17 season to his 2013-14 NBA MVP season. As for the 2016-17 Warriors, they were business as usual, coming off an NBA-record 73-win season in 2015-16 and a 2015 NBA Championship the year before that. That said, Golden State’s 2016-17 reboot was no less demoralizing to the rest of the League, with the Dubs getting off to a 16-2 start through the month of November. As the synergy between Durant and Curry grew, the on-court results became downright dominant. Curry told GQ in May: “There was a moment where me and Kevin took over. It wasn’t forced. There was a flow to it. There are times when it happens with this team with more than one person, and sometimes all five. I don’t know what it is, but it is very … unusual.” In time, Golden State raised its record to 50-9, just after the All-Star break in February, at which point Durant suffered an MCL sprain

the lineup for the team’s last three games of the regular season, as the Warriors capped a 67-15 campaign. Then the 6-9, 240-pound forward slowly worked himself back into shape during the playoffs, playing two of four games against the swept Portland Trail Blazers in the opening round, before returning to full strength in the Semifinals vs. the Utah Jazz and the Conference Finals against the San Antonio Spurs. It is all set up to be some type of fairytale story that just needs the happily-ever-after ending to be written. Which brings us back to our Finals stage. It is five years later. Kevin Durant has returned to face LeBron James. Durant has a team of dynasty and teammates of future legend by his side. But so too does LeBron, which brings us to the Finals questions. Does history repeat itself? Or does KD rewrite history?

The Finals 2017

WE ste rn Con fe re nce C ham pion s

GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS

Steve Kerr Head Coach

Matt Barnes No.: 22

Ian Clark No.: 21

Stephen Curry No.: 30

Born: 9-27-65 College: Arizona Year Coaching in NBA: 3

Position: Forward Height: 6-7 Weight: 226 Born: 3-9-80 College: UCLA Year in NBA: 14

Position: Guard Height: 6-3 Weight: 175 Born: 3-7-91 College: Belmont Year in NBA: 4

Position: Guard Height: 6-3 Weight: 190 Born: 3-14-88 College: Davidson Year in NBA: 8

Kevin Durant No.: 35

Draymond Green No.: 23

Andre Iguodala No.: 9

Damian Jones No.: 15

Shaun Livingston No.: 34

Kevon Looney No.: 5

James Michael McAdoo No.: 20

Patrick McCaw No.: 0

JaVale McGee No.: 1

Zaza Pachulia No.: 27

Klay Thompson No.: 11

David West No.: 3

Position: Forward Height: 6-9 Weight: 240 Born: 9-29-88 College: Texas Year in NBA: 10

Position: Guard Height: 6-7 Weight: 185 Born: 10-25-95 College: Nevada-Las Vegas Year in NBA: 1

Position: Guard-Forward Height: 6-6 Weight: 215 Born: 1-28-84 College: Arizona Year in NBA: 13

Position: Center Height: 7-0 Weight: 270 Born: 1-19-88 College: Nevada Year in NBA: 9

Position: Center Height: 7-0 Weight: 245 Born: 6-30-95 College: Vanderbilt Year in NBA: 1

Position: Center Height: 6-11 Weight: 275 Born: 2-10-84 Country: Georgia Year in NBA: 14

Position: Guard Height: 6-7 Weight: 192 Born: 9-11-85 High School: Peoria Central (IL) Year in NBA: 13

Position: Guard Height: 6-7 Weight: 215 Born: 2-8-90 College: Washington St. Year in NBA: 6

Position: Forward Height: 6-9 Weight: 220 Born: 2-6-96 College: UCLA Year in NBA: 2

Position: Forward Height: 6-9 Weight: 250 Born: 8-29-80 College: Xavier Year in NBA: 14

Coaching Staff Assistant Coaches: Ron Adams, Mike Brown, Jarron Collins Assistant Coaches/Player Development: Chris DeMarco, Bruce Fraser, Willie Green Head Athletic Trainer: Drew Yoder

The Finals 2017

Jack Arent (14); NoAh Graham/NBAE/GETTY IMAGES

Position: Forward Height: 6-9 Weight: 240 Born: 1-4-93 College: North Carolina Year in NBA: 3

Position: Forward Height: 6-7 Weight: 230 Born: 3-4-90 College: Michigan St. Year in NBA: 5

THE NEW ALBUM

AVAILABLE EVERYWHERE NOW

WE ste rn Con fe re nce C ham pion s

GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS

Head Coach: Head Athletic Trainer:

Assistant Coaches:

Assistant Coaches/Player Development:

FIELD GOALS NO. PLAYER

3-POINT FG

FREE THROWS

REBOUNDS

MISC.

MIN

FGA

PCT

FGA

PCT

FTA

PCT

OFF

DEF

TOT

POINTS

Stephen Curry

2638

675

1443

.468

324

789

.411

325

362

.898

292

353

AST 524

Kevin Durant

2070

551

1026

.537

117

312

.375

336

384

.875

474

513

300

1555

25.1

Klay Thompson

2649

644

1376

.468

268

647

.414

186

218

.853

236

285

160

1742

22.3

Draymond Green

2471

272

650

.418

263

.308

151

213

.709

501

599

106

776

10.2

Andre Iguodala

1998

219

415

.528

177

.362

102

.706

574

7.6

Ian Clark

1137

211

433

.487

163

.374

.759

304 121

253 99

533 261

154

527

6.8

Zaza Pachulia

1268

164

307

.534

126

.778

140

270

410

132

426

6.1

JaVale McGee

739

208

319

.652

2 3

.000

111

.505

100

144

244

472

6.1

Matt Barnes

410

.422

.346

.870

114

5.7

Shaun Livingston

1345

173

316

.547

.333

.700

123

151

139

David West

854

135

252

.536

.375

.768

156

151

389 316

5.1 4.6

Patrick McCaw

1074

106

245

.433

123

.333

.784

4.0

457

117

.530

.250

.500

32 18

282

James Michael McAdoo

77 18

79 57

203 100

20 48

47 21

38 42

147

2.8

Kevon Looney

447

107

.523

.222

.618

124

135

2.5

Damian Jones

.500

.300

1.9

Briante Weber

.357

.000

.667

1.7

Anderson Varejao

.357

.727

3532

.495

982

.383

1457

1850

.788

785

555

9503

1.3 115.9

OPPONENTS

19780

3181

7140 7311

10 2491

19780

27 3643

12 770

Warriors

0 2562

.435

737

2277

.324

1450

1905

.761

963

3567

1862

705

313

8549

104.3

The Finals 2017

Draymond Green led the team in total assists, rebounds, blocks and steals.

BLK

PTS

AVG

1999

25.3

This was the ninth season in a row that Kevin Durant averaged at least 25 points per game.

Andrew D. Bernstein; Kent Smith; Noah Graham/NBAE/GETTY IMAGES

Stephen Curry eclipsed 300 three-pointers for the second time in his career (324) while shooting .411 from deep.

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Pointing the Way

With point guard becoming the most valuable position in the NBA, the incoming NBA Draft class of 2017 will offer teams plenty to choose from.

T 34

The Finals 2017

Markelle Fultz

Height: 6-4 Weight: 190 College: Washington Projected Position: Point guard Three years ago, not too many people had heard about Fultz, who was an undersized point man in Baltimore. Before he blew up during his junior year in high school, the big boys weren’t paying much attention to him. That’s how he ended up at Washington, where he had a strong 2016-17 season, averaging averaging 23.2 points, 5.9 assists and 5.7 rebounds. “I love him,” the Western exec says. “Not only is he the best pick; he’s also the safest pick. He’s a polished shooter, handles it and is an NBA athlete. He’s got it all.” Fultz’s stated position is the point, but he could well end up playing off the ball. That’s how well he shoots it. If there is a knock on Fultz, it’s that his Washington team finished 9-22 and last in the Pac-12. The Eastern Conference personnel man calls him “the whole package” but wonders why the team didn’t get any better with him on it. The Eastern exec dismisses that. “He didn’t have a lot of talent around him,” he says.

Josh Jackson

Height: 6-8 Weight: 205 College: Kansas Projected Position: S mall forward/ Shooting guard Even though Jackson had off-court troubles in Lawrence, Kansas, he brings a tremendous skill set to the NBA, and the ability, in the words of the Western exec, “to be a top-10 wing within three or four years.” There isn’t too much Jackson cannot accomplish on the court. He can handle it, shoots it pretty well and works hard. “He likes to defend, has toughness, and his athleticism is off the charts,” the Western personnel man says. Off the court, he had a couple of incidents that have created concern. “That’s a big question with him,” the Eastern personnel man says. “How will he explain what he did off the floor?” Jackson can score off the dribble and from the wing, and he is a willing passer, not something that can be said often about scorers. “He’s very high on my board,” the Western exec says. “He plays the right way.” Christian Petersen; Jamie Squire/GETTY IMAGES

here can be no denying the fact that the most important position in the NBA right now is point guard. Though the world’s best player happens to be LeBron James, a hybrid forward/linebacker/bulldozer, teams rely on their floor leaders more than ever and expect them to score, rebound, defend and lead. The better teams have top shelf creators, so a Draft top-heavy with players at that spot presents some unique opportunities for franchises in need of help there. “Clearly, if you don’t have a great point guard in this League, you have no chance,” a Western Conference executive says. “If you are one of the teams at the top of this Draft, and you don’t have a point guard, there are five guys who will play in the League for the next decade. You don’t have to go after a veteran.” The executive is talking about Washington’s Markelle Fultz, UCLA’s Lonzo Ball, Kentucky’s De’Aaron Fox, North Carolina State’s Dennis Smith Jr. and Frank Ntilikina of France, each of whom should go in the top 10. It’s a talented Draft and an especially deep Draft, as opposed to last year, when most considered the crop of hopefuls to be comprised of LSU’s Ben Simmons, Duke’s Brandon Ingram and everybody else. “Teams drafting 10-to-15 and 15-to-20 will get good players who will help a bench,” an Eastern Conference personnel man says. This Draft could even provide some help for those teams sitting in the 20s. “If you can get [Arizona forward Lauri] Markkanen at nine or 10, it’s a good Draft,” says a Western personnel man. Here’s a look at the top 15 players in this year’s crop of Draft hopefuls.

By Michael Bradley

De’Aaron Fox

Lonzo Ball

If anybody wants to know why some have Fox rated ahead of Ball, consult the NCAA regional semifinal matchup between UK and UCLA and watch Fox “destroy”—in the words of the Eastern personnel man—the Bruin guard. Fox has the quickness and ability to blow by just about any defender and the defensive prowess and want-to to stay in front of plenty of people. “You have to look at him as a much more athletic version of Rajon Rondo,” the Western Exec says. “He can rebound it. He sees it. He can finish. You can’t keep him in front of you. He’s the best on-ball defender in the Draft. You can’t get by the guy.” The biggest knock on Fox is his shot. He made 52 percent of his two-point attempts—mostly layups—but a weak 24.6 of his tries behind the arc. In today’s NBA, where players can’t use their hands on rival drivers, Fox will be able to accomplish a lot, especially if he’s surrounded by shooters. “He has next level explosiveness to the basket,” says the Western personnel man.

It’s unfortunate that Ball’s college career was hijacked by his dad’s histrionics and lookat-me showmanship. LaVar Ball has gained notoriety because of his outrageous statements and proclamations. Meanwhile, his son has become one of the more intriguing prospects in the Draft. “Any coach would want Ball,” the Western personnel man says. “He makes people better, and that’s the best compliment you can give a point guard. His teammates thrive around him, because he’s such a good passer.” Ball is outstanding at tossing ahead-of-the-field passes and lobs. He’s a fine athlete and is excellent on the break. But he doesn’t have great lateral quickness and isn’t good taking defenders off the dribble. His shot is also rather odd—he brings it from the left side over his head—a condition that could lead to difficulties shooting off screens and against faster NBA close-outs. Will he be willing to change? That’s a big question. Then there is LaVar. NBA players have had nutty families before, but LaVar is more than just an eccentric uncle. “He has decided he’s Don King,” the Western exec says. “It’s as if he believes, ‘The louder and more abrasive I am, the more attention I get.’”

Andy Lyons (2); Lance King; (2)/GETTY IMAGES

Height: 6-4 Weight: 175 College: Kentucky Projected Position: Point guard

Height: 6-6 Weight: 190 College: UCLA Projected Position: Point guard

Jayson Tatum

Height: 6-8 Weight: 205 College: Duke Projected Position: S mall forward/ Power forward There is no denying Tatum’s status as one of the first five players in the NBA Draft, but there are some questions about his position, as well as his pedigree. The Western personnel man thinks he “could be the No. 1 pick in the Draft.” The Eastern personnel man is equally high on him. “I think he’s going to be really special,” he says. “He has the kind of skill set to make plays from the wing and the top. He can score from every angle.” Tatum has good size, can put the ball on the floor and can make a jump shot. He has good instincts and can make plays, but the question is whether he can guard anybody at the small forward position. The Western exec doesn’t think so. “There’s no way he’s guarding threes,” he says. “He needs to be a four man.” That could be a problem, unless Tatum beefs up. Then, there is the recent Duke factor. The Blue Devils’ last couple frontcourt products—Jahlil Okafor, Brandon Ingram—haven’t yet emerged as major forces. That’s an unscientific way of looking at things, but it will make at least a few teams stop and think.

Dennis Smith Jr. Height: 6-3 Weight: 195 College: North Carolina St. Projected Position: Point guard

Smith has plenty of big fans, but there are some concerns about his health and his game that could push him further down in the Lottery hierarchy. When Smith was in high school, he was unstoppable, thanks to a rare blend of top-shelf athletic ability, speed and balance. He is more of a lead guard than a pure point man, but that is hardly a problem in an NBA where Steph Curry, Russell Westbrook and James Harden score and distribute in large quantities. The biggest question with Smith regards his health. He tore his left ACL in the summer of 2015 and missed the entire 2015-16 campaign. “Has he come fully back?” the Western personnel man asks. The other issue with Smith is that he had some poor games last year, not exactly what a team wants to see when it is deciding how to use its top-10 pick. “You’re going to have to do a lot of homework on him,” the Western personnel man says.

The Finals 2017

Jonathan Isaac

Malik Monk

Lauri Markkanen

Zach Collins

Isaac holds the distinction of having perhaps the highest ceiling and lowest floor of anyone in the Draft. The Seminole product does a lot of things on the court. He can shoot it, handle it a little bit, and has a presence at the rim. “He is so versatile and so athletic,” the Eastern Conference personnel man says. “He can do things at his size that you shouldn’t be able to do. That makes him fascinating.” But there are some questions. “His body is an issue, because he is so lean,” the Western exec says. “And his motor doesn’t rev the whole time.” Isaac can play the four on offense, but he’s going to have some trouble defending stronger power forwards, thanks to his lack of heft. If he’s asked to stick to a three man, he might not have the quickness or desire. If he gets comfortable somewhere, he can become a big threat, especially if he can add some weight.

Anybody expecting Monk to be an immediate transformational player in the NBA will likely be disappointed. His lack of size makes him something of a question as a starting two man. In fact, he will likely be better as a reserve. “He’s the best shooter of the bunch and would be good as a microwave guy off the bench,” the Western exec says. Monk can score in a lot of ways. He does have good range, and he can take people off the dribble. “He can get you 30,” the Western personnel man says. Some have compared Monk to Bradley Beal, but that is a dangerous comparison, because Monk doesn’t have the handle Beal does. Still, he will be a top 10 pick. “If you get him in the eight-nine-10 area, you’ll be getting a nice player,” the Eastern personnel man says.

In today’s NBA, it’s important to have big men who can shoot the basketball, and Markkanen does that. “He’s got a lot of range,” the Eastern personnel man says. Much like another former Wildcat, Channing Frye, Markkanen is a clear stretch four, who is a better athlete than most people think. Just don’t expect to see him spending a lot of time near the hoop at either end. “He doesn’t rebound, and he doesn’t do anything at the rim,” the Western exec says. Markkanen averaged 15.6 ppg last year and made 42.3 percent of his three-point attempts, quite a fine show of marksmanship from behind the arc. He will provide offensive balance and the ability to work well in pick-androll situations.

Although Collins didn’t log huge minutes throughout the entire season, he was incredibly valuable in late February and March and will enter the NBA as that ultimate rarity: a true pivotman. “He’s a legit center who can shoot the three ball,” the Western exec says. “He scores over both shoulders, protects the rim and can rebound. He can work from the post, run the floor and pass it.” Whatever team takes Collins must wait for all of that talent to coalesce into an NBA game. The 19-year old is “really solid fundamentally,” according to the Western personnel man, but his counterpart from the Eastern Conference worries about how well he will be able to adjust to heading out to the arc to switch onto shooters. It’s going to take some time for it all to come together.

Height: 6-11 Weight: 210 College: Florida St. Projected Position: Power Forward

The Finals 2017

Height: 7-0 Weight: 230 College: Arizona Projected Position: Power Forward

Height: 7-0 Weight: 230 College: Gonzaga Projected Position: Center

Mike Ehrmann; Andy Lyons; Ezra Shaw; Lance King/GETTY IMAGES

Height: 6-4 Weight: 185 College: Kentucky Projected Position: Shooting guard

Frank Ntilikina

Terrance Ferguson

Because Ntilikina is so young (he doesn’t turn 19 until late July), he didn’t get a lot of playing time this past season in the French league, which isn’t all that unusual. But don’t worry, Ntilikina can play the point. “He knows how to deliver the ball,” the Eastern personnel man says. “He’s not a skywalker, but he’s a good athlete with good size and good basketball acumen. Wherever he ends up, they will be happy to have him. He knows the position and is a competitive, smart kid.” Ntilikina shoots the ball well enough but isn’t overly explosive. His knowledge of the game will help him considerably at the point.

Because Ferguson did not spend his first year out of high school at an NCAA school, few casual fans know about him. But the swingman did some good things in Australia and will bring some versatility and athletic ability to the wing. Don’t expect Ferguson to create well off the dribble or finish in traffic. He’ll be a valuable piece as a shooter and on the break. “He’s a guy who can make threes and has a good vertical leap,” the Western executive says. “He doesn’t run well, but he can jump. He can also catch, fire and make shots. He wore down a little as the [2016-17 season] went on.”

Height: 6-7 Weight: 185 Previous Team: Adelaide 36ers (Australia) Projected Position: S mall forward/ Shooting guard

Jarrett Allen

T.J. Leaf

Although Allen measured just 6-9 with his shoes off at the Combine, he has some skill and plenty of potential. “I think he’s going to be really good,” the Eastern personnel man says. “He has a good base, and though he has to put on some weight and figure out how to play hard all the time, he is coordinated and can block shots.” Allen has good instincts and a good shooting touch to the midrange area. He can rebound some and finish fairly well close to the basket. Whatever team takes him has to figure out how best to use him.

A lot of Leaf’s future success will depend on the team that chooses him. If he goes to an established franchise that can plug him into a set role that takes advantage of his skill set, he will be fine. If he gets drafted by a team with an ill-fitting system, he could be seen as a bust. Leaf is not overly athletic, and he isn’t going to dazzle with his physique. But he is skilled and can pass. He’ll make shots and is solid in the post. “He knows how to play,” the Western exec says. “He has good instincts.”

Height: 6-10 Weight: 235 College: Texas Projected Position: Center

Height: 6-10 Weight: 225 College: UCLA Projected Position: Power forward

Alain-Marc Oberle; Chris Hyde; Chris Covatta; Andy Lyons/GETTY IMAGES

Height: 6-5 Weight: 170 Country: France Projected Position: Point guard

The Finals 2017

Justin Patton

Height: 7-0 Weight: 230 College: Creighton Projected Position: Center

Patton is extremely long and a very good athlete who has plenty of skills that will help a team immediately. “He moves well, can go laterally, will guard the pick-and-roll and has plenty of length,” the Western exec says. “He can make an immediate impact defensively and running the floor.” The question with Patton, other than this raw offensive game— although he does have some skill— is his maturity. He redshirted his first year at Creighton to get ready for the rigors of college ball, and there are concerns about whether he’ll need even more time to handle everything that comes with the NBA. “He’ll be fine,” the Eastern personnel man says. “He has a high skill level.”

POSITION RANKINGS

2017 NBA Draft Order *

Point Guards 1. Markelle Fultz, Washington 2. De’Aaron Fox, Kentucky 3. Lonzo Ball, UCLA 4. Dennis Smith, North Carolina State 5. Frank Ntilikina, France 6. Frank Mason III, Kansas 7. Monte Morris, Iowa State 8. Frank Jackson, Duke 9. Jawun Evans, Oklahoma State 10. Isaiah Briscoe, Kentucky

First Round 1. Boston (from Brooklyn) 2. Los Angeles Lakers 3. Philadelphia (from Sacramento) 4. Phoenix 5. Sacramento (from Philadelphia) 6. Orlando 7. Minnesota 8. New York 9. Dallas 10. Sacramento (from New Orleans) 11. Charlotte 12. Detroit 13. Denver 14. Miami 15. Portland 16. Chicago 17. Milwaukee 18. Indiana 19. Atlanta 20. Portland (from Memphis via Denver and Cleveland) 21. Oklahoma City 22. Brooklyn (from Washington) 23. Toronto (from L.A. Clippers via Milwaukee) 24. Utah 25. Orlando (from Toronto) 26. Portland (from Cleveland) 27. Brooklyn (from Boston) 28. Los Angeles Lakers (from Houston) 29. San Antonio 30. Utah (from Golden State)

Shooting Guards 1. Malik Monk, Kentucky 2. Terrance Ferguson, Australia 3. Luke Kennard, Duke 4. Donovan Mitchell, Louisville 5. Josh Hart, Villanova 6. Sindarius Thornwell, South Carolina 7. Derrick White, Colorado 8. Dwayne Bacon, Florida State 9. P.J. Dozier, South Carolina 10. Nigel Williams-Goss, Gonzaga Small Forwards 1. Josh Jackson, Kansas 2. OG Anunoby, Indiana 3. Justin Jackson, North Carolina 4. Tyler Lydon, Syracuse 5. Semi Ojeleye, SMU 6. Hamidou Diallo, Kentucky 7. Dillon Brooks, Oregon 8. Jaron Blossomgame, Clemson 9. Jonah Bolden, Australia 10. Wesley Iwundu, Kansas State Power Forwards 1. Jayson Tatum, Duke 2. Jonathan Isaac, Florida State 3. Lauri Markkanen, Arizona 4. T.J. Leaf, UCLA 5. Harry Giles, Duke 6. John Collins, Wake Forest 7. Ike Anigbogu, UCLA 8. Ivan Rabb, California 9. Kyle Kuzma, Utah 10. Caleb Swanigan, Purdue Centers 1. Zach Collins, Gonzaga 2. Jarrett Allen, Texas 3. Justin Patton, Creighton 4. Bam Adebayo, Kentucky 5. Kennedy Meeks, North Carolina

The Finals 2017

Thearon W. Henderson/GETTY IMAGES

* As of May 18, 2017. Subject to change.

Second Round 31. Atlanta (from Brooklyn) 32. Phoenix 33. Orlando (from L.A. Lakers) 34. Sacramento (from Philadelphia via New Orleans) 35. Orlando 36. Philadelphia (from New York via Utah and Toronto) 37. Boston (from Minnesota via Phoenix) 38. Chicago (from Sacramento via Cleveland) 39. Philadelphia (from Dallas) 40. New Orleans 41. Charlotte 42. Utah (from Detroit) 43. Houston (from Denver) 44. New York (from Chicago) 45. Houston (from Portland) 46. Philadelphia (from Miami via Atlanta) 47. Indiana 48. Milwaukee 49. Denver (from Memphis via Oklahoma City) 50. Philadelphia (from Atlanta) 51. Denver (from Oklahoma City) 52. Washington 53. Boston (from Cleveland) 54. Phoenix (from Toronto) 55. Utah 56. Boston (from L.A. Clippers) 57. Brooklyn (from Boston) 58. New York (from Houston) 59. San Antonio 60. Atlanta (from Golden State via Philadelphia and Utah)

TO BE GREAT YOU NEED TO WIN GAMES YOU ARENâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;T SUPPOSED TO WIN. DR. J

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WINNING They didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know it at the time, but the Boston Celticsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; first championship in 1957 would be the beginning of one of the greatest dynasties in all of sports.

The Finals 2017

ROOTS NBA PHOTOS/NBAE/GETTY IMAGES

By Bob Ryan

ame 1 and Game 7 had the same final score, 125-123. Different winner, but each game went two overtimes. There was a little extracurricular activity prior to Game 3 when the coach of one team punched the owner of the other team. Game 7 featured two of the greatest rookie performances ever seen in a Finals deciding game. And Yogi would have been scratching his head, because when the series was over, the season wasn’t. Welcome to 1957, and a very different NBA than the one we know now. The Boston Celtics had been the best team all year long, winning the East with a 44-28 record. They had been bridesmaids throughout the ’50s, but things changed dramatically when the bountiful 1956 NBA Draft produced Holy Cross star forward Tom Heinsohn as a territorial draft pick (from 1949 through 1966, the fledging NBA allowed teams to forfeit their first-round pick to select a college star that played within a 50-mile radius of the franchise in the hopes of tapping into local support for the team) and University of San Francisco standout center Bill Russell. The two-time NCAA champion and Olympic gold medalist was made available through the machinations of coach/general manager Red Auerbach and owner Walter Brown, who had to find ways to appease both Rochester and St. Louis in order to acquire him.

The Finals 2017

Bill Russell

The Finals 2017

That wiped the smile off the faces of the Boston media. “It will be difficult to contend with the Hawks from here on,” warned the Globe’s Clif Keane. “They sounded as if they had found the key to the Fort Knox mint after the game. A Mario Lanza with his high tenor voice would have sounded like a bass drum if he were screeching alongside coach Alex Hannum of the Hawks.” Martin, who had neutralized Cousy, stated his case. “He’s the ball club as far as I’m concerned,” Martin declared. “I don’t think they could do much without him. He’s going to throw in plenty of baskets against me. But I’m going to make him earn every one of them.” On the losing side, Russell was practically morose. “I played a real lousy game,” he sighed. “Horrible. I don’t know what the matter was. I was just lousy; that’s all.” Cousy was a brooder, and he was in classic form before Game 2, which was played the next day. “He doesn’t say much at home, or anywhere,” announced his wife, Missy. “But last night he kept muttering about, ‘wrapping up that Martin tomorrow.’” Hence the headline in the Globe following Boston’s 119-99 seriesevening victory: COUSY 22, MARTIN 8: Ired Celtics’ Star Gives Lesson to ‘Pest’ Snapped The Cooz, “There’s your Martin—everything all right now?” Oh, and Russell came through with 25 rebounds. The big issue now was a disturbing five-day delay before the series resumption in St. Louis. But Boston did get good news when star sixth man Frank Ramsey learned he would be released from his Army Reserve duty in order to participate in the remainder of the series. Remember the part about this being a different NBA? This is also a good time to mention that upon conclusion of the series the Celtics would be embarking on a 17-game postseason exhibition tour planned to take them everywhere from Des Moines to Honolulu. No kidding. Auerbach had few fans among his peers in the League, and surely Alex Hannum was not among them. He enlivened the lag period by telling

The Stevenson Collection; Dick Raphael/NBAE/GETTY IMAGES

St. Louis, Minneapolis and Ft. Wayne had tied for the West regular season crown with identical 34-38 records. The Hawks won two tiebreaker games to claim the top seed in the West, and then awaited the winner of the Lakers-Pistons semifinal series. St. Louis swept Minneapolis 3-0 to reach the NBA Finals, where they were being greeted with enormous disrespect by the Boston media. “The Celtics have an easy layup for the hoop title,” said Boston Globe columnist Harold Kaese. “The Celtics could probably spot any team 25 points a game and beat them in a series.” Oh, how Auerbach must have loved that bulletin board material. Red himself was quite subdued, at least publicly. He had been in the NBA from its 1946 founding as the Basketball Association of America (BAA), and in Boston since 1950. This was the opportunity he’d be waiting for. “This is for the whole works,” he said. “You know what that means? You’re closer to the buried treasure...that much more tension.” Auerbach respected the Hawks, all right. Bob Pettit was the greatest NBA forward of the League’s first 15 years. Slater Martin was a tough little guard who for years had given Boston star Bob Cousy his most uncomfortable moments. Forward Cliff Hagan, who along with center (Easy) Ed Macauley had been involved in the deal that brought Russell to Boston, was a tough rookie customer. The Celtics had gone 7-2 against the Hawks during the regular season, but five of the games had been decided by three points or less. As was Game 1. And the 125-123 game did not end in Boston’s favor. It was a battle from the opening tap. Boston led, 74-71, after three periods. The Celtics trailed late in the fourth by a 102-97 score, but got into overtime on a patented putback by Heinsohn, one of the greatest offensive rebounders ever to play. Cousy hit a 25-foot one-handed push shot at 0:11 to send them into a second overtime tied at 113 apiece. “He put it where it belonged,” wrote the Globe’s Jack Barry. But St. Louis’ Jack Coleman, who would be featured in a pivotal Game 7 play, sent the 5,976 Boston Garden fans home in a sour mood with a game-winning 15-foot hook to seal a 125-23 Hawks’ triumph.

Tommy Heinsohn

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1946-47 Philadelphia Warriors

First Finals

Bob Pettit and Russell (#6)

The Finals 2017

the series, really looked like himself. The series was heating up. Jack Barry, who had been at the Celtics’ very ﬁrst practice in 1946, raved that these Finals were “one of the most thrilling in the loop’s 11-year history.” By this time the teams had played 13 games that year, with seven decided by three points or less.

DICK RAPHAEL; NBA PHOTOS/NBAE/GETTY IMAGES

Bud Thies of the St. Louis Globe-Democrat that Auerbach loved to employ tough guys. “Red Auerbach has a couple of hatchet men in Jim Loscutoff and Dickie Hemric,” Hannum declared, “and is not above using them. Auerbach has always been a moaner and complainer and he’s taught that kind of ball.” But Hannum, a player-coach, was not exactly a ballet dancer himself. Replied Auerbach, “Who is he to talk? I could have had Hannum from Rochester a couple of years ago almost for the asking but I didn’t want him because I felt then and I feel now that he’s a ‘hatchet man.’” This is was naught but a prelude to the real fun prior to Game 3. First, in precursor to Deflategate, Auerbach had concern about the weight of the basketballs to be used. Then Bill Sharman, a meticulous sort, reported that he thought one basket was low. Auerbach sought the maintenance crew to have the basket measured, and when he saw what was going on, St. Louis owner Ben Kerner was outraged. Understand there was history there. In 1950, Auerbach had quit as coach of the Tri-Cities Hawks when Kerner had traded Auerbach’s favorite player, reneging on a promise that the coach would make all personnel decisions. “You’re a bush leaguer!” Kerner hollered, and to Auerbach those were fighting words. Red launched a left hook to Kerner’s jaw. The pair were separated amid a chorus of boos. The refs didn’t eject Auerbach though the NBA would later fine him $300. St. Louis won the rather anti-climactic Game 3, 100-98, on a Pettit jumper with 11 seconds left. The Celtics really needed Game 4 and they got it the next day. Cousy responded to a shot in the mouth and a lost tooth with 31 points. The Hawks were right there at 118-117 when Heinsohn and Loscutoff scored. But the real key was the awakening of Russell, who, for the first time in

This year marks the 70th anniversary of the first Finals, and oh, how things have changed. Start with the name: In 1947, it was the BAA Finals, as in the Basketball Association of America (that would change to NBA in 1949). Two-handed set shots were the norm. The lane was 6 feet wide instead of 12. All the players were white (that would change in 1950). The fouls were abundant. The media contingent was discreet. There were just 11 teams in the League; one of the franchises that played in that inaugural Finals no longer exists. The 1947 Finals were a culmination of an inverse playoff tournament that saw the BAA’s division champions play each other in the First Round. The Washington Capitols, led by head coach Red Auerbach (before he bled green), had been the BAA’s dominant team during the regular season, losing only once at home while posting a 49-11 record. But the Chicago Stags, who had won the West with a 39-22 mark, stunned the Capitols in a six-game series to reach the Finals. Chicago’s championship opponent, Philadelphia, had won 19 of its last regular-season 29 games, benefitting from a midseason rule change that banned zone defenses. At 35-25, the Warriors finished a distant second to Washington in the East, but defeated the St. Louis Bombers (2-0) and the New York Knicks (2-1) in best-of-three series to advance to the Finals. Chicago had the BAA’s top offense (77.0 ppg) and had won five of the teams’ six regular-season meetings. Philadelphia had the League’s biggest star, “Jumpin” Joe Fulks, who averaged 23.1 ppg and supplied more than a third of his team’s points. The Warriors also had homecourt advantage (in this case, that meant five of the seven games), awarded to them because their fans would actually show up. In Game 1, Philadelphia led from start to finish en route to an 84-71 victory. Fulks scored 37 points as the teams combined to attempt 232 field goals (making just 57), an amazing total for the pre-shot clock era. The next night, in Game 2, the Warriors relied on balanced scoring to win 85-74. Both games attracted sellout crowds of nearly 8,000. Chicago, on the other hand, could not draw 4,000 fans combined for Games 3 and 4, even with the added attractions of undercard exhibitions featuring local hoops stars. Fulks scored 26 to lead Philadelphia to a 75-72 victory and a 3-0 series lead. The next day, the Stags eked out a 74-73 victory to avoid a sweep. Two nights later in Philly, in front of an official crowd of 8,221 (and another 5,000 outside in the street), Fulks scored 34 points to lead the Warriors to an 83-80 victory and the BAA championship. Each team divvied up a $24,000 playoff bonus. How would the Warriors celebrate? Fulks, for one, had more pressing concerns. “I hope to get out of here soon,” said Fulks, who averaged 26.2 ppg in the series, 12 more than any other player. “I’m two weeks behind in planting potatoes.”—John Fawaz

Russell and Pettit

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succession) shot a combined 5-for (gulp) -40 the Celtics found a way to win a 125-123 double overtime epic, thanks to the clutch bench performance of a 12-year veteran named Arnie Risen (16 points, 10 rebounds) and the other-worldly play of rookies Heinsohn and Russell, who combined for an astonishing 56 points and 55 rebounds, Heinsohn going for 37 and 23 before fouling out late in the second overtime and Russell submitting 19 points and 32 rebounds, plus a feat that both Heinsohn and Cousy maintain is the single greatest play they have ever seen. With Boston leading 102-101 in the final minute of regulation, Cousy led a speeding Russell on a fastbreak. But Russell was going so fast he didn’t control the shot and it bounded off the rim, with his momentum carrying him out of bounds. Pettit picked up the long rebound and hit Coleman, who was at midcourt, 40 feet ahead of everyone. His sure layup would put St. Louis ahead. Or not. Russell took off, “going by me as if I were standing still,” says Heinsohn. With but a few long strides he came from out of bounds and ran the length of the court to block a shot by a quality player. It was the LeBron James block on Andre Iguodala to the 10th power. “I don’t know how he could have stopped it,” moaned Coleman. A Frank Ramsey jumper and a Loscutoff free throw put Boston ahead to stay, but there was very nearly a third overtime. With one second left, his team trailing by two—what else?—Hannum himself threw the ball the length of the court off the backboard with the carom rolling to an unguarded Pettit. His putback refused to fall. Auerbach had his first championship. And with that, as another famous Boston coach might have said, “We’re off to Des Moines.”

Dick Raphael (2)/NBAE/GETTY IMAGES

Back home for Game 5, the Celtics roared. Sharman poured in 32, his second 30-point game in the series. Cousy had a personal playoff-high 19 assists. But the best thing from a Boston viewpoint was that Russell was back being himself. Now the Boston media was back to its original premise: the Celtics couldn’t lose. “The one thing that could hurt Boston’s chances of mopping up the series tomorrow night would be a conscious feeling of tightness in their determination to end things in order to make a quick breakaway on their coming exhibition tour starting in Des Moines next Tuesday,” Jack Barry pointed out in the Globe. Game 6 was yet another two-pointer. Hagan tipped in a Pettit miss at 0:02 for a 96-94 Hawks’ win. Jack Barry was impressed. “The game was the most spectacular and hardest-fought of the greatest NBA final playoffs ever held,” he gushed. And this on Hagan’s tip and the crowd reaction: “The din that followed drowned out the final gong and the joyous Hawks grabbed Hagan and carried him to their dressing room.” Boston, traditionally a hockey and baseball town, had a new fan interest. In a Celtics’ first, Barry reported that “taking a page out of baseball’s World Series book, for the first time in NBA history, about 20 fans spent the morning hours sleeping in the outer garden lobby, awaiting the opening of the public sale at 9 a.m. yesterday.” It was all worth it. Sixty years later those who played in or saw Game 7 feel it was as dramatic and exhilarating as anything that has since transpired in Boston. On an April afternoon when the League’s official First Team backcourt of Cousy and Sharman (which they were four years in

Bob Cousy

FOR THE

ONE DIP 48

The Finals 2017

BETTMANN/GETTY IMAGES

Wilt Chamberlain silenced the critics who said he’d never win by leading the Philadelphia 76ers to their first NBA Championship.

By Andy Jasner

rom a pure talent perspective, the Philadelphia 76ers looked like a surefire fit to capture the 1966-67 NBA Championship. After all, the Sixers featured a roster of All-Stars such as Wilt Chamberlain, Hal Greer, Billy Cunningham, Chet Walker and Wali Jones among others. The San Francisco Warriors were a formidable opponent for sure, but there were mismatches all over the place, though surprisingly not at center, where the Warriors had Nate Thurmond, described by Chamberlain as one of his toughest opponents. The Sixers cruised to a 68-13 regular season record, which was the best of all time at that stage of NBA history. They started the season 15-1 and ultimately rolled to a 37-3 mark. Following a rare loss to the New York Knicks, the Sixers won nine more and improved to 46-4. After blitzing the Boston Celtics in five games in the Eastern Division Finals, the Sixers were well on their way to a championship, thus temporarily ending the Celtics’ dynasty. “That whole season was just magical, something where a team played almost perfect basketball,” Jones told the Philadelphia Daily News. “We played as a team/family concept.” Standing in the way of a title were the Warriors, who had an above average record of 44-37 thanks in large part to Rick Barry, who won Rookie of the Year honors the season before. The high-scoring forward averaged 35.6 points per game in 1966-67, but he was bothered by a sprained ankle in the Finals.

PPER

The Finals 2017

1966-67 Philadelphia 76ers

Wilt Chamberlain

76ers head coach Alex Hannum

Hal Greer

“It was a beautiful, beautiful season. We had everything. We knew we were going to win most of our games—it was just a matter of by how much.” —Hal Greer

The Finals 2017

a 107-93 lead in the fourth quarter before the Warriors erupted. In the final minute, Jeff Mullins knocked down a pair of free throws to tie the game. In the waning seconds, the Warriors had a chance to win, but Chamberlain blocked Thurmond’s shot to send the game into overtime. Once the extra session started, the Sixers took control and took a 1-0 series lead. Greer led the Sixers with 32 points, Jones added 30 and Cunningham had 26. Walker also scored 23 points for the balanced Sixers. “It wasn’t a perfect game, but getting that first win was important because it gave us confidence,” Cunningham says. “Don’t get me wrong. We were hugely confident every time we stepped on the court. In the Finals, getting that first win was important. We were at home and we didn’t want to let them feel like they had any momentum at all.” Chamberlain, like only Chamberlain could do, controlled Game 2 despite scoring only 10 points and missing 15 of his 17 free throws.

NBA Photos; Dick Raphael (3)/NBAE/GETTY IMAGES

After the Warriors dispatched St. Louis in six games in the Western Finals, they were at a disadvantage with an injured Barry. But Barry (40.8 ppg in the Finals) and the Warriors played a strong series and pushed the Sixers to a hard-fought six-game battle before finally succumbing. In Game 1 at Convention Hall, the Warriors almost stole one. The game did not sell out, as Philly was still hung over from the Sixers’ victory over the Celtics three days earlier. The fans were treated to an incredible performance from both sides as the game went to overtime before the Sixers were victorious, 141-135. Thurmond was fantastic with 24 points and 31 rebounds in 53 minutes. Chamberlain was held to only 16 points, though he still managed a tripledouble with 33 rebounds and 10 assists. Barry led the Warriors’ offense with 37 points, yet he only connected on 15-of-43 from the field. The Sixers, who led by as much as 19 points in the second quarter, held

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Jim King

Nate Thurmond

Rick Barry

We could sense it from the first day of training camp. Wilt carried us and we celebrated all the way to a championship.” —Billy Cunningham Barry received enough assistance from Thurmond (17 points and 25 rebounds) and Jim King (28 points) to eke past the Sixers and close the gap in the series. Thurmond’s defense was stellar again. “Nate always kept his arms low,” Barry told the San Francisco Chronicle. “They weren’t in a position where you

Chamberlain

The Finals 2017

NBA Photos (2); Dick Raphael (2)/NBAE/GETTY IMAGES

Wilt “The Stilt” swept 38 (count ’em, 38) rebounds and dished 10 assists in 44 minutes. Greer scored 30 points and Cunningham contributed 28. The Sixers’ defense won this game as the Warriors were limited to 29.5 percent shooting. If the Warriors had any chance, Barry was going to have to carry them. Barry scored 30 points, but struggled on his balky ankle for the second night with a 10-for-28 shooting effort. This game was never close, as the Sixers took a 126-95 victory for a 2-0 series lead. It was only the second time all season the Warriors had failed to score 100 points in a game. They focused in defensively on Barry and the strategy paid off. “Sometimes it’s actually easier to play against a team that has one man doing most of the shooting,” Chamberlain told Philadelphia reporters after the game, referring to Barry. Once the series shifted to the West Coast, more specifically the Cow Palace in San Francisco, Barry put on one of the greatest shows in Finals history in Game 3. He nearly singlehandedly propelled the Warriors to a 130-124 win in Game 3 with a 55-point effort. And he could have had more. Barry was 22-of-48 from the field and an uncharacteristic 11-of-19 from the free throw line. Perhaps his ankle was sore. Perhaps he was tired.

could judge how long his arms were. I always thought it was difficult to go against him in practice.” If you thought the Sixers were intimidated, well, forget it. In Game 4, they pushed to an 11-point lead at halftime and never looked back. They took the raucous home crowd out of the game and moved to a commanding 3-1 series lead and just one victory away from a championship. Greer led the way with 38 points and nine rebounds while Chamberlain had 10 points, 27 rebounds and eight assists. Walker’s 33 points and 11 rebounds also proved beneficial and it turned into a 14-point road victory to seize control in the series. Barry’s 43 points and Thurmond’s 25 rebounds weren’t quite enough. Chamberlain shut down Thurmond’s offense and limited the big man to eight points on 4-of-18 shooting. “This was the game we knew it was going to be ours,” Cunningham says. “We knew that we needed one more, but we felt really, really good about where we were ultimately headed. We knew that we had to earn it, though. It was our defense which carried us. Defense was going to be the main thing that did it for us every night. Scoring was never a problem.” Three days and one coast-to-coast trip later, the Warriors shocked the world with a stunning 117-109 victory in Game 5 at Convention Hall. The Warriors proved they weren’t going down without a fight. The Sixers were so close to a championship and they even held a 12-point advantage after three quarters — until it all went wrong in the fourth and the Warriors outscored Philadelphia 33-13. The Sixers misfired on offense in the all-important fourth, going just 3-of-17.

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In December, the Philadelphia 76ers celebrated the Sixers’ first championship.

The Finals 2017

No one cared about how statistics. In fact, Chamberlain was happy when the ball was moving to his teammates. “It was a beautiful, beautiful season,” Greer told the Philadelphia Daily News. “We had everything. We knew we were going to win most of our games—it was just a matter of by how much.” In the postseason, the Sixers ousted Oscar Robertson and Cincinnati before crushing the once-dominant Celtics in a 24-point thrashing in Game 5 at Convention Hall. Chamberlain was better than Bill Russell this time around, setting up the Finals against the Warriors. Six games later, the champagne flowed and the Philadelphia fans celebrated. Fifty years later, the 1966-67 Sixers team is still regarded by many as the best in franchise history and one of the best in NBA history. It’s hard to argue against Wilt and company. “I think there’s absolutely a case there as the best ever,” says Pat Williams, former Sixers GM and currently a senior vice president of the Orlando Magic. “Wilt was one of the best of all-time and that team had it all from top to bottom. It’s hard to argue against them. They were so great and it showed in the playoffs and Finals.” Barry did all he could with Thurmond to derail the Sixers. The fact that the series lasted six games was impressive considering the Sixers’ roster and chemistry through the regular season and playoffs. Some teams are just meant to succeed and that Sixers team will go down in history as a team of destiny. “We just didn’t let anything affect us negatively,” Cunningham says. “Whether it was a scuffle, an issue within the players and coaches or anything, we stuck together and became stronger for it. We could sense it from the first day of training camp. Wilt carried us and we celebrated all the way to a championship.” They’re still celebrating 50 years later.

Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE/GETTY IMAGES

Once again, Barry (38 points, 10 rebounds) and Thurmond (17 points, 28 rebounds) led the charge for the Warriors. Chamberlain (20 points, 24 rebounds) and Walker (25 points, 13 rebounds) went cold in the final quarter and the Warriors left Philadelphia with a stunning win. And some much-needed momentum. “We were stunned,” Jones told Philadelphia reporters. “We were so perfect all season, so this was off target. We had to get back on track and we did.” As the scene shifted again, the Warriors had the major backing of a sellout crowd which anticipated a Game 7. The Warriors led by four points at halftime and by six at the end of the third. The Sixers outscored San Francisco by nine in the fourth and received an unexpected contribution from Matt Guokas, who hit two clutch baskets—a 20-foot jumper and a driving layup. “The rook showed us how!” Chamberlain yelled to reporters in the locker room. Jones’ 27 points, Chamberlain’s 24 points with 23 rebounds and six blocked shots, and Walker’s 20 points came up big, but it was the defense down the stretch which won the game, the series and the championship for the Sixers. Barry’s 44 points kept the Warriors close. “When the ‘Big Fella’ wanted to make it happen, he did,” Cunningham says. “He controlled the game in every way in the fourth quarter. He was just determined to win it for us and he did.” Coach Alex Hannum guided the Sixers to a title, but it was Chamberlain who provided the work on the floor when it counted most. Finally, Wilt was able to hoist a trophy and show how great he was. No longer would anyone be able to criticize the big man for not winning a title. “Everyone who knows the game of basketball, knows who really is the greatest,” Jones told reporters of Wilt’s ability. The Sixers’ cohesion was evident every time they stepped on the court.

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The Finals 2017

WHAT BLAZES

By Darryl Howerton

THE

The 1977 Finals featured one of the most unlikely of champions to emerge: a Portland Trail Blazers squad whose whole was greater than the sum of its parts.

WALTER IOOSE/SPORTS ILLUSTRATED

obody knew what to expect when new Portland Trail Blazers coach Jack Ramsay assembled his troops for preseason camp at Salem, Oregon, in October 1976. In front of the head coach affectionately known as Dr. Jack stood five returning Trail Blazers from the previous season’s underwhelming 37-45 squad: center Bill Walton, forwards Lloyd Neal and Bob Gross, along with guards Lionel Hollins and Larry Steele. Engulfing these veterans stood seven newcomers: two ABA All-Stars, forward Maurice Lucas and guard Dave Twardzik, thanks to the NBA’s 1976 absorption of the ABA; a pair of NBA journeymen wings in Herm Gilliam and Corky Calhoun; and three NBA rookies, guard Johnny Davis, center Robin Jones and forward Wally Walker. “Yes, we had Bill Walton and Maurice Lucas, who would become an All-NBA duo that would stand out on any team,” says Hollins, who was Portland’s third-leading scorer in the postseason, averaging 17.3 points in 35.9 minutes per game. “But what also stood out to us was the overall level of talent around the room at every position. “This wasn’t like most teams where there was a separation in talent between your first and second teams. Here, anybody could start or come off the bench. We were that deep at every position.” Let us focus, once again, on these 12 Trail Blazers assembled before us, which we hereby christen the NBA’s Deepest Dozen because we defy you to find another championship team as deep and as efficient—players 1 through 12—as these 1976-77 Trail Blazers. “We became the youngest team to win an NBA championship,” says Walton, who would go on to average 18.5 points, 19.0 rebounds, 5.2 assists and 3.7 blocks in 37.7 minutes per game during the 1977 Finals. “We had the fastest backcourt in the history of basketball. We had an incredibly unique performer in Bobby Gross, whose team almost always won. And we had Maurice Lucas, the greatest teammate I ever had. He made me the best player I ever was.” These Portland Trail Blazers were so good they would machete through the Western Conference competition, ranking atop the League at the midway point with a 33-17 record, which coincidentally was the time Walton went down with a foot injury.

The Finals 2017

1976-77 NBA Champion Portland Trail Blazers

After coming back a month later and seeing Portland finish the season 49-33 as the No. 3 seed, Walton and Company would regain their place atop the West during the playoffs, beating No. 6 seed Chicago (2-1), No. 2 seed Denver (4-2) and the No. 1 seed L.A. Lakers (4-0), setting up the 1977 Finals showdown with the 50-32 Philadelphia 76ers. “Five of the 10 starters in our Finals games came from the ABA, so the mainstream audience was seeing some of these stars for the very first time,” says Davis, who averaged 10.5 points in 27.3 minutes per game in the postseason. “Plus, there were so many recognizable names on both sides: Bill Walton, Maurice Lucas, Dr. J., George McGinnis, Doug Collins.” In Game 1 of the 1977 Finals at Philadelphia’s Spectrum Arena,

“What also stood out to us was the overall level of talent around the room at every position.”-—Lionel Hollins

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Johnny Davis

making his NBA Finals debut. “We started to notice Philadelphia was being made out to be this super team,” says Davis, “where we were the team of young, relatively unknown role players. But we knew we had a lot of really solid basketball players and we could compete with this super team, even if we did struggle at first in Philly.” In Game 2 at Spectrum, Philly again established beginning-to-end dominance, with the Trail Blazers falling into a deeper and deeper hole each quarter (Philly led 31-26 in the first quarter and 61-43 at halftime). As the contest rolled into the second half, Game 2 slowly began to mirror Game 1. Collins was on his way to another big game for Philadelphia, scoring 27 points on only 16 shots, while nobody on Portland could match with any type of efficiency. Before you knew it, the Trail Blazers could not catch the 76ers, falling behind in double-digits when their shooting went south. Portland ultimately finished shooting only 36 percent in Game 2, after making

NBA Photos; Dick Raphael/NBAE/GETTY IMAGES

however, the Trail Blazers came out the gate unhinged, ultimately committing an uncharacteristic 34 turnovers. “We had a terribly long break between the West Finals and NBA Finals, and we lost all rhythm and all momentum,” Walton says of the eight-day respite after sweeping the Lakers in four games.” “Some of those 34 turnovers in Game 1 would lead to Dr. J windmill slams that would get the Philly crowd even more excited,” says Twardzik, who averaged 10.9 points in 25.3 minutes per game during the 1977 postseason. “We battled and fought just to stay in that game.” Impossible as it may be to keep the score close while committing turnover after turnover, Portland held the halftime deficit to 55-53 and was only down 86-78 after three quarters. Still, Philly’s transition baskets were just too much. Despite Walton’s heroic efforts in Game 1—Portland’s All-NBA center posted 28 points and 20 rebounds—it was futile keeping pace with Philly’s All-Star assault from the wings, with All-NBA forward Erving scoring 33 points on 24 shots, while All-Star guard Collins added 30 points on 23 shots, numbers he was able to post after getting his defenders, Hollins and Gross, in foul trouble. Philadelphia ultimately won, 107-101, taking a 1-0 lead in the bestof-7 series that was starting to capture the nation’s attention, with Dr. J

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Maurice Lucas

only 36 of 101 field goal attempts. But nobody would be talking about missed shots after the game. Missed punches? Yes. But missed shots were the last thing on anyone’s mind after a benchclearing brawl broke out on the court near the end of Game 2 that changed the complexion of the series for good. In that fateful moment, Sixers center Dawkins, while attempting to grab a rebound, actually had a stranglehold on Gross, and tried to outmuscle the Trail Blazers for the rebound. But when Gross grabbed the ball too, Dawkins used his body leverage and slammed the Trail Blazer backward to the floor, causing a

Dave Twardzik

Philly won the game, 107-89, earning a 2-0 series lead, but after that brawl, the 1977 Finals took a totally different tone. “Bully that he was, Darryl Dawkins lost his mind,” says Walton. “Maurice Lucas, in very short order, restored a sense of dignity and order to the universe. And the 76ers were never the same again.” The shift in momentum the Trail Blazers attest, was the ensuing Game 3 scene when Lucas strolled over before the contest—alone—to the Sixers bench and extended a handshake to Dawkins, saying the two should put past hostilities behind them. Stunned by the gesture, Dawkins shook Lucas’ hand, while Portland teammates looked on in admiration to see their enforcer not intimidated

“Statistics did not matter to us. We had players willing to do anything and anytime, play any style we needed to if it meant winning.”—- Bill Walton

The Finals 2017

by anyone…or any team, for that matter. “It was the turning point of the series,” says Twardzik. “Everything changed,” says Davis. “We took what Dawkins did as an affront to us in Game 2, as both men and competitors. We were already down 2-0 in the series. But how Luke responded and how we responded in the aftermath, we all knew right then and there that each one of us had each other’s back.” In Game 3 at Portland’s Memorial Coliseum, Hollins recalls, the Trail Blazers finally looked like themselves again. “That is when we finally showed everyone watching the NBA Finals that we were a smart, skilled team,” says Hollins. It was something the Trail Blazers established in front of their home crowd, coming out of the first quarter with a 34-21 lead. “We knew when to pass, when to dribble. We got back to looking at each other, reading each other like we had all season. Going backdoor

NBA photos; Dick Raphael/NBAE/GETTY IMAGES

stoppage in play. The 6-6, 200-pound Gross immediately stood his ground and squared off with the 6-11, 251-pound Dawkins, only to see the fracas quickly broken up by teammates. Just when everyone thought cooler heads prevailed, Dawkins dodged the Blazer separating him from Gross and took a left handed poke at Gross’ head, missing with the punch, while accidentally connecting on teammate Collins’ face. As Gross and Dawkins squared off again for a second scuffle in this skirmish, Blazers’ enforcer Lucas swarmed the Sixers center from behind, tagging him on the back of his head. Dawkins spun, raised his fists at his new opponent, then darted at the 6-9, 215-pound Lucas, who then approached Dawkins, throwing a hard right that missed the Sixer’s head, before masses of teammates broke up this third fight in the now infamous 1977 Trail Blazers-76ers brouhaha.

Walton and Lucas

Bill Walton

when they overplayed us. We were playing our game once again.” Perhaps the best example of this synergy came in the closing minutes of Game 3, with Portland leading, 91-87. Walton got behind Dawkins and somehow collected Gross’ pass at the rim and put it in the hoop while falling away. The Sixers then tried to fastbreak off the made shot, but Twardzik stole the inbounds pass, and immediately lofted a pass up to Walton—after he just got back on his feet—who again dunked the ball through on this second alley-oop, giving Portland a cushiony 8-point lead. As thousands of BlazerManiacs watched on adoringly, Walton again

Jack Ramsay

stopping Collins. Shue was hoping the Blazers’ additional defensive attention might distract Walton and Lucas from going off again on yet another big offensive game. However, Shue’s Game 4 strategy was a failure, with the McGinnis, Dawkins and Collins trio only scoring a combined 31 points on 25 field goal attempts. “Maurice Lucas singlehandedly ruined the careers of George McGinnis, Darryl Dawkins and Doug Collins,” says Walton, who had 4 blocks himself in Game 4.

“I’m the luckiest guy in the world to be a part of such a great team. I am proud, lucky, grateful and loyal to be a Portland Trail Blazer.”—- Bill Walton

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The Sixers’ inside game plan just fed into Walton’s wheelhouse, as he threw his 12,913 fans a block party they’d remember forever, while Lucas dominated and intimidated and outmuscled anyone who came in his lane, evidenced best by the 49 free throws attempted by the Sixers, to which they converted on only 32 of them. Even with the charity-line help, it was no ballgame for Philly as Portland evened up the series, 2-2, with a resounding 130-98 blowout victory. But it wasn’t just Walton and Lucas who were dominant in Game 4, but the entire deep dozen that captivated the national TV audience during this 130-point Portland showcase.

Ken Regan (2); Dick Raphael/NBAE/GETTY IMAGES

showed the basketball world that his game always would rise to his customary level of greatness, as he delivered a 20-point, 18-rebound, 9-assist performance, as Portland cut into Philadelphia series lead. Fan favorite Lucas supplied another 27 and 12 as the Trail Blazers front line started to assert itself over Philadelphia’s. Erving and Collins again led the Sixers scorers, with 28 and 21 points, respectively, but in Game 4, Philly coach Gene Shue was going to change that look, focusing his offensive attack on other outlets. Shue decided to attack Portland in the next contest with his bigs— feeding McGinnis and Dawkins inside relentlessly early—as a counter to the ramped-up defensive attention Ramsay was giving toward

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Bob Gross

All 12 Trail Blazers scored in the series-tying Game 4, ranging from 4 points (Robin Jones) to 24 and 25 points (Lucas and Hollins, respectively). “Statistics did not matter to us,” says Walton. “We had players willing to do anything and anytime, play any style we needed to if it meant winning. We would fastbreak. We had a brilliant backcourt. We could slow it down and grind it out because we had the ultimate grinder in Maurice Lucas and nobody else had anyone like him.” As Portland’s confidence grew, the series was slowly slipping away in Philadelphia. In Game 5, Philly came out physical as promised, hitting Portland for 22 first-half fouls. But try as they might to limit the Trail Blazers—Portland led, 45-41, at halftime—the Sixers could never get their offense on track to customary

The Finals 2017

There, Philly got the potential turnover it needed with the game on the line, when the Sixers trapped Gross near halfcourt and McGinnis tied him up to force a jumpball. After winning the toss, the 76ers pushed the ball upcourt, and with 10 seconds remaining, Dr. J missed a jumper. Sixers guard World B Free grabbed the rebound and saw his baseline shot rejected by Gross, who gathered the blocked shot but stepped out of bounds, giving Philly another chance with five seconds left. On the ensuing inbounds pass, McGinnis caught the ball near the left sideline, dribbled to the left elbow and took a 16-foot jumper with 3 seconds remaining. McGinnis missed, whereupon one hand rose above the rest— Walton’s outstretched palm—and tipped the ball away from the rim toward halfcourt. Davis chased down the basketball as the buzzer sounded, and as he says today, “Usain Bolt wouldn’t have beat me to that loose ball.” In that moment, all Davis could think was, “We did it.” Walton, who won 1977 Finals MVP honors after his Game 6 legendary 20-23-7 stat line with 8 blocks, remembers being swarmed by fans on the court after his first of two NBA championships. Hollins remembers a fan ripping his jersey off him and taking off down the street with his (years later, he got it back on eBay, in exchange for an autographed Jerry West jersey). Twardzik remembers the group doing the impossible, saying, “It was the first time NBA players ran the table in a Finals with seven new players on a roster.” It was also the first time that a franchise making its playoff debut won the NBA title. Some of these pioneers are no longer with us: Ramsay passed away in 2014; Lucas, 2010; Gilliam, 2005. They live on, especially through Walton. “We miss the guys who are no longer here today—Herm, Jack, Maurice. The pain in our hearts and souls for what’s happened with Robin, who is now in a wheelchair, and our assistant, Jack McKinney, who of course got hurt in 1980 when he was the Lakers head coach. “We know we have the responsibility to keep going because we know what the Trail Blazers meant to all of us. It’s a sense of community. A sense of radiance. “I’m the luckiest guy in the world to be a part of such a great team. I am proud, lucky, grateful and loyal to be a Portland Trail Blazer.”

Dick Raphael; Andy Hayt/NBAE/GETTY IMAGES

levels, making only 38 of 97 shots (39 percent). Outside of Erving, who finished with 37 points on 27 shots, Philly was hapless in Game 5. It was only a matter of time until the 76ers acknowledged the failing roughhouse strategy exploded in their faces, with the Trail Blazers eventually erupting for 40 points in the third quarter when a combination of free throws (32 of 47 in Game 5) and foul trouble (three Sixers finished with five fouls) did Philly in. There was no looking back from there. Walton would finish Game 5 with 14 points and 24 rebounds, Lucas 20 and 13, while Gross poured in 25 points on only 13 shots. “Bob Gross controlled Game 5,” says Walton. “He was everywhere, doing everything that doesn’t show up in the box score.” Portland also won the battle of the boards in record-setting fashion— posting 59 total rebounds and 48 defensive rebounds, a Finals record that stood until 1985—and ultimately won the game, 130-98, to take a 3-2 series lead and bring the series back to Portland. In Game 6, Philadelphia would not go down quietly or quickly, even with the Trail Blazers storming out to a 40-point second quarter en route to taking a 67-55 halftime lead. Erving was having his typical Dr. J self, scoring 40 points on 29 shots, while McGinnis finally got his offense going, scoring 28 on 23 shots. As their season wound down, the 76ers did whatever they could to cut into Portland’s margin, outscoring the Blazers, 27-24, in the third quarter, and cutting the Portland lead to 2 with 18 seconds left.

The Portland Trail Blazers celebrating the 20th anniversary of the 1977 NBA Championship in 1997.

By John Fawaz

The Finals 2017

Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE/Getty Images/NBAE/GETTY IMAGES

hen Ralph Sampson’s off-balance jumper went in at the buzzer in Game 5 of the 1986 Western Conference Finals, it not only put the Rockets into the Finals, but it seemed to herald the end of the Lakers’ dynasty. RIP, Showtime. We hardly knew ya. Or not. “As the media does, they got to thinking ‘big’ before you do, that we would have to have twin towers to battle Houston,” says Pat Riley, who coached the Lakers from 1981-1990. “We weren’t about to change things because of Hakeem Olajuwon and Ralph Sampson. “[The Rockets] caught us at the right time.…As complacent as we have ever been as a team.” Riley made sure that the “insidious disease” of complacency would not afflict the Lakers again. He challenged his players to have “career-best effort years.” “In order for them to get everything they could get out of themselves, just being great wasn’t good enough,” says Riley. “I told them if we are the most connected and best-conditioned team in the League, we will run by guys.” Not that the players needed much motivation. “That shot [by Sampson] just ticked us off,” says guard Byron Scott. “We went into the summer so upset with ourselves. We started working out harder. To a man, what that did was really get our attention to go out and work even harder. “The one thing about that team is we were very confident.” They were confident with good reason, with a core group built around the remarkable Kareem AbdulJabbar. At age 39, he was coming off a season in which he had posted his highest average (23.4 ppg) in five years en route to All-NBA First Team honors. Small forward James Worthy was the model of efficiency, averaging a career-high 20.0 points in 1985-86 while ranking fourth in the NBA in field goal percentage (.579). He did so many things that never showed up in a box score. Now he needed to do even more. “I was playing a lot of 3 and 4,” Worthy says. “I needed to face the basket, and to get stronger at that position.” Second-year man A.C. Green started at power forward. In the backcourt, Scott was heading into his fourth season and poised to soar, while sixth man Michael Cooper provided hard-nosed defense and threepoint shooting. Then there was Magic Johnson, Showtime’s conductor. It was time for him to step out from behind the podium. “It took Earvin a little while to get more aggressive on the offensive end,” Scott says. “I remember he and Riles having a meeting [during the 1985-86 season] and Riles trying to convince him that the team would be better if he would be aggressive. It was not in his nature. He was pass-first, pass-second kind of guy. He never thought about being aggressive.” Kareem welcomed the change, recognizing that it would help the team and extend his career. Magic finally came around during his summer film session, when he watched tape from the previous season. “Magic could score any time he wanted,” says Riley. “He just knew how to win games. When we needed points, he always knew how to manufacture them. Asking him to score more was just asking him to have that mentality all the time.” So while the fans clamored for a big name acquisition, the Lakers’ players weren’t asking for help. “We thought we had enough in the tank,” says Worthy. Showtime needed fine-tuning rather than a revamp. Unfortunately, not everyone got the memo. A month after the loss to Houston, Lakers owner Jerry Buss agreed in principle to send Worthy to Dallas for forward Mark Aguirre and center Roy Tarpley, the Mavericks’ first-round pick. When general manager Jerry West found out, he told Buss he would quit if the deal went

EST IN SHOWTIME The Los Angeles Lakers were the best team of the â&#x20AC;&#x2122;80s. They punctuated that point by dispatching its nemesis for the title in 1986-87.

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“It was a vibrant, exciting time for the Lakers and also for the NBA—exactly what the NBA needed.” —Pat Riley Pat Riley

James Worthy and Kevin McHale

A.C. Green

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Robert Parish

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long after they won the 1986 NBA title. Len Bias, one of the top college players, died two days after the Celtics made him the second overall pick in the NBA Draft. Like Worthy, who was the No. 1 pick in 1982, Bias was supposed to be a stroke of luck high pick that fell into their lap as a result of a foresightful trade. Instead of prolonging their championship run with an injection of young talent, the Celtics would have to pick up the pieces. Boston brought only 13 players to camp, thanks to a raft of injuries. But as long as they had the big three of Larry Bird, Kevin McHale and Robert Parish, they were the champions—and the measuring stick. Boston, which entered the game with a 13-6 record, built a 96-88 lead early in the fourth period. But the Lakers’ defense clamped down, allowing just 14 points in the ﬁnal 11 minutes while Los Angeles rallied to win 117-110. Abdul-Jabbar scored 26 points in 26 minutes and Worthy added 25. The victory ended the Celtics’ 48-game winning streak in the Boston Garden. Statement game? You bet. “I guess you lose one time in the playoffs and people think you’re not that good,” Johnson said after tallying 31 points, 8 assists, and 7 rebounds. “And they say Kareem is over the hill. Let them keep thinking he’s over the hill because somebody’s going to get beat.”

NBA PHOTOS; ANDREW D. BERNSTEIN (2); DICK RAPHAEL/NBAE/GETTY IMAGES

through. West went home and told his wife he might be out of a job. In the end, Buss decided to retain West, canceling the trade. At first, the trade rumors upset Worthy. But then they became motivation. “I can remember watching the [1986] Draft, and my name came up, and that was the first time,” Worthy says. “It was a learning experience— and incentive to make sure that never happened again.” Worthy showed up for training camp not only ready to play, but ready to lead. “I had played behind a bunch of Hall of Famers—Jamaal Wilkes, Bob McAdoo,” Worthy says. “Now it was my time to assert myself.” The Lakers opened the 1986-87 season like they had ended the previous campaign, by losing to the Rockets. Then they reeled off nine straight victories by an average margin of nearly 14 points a game. Magic scored in all sorts of ways—outside shots, post-ups and set offense. He joked that the team had one play for him in his seven years, but now “we have four or five.” Worthy’s outside shot had improved, and Scott had extended his range, opening up the floor in the Lakers’ halfcourt offense. The Lakers were 15-4 when they made their annual trek to Boston in December. The Celtics had been a rollercoaster ride that started not

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“I’ve always said this, and I haven’t changed my opinion: Magic is the best player in the League. He’s so far ahead of everybody else it’s ridiculous.” —Larry Bird Magic Johnson

Michael Cooper

The Finals 2017

at center or play alongside him at forward. He also gave the Lakers four No. 1 overall picks, joining Abdul-Jabbar, Johnson and Worthy. The Lakers were good enough to win it all before Thompson arrived. Now they were a virtual lock. Indeed, while Riley cautioned publicly that the trade did not guarantee a title, the Lakers’ publicist was asking the Spurs for Thompson’s ring size. “The trade to bring in Mychal really completed our team,” Riley says. “When you put Mychal at center, you had as good as any small ball team you have today. That really opened up Magic’s pick-and-roll game.” Thompson made his Lakers debut that Sunday against the Celtics. Boston built a 17-point third-quarter lead, but the Lakers rallied in part because of Thompson’s defense on McHale, his former college teammate at Minnesota. Magic’s 45-foot shot at the third-quarter buzzer cut Boston’s lead to 81-77, and in the ﬁnal period he scored 8 of the Lakers’ last 12 points to propel Los Angeles to a 106-103 victory. “This kid [Thompson] is a major ballplayer,” Buss said after the game. “If Jerry West is remembered for a single trade as general manager of the Lakers, this may be the one.” The Celtics had shut down the Lakers’ fastbreak and forced Los Angeles into a poor shooting day. Yet the Lakers still won, thanks to Magic (39 points, 10 assists, and 7 rebounds) and Worthy (26 points on 12 of 16 shooting). The kind of grind-it-out win usually associated with the Celtics. “The perception was that they were all glitz and didn’t have any toughness,” says Riley. “It was the opposite. Our guys wouldn’t back down from anybody.” The clubs parted, assured they would meet again in May. The

ANDREW D. BERNSTEIN (2); DICK RAPHAEL/NBAE/GETTY IMAGES

Later in the month the Lakers beat the Rockets twice in the span of a week, including a 134-111 drubbing the day after Christmas. Magic posted his fourth consecutive 30-point game, and the Lakers compiled a 44-point fourth quarter. The Rockets’ twin towers did not score a basket in the ﬁrst quarter. Message received. “It seems like this year they’re not saying to themselves, ‘Let’s get the regular season over with because everyone knows we’ll be in the Finals,’” Rockets guard Robert Reid said after the game. “They’re playing every game like they think they have to prove they’re going to make the playoffs. When the Lakers have that kind of intensity, they’re going to kick some teams.” Riley made sure his team kept humming. “Practices were probably more intense than games,” says Scott. “Something that [Riley] did by design and also it was the personality of the guys. If Magic’s squad lost in practice, he wanted a rematch, and then it was 1-1 so we had to go again. “The actual games were sometimes easier.” While Los Angeles maintained that intensity, Boston was even hotter. After the wake-up loss to the Lakers, the Celtics won 24 of their next 29 games. The teams had identical 37-12 records when the Celtics came to the Forum for a Sunday matinee in mid-February. But two days before the game, West ﬁnally got his big man, while keeping his core intact. “Why would San Antonio do something like that?” Bird said after the Lakers acquired Mychal Thompson from the Spurs for two backup centers (Frank Brickowski and Petur Gudmundsson), two draft picks, and a bundle of cash. Always lacking capable depth behind Abdul-Jabbar at center, the Lakers now had the 6-10 Thompson who could spell Kareem

Larry Bird

Magic’s junior skyhook in Game 4.

Byron Scott

The Finals 2017

coach took his team to Santa Barbara and ran them as they waited to see if Boston would keep their appointment. It wasn’t easy, but Boston found a way. Two key veterans (Bill Walton and Scott Wedman) played only 16 games combined. Boston’s bench was so depleted that the Celtics’ starting five each averaged 35 or more minutes per game. McHale suffered a stress fracture in his foot late in the season. Boston still finished with the best record in the East, and then swept the Bulls in the First Round. Milwaukee and Detroit each pushed the Celtics to seven games in the Semifinals and Conference Finals, but each time Boston found a way to win and return to the Finals. The fact that the Celtics were trying to repeat barely got a mention, an indication of how most observers expected the series to go. Unlike the team’s first two meetings in 1984 and 1985, the Lakers had homecourt advantage. Game 1, on a Tuesday night in the Forum, went exactly to script. The Lakers opened on a 9-0 run and barely let up. Worthy’s scoring (23 points in the first half) forced the Celtics to double team him, so he started passing. He finished with 33 points and 10 assists. Magic played a nearly perfect game: 29 points, 13 assists, 8 rebounds, and 0 turnovers. The Lakers won 126-113 and it wasn’t that close. Two nights later, the Celtics came out on fire—and still trailed 38-34 after one quarter. They decided to make someone other than Magic beat them. The Lakers accommodated them by getting everybody involved. Los Angeles shot 61.5 percent from the field and had five players score 20 or more points, led by Scott with 24. Cooper made six three-pointers to set a then-Finals record. Boston shot 54.8 percent from the field and still got blown out, 141-122. Laker fans chanted “Sweep!” throughout the fourth quarter. Back in Boston for Game 3, a Sunday matinee, the Celtics’ faithful seemed to be holding its breath after Parish picked up two quick fouls and Bird’s shots went astray. “I’ve never been in a game where it was quiet in the Garden,” said Bird. Boston Coach K.C. Jones found relief at the end of his bench in the form of Greg Kite. The big man who had played sparingly helped spark the Celtics with his rebounding

Andrew D. Bernstein (2); Dick Raphael/NBAE/GETTY IMAGES

Lakers went 28-5 after acquiring Thompson to finish with the NBA’s best record (65-17) and the franchise’s best mark since the 1971-72 team went 69-13. The somewhat tumultuous offseason had been forgotten amidst an amazingly smooth regular season. The only starter who missed any time was Green, who sat out the first 10 games with a thumb injury (he would never miss another one, playing an NBA-record 1,192 consecutive games until his retirement in 2001). Though Riley’s rotation only went seven deep, no starter logged more than 3,000 minutes because the Lakers had so many blowouts. Johnson (36.3) was the only Laker to average more than 35 minutes per game. The only question remaining was whether Magic would finally win his first NBA MVP Award. Despite his championship résumé, he had never contended for the honor, amassing a total of eight first-place votes in his first seven seasons. His impact, though undeniable, did not include gaudy scoring numbers. In 1986-87, he averaged a career-high 23.9 points per game while leading the NBA in assists for the fourth time. Johnson received 65 of 78 first-place votes to end Bird’s threeyear run as MVP. “I always thought I would never win it,” Johnson said. “I didn’t know what it took to win the award. I always felt I had to score if I had a chance to win it. I wanted to win it, yes, as long as it was in the team concept. The championship is more important.” Bird wondered why they even held a vote. “I’ve always said this, and I haven’t changed my opinion: Magic is the best player in the League,” he said. “He’s so far ahead of everybody else it’s ridiculous.” By the time Magic collected the MVP trophy in May, the Lakers were well on their way to the Finals. They had opened the 1987 NBA Playoffs by scoring a record-tying 82 points in the first half against Denver, capped by Magic’s 80-foot shot at the halftime buzzer. Nuggets coach Doug Moe thought his team should just go home, but they hung around for the three-game sweep. The Lakers dispatched Golden State in five games and swept the Sonics in the Western Conference Finals. And then they waited. For eight days. An eternity in Riley time. The

Mychal Thompson

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The 1987 NBA Championship was the 10th title for the Los Angeles Lakers franchise.

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in Boston. Five Celtics scored 20 or more points, while Boston’s defense clamped down en route to a 123-108 victory. Back to Los Angeles, where the Lakers figured to make quick work of the Celtics. Only that didn’t happen, at least not right away. In Game 6, Boston slowed the tempo to its pace, taking a 56-51 halftime lead. Magic wasn’t shooting well, and the Lakers were tight. That all changed in the third quarter. Worthy dove into the front row to save a ball, passing it to Magic for a fastbreak dunk that gave the Lakers a 57-56 lead. Off and running again, they outscored Boston 30-12 in the period and coasted to a 108-93 victory. Abdul-Jabbar scored 32 points to lead the Lakers. “I hadn’t played well on their court, and personally I wanted to get back to my game,” said Worthy, who had 22 points and 7 rebounds in Game 6. Though he had struggled offensively in Boston, Worthy’s defense (with help from Cooper) played a huge role in Bird’s poor shooting during the series. Magic claimed his third Finals MVP Award after averaging 26.2 points, 13.0 assists, 8.0 rebounds and 2.3 steals per game. At age 40, AbdulJabbar had averaged 21.7 points and 7.3 rebounds per game. Dennis Johnson, who led the Celtics with 33 points in Game 6, saw Cooper in the hallway later and called out, “Same time, next year.” Seemed a good bet, but unbeknownst to anyone, this would turn out to be Bird’s last Finals game. The rivalries that had defined the 1980s— Lakes vs. Celtics, Bird vs. Magic—ended that night. The Lakers won two of three Final series against the Celtics, and overall, they had four titles in the decade (with one more to come) to the Celtics’ three. For the Celtics, the 1985-86 squad was their best of the decade, one of the best ever. Ditto for the 1986-87 Lakers. Which was better? That debate will rage forever, an ember of a great era. “It was a vibrant, exciting time for the Lakers and also for the NBA,” says Riley. “Exactly what the NBA needed. “Truly the best times in my life. Didn’t even realize it because there was so much pressure. You get once in a lifetime experiences sometimes just once in a lifetime.”

Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE/GETTY IMAGES

and defense. Boston built an 82-69 lead and then hung on for a 109-103 victory. The fans and even some of the players could breathe again. “All of a sudden, I feel a lot better,” said Bird. “We’ve got a shot.” In Game 4, the Celtics played like a team trying to win rather than one trying to avoid a sweep. They built a 79-63 lead with 4:54 remaining in the third quarter. Now the Lakers had the lump in their collective throat. Riley went small ball, with Thompson at center. The Lakers’ fastbreak came to life, and Los Angeles tied the game midway through the fourth quarter. The back-and-forth final minutes saw the Lakers go on a 9-0 run to take a 104-103 lead with 29 seconds left. Bird’s three-pointer put the Celtics ahead, 106-104, with 12 seconds left. A free throw by Kareem cut the Lakers’ deficit to one, but he missed the second one, and the ball went out of bounds off Thompson, assuring a likely Celtics’ victory. But wait…the officials called it out on McHale, who received a little shove from Thompson. “Probably should have been Celtics ball,” says Riley. “In today’s game, they would have reversed the call.” Call it karma, call it justice, call it whatever you want. The Lakers’ personal house of horrors, also known as the Boston Garden, had finally given one back, and they weren’t about to waste it. Magic took the inbounds pass on the baseline intending to shoot. But the Celtics made a mistake on defense and Magic made them pay. “When Magic came off the screen, he had McHale guarding him, and he just took him to the middle,” Riley says. “Even if Magic had missed, Kareem and Worthy would have had the rebound.” Magic drove the lane. Three Celtics converged. He couldn’t pass over them, so he put up his “junior, junior, junior skyhook.” It went in with two seconds left. After Bird’s three-pointer went long, the Lakers had escaped with a 107-106 victory. “You expect to lose on a skyhook,” said Bird. “You don’t expect it to be from Magic.” In Game 5, the Celtics made sure the Lakers would not be celebrating

By Sam Smith

A F O T S D MI

It wasn’t the legendary 72-10 squad of the previous year nor was it the indelible last title in ’98, but the Chicago Bulls’ 1997 NBA Championship was no less memorable.

The Finals 2017

N U R S L L U B T

he Chicago Bulls concluded the 1996-97 season with the best two-year run in NBA history, with a 15-3 romp through the postseason to a fifth title in seven years, capping it with a dramatic Finals-winning Steve Kerr shot amidst the most impressive and bizarre group perhaps of all time, led by arguably the greatest player in the game’s history in Michael Jordan along with another, Dennis Rodman, who that season not only announced in full wedding dress he was marrying himself, but took time during the season to wrestle Hulk Hogan while teammates all around were being felled by injury, starting with center Luc Longley by what he described as a rogue wave. You know, the team everyone forgot. Not necessarily those players and that team, but that amazing, but that amazing season became sort of the middle child of the Bulls championship family. “That was the forgotten champion,” says reserve guard Randy Brown. “When you think of those Bulls everyone talks about the 72-10 team. They mention the last dance season, the second threepeat. It was an impressive season, winning 69 games after 72. But it seems no one ever talks about that team. It’s so hard to repeat and to do it with the same group of guys, the same core, with so much going on, so much adversity and distraction, and it always seems forgotten.” No, not exactly some of the details, especially the famous so-called Jordan “flu” game, which was Game 5 in Salt Lake City when Jordan battled through illness to score 38 points with a game-deciding threepointer to effectively finish off the Jazz for a 3-2 lead. “I played so many seasons with Michael and never saw him as sick to the point where I didn’t even think he was going to be able to put on his uniform,” Scottie Pippen recalled. “The effort he came out with was incredible.” That game has become legend over the years to the point Jordan’s personal trainer, Tim Grover, included it in his book, Relentless. He claimed Jordan was poisoned from a suspicious pizza. Not the anchovies. Jordan didn’t actually have the flu because there never was fever. The Bulls had decided to spend those days in Park City, in the mountains outside Salt Lake. Bulls physicians believed Jordan had altitude sickness. Though the symptoms were real—headache, vomiting, dizziness, on the verge of passing out—the diagnosis hardly mattered compared to the effort. It also was the series with Pippen’s classic taunt, “The Mailman doesn’t deliver on Sundays,” of Utah’s Karl Malone, who was shaken and missed two free throws in Game 1 that enabled Jordan to follow with a game-winning shot over Bryon Russell, the first buzzer gamewinner in the Finals in more than a decade. It would be a preview to the game-winner in Game 6 for the sixth championship in 1998.

FERNANDO MEDINA/NBAE/GETTY IMAGES

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“The first game is always the toughest, I don’t care what anyone says,” Jordan said with a clever, not too subtle observation about individual excellence. “MVP didn’t do much down the stretch and I was able to knock the shot in down the stretch.” Oh, right, MVP. Jordan was burning again being overlooked by media members for the League’s MVP Award, narrowly losing to Malone (986957). A players’ vote conducted by the Sporting News had him a winner by a five to one margin. “Karl Malone won the MVP, but Michael Jordan is the MVP of this League,’’ Pippen said. Jordan got the big one, his fifth Finals MVP, as the Chicago Stadium crowd chanted, “MVP, MVP.” Jordan doesn’t forget. Neither did Phil Jackson, nor Kerr, and that’s how the game and the series ended, a bit of personal revenge and redemption on the part of Kerr, a play filed away by Jackson and Jordan that anticipated Utah’s plan with the appropriate response. It proved decisive for the fifth championship. That was Kerr’s straight away 15-footer to clinch the

Kerr never forgot, and Jackson remembered. “On the flight back from Utah after Game 5,” Jackson recalled. “I mentioned to Michael, ‘You’ve got to talk to Steve. You’re always talking about performing, but this is a guy who went up to Gonzaga on a visit as a high school senior and he had to play against Stockton and Steve didn’t get a scholarship offer from Gonzaga; Stockton tore him up. That

“That was the forgotten champion. When you think of those Bulls everyone talks about the 72-10 team. They mention the last dance season, the second threepeat. It was an impressive season, winning 69 games after 72. But it seems no one ever talks about that team. It’s so hard to repeat and to do it with the same group of guys, the same core, with so much going on, so much adversity and distraction, and it always seems forgotten.”—Randy Brown

Michael Jordan

Karl Malone

Dennis Rodman

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Nathaniel S. Butler (2); Andy Hayt (2)/NBAE/GETTY IMAGES

victory. The Jazz had a last chance, but was in Steve’s mind. He was tough on Steve, Toni Kukoc tipped the inbounds pass. that whole memory. Steve’s confidence was It was recovered by Pippen, who passed shaken. I told Michael, ‘You have to give him across to Kukoc for the dunk and final some strokes because we need to have his four-point margin. shooting to keep them honest.’” But it all began back in Game 4 when Kerr had been suffering, literally curled John Stockton doubled over to Jordan up in despair in his room as much as Jordan with the Bulls leading by four points with had been fighting the effects of his Game 5 just over a minute left. It turned the game illness. Kerr was 3 of 14 on threes the first back to the Jazz to even the series. Though five games, shooting 6 of 20 overall and it really all started some 14 years before averaging 3.4 points. Kerr’s wife, Margot, when little Steve, hoping for a basketball had even gone to talk to Jordan in Park City John Stockton, Karl Malone and Jeff Hornacek scholarship, was up at rural Gonzaga in between games to tell him how much Steve eastern Washington. OK, said the coaches, was suffering and he was determined to be play against one of our guys. It was Stockton. Kerr didn’t do very well. there in the end. No scholarship. “Michael was kind of a guy [with the mindset of] ‘You just better go “He kicked my butt,” Kerr recalls. “He worked me over. He was out and perform,’” said Jackson. “Like, ‘What’s your problem? Take the quicker, faster. He was nice about it, but kicked my butt. This guy bullet, step up.’ We knew Stockton was going to come off him, be a rover nobody had ever heard of. I was devastated. They said they wouldn’t be on defense. So Steve is going to be open. Michael conferred with Steve needing my services.” in that huddle.”

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You could see Jordan leaning over. The TV feed picked up Kerr looking at Jordan and saying, “He comes off, I’ll be ready.” “It became a nice combination, connection off the bench,” Jackson recalled. “We baited them, brought Stockton in and Steve knocked down that shot.” “His wife told me he was very frustrated and he kept his head in the pillow for hours [after Game 4] because he felt like he let the team down,” Jordan related. “When Phil drew up the play at the end, which everybody in the gym, everybody on TV, knew it was coming to me, I looked at Steve and said, ‘This is your chance.’ Steve Kerr earned his wings.” Quite the acknowledgement from the man who would fly

The 1996-97 season was perhaps the most remarkable for the Bulls, that they could deliver such an amazing encore to the 72-10 season, which many regarded as the greatest in NBA history. Not only was there the tendency for the natural letdown—good luck with Michael Jordan leading your team—but that was the summer Rodman began to worm his way in many directions.

rooks on a veteran-laden squad that only had one goal: repeating. “I don’t think anyone thought we could have another 70-win season,” said Wennington. “But we were a mature team; everyone knew how to prepare, take care of themselves. There were bumps in the road, though. I remember Luc being nervous and scared after that, body surfing in the ocean and he wasn’t sure how long he would be out or the ramifications or fine; in the end, it worked out.” Mostly because they never settled; Jordan would never allow it. “It was like a Broadway show every night,” said Randy Brown, a reserve guard on the Bulls. “It had to be a perfect performance, almost playing to an audience as much as the opponent. The characters we had with Michael, Scottie, Phil, Dennis. It was like the world was coming to an end when we lost a game. We lost the 10th game of the season and Michael came into the locker room throwing stuff because we wanted to be 73-9. The players wanted it. I remember we’re 17-1 and lose and nobody talks in the locker room after we lost.” Meanwhile, the explosions continued and nobody seemed to even flinch. There was Rodman being suspended 11 games for kicking a courtside camera operator in the groin, which led also to Rodman joining the

“We stepped up and showed what champions can do.” —Scottie Pippen

Scottie Pippen

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Stockton

wrestling world’s New World Order with Hulk Hogan for a match—in season, of course. And the release of his movie with Jean-Claude Van Damme and Mickey Rourke, Double Team, in April earned Rodman a Razzie worst acting nomination. Rodman at one point asked the team if he could return to California for rehabilitation instead of staying in Chicago, where there were so many distractions. It became Rodman’s World Tour with assistant trainer Wally Blase. “Dennis and I had this Native American thing,” recalled Jackson. “The Ponca tribe had adopted him. So I gave him an eagle feather, a sign of the trust between us going forward. He said he was going to Newport Beach. He wasn’t going to hang around Chicago for five weeks. So we said, ‘Wally is going to go with you and we want you to work out and be attentive to what we are going to do.’ “So he gets on the plane and it’s going to Dallas,” Jackson says.

Andrew D. Bernstein; Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE/GETTY IMAGES

With the publication of his book, he wore a wedding dress to declare he was marrying himself that summer. Pippen was coming off another Olympics and injuries and suspensions bedeviled the team. Rodman, Kukoc, Longley and Bill Wennington all missed at least 20 games beginning with Longley, who went body surfing on the first road trip in Los Angeles and suffered a separated shoulder. “We had the same team, [Robert] Parish in training camp the only one different, and by the end, Bison Dele,” recalled Wennington. The Bulls made Travis Knight their first round Draft pick, but cut him within a month. The Bulls had decided to stay with the veteran group. They actually were trying to make a deal for a veteran with Houston, which had the next draft pick, No. 30. So draft night was spent trying to guess whom Houston would select. The idea was to pick that player and then trade him to the Rockets. So instead of picking someone, all the scouts voted on whom they thought the Rockets wanted. The guess was Knight. Wrong; it was Othella Harrington. There would be no time for

“Dennis says he has to go to Dallas first to sign something for his mother buying a home there; it will be all right, just a stop. They get to Dallas and the strip club shows up with a stretch limo with the girls in it. They go right to the club, party until 2 a.m. The next day Dennis is at the door at 7 a.m. to work out. Then they go to the race track, take a helicopter and Dennis is with the queen of the speedway. They’re out to 3 a.m. and then up the next day at 7 a.m. to work out. This goes on for a week before they finally get to California, something going on with Carmen Electra out there. “Then Dennis gets back and the guys tell me Dennis is gone for five weeks and you know how he is antisocial anyway,”

we’ll look back and know this team made us open our eyes. They did not give in.’’ It was then on to play Atlanta in the Conference Semifinals. The Bulls has a slight road bump with a home loss in Game 2 but still managed a comfortable five-game victory in the series. Game 3 featured a bit of karma when Bison Dele drove and was blocked by Dikembe Mutombo, who had a habit of wagging his finger. The NBA made him stop doing it to players as taunting. So he’d turn to the crowd and wag: “Do not bring that in here!” Christian Laettner saved the blocked shot in bounds. But right to Pippen who dunked over Mutombo, who had his back to Pippen while wagging at the crowd. “That was when Bison, I’ll say Brian [Ed note: Bison Dele entered the League as

Jordan during the “Flu Game”

Jordan Malone and Rodman

Jackson recalls as he can’t dismiss the smile. “Now they want to put him back in the team mode. So they say, ‘Let’s have something special. We have a game in Philly and two days off, then we play Jersey.’ After the game in Philly they get a bus [from Howard Stern’s Private Parts movie with posters all over it] to Atlantic City. I say, ‘OK, but you have to come to practice.’ They come straight to practice from Atlantic City, but I had to cut it short because they were going to hurt themselves falling over one another.” Asked about their relationship, Jordan said, “We don’t have a relationship.” Added Pippen: “Dennis doesn’t give a damn about anything.” Yes, the Bulls were ready for another playoff run

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Nathaniel S. Butl;er; ANdrew D. Bernstein; Dick Raphael/NBAE/GETTY IMAGES

The First Round was the young, promising, soon-to-self destruct Washington Bullets with Chris Webber and Juwan Howard. The Bulls swept, with Pippen finishing off Game 3 with a spectacular baseline dunk, landing flat on his back after retrieving the ball Jordan lost on a drive for the winning basket. ‘“We executed the play to perfection,’’ Pippen said with a smile. “I’d rather the pain instead of losing the game.” Though it was a worrisome harbinger. Jackson used to preach about getting a series over as quickly as possible because you never knew what could happen—a sprained ankle, a painful toe or foot injury. Typical of Jordan, he said, “When we win the championship,

Brian Williams before changing his name in 1998], had effective minutes on the floor,” said Jackson. “It was the first time he really showed what he could do for us. He was important beating them on their home court after they evened the series, and then we won the rest of the way out.” It was on to Pat Riley and Miami, and Riley after years of frustration in New York against Jordan and the Bulls in the first threepeat thought this was the time. He’d acquired high-scoring forward Jamal Mashburn at the trade deadline to team with Tim Hardaway and Alonzo Mourning, the latter who was in bully mold. “Miami was always hyped up,” recalled Kukoc. “They said they were destined to beat us that year, had all the weapons they needed; they won one game. Then Scottie getting hurt sure made us play harder [in Game 5] and we made sure we took care of business.” Jackson was famous for his film edits going into playoffs and series, capturing themes. This time he was showing clips from the movie Friday with allusions to the bully, Big Worm, Alonzo Mourning for this series. “He was the big bad bully we had to bring down to win the championship,” Brown recalled of the message. The Bulls won the first three games over the Heat, and then Jordan went to cool down. “We had a film session and Michael went out and played 46 or 50 holes of golf and he was like 3 of 18 shooting going into the fourth quarter of Game 4,” recalled Jackson. “We got hot in the fourth and challenged, but we were awful. Mourning slammed into Scottie and gave him a knot in his forehead and it was one of those, ‘I told you so’ things. But I did not need to say I told you so. Michael said he just had to get his mind off basketball. Scottie also dislocated his middle toe in that

Game 4. It was all that stuff came out where we don’t we want to play extra games, the basketball gods and all that. “Scottie had to play with the dislocated, broken toe the rest of the playoffs, through the Utah series, which he didn’t have fixed,” Jackson noted. “It never did heal and he ended up having an operation the next summer and missed the first three months of the next season, and he was limited in the Finals.” But they also made Jordan mad. Bad idea. “When my teammate has a knot on his head, I have a knot on my head,” he said. It was just a headache for the Heat losing Game 5 by double digits back in Chicago. It was then on to Salt Lake City, famous for its Church of Latter Day Saints and then Rodman’s condemnation of Mormons, which drew him a then-record League fine of $50,000. Jackson said Rodman thought Mormons was just a nickname for people from Utah.

Jordan and Steve Kerr

to Chicago in that previous 2-3-2 format for the Finals. Little recalled is Game 4, the second one in Utah, known around the Bulls as the “Gatorlode game.” Instead of Gatorade, a Bulls’ staff member mistakenly gave the players Gatorlode, a carbo-loading drink designed for pregame or postgame--but never during the game. All of a sudden, Bulls players were asking to be taken out and rushing to the restroom. But it wasn’t the worst feeling until Jordan, that morning of Game 5, could barely stand. “Michael said he was going to be able to play, but when I saw him in the locker room before the game he was laying in the shower,” Jackson remembered. “He had a training table moved in the shower. It was all dark, he had an IV hooked up to get fluids. His buddy Ahmad [Rashad] was hovering by his side. I went in to see and said, ‘You going to be able to play.’ He said, ‘I’m going to give it a go. I think I can do it.’ “He made it through the first half,” Jackson noted. “I think he went right back in the shower room at halftime, dark, laid out and came back

Pippen Phil Jackson and Jordan

There was Pippen’s infamous “Mailman doesn’t deliver on Sundays” taunt, the Bulls winning the first two games in Chicago with yet another

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Nathaniel S. Butler (2); Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE/GETTY IMAGES

dramatic Jordan winner, the Jazz evening the series with Stockton’s Game 4 steal and breakaway pass to Karl Malone for the win. Oh, yes, Rodman and Malone. Whatever it takes. Malone had a poor series, only scoring more than his season average in one game and shooting better than 50 percent in one game. On top of those free throw misses at the end of Game 1. “You could see Dennis was starting to wander a bit that second year,” said Wennington. “Not horrible, but after-game stuff more, the bars became a bigger thing in his life. He’d lose focus for short periods, but it wasn’t detrimental because we were a veteran, mature team. Not 20-yearolds looking to run around and be easily distracted. “We had guys always looking for an edge, and you’d see Dennis playing with Karl and for lack of a better word, playing on his homophobia,” Wennington said. “You could see Dennis being extra touchy feely, slapping him on the butt a little more and you could see during the games Karl was getting visibly flustered. He’d be, ‘Don’t touch me, you’re a freak, leave me alone.’ Dennis played to that. Dennis didn’t care what people thought about him or what he did. He was who he was, he went out there and found an edge that worked and gave him an advantage. So he used it.” Still, it came down to that daring Jordan Game 5 to tip the balance

and we got in the huddle toward the end and Pip said, ‘Don’t worry about your defense, you just concentrate on your offense, we’ll cover for you defensively.’” “We stepped up,” said Pippen, “and showed what champions can do.” “We ran a play with Pippen posted on the block (at 85-85) and they bit,” said Jackson. “Pippen had that advantage and Michael hit that threepointer from the top of the key. Big win for us, and then Steve had the line at Grant Park.” So the Bulls gathered for celebration No. 5, and Kerr took his turn before the thousands. “There’s been some misconceptions about what actually happened, and I want to clear it up,” Kerr said as the crowd roared and the players on the stage began to double over in laughter. “When we called timeout with 25 seconds to go and went into the huddle, Phil told Michael, ‘I want you to take the last shot,’ and Michael said, ‘You know, Phil, I don’t feel real comfortable in these situations, so maybe we ought to go in another direction.’ And then Scottie came in and he said, ‘You know, Phil, there’s that commercial that says Michael’s been asked to do this 26 times and failed. Why don’t we go to Steve?’ So I thought to myself, ‘Well, I guess I’ve got to bail Michael out again. But I’ve been carrying him all year, so what’s one more time?’ Anyway, the shot went in and that’s my story, and I’m stickin’ to it.” Yes, it was a fun season and a lot of smiles all around.

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The Finals 2017

David Sherman/NBAE/GETTY IMAGES

Candace Parker (left) and Nneka Ogwumike

By Michelle Smith

10 Storylines to Follow This WNBA Season ere we go. Season No. 21. It has the promise to be one of the most interesting and competitive in league history. The talent is dispersed across all 12 teams and with the new playoff format from 2016 proven to be a success, more teams look positioned to jockey for the league’s eight postseasons spots. Let’s take a look at the top 10 storylines to watch during the 2017 season:

Defending a title. The Los Angeles Sparks needed a buzzer-beating putback by Nneka Ogwumike in Game 5 of arguably the best WNBA Finals series in league history to win the WNBA’s 20th Championship. And Ogwumike – the 2016 WNBA MVP – and Candace Parker—the 2016 WNBA Finals MVP—would like to pull off the encore. The Sparks, who also return veterans Jantel Lavender, Alana Beard, Essence Carson and Chelsea Gray, aren’t quite the same team they were a year ago. Gone is guard Kristi Toliver, the team’s best perimeter shooter and one of the best shooters in the league. But the Sparks acquired Odyssey Sims in a trade with Dallas to run the point and provide scoring from the backcourt. And Riquna Williams is healthy after sitting out the 2016 season with an injury. This is a talent-loaded team that has a taste of a championship and looks positioned to come back for more.

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A Plum Opportunity. The latest in a line of game-changing rookies to come out of the college ranks, none is more individually decorated than San Antonio sensation Kelsey Plum. Plum enters the league with a ridiculous resume— the NCAA’s all-time leading scorer in Division I women’s basketball and the NCAA’s all-time leading single-season scorer. With a new head coach in Vickie Johnson and a new general manager in Ruth Riley, the questions about the Stars are many, but the biggest question is how Plum will fit into a backcourt already loaded with talent Kelsey Plum in Moriah Jefferson and Kayla McBride, back after missing much of last season with a foot injury. But this is a team that needs offense after finishing 2016 with the lowest field-goal percentage in the WNBA. And if Plum’s first pro effort—19 points in an exhibition win over Dallas—is any indication, she is certainly bringing that to the heart of Texas.

Last Chance Lynx? The Minnesota Lynx aren’t getting any younger. But they are happy to prove to the WNBA that they are still getting better. The Lynx core of Maya Moore, Lindsay Whalen, Seimone Augustus, Rebekkah Brunson and Sylvia Fowles is back and motivated after last fall’s devastating WNBA Finals loss to L.A.. Brunson and Whalen are both 13-season veterans of the WNBA. The Lynx are largely refreshed and ready to go. Augustus is beginning her 12th. Even Moore is in her seventh year. Augustus, Whalen and Brunson did not play overseas this past winter. Moore played a shortened season in China. Whalen and 88

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Moore confessed that for both of them, the Finals defeat was the worst loss of their careers. What better incentive could there be to come back and win the franchise’s fourth WNBA title in the last seven seasons? With improving teams across the league, can the Lynx still set a standard, coming off a franchise-best 28 regular-season wins a year ago? You can bet they will certainly try. Seconds in Seattle. There wasn’t any doubt that Breanna Stewart was going to be a star in the WNBA, and she put the Seattle Storm in a position to become a force in the Western Conference in her rookie season, leading the team to its first playoff berth since 2013. She averaged 18.3 points, 9.3 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 1.9 blocks per game. And she is complemented by the backcourt duo of Sue Bird, perhaps the Breanna Stewart greatest point guard in league history who is missing training camp after an arthroscopic procedure on her left knee, and third-year guard Jewell Loyd, who is looking for a breakout season. This is a team with the potential to challenge Minnesota and Los Angeles at the top of the Western Conference. New York State of Mind. The Liberty have been the class of the Eastern Conference for a few seasons now, finishing with the best record in the Eastern Conference two years in a row–but somehow have been

Tina Charles

Mark Sobhani; Ron Hoskins (2); David Sherman; Ned Dishman/NBAE/GETTY IMAGES

Washington Remodel. There was not a bigger move in the WNBA offseason than Elena Delle Donne’s move to the Washington Mystics from the Chicago Sky. Delle Donne is a franchise-changer for the Mystics, who have been waiting a very long time for one. Delle Donne, the league MVP in 2015, averaged 21.5 points a game last season. Her addition, along with the addition of Toliver from Los Angeles and Elena Delle Donne the existing presence of Emma Meesseman— one of the most underrated players in the WNBA—immediately puts Washington in a position to win the Eastern Conference.

L-R: Maya Moore, Sylvia Fowles, Lindsay Whalen; Seimone Augustus, Rebekkah Brunson

left to ponder postseason disappointments. Can Bill Laimbeer’s team, led by the the sublime Tina Charles, finally make a deep run and threaten to challenge the Western Conference powerhouses in a title run? Kia Vaughn and Bria Hartley have been added to the mix, giving New York some inside-outside support. Kiah Stokes can be counted on as one of the WNBA’s best defenders, and Epiphanny Prince could push this team to even greater heights with some big offensive nights. But what the Liberty want to do is push past another strong regular season and play their best when the games really count. That will be their only measure of success. Can Phoenix Rise? This is not a position we are used to seeing the Phoenix Mercury in – looking vulnerable. Penny Taylor is retired. Dupree is gone to Indiana. DeWanna Bonner will miss the season because of pregnancy. Diana Taurasi and Brittney Griner will be left to hold down the fort and try to make up for last year’s disappointing regular season, in which the Mercury – the 2014 WNBA Champions – struggled to find any momentum before sneaking into the playoffs as the No. Diana Taurasi and Brittney Griner 8 seed and rebounding to reach the WNBA Semifinals. Taurasi will get to play alongside a veteran guard in Danielle Robinson, who comes to the Mercury from San Antonio after missing last season with an injury. But expectations are considerably lower than they were a year ago and that gives the Mercury a little room to breathe. And plenty of room to pull off a postseason run. New start in Indiana. Gone (from the floor, anyway) is Tamika Catchings, who retired at the end of 2016. Gone is Stephanie White, now coaching in the college ranks. These two losses alone necessitate a

another big year from second-year guard Tiffany Mitchell. They expect veteran play from Erlana Larkins and Marissa Coleman and they might get a big spark from rookie Erica McCall out of Stanford. The Fever might not be picked to win the East, but this franchise knows how to be a factor. Year after year. A Guardian Angel in Atlanta? The news that Angel McCoughtry will be sitting out the 2017 WNBA season is a huge blow to Atlanta and its hopes to be one of the powers in the Eastern Conference. It will be worth watching to see how the Dream make this work without one of the most reliable scorers in the WNBA. Layshia Clarendon was re-signed in the offseason, giving the Dream a veteran presence in the backcourt alongside Tiffany Hayes, the team’s secondleading scorer last season. And Elizabeth Williams, the WNBA’s Most Improved Player in 2016, will have the Tiffany Hayes opportunity to make another big jump and complement veteran Sancho Lyttle inside. But Michael Cooper has a big challenge here to keep the Dream in playoff contention and the community in Atlanta will have to rally to support a team without its marquee talent. Chicago Revival. No, not the musical kind. The Sky move forward following the loss of Delle Donne to Washington and the end of Chatman’s tenure as the head coach. Veteran guard Cappie Pondexter,

Cappie Pondexter

new era in Indiana. Pokey Chatman moves from Chicago to coach her longtime Eastern Conference rival. Briann January becomes the team’s heart-and-soul player, and the addition of Candice Dupree gives the Fever a player with championship credentials. The Fever look forward to 90

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whose scoring has diminished over the past few years, will need an offensive resurgence, while new center Stefanie Dolson will need to settle in quickly inside alongside second-year talent Imani Boyette.

Jesse D. Garrabrant; DaviD Sherman; Scott Cunningham/NBAE/GETTY IMAGES

Briann January

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Without a doubt, Russell Westbrook was the MVP this season. Whether the “V” stands for valuable remains to be seen, but it certainly stood for “visible” all season. The first player in 55 years—and just the second ever—to average a triple-double, Westbrook commanded attention from fans and defenders alike, as the latter had trouble stopping his dominance and the former couldn’t take their eyes off his all-around brilliance. Westbrook set the record for most triple-doubles in a season with 42, and for good measure, had four 50-point games. Whether it was rebounding or dropping dimes and especially scoring, Westbrook attacked every task with equal ferocity, giving him nightly averages of 10.7 rebounds and 10.4 assists to go with his League-leading 31.6 points. LAYNE MURDOCH (2); ROCKY WIDNER/NBAE/GETTY IMAGES

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2016-17 REWI N D

This season was all about triple-doubles (an NBA-record 115), but for twin siblings Robin and Brook Lopez and Markieff (dunking) and Marcus Morris, it’s always a double-double. NATHANIEL S. BUTLER; BRIAN SEVALD/NBAE/GETTY IMAGES

His old man might still have bragging rights when it comes to crossovers, but Atlanta’s Tim Hardaway Jr. has something dad never really had an abundance of: highlight-worthy dunks. NATHANIEL S. BUTLER/NBAE/GETTY IMAGES

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Despite the popularity of them, Miami’s Hassan Whiteside is no stretch five. He does, however, stretch around the paint while patrolling the inside. Whiteside led the League in rebounding (14.1 per game) while blocking 2.1 shots a game. FERNANDO MEDINA/NBAE/GETTY IMAGES

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His time in Miami was brief (three and a half seasons) but the impact was profound (he helped secure the franchise’s first championship in 2006), justifying the retirement of Shaquille O’Neal’s No. 32 on Dec. 22. JOE MURPHY/NBAE/GETTY IMAGES

After 19 seasons in San Antonio that saw five championships, three Finals MVPs, two regularseason MVPs, 15 All-NBA selections, 15 All-Defensive appointments, 15 All-Star berths and one Rookie of the Year, Tim Duncan was honored by the franchise when his No. 21 was immortalized in the rafters. MARK SOBHANI/NBAE/GETTY IMAGES

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When the King returned home, he brought with him a championship. And with that, the spoils of victory. In this case, the rather large pieces of finger adornment received on opening night. NATHANIEL S. BUTLER/NBAE/GETTY IMAGES

In celebration of the franchiseâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 70th anniversary, the New York Knicks brought out seven decades of luminaries. NATHANIEL S. BUTLER/NBAE/GETTY IMAGES

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Thirty-thousand points is a plateau that few NBA players reach —five before this season, to be exact. Dirk Nowitzki became its sixth member, joining Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Karl Malone, Kobe Bryant, Michael Jordan and Wilt Chamberlain after hitting this baseline jumper over Larry Nance Jr. (who was just 6 when Nowitzki scored his first NBA points). GLENN JAMES/NBAE/GETTY IMAGES

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By now we’re all well versed on Stephen Curry’s pregame ritual of hoisting 70-foot shots from the tunnel, but part of his routine is taking time out to sign autographs and interact with as many fans as possible before every contest. NOAH GRAHAM/NBAE/GETTY IMAGES

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2016-17 REWI N D

NBA prognosticators have tabbed New York’s Kristaps Porzingis as a future star in the League because few 7-3 players—past or present—can move with such grace, handle and shoot the ball, and finish around the rim as smoothly as ‘Staps. NATHANIEL S. BUTLER/NBAE/GETTY IMAGES

When you have a career year—23 ppg on 48 percent shooting—like Portland’s C.J. McCollum did, defenders tend to key in on you, making it necessary for McCollum to pass the ball up at times. Hopefully Al-Farouq Aminu was ready. JORDAN JOHNSON/NBAE/GETTY IMAGES

100 The Finals 2017

Saving a ball from going out of bounds might be a play that is associated with hustle and scrappiness, but for Los Angeles Lakers Larry Nance Jr. it can also be an opportunity to get a little fancy. NOAH GRAHAM/NBAE/GETTY IMAGES

2016-17 REWI N D

Denver’s Nikola Jokic flashed his multidimensional game at the Skills Competition at All-Star. Known for his unique blend of ballhandling and playmaking in a 6-10 center body, Jokic made it to the semifinals before losing to a player with an equally unicorn game, Kristaps Porzingis.

Although he took a backseat to the high-usage and eye-popping seasons of Russell Westbrook and James Harden, the King maintains his lofty perch. LeBron quietly had one of his best statistical seasons (26.4 PPG, 8.7 APG, 8.6 RPG and .548 FG shooting) and remains the standard of excellence.

ANDREW D. BERNSTEIN/NBAE/GETTY IMAGES

NED DISHMAN/NBAE/GETTY IMAGES

The trademark defense didn’t go away for the two-time Defensive Player of the Year, but Kawhi Leonard added more duties on the offensive end, putting up a career-high 25.5 points per game to go with his shutdown D. JOE MURPHY; DAVID SHERMAN/NBAE/GETTY IMAGES

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True to his name, New Orleans’ Solomon Hill jumped over one in the form of Boston’s Marcus Smart en route to a crowd-pleasing highlight dunk. LAYNE MURDOCH/NBAE/GETTY IMAGES

In a World Series that featured two tortured fan bases in the Chicago Cubs and Cleveland Indians, two of those teams’ biggest hometown supporters— Cleveland’s LeBron James and Chicago’s Dwyane Wade—made a friendly bet on the series, with the wager requiring the loser to wear the winner’s jersey. We know which team ended its long championship drought, and LeBron made good on the bet, down to the pants and stirrups. DAVID SHERMAN/NBAE/GETTY IMAGES

It is a bit ironic that the best player on the Timberwolves goes by the nickname KAT. Cats and dogs typically don’t mix, but Karl-Anthony Towns is the lead dog in this pack of Wolves as he followed up his Rookie of the Year season with an even better sophomore showing. DAVID SHERMAN/NBAE/GETTY IMAGES

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NEW HBO® RELEASES — NOW AVAILABLE ON BLU-RAY, DVD AND DIGITAL HD. TM

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After a spirited life and career that took him to all places in the world while touching lives all over (including on the basepaths with Hank Aaron after he hit his record-breaking 715th home run), Craig Sager passed away on Dec. 15 after a courageous and public battle against leukemia. Known for his bright and garish ensembles, the longtime Turner sideline reporterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s colorful personality will forever be missed. GARRETT ELLWOOD/NBAE/GETTY IMAGES

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Watching Stephen Curry do his dribbling warmups before every game is special, but on Dec. 15, it was just a little more so as he donned a pair of one-of-a-kind sneakers that were put up for auction afterward to benefit the Oakland Fire Relief Fund. Pictured is the pregame ones he wore with “Ghost Ship” in graffiti (in honor of the victims from the Ghost Ship warehouse fire that claimed the lives of 36 people in December). Curry wore a different pair during the game with “Oakland Strong” in a similar style. The one-off pairs raised $45,201 for the cause.

The tough-lucked 76ers lost two promising building pieces this season in Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid, but the silver lining to their misfortune is the discovery of Dario Saric. The Croatian forward flashed an all-around game that includes creating for teammates. In this case, Jahlil Okafor.

NOAH GRAHAM/NBAE/GETTY IMAGES

JESSE D. GARRABRANT/NBAE/GETTY IMAGES

With a nickname of “Manimal,” Kenneth Faried doesn’t need any help when it comes to dunking. Still, he’s more than happy to have C.J. McCollum hold his hand—and-1— while he takes to great heights. GARRETT ELLWOOD/NBAE/GETTY IMAGES

When you enter the paint, proceed with caution. There is no shortage of folks who want nothing more than to erase your shot. Just ask Orlando’s Evan Fournier, who saw his shot attempt get pinned against the backboard by Philadelphia’s Jahlil Okafor. GARRY BASSING/NBAE/GETTY IMAGES

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DeAndre Jordan is known for going over dudes on his way to the rim, but sometimes the only way to the cup is through, as was the case against the sticky defense of Phoenix’s P.J. Tucker. ANDREW D. BERNSTEIN/NBAE/GETTY IMAGES

In the middle of this embrace, between two Los Angeles kids who grew up on the local AAU circuits before becoming teammates and then two of the biggest names in the NBA, is the 2017 Maurice Podoloff Trophy. Whether it is Russell Westbrook or James Harden is anyone’s guess, but it’ll be another feather in the cap of Southern California’s hoop scene. BILL BAPTIST/NBAE/GETTY IMAGES

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Every future NBA superstar has that one moment—a pivotal play where he delivers when the spotlight is on—that launches him into the next level. For Giannis Antetokounmpo, it might’ve taken place on Jan. 4, when he dropped in a game-winning stepback jumper in front of a Madison Square Garden crowd. It was a harbinger of things to come as Antetokounmpo finished the season leading the Bucks in points, rebounds, assists, steals and blocks. AL BELLO/GETTY IMAGES

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John Wall has developed into one of the best ball thieves in the NBA, but he is not immune against getting his pocket picked, especially when the perpetrator is Chris Paul and his quest for 2,000 career steals JUAN OCAMPO/NBAE/GETTY IMAGES

He came off the bench 81 times this season, but Houston’s Lou Williams averaged a robust 17.5 ppg (he was traded from the Los Angeles Lakers to the Houston Rockets midway through the season). The scoring output was a career high and puts Williams as a frontrunner for this year’s Sixth Man of the Year award. BILL BAPTIST/NBAE/GETTY IMAGES

The game of basketball is usually measured vertically, but Houston’s Troy Williams displays some impressive horizontal game while stretching for a loose ball. GARRETT ELLWOOD/NBAE/GETTY IMAGES

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The San Antonio Spurs have been known for their stifling defense, forcing Kyle Lowry to resort to yoga-like contortions in an effort to get his shot off.

The No. 6 overall pick in the 2016 NBA Draft by the New Orleans Pelicans, Buddy Hield was projected as an NBA-ready shooter. He struggled in the onset, but after a midseason trade to Sacramento, Hield found his footing, finishing out the last 25 games of his rookie run strong, averaging 15.1 ppg on 48 percent shooting and a blistering 43 percent from deep.

RON TURENNE/NBAE/GETTY IMAGES

ANDREW D. BERNSTEIN/NBAE/GETTY IMAGES

Minnesotaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Andrew Wiggins blossomed in his third season, averaging a career-high 23.6 ppg. His offensive game improved from the outside (personalbest .356 from three) and as he shows here, he did a better job finishing in heavy traffic inside. RON HOSKINS/NBAE/GETTY IMAGES

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Kevon Looney doesn’t have to feel bad. Blake Griffin has been posterizing dudes for a good minute now. ANDREW D. BERNSTEIN/NBAE/GETTY IMAGES

At a time when multifaceted big men are at a premium, the New Orleans Pelicans are the envy of the League with their pairing of Anthony Davis and DeMarcus Cousins. A midseason trade brought Cousins over to form a two-headed, All-Star bigs duo of former Kentucky Wildcats that combined for 52.4 points, 24.3 rebounds, 6 assists, 3.3 blocks and 2.8 steals per game. LAYNE MURDOCH/NBAE/GETTY IMAGES

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With one of the most distinctive hairstyles in the NBA, Orlando’s Elfrid Payton is making a name for himself with his play. The thirdyear point guard improved his scoring again this season (12.8 ppg) to go with 6.5 assists in 82 games. ROCKY WIDNER/NBAE/GETTY IMAGES

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The postgame shower came early for Detroit’s Kentavious Caldwell-Pope after a big home victory. CHRIS SCHWEGLER/NBAE/GETTY IMAGES

There were some tepid reservations over the pairing of Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant prior to the season, but the two—who make up the last three MVPs to date—soared to great heights together. ANDREW D. BERNSTEIN/NBAE/GETTY IMAGES

Even in an age of “superteams,” the Boston Celtics flew against the trend, leading the way as the top team in the Eastern Conference with “just” one All-Star, Isaiah Thomas (No. 4). SAM FORENCICH/NBAE/GETTY IMAGES

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Paul Pierce paid one final visit to Boston as a player (Pierce has announced his retirement at the end of the season, his 19th) and the Boston faithful feted an opponent with rare cheersâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;especially considering this one hails from Los Angeles. Pierce reciprocated the love with a buss on the floor of the team that he won a championship and scored more than 24,000 points with. BRIAN BABINEAU/NBAE/GETTY IMAGES

Madison Square Garden has never seen a rose blossom like this. Derrick Rose had a nice bounce-back year playing in Gotham, averaging 18 points a night while making forays into the paint with regularity. NATHANIEL S. BUTLER/NBAE/GETTY IMAGES

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His name might suggest a meek creature, but Charlotte’s Jeremy Lamb was showing off his ferocious side on this dunk. KENT SMITH/NBAE/GETTY IMAGES

Detroit’s Andre Drummond is athletic as any 7-footer in the game. Even during some pregame leaps to get his springs ready for game time, Drummond appears to be levitating. CHRIS SCHWEGLER/NBAE/GETTY IMAGES

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Most NBA players take some time to get warmed up and into the flow of the game. Kevin Love came ready on Nov. 23, 2016. In the opening quarter, Love was unconscious from the field, hitting on 11 of 14 attempts. He was especially lethal from three, going 8 of 10 (the Cavs would later set the NBA mark for triples in a game with 25 in March). He was also perfect from the line, making all four of his freebies to total 34 points, setting the record for most points in a first quarter.

Even after more than 24,000 points scored, Carmelo Anthony’s first step remains as lethal as ever. This season Anthony moved up past Hall of Famers Elgin Baylor, Adrian Dantley, Robert Parish and Charles Barkley to No. 25 on the all-time scoring charts. He also extended his streak of 20-ppg seasons to 14 with 22.4 ppg.

DAVID LIAM KYLE/NBAE/GETTY IMAGES

JESSE D. GARRABRANT/NBAE/GETTY IMAGES

Pop quiz: Are there more letters in Dikembe Mutombo’s full name or the number 55, which the Nuggets retired in honor of the team’s longtime rim protector and Hall of Famer. BART YOUNG/NBAE/GETTY IMAGES

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TM & ©2017 Turner Entertainment Networks, Inc. A Time Warner Company. All Rights Reserved. ©2017 NBA Entertainment. All Rights Reserved. Play Fiercely. Drink Responsibly. JACK DANIEL’S and TENNESSEE HONEY are registered trademarks. ©2017 Jack Daniel’s. All rights reserved. Whiskey Specialty, 35% Alc. by Vol., (70 proof.) Jack Daniel Distillery, Lynchburg, Tennessee. This material is intended for those of legal drinking age.

WEEKNIGHTS

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When Kevin Durant joined the All-Star trio of Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green, some wondered if there would be room for another. It turned out to be unwarranted as the Warriors had “four-stars” in New Orleans. JESSE D. GARRABRANT/NBAE/GETTY IMAGES

Indiana Pacer Glenn Robinson III’s father played 11 NBA seasons with 14,234 points scored—numbers that his son is still trying to catch up on. Junior, however, has some NBA bragging rights when it comes to dunking. Robinson III jumped over everything—teammate Paul George, Pacers mascot Boomer, a Pacemate, two dudes atop one another and the rest of the Slam Dunk field—at the Slam Dunk Contest at All-Star. BILL BAPTIST (3); NATHANIEL S. BUTLER/NBAE/GETTY IMAGES

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Anthony Davis enjoyed the familiarity of playing the All-Star Game on his homecourt. His 52 points paced his All-Star peers and earned him his first AllStar MVP in front of his home fans in New Orleans. LAYNE MURDOCH (3); NATHANIEL S. BUTLER/NBAE/GETTY IMAGES

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No other team in the NBA experienced the peak and valley that the Miami Heat went through this season. After starting the season 11-30, the resurgent Heat ran off 13 wins in a row, clawing their way to a 41-41 season that saw them challenging for a playoff spot to the very final day of the season. CHRIS SCHWEGLER/NBAE/GETTY IMAGES

Damian Lillard wears the No. 0 not for its numerical value, but its semblance to the letter “O,” which represents to him the three stages of his life—Oakland (his hometown), Ogden (the town of Weber St., where he attended college) and Oregon (his current home state)— which he rapped about in his debut album “The Letter O.” SAM FORENCICH/NBAE/GETTY IMAGES

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The speed at which John Wall plays is only matched by the height he gets on his soaring dunks (which are almost always left-handed). NATHANIEL S. BUTLER/NBAE/GETTY IMAGES

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In a season full of spectacular performances, even Russell Westbrook’s game on April 9 stands out. First of all, it was the night he copped his record-setting 42nd tripledouble of the season, breaking Oscar Robertson’s longstanding record. Per usual with Westbrook, he did it in dramatic fashion. His final shot of the night—a 36-foot jumper— beat the buzzer and won the game for the Thunder, gave him 50 points (his third 50-point trip-dub of the season) and eliminated the Nuggets from playoff contention. GARRETT ELLWOOD/NBAE/GETTY IMAGES

The Palace of Auburn Hills hosted “Dee-troit Bas-ket-ball...” one final time before the Pistons move to their new arena next season. Before the curtain was drawn for the last time, the franchise celebrated the three championships that were won under the Palace’s roof by bringing back all of its ringed legends. CHRIS SCHWEGLER/NBAE/GETTY IMAGES

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The Big 0 (zero) Russell Westbrook joined the Big O Oscar Robertson as the only two men in NBA history to average a triple-double for a season, as he finished with per-game averages of 31.6 points, 10.7 rebounds and 10.4 assists. LAYNE MURDOCH/NBAE/GETTY IMAGES

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It seemed like every shot that Anthony Davis took on opening night was out of the Nuggets’ reach. Davis tipped off the season with a 50-point showing, becoming just the fourth player (Wilt Chamberlain, Elgin Baylor and Michael Jordan) to open up the season with a half-century mark. Davis’ 50-point showing would be a theme during the season, as an NBA-record 10 players would top 50 during the season. LAYNE MURDOCH/NBAE/GETTY IMAGES

He might be just 20, but on March 24, Devin Booker scored the ball beyond his age, dropping an astounding 70 points against the Celtics. The 70 points was the highest single-game total of the season and good for the seventh-best all time. BRIAN BABINEAU/NBAE/GETTY IMAGES

The facial hair might change but the steely demeanor stays the same for San Antonio head coach Gregg Popovich. Even after posting his 1,100th career coaching victory on Nov. 22, Pop dismissed the win. “That was a pathetic performance on the part of the Spurs…It was an awful performance.” Self-analysis aside, Popovich finished the season with 1,150 wins, which put him at No. 7. DARREN CARROLL/NBAE/GETTY IMAGES

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The 2016-17 season was one big game of leapfrog for LeBron James. Starting the season at 11th place on the all-time scoring ledger, LeBron gradually made his way to No. 7 all time. On Nov. 6, a breakaway layup put him past Hakeem Olajuwon for 10th place. A month later on Dec. 9, LeBron passed Elvin Hayes for ninth place. When LeBron moved pass Moses Malone to No. 8 in all-time scoring on Dec. 20, he did so in Moses-like fashion, scoring off an offensive rebound. On March 30, LeBron took the place of Shaquille Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Neal for seventh place in ironic fashion, making a free throw. DAVID DOW; GARY DINEEN; JEFF HAYNES/NBAE/GETTY IMAGES; JASON MILLER/GETTY IMAGES

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Two of the Leagueâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s teams that reside close to Mexico, Los Suns and Los Spurs, crossed the border to play a regular-season game at Arena Ciudad de Mexico in Mexico City. DAVID DOW/NBAE/GETTY IMAGES

On a night where he set the single-game record for three-pointers made with 13, this shot probably went in for Stephen Curry. After the unconscious shooting night on Nov. 7, Curry now owns five of the top 10 longrange shooting displays in NBA history. NOAH GRAHAM/NBAE/GETTY IMAGES

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It was like any other NBA tipoff, except it was across the pond in London. As has been customary for a few seasons now, the NBA took its game to the United Kingdom, sending the Indiana Pacers and Denver Nuggets to a regular-season match in the O2 Arena as part of the NBA Global Games. GARRETT ELLWOOD/NBAE/GETTY IMAGES

Forty might be his age, but for Vince Carter is also happens to be an approximation of his vertical jump in inches. Even at twice the age of a typical NBA rookie, Carter showed that he can still match any 20-something when it comes to dunking. JOE MURPHY/NBAE/GETTY IMAGES

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The only way Klay Thompson was going to cool down on Dec. 5 was with the ice bath that Splash Bro. Steph Curry gave him after the game. In just three quarters of action (29 minutes), Thompson scored a blistering 60 points. NOAH GRAHAM (2)/NBAE/GETTY IMAGES

They say the camera adds a few pounds to the subject, but in Giannis Antetokounmpoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s case, it adds inches to his considerable length. The arms of the 6-11 point guard (who grew two inches coming into the season) only appear to span the width of the paint (his wingspan is 7 feet; the paint stretches 12 feet). GARY DINEEN/NBAE/GETTY IMAGES

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Not to be outdone by Russell Westbrook’s 50-point triple-double, James Harden upped the stakes by tying Wilt Chamberlain for the NBA’s highest scoring trip-dub with his 53-point, 17-assist and 16-rebound night on the New Year’s Eve. Of course his former teammate and friend did out-do him. Almost four months later, Westbrook dropped 57 points, 13 rebounds and 11 assists against the Magic to earn the highest point total triple-double of all time. BILL BAPTIST; FERNANDO MEDINA/NBAE/GETTY IMAGES

A four-point game is nothing to write home about, but for Draymond Green on Feb. 10, it became a noteworthy and historic moment. Along with his 4 points, Green also collected 11 rebounds, 10 assists and 10 steals, making it the first tripledouble in NBA history without double-digit points. JOE MURPHY/NBAE/GETTY IMAGES

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When the average NBA player stands 6-7, it puts a 5-9 player like Isaiah Thomas at a severe disadvantage. Good thing Thomas knows how to levitate to make up for his shortcomings. BRIAN BABINEAU/NBAE/GETTY IMAGES

Only your best friend—who happens to be an All-Star teammate—can crash your All-Star portraits session. No word on whether DeMar DeRozan ordered an extra set of prints for Kyle Lowry. NATHANIEL S. BUTLER/NBAE/GETTY IMAGES

128 The Finals 2017

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After a two-year wait, Joel Embiid made his debut. He was worth trusting the process as Embiid didn’t disappoint, averaging 20.2 points, 7.8 rebounds and 2.5 blocks in limited minutes and becoming an early favorite for Rookie of the Year. The process did stall after 31 games as Embiid injured his knee, but he is expected to be ready for next season. JESSE D. GARRABRANT/NBAE/GETTY IMAGES

The “Best players to never have played in an All-Star Game” list got a little shorter as Gordon Hayward finally found his way into the midseason extravaganza. Hayward topped 20-ppg for the first time this season to go along with his all-around game. BROCK WILLIAMS-SMITH/NBAE/GETTY IMAGES

Nicknamed“Stifle Tower,” Rudy Gobert made good on the moniker, blocking an NBA-best 214 shots while leading the NBA in defensive win shares with 6. ANDREW D. BERNSTEIN/NBAE/GETTY IMAGES

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Much like he was in the regular season, Houstonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Eric Gordon was money from outside the arc during the 3-Point Contest at All-Star. He beat out a crowded field of gifted shooters to take the 3-Point crown back to Houston, a team that made a record number of treys during the season (1,181) while setting a new record for attempts (3,250). NATHANIEL S. BUTLER/NBAE/GETTY IMAGES

Caption Iquiam eaquas atem quiatTemquam fugiam quatur sed et magnat volupta corro mi, apit volestrunte velitiusam ipiendae postibus solora deligni con pa sequi del maio. Ut voluptusci non ratur, niam, veles dolorum accum KTKTKTK/NBAE/GETTY IMAGES

Caption Iquiam eaquas atem quiatTemquam fugiam quatur sed et magnat volupta corro mi, apit volestrunte velitiusam ipiendae The sight of Kevin Durant flying to the rim postibus solora deligni con pa sequi del maio. for a dunk is nothing new for his former Ut voluptusci non ratur, niam, veles dolorum Oklahoma City Thunder teammates, but to accum see it for the first with him in a different KTKTKTK/NBAE/GETTY IMAGES uniform is new. NATHANIEL S. BUTLER/NBAE/GETTY IMAGES

Caption Iquiam eaquas atem quiatTemquam fugiam quatur sed et magnat volupta corro mi, apit volestrunte velitiusam ipiendae The more underrated Mike Conley continues postibus solora deligni con pa sequi del maio. to be, the better he gets. In that case, he Ut voluptusci non ratur, niam, veles dolorum would prefer to never get selected as an accum All-Star as he had a career season, topping KTKTKTK/NBAE/GETTY IMAGES 20-ppg for the first time.

It was a big deal on Oct. 29 when Russell Westbrook became the fourth player to cop a tripledouble while scoring 50 points, joining Wilt Chamberlain, Elgin Baylor and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Little did we know at the time that Westbrook would make it a regular thing, doing it another two times in the regular season (and once in the postseason for good measure).

JOE MURPHY/NBAE/GETTY IMAGES

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Philadelphia’s T.J. McConnell turns to what appears to be a chasedown block by Boston’s Jaylen Brown into a dime to teammate Robert Covington.

DeMar DeRozan gets a reminder who he’s representing every time he walks through the bowels of the Air Canada Centre.

JESSE D. GARRABRANT/NBAE/GETTY IMAGES

When you have a handle like Kemba Walker’s that allows you to stop on a dime to change directions, it requires a lot of strength to handle the torque generated. FERNANDO MEDINA/NBAE/GETTY IMAGES

132 The Finals 2017

RON TURENNE/NBAE/GETTY IMAGES

Toronto’s P.J. Tucker is known for being a staunch on-ball defender, but even he is at the mercy of Paul George’s lethal first step. MARK BLINCH/NBAE/GETTY IMAGES

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Caption Iquiam eaquas atem quiatTemquam fugiam quatur volupta corro Having perfectsed formetismagnat nice, but Bradley Beal mi, velitiusam alsoapit hadvolestrunte plenty of function in hisipiendae jump shot. postibus solora deligni conshooting pa sequiguard del maio. The Washington Wizards Ut voluptusci non ratur, 23.1 niam,ppg veles averaged a career-best on dolorum 48 accum percent shooting while making 40 percent of

KTKTKTK/NBAE/GETTY IMAGES his attempts from deep. NED DISHMAN/NBAE/GETTY IMAGES

Caption Iquiam eaquas atem quiatTemquam fugiam quatur sed et magnat volupta corro mi, apit volestrunte velitiusam ipiendae For the fifth time in a row, Jimmy Butler postibus solora deligni con pa sequi del maio. improved his scoring average. After a Ut voluptusci non ratur, niam, veles dolorum nondescript debut of 2.6 points per game as a accum rookie, Butler worked his way to 23.9 in his KTKTKTK/NBAE/GETTY IMAGES sixth season—and a third All-Star selection. BART YOUNG/NBAE/GETTY IMAGES

Caption Iquiam eaquas atem quiatTemquam fugiam quatur sed et magnat volupta corro mi, apit volestrunte velitiusam ipiendae Since Lob City was founded six years ago, the offense was postibus solora deligni con pa sequi del maio. pretty simple: Chris Paul would use his supreme handles to Ut voluptusci non ratur, niam, veles dolorum penetrate the defense and then use his sharp court vision to accum locate a teammate—in this case DeAndre Jordan—who would KTKTKTK/NBAE/GETTY IMAGES catch and finish with aplomb. ANDREW D. BERNSTEIN/NBAE/GETTY IMAGES

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National Parks Conservation Assoc:Layout 1

4/1/10

11:53 AM

Page 1

Our National Parks The National Mall welcomes millions every year, but what they see is hardly welcoming.

It welcomes the world to our most significant monuments and memorials. But like many national parks, the National Mall in Washington, D.C., desperately needs our help, including $350 million in federal funding for maintenance, repairs, and preservation. You can help with a simple letter. Visit NPCA.org/mall. Or call 1-800-NAT PARK.

AWARD WI N N E RS

Tune in to TNT on June 26 at 9 p.m. ET to see the NBA Awards 2017.

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AWARD WI N N E RS

OCTOBER/NOVEMBER

Cleveland Cavaliers Oklahoma City Thunder

Philadelphia 76ers

LeBron James

Denver Nuggets

Cleveland Cavaliers

Chicago Bulls

Golden State Warriors

Utah Jazz

New Orleans Pelicans

Toronto Raptors

Cleveland Cavaliers

Houston Rockets

Golden State Warriors

Toronto Raptors

Cleveland Cavaliers

Boston Celtics

Houston Rockets

Memphis Grizzlies

Oklahoma City Thunder

Cleveland Cavaliers Oklahoma City Thunder

DECEMBER

Washington Wizards Houston Rockets

Philadelphia 76ers

Russell Westbrook

New Orleans Pelicans

Milwaukee Bucks Oklahoma City Thunder

Toronto Raptors Houston Rockets

JANUARY

Boston Celtics

Chicago Bulls

Philadelphia 76ers

Golden State Warriors

San Antonio Spurs

Toronto Raptors

Miami Heat

Utah Jazz

Sacramento Kings

Golden State Warriors

Washington Wizards Philadelphia 76ers Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant

136 The Finals 2017

Phoenix Suns

Houston Rockets

JEFF HAYNES; GARRETT ELLWOOD; BRIAN BABINEAU/NBAE/GETTY IMAGES

Washington Wizards

AWARD WI N N E RS

FEBRUARY

Cleveland Cavaliers Oklahoma City Thunder

Philadelphia 76ers Dallas Mavericks

Miami Heat San Antonio Spurs

Boston Celtics Golden State Warriors

Cleveland Cavaliers Los Angeles Clippers

Isaiah Thomas

MARCH

Milwaukee Bucks Portland Trail Blazers

Philadelphia 76ers

Jason Kidd

Sacramento Kings

Milwaukee Bucks

Washington Wizards

Toronto Raptors

Portland Trail Blazers

Minnesota Timberwolves

Houston Rockets

Charlotte Hornets San Antonio Spurs

Miami Heat Portland Trail Blazers

NATHANIEL S. BUTLER (3)/NBAE/GETTY IMAGES

APRIL

Indiana Pacers

New York Knicks

Los Angeles Clippers

Phoenix Suns

Indiana Pacers Los Angeles Clippers

Chicago Bulls Golden State Warriors

Indiana Pacers Oklahoma City Thunder Willy Hernangomez

The Finals 2017 137

N BA CARE S

FROM THE COURT TO THE CLASSROOM

he NBA, WNBA, and Discovery Education have teamed up to help impact student achievement and inspire youth to pursue careers in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math). By creating a ﬁrst-of-its-kind digital core curriculum incorporating NBA and WNBA content and statistics, Discovery Education’s Math Techbook reaches students in fun and innovative ways. During a typical math lesson, students could be challenged to learn about weighted averages by creating formulas to predict who will be chosen for the All-NBA Teams, or tested on proportions by determining the number of assists a player is on track to have by the end of the season.

The partnership not only teaches youth about new math concepts during everyday math classes, but leverages the game to inspire a new generation to pursue STEM careers. Careers that Count: A Virtual Field Trip with the NBA took 9,000 classrooms from all 50 states + D.C. behindthe-scenes to learn how math is used across a variety of jobs with teams and at NBA headquarters. By hearing from real professionals who use math every day–such as the director of basketball strategy who uses math and science to create the NBA’s 1,230-game schedules–students quickly realize that the lessons they learn in the classroom are transferable to the court (and other playing ﬁelds).

To check out the Jr. NBA and Discovery Education’s latest Virtual Field Trip, please visit www.discoveryeducation.com/careersthatcount. 138 The Finals 2017

PUT YOUR MATH SKILLS TO THE TEST BY CALCULATING POINTS PER SHOT

FORMER NBA FINALS MVPS

YEAR

POINTS (PTS)

FIELD GOALS ATTEMPTED (FGA)

Shaquille O’Neal

2002

145

Michael Jordan

1998

201

164

Isiah Thomas

1990

138

Magic Johnson

1987

157

122

Larry Bird

1984

192

128

Bill Walton

1977

111

Wilt Chamberlain

1972

Jerry West

1969

265

196

POINTS PER SHOT (PPS) PTS ÷ FGA

The Finals 2017 139

J R. N BA

The Jr. NBA is committed to growing and improving the youth basketball experience for coaches, players and parents. The league’s youth basketball participation program provides a fun, exciting environment for kids to learn the fundamentals and values of the game at the grassroots level. Learn more at www.JrNBA.com. COACHING RESOURCES The Jr. NBA has developed a comprehensive instructional curriculum for coaches at all levels, including ﬁrst-time coaches. This FREE curriculum is available on JrNBA.com and includes 48 practice plans and nearly 250 instructional videos featuring NBA and WNBA legends and players.

JR. NBA YOUTH BASKETBALL LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE PRESENTED BY UNDER ARMOUR In May, the Jr. NBA and Under Armour hosted the inaugural Jr. NBA Youth Basketball Leadership Conference in Chicago. The event brought together youth basketball coaches, administrators and other key inﬂuencers as well as NBA/WNBA players, coaches, legends and executives with the collective aim of enhancing the youth basketball landscape.

JR. NBA COACH OF THE YEAR This season, the NBA created the Jr. NBA Coach of the Year award, which will be given annually to a youth basketball coach that is positively impacting children by demonstrating outstanding integrity, character and leadership. Finalists for the award receive funding, equipment and apparel, training, and an all-expense-paid trip to New York to attend the inaugural NBA Awards show on June 26.

YOUTH BASKETBALL GUIDELINES The NBA and USA Basketball have teamed up to develop the ﬁrst-ever youth basketball guidelines, with a speciﬁc emphasis on promoting player health and wellness. These guidelines — developed by leading medical experts from around the world — aim to promote a positive and healthy youth basketball experience. More information about these guidelines can be found at www.youthguidelines.com. 140 The Finals 2017

D-VE LOPM E NTS

N EW NAM E OF TH E GAM E

142 The Finals 2017

equipment testing, nutrition, topics such as recovery, being able to roll that out across our teams–all geared toward maximizing potential, enhancing performance, facilitating recovery–at the end of the day we think that’s a real benefit for our players, for our teams, for our coaches, and, ultimately, the product that we put on the floor.” Gatorade, which over the years has put its brand on established stars such as NBA legend Michael Jordan, former New York Yankees 14time All-Star shortstop Derek Jeter, eight-time Olympic gold medalist sprinter Usain Bolt and FC Barcelona star and five-time FIFA Ballon d’Or (World’s Best Men’s Player) winner Lionel Messi, can now shine a spotlight on the next generation of superstars in the D-League, while physically helping create them. “What I love about that is it’s all about the effort, the intensity, the work to get to that next level, then the work to stay at that level,” said O’Brien. “Where as a Messi may be the best soccer player in the world, these guys are trying to get into the League and very different levels of performance and training and everything else is needed. So it’s a really interesting concept and one that the league gets very excited about because it does then turn these players into a better understanding on how we can fuel, how they fuel. It’s a two-way street.” “You can imagine kind of getting to know Hassan Whiteside before he really became Hassan Whiteside – NBA D-League Call-Up who would go on to be the first NBA D-League CallUp to sign a max NBA contract,” said Turner. “That’s the kind of thing that’s really exciting and we’re looking forward to working with Gatorade to bring those stories to life.”All-in-all, it’s another win for a league that continues to ride hot streak of success. “The talent level has never been stronger. The outlook is really strong for additional talent to come into the league even faster so we’re just really excited about that,” Turner said. “I just think it’s another proof point, in addition to the player development and the record number of NBA players being assigned to this league, a record number of times. There’s no question we’re the next-best basketball league in the world and I think Gatorade has recognized that. With partners like Gatorade, Nike, ESPN, Facebook and others, I think it really bolsters our value proposition. That’s really exciting.”

RON TURENNE/NBAE/GETTY IMAGES

partnership with Gatorade, a founding partner with the league. The most obvious–but hardly the only–result of the agreement is changing the league’s name to the NBA Gatorade League effective with the 2017-18 season. “It’s an exciting development for us,” said NBA D-League President Malcolm Turner. “We have a terrific product and when you have partners like Gatorade, it helps tell that story to the broader marketplace. Gatorade really bought in and understands that we’re a league of aspiration, that we’re a league of opportunity. They recognize that player journey and what making it to the NBA level and what that takes.” NBA D-League Finals MVP “Gatorade understood the great Pascal Siakam growth and accelerated momentum that we have as a league,” Turner added. “It was a natural The expanded partnership between the extension of that relationship in NBA D-League and Gatorade means this partnership with Gatorade grand things for both. where they can provide a testbed for us and vice versa. At the end of the day, ince its founding in 2001, the it really just evolved into a natural fit for our NBA Development League has respective businesses.” been synonymous with getting to “We already had a partnership with the the next level. D-League. They were already consuming That continued during the 2016-17 season, Gatorade products but what would it look as 38 NBA D-League players earned Call-Ups like to step it up? What is the future of the to the NBA 51 times. And, 92 NBA players were assigned to the NBA D-League almost 500 D-League and how does that relate to what times, topping last year’s assignment highs the future of Gatorade looks like? It was the of 68 and 321. That was in addition to the right fit,” said Brett O’Brien, general manager 12 coaches that went to the NBA before the of Gatorade. “This isn’t just about a new season even began. name. This is about, really, a new direction Then there’s franchise expansion, as the for the league.” league, which was founded with eight teams A key element to this expansion is the in 2001-02 and expanded from 19 to 22 teams NBA D-League’s ability to make greater use prior to ‘16-17, will jump to 25 or more for of the revolutionary Gatorade Sports Science ‘17-18, adding franchises in Oshkosh, Wis. Institute. Founded in 1985 in Bradenton, Fla., (Milwaukee Bucks), Southaven, Miss. (Memphis GSSI studies the effects of nutrition on the Grizzlies), and Lakeland, Fla. (Orlando Magic), body at all stages of physical activity to see how as well as the Atlanta Hawks and Minnesota best to maximize performance and speed up Timberwolves buying affiliates to play in Erie, recovery. It’s something Turner can’t wait to see Pa. and Des Moines, Iowa, respectively. That at work with the NBA D-League’s players. leaves the NBA D-League five shy of reaching “The groundbreaking and exciting part of the its goal of one-to-one franchise affiliation with relationship is our ability to leverage Gatorade all 30 NBA teams. Sports Science, their institute of scientists and On Feb. 14, 2017, the NBA D-League took roll their sports science across our footprint of another giant step forward, expanding its locker rooms,” he said. “Their product testing,

By Jon Cooper

Devastation after the hurricane in Haiti.

N BA AWARDS ON TNT

By Jeramie McPeek

acceptance speeches, from laughs to, perhaps, even a few tears. The NBA’s biggest names and most beloved legends will be in attendance for the showcase event. Of course, you can’t have an awards show without a host. And who better to host the inaugural NBA Awards show than a hardcore hoops fan like Grammy Awardwinning, platinum-selling recording artist, multi-faceted entertainer and Toronto Raptors global ambassador Drake? Personalities from the NBA on TNT and NBA TV will also participate in the program, which will introduce six new award categories, all determined exclusively by fan voting via NBA.com, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. The new awards will recognize the top Dunk, Assist, Block, Game-Winner and Performance of the Year, as well as one off-the-court honor for Best Style. The fan-selected awards will be presented in addition to the NBA’s traditional end-of-season trophies, including Kia NBA Rookie of the Year, Kia NBA Defensive Player of the Year, the Kia NBA Sixth Man Award, Kia NBA Most Improved

AWARD TOU R

Drake will be hosting the inaugural NBA Awards on TNT on Monday, June 26.

The inaugural NBA Awards Show on TNT will feature this year’s top performers, legends, a celebrity host, new Fan Awards and more.

ou might be surprised to learn that the NBA season will not end with the crowning of new champions at the conclusion of this best-of-7 series. Sure, the nine months’ worth of games will be over and the ultimate prize will have been claimed, as one team holds up the Larry O’Brian Trophy, high above its collective heads for the world to see. But there will still be several pages left to write in the history book for Chapter 2016-17, and a few more prizes to be distributed, as well. After decades of on-court ceremonies held prior to playoff games and press conferences in 144 The Finals 2017

which winners thanked teammates, coaches, and mothers, this year’s end-of-season awards will be bestowed in a more dramatic way. The NBA is turning up the pomp and circumstance for a full night of celebrations of the season’s best players and, for the ﬁrst time, best plays. The NBA and Turner Sports announced in November that the ﬁrst-ever NBA Awards on TNT will be held on Monday, June 26, at Basketball City on Pier 36 in New York City. The league’s new annual event will feature all of the familiar accoutrements of entertainment’s most prestigious award shows, from red carpets to spotlights, from tuxedos to

Player, NBA Coach of the Year, NBA Basketball Executive of the Year, NBA Sportsmanship Award, Twyman-Stokes Teammate of the Year Award, NBA All-Rookie Team, NBA AllDefensive Team and the NBA Cares Community Assist Award presented by Kaiser Permanente. Oh wait, did we forget one? No, we just saved the best for last. The much-discussed and often-debated Kia NBA Most Valuable Player Award will be the main event of this summer evening, and a fitting crescendo to the tip-off of a new basketball tradition. But who will it be? While most of the speculation has surrounded the NBA’s new triple-double king, Oklahoma Thunder guard Russell Westbrook, and the Houston Rockets’ versatile/explosive point/forward James Harden, you can’t overlook San Antonio’s Kawhi Leonard, possibly the game’s best twoway player who improved his scoring to 25.5 ppg, who rounds out the finalists for the award. The decision will not be easy, of course. But the most prestigious personal award in the game today will be determined by a panel of NBA media and will be first announced live during the NBA Awards on TNT. Add it to your favorite calendar app now! “It’s probably going to be the closest MVP vote ever,” said NBA on TNT analyst Charles Barkley, who won the 1992-93 NBA Most Valuable Player Award with the Phoenix Suns. “I’m really looking forward to it.”

伀一䔀匀吀伀刀䔀Ⰰ 䔀嘀䔀刀夀吀䔀䄀䴀⸀

ALL-TI M E FI NALS RECORDS

I N DIVI DUAL, S E RI E S 4-game series

5-game series

6-game series

7-game series

145 131

Shaquille O’Neal, L.A. Lakers 2002 Hakeem Olajuwon, Houston 1995

178 169

Allen Iverson, Philadelphia 2001 Jerry West, L.A. Lakers 1965

246 245

Michael Jordan, Chicago 1993 Rick Barry, San Francisco 1967

284 265

Elgin Baylor, L.A. Lakers 1962 Jerry West, L.A. Lakers 1969

187 186

Robert Horry, Houston 1995 (tied) Bob Cousy, Bill Russell, Boston 1959

240 237

Wilt Chamberlain, L.A. Lakers 1973 Allen Iverson, Philadelphia 2001

292 291

Bill Russell, Boston 1968 John Havlicek, Boston 1968

345 338

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Milwaukee 1974 Bill Russell, Boston 1962

.739 .649

Derrek Dickey, Golden State 1975 Mario Elie, Houston 1995

.702 .653

Bill Russell, Boston 1965 John Paxson, Chicago 1991

.667 .611

Bob Gross, Portland 1977 Shaquille O’Neal, L.A. Lakers 2000

.638 .636

James Worthy, L.A. Lakers 1984 Tristan Thompson, Cleveland 2016

56 50

Hakeem Olajuwon, Houston 1995 Shaquille O’Neal, L.A. Lakers 2002

66 63

Allen Iverson, Philadelphia 2001 Michael Jordan, Chicago 1991 + Shaquille O’Neal, L.A. Lakers 2001

101 96

Michael Jordan, Chicago 1993 Shaquille O’Neal, L.A. Lakers 2000

101 97

Elgin Baylor, L.A. Lakers 1962 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Milwaukee 1974

16 11

Rashard Lewis, Orlando 2009 Shane Battier, Miami 2012

25 22

Stephen Curry, Golden State 2015 Ray Allen, Boston 2008

32 27

Stephen Curry, Golden State 2016 Danny Green, San Antonio 2013

.957

Bill Laimbeer, Detroit 1990 + Vlade Divac, L.A. Lakers 1991 Jim McMillian, L.A. Lakers 1972

1.000 .978

James Posey, Boston 2008 Reggie Miller, Indiana 2000 + Dirk Nowitzki, Dallas 2011

.960 .959

Ray Allen, Boston 2010 Bill Sharman, Boston 1957

Most points

Most minutes played

Highest field-goal percentage (minimum 4 made per game) Most field goals

Most three-point field goals made 11 10

Anfernee Hardaway, Orlando 1995 + Robert Horry, Houston 1995 Nick Anderson, Orlando 1995 + Brian Shaw, Orlando 1995 + Manu Ginobili, San Antonio 2007

Highest free-throw percentage (minimum 2 made per game)

1.000 .944

Dennis Scott, Orlando 1995 Phil Chenier, Washington 1975

Most free throws made

1.000

45 34

Shaquille O’Neal, L.A. Lakers 2002 Phil Chenier, Washington 1975

51 48

Jerry West, L.A. Lakers 1965 Bob Pettit, St. Louis 1961

75 67

Dwyane Wade, Miami 2006 George Mikan, Minneapolis 1950

82 75

Elgin Baylor, L.A. Lakers 1962 Jerry West, L.A. Lakers 1970

118 76

Bill Russell, Boston 1959 Wes Unseld, Baltimore 1971

144 138

Bill Russell, Boston 1961 Wilt Chamberlain, San Francisco 1964

171 160

Wilt Chamberlain, Philadelphia 1967 Nate Thurmond, San Francisco 1967

189 175

Bill Russell, Boston 1962 Wilt Chamberlain, L.A. Lakers 1969

27 19

Moses Malone, Philadelphia 1983 Horace Grant, Orlando 1995

31 21

Shaquille O’Neal, L.A. Lakers 2001 Elvin Hayes, Washington 1979

46 41

Moses Malone, Houston 1981 Dennis Rodman, Chicago 1996

35 33

Pau Gasol, L.A. Lakers 2010 Elvin Hayes, Washington 1978 + Marvin Webster, Seattle 1978 + Tim Duncan, San Antonio 2005

Most rebounds

Most offensive rebounds

Most defensive rebounds

53 45

Wes Unseld, Washington 1975 Moses Malone, Philadelphia 1983

62 58

Jack Sikma, Seattle 1979 Dwight Howard, 2009

91 79

Bill Walton, Portland 1977 Tim Duncan, San Antonio 2003

72 66

Larry Bird, Boston 1984 Tim Duncan, San Antonio 2005

51 50

Bob Cousy, Boston 1959 Magic Johnson, L.A. Lakers 1983

62 57

Magic Johnson, L.A. Lakers 1991 Michael Jordan, Chicago 1991

84 78

Magic Johnson, L.A. Lakers 1985 Magic Johnson, L.A. Lakers 1987

95 91

Magic Johnson, L.A. Lakers 1984 Magic Johnson, L.A. Lakers 1988

14 12

Rick Barry, Golden State 1975 Robert Horry, Houston 1995

14 13

Michael Jordan, Chicago 1991 Charlie Ward, New York 1999

Julius Erving, Philadelphia 1977 + Magic Johnson, L.A. Lakers 1980 + Larry Bird, Boston 1986 + Kobe Bryant, L.A. Lakers 2008 Maurice Cheeks, Philadelphia 1980 + Magic Johnson, L.A. Lakers 1982 + Byron Scott, L.A. Lakers 1985 + Danny Ainge, Boston 1986

20 17

Isiah Thomas, Detroit 1988 Derek Harper, New York 1994

Tim Duncan, San Antonio 2003 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, L.A. Lakers 1980

30 27

Patrick Ewing, New York 1994 Hakeem Olajuwon, Houston 1994

Most assists Most steals

Most blocked shots 11

Elvin Hayes, Washington 1975 + George Johnson, Golden State 1975 + Julius Erving, Philadelphia 1983 + John Salley, Detroit 1989 + Shaquille O’Neal, L.A. Lakers 2002

148 The Finals 2017

17 16

Shaquille O’Neal, L.A. Lakers 2001 Jack Sikma, Seattle 1979

32 23

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ALL-TI M E FI NALS RECORDS

TEAM, S E RI E S 4-GAME SERIES

Most points

487 456

Boston vs. Minneapolis 1959 Houston vs. Orlando 1995

Fewest points

322 346

Cleveland vs. San Antonio 2007 San Antonio vs. Cleveland 2007

Most field goals

188 180

Boston vs. Minneapolis 1959 Minneapolis vs. Boston 1959

Most three-point field goals made

41 37

Orlando vs. Houston 1995 Houston vs. Orlando 1995

5-GAME SERIES

6-GAME SERIES

7-GAME SERIES

617 605

Boston vs. L.A. Lakers 1965 Boston vs. St. Louis 1961

747 707

Philadelphia vs. San Francisco 1967 San Francisco vs. Philadelphia 1967

827 824

Boston vs. L.A. Lakers 1966 Boston vs. L.A. Lakers 1962

399 409

New York vs. San Antonio 1999 L.A. Lakers vs. Detroit 2004

481 492

Utah vs. Chicago 1998 New Jersey vs. San Antonio 2003

594 603

San Antonio vs. Detroit 2005 Houston vs. New York 1994

243 238

Boston vs. L.A. Lakers 1965 Boston vs. St. Louis 1961

287

332 327

New York vs. L.A. Lakers 1970 L.A. Lakers vs. Boston 1984

280

Philadelphia vs. San Francisco 1967 + San Francisco vs. Philadelphia 1967 L.A. Lakers vs. Boston 1987

55 46

San Antonio vs. Miami 2014 Miami vs. San Antonio 2014

67 52

Golden State vs. Cleveland 2015 Boston vs. L.A. Lakers 2008

94 64

Golden State vs. Cleveland 2016 Miami vs. San Antonio 2013

.826 .824

Chicago vs. L.A. Lakers 1991 Miami vs. Oklahoma City 2012

.852 .851

Indiana vs. L.A. Lakers 2000 Seattle vs. Chicago 1996

.827 .805

Boston vs. L.A. Lakers 1966 L.A. Lakers vs. Boston 1962

369 316

Boston vs. St. Louis 1961 Boston vs. L.A. Lakers 1965

435 425

San Francisco vs. Philadelphia 1967 Philadelphia vs. San Francisco 1967

487 448

Boston vs. St. Louis 1957 Boston vs. St. Louis 1960

82 72

Washington vs. Seattle 1979 Detroit vs. Portland 1990 + Detroit vs. L.A. Lakers 2004

112 111

Houston vs. Boston 1981 Houston vs. Boston 1986

131 127

Boston vs. L.A. Lakers 1984 Seattle vs. Washington 1978

162 161

Seattle vs. Washington 1979 San Antonio vs. New York 1999

240 228

Boston vs. Phoenix 1976 Portland vs. Philadelphia 1977

225 223

Cleveland vs. Golden State 2016 Seattle vs. Washington 1978

Boston vs. Minneapolis 1959 Orlando vs. Houston 1995

139 130

Chicago vs. L.A. Lakers 1991 Boston vs. St. Louis 1961

192 188

L.A. Lakers vs. Boston 1985 L.A. Lakers vs. Philadelphia 1982

198 192

L.A. Lakers vs. Boston 1984 New York vs. L.A. Lakers 1970

Golden State vs. Washington 1975

Chicago vs. L.A. Lakers 1991

Philadelphia vs. Portland 1977

Washington vs. Golden State 1975

L.A. Lakers vs. Philadelphia 2001

Portland vs. Philadelphia 1977 + L.A. Lakers vs. Philadelphia 1982

Boston vs. L.A. Lakers 1984 + Cleveland vs. Golden State 2016 Detroit vs. San Antonio 2005

44 39

L.A. Lakers vs. Philadelphia 2001 Seattle vs. Washington 1979

60 59

Philadelphia vs. L..A. Lakers 1980 San Antonio vs. New Jersey 2003

53 49

Detroit vs. San Antonio 2005 Seattle vs. Washington 1978

Highest free-throw percentage

.785 .776

L.A. Lakers vs. Philadelphia 1983 Detroit vs. L.A. Lakers 1989

Most rebounds

295 268

Boston vs. Minneapolis 1959 Minneapolis vs. Boston 1959

Most offensive rebounds 72

Golden State vs. Washington 1975 + Philadelphia vs. L.A. Lakers 1983

Most defensive rebounds

143 136

Golden State vs. Washington 1975 Orlando vs. Houston 1995

Most assists

114 110

Most steals

Most blocked shots 32 29

Golden State vs. Washington 1975 + Philadelphia vs. L.A. Lakers 1983 L.A. Lakers vs. Philadelphia 1983

150 The Finals 2017

I N DIVI DUAL, S E RI E S Minutes

Most minutes, game 62 61 60

Kevin Johnson, Phoenix vs. Chicago, June 13, 1993 (3 OT) Garfield Heard, Phoenix vs. Boston, June 4, 1976 (3 OT) Jo Jo White, Boston vs. Phoenix, June 4, 1976 (3 OT)

Most minutes per game, one championship series

49.3 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Milwaukee vs. Boston, 1974 (345/7) 48.7 Bill Russell, Boston vs. L.A. Lakers, 1968 (292/6) 48.5 John Havlicek, Boston vs. L.A. Lakers, 1968 (291/6) Scoring

Most points, game 61 55 53

Elgin Baylor, L.A. Lakers vs. Boston, April 14, 1962 Rick Barry, San Francisco vs. Philadelphia, April 18, 1967 + Michael Jordan, Chicago vs. Phoenix, June 16, 1993 Jerry West, L.A. Lakers vs. Boston, April 23, 1969

41.0 40.8 40.6

Michael Jordan, Chicago vs. Phoenix, 1993 (246/6) Rick Barry, San Francisco vs. Philadelphia, 1967 (245/6) Elgin Baylor, L.A. Lakers vs. Boston, 1962 (284/7)

Bob Pettit, St. Louis vs. Boston, April 9, 1958

Shaquille O’Neal, L.A. Lakers vs. Indiana, June 9, 2000

10 9

Paul Pierce, Boston vs. L.A. Lakers, June 15, 2008 Frank Ramsey, Boston vs. Minneapolis, April 4, 1959 + Michael Jordan, Chicago vs. Utah, June 11, 1997 + Shaquille O’Neal, L.A. Lakers vs. Indiana, June 9, 2000 + Austin Croshere, Indiana vs. L.A. Lakers, June 16, 2000 + Allen Iverson, Philadelphia vs. L.A. Lakers, June 10, 2001

Most free throws made, one half

Most free throws made, one quarter

Most free-throw attempts, game 39 25

Shaquille O’Neal, L.A. Lakers vs. Indiana, June 9, 2000 Dwyane Wade, Miami vs. Dallas, June 16, 2006 (OT)

Shaquille O’Neal, L.A. Lakers vs. Indiana, June 9, 2000

Most free-throw attempts, one half

Highest scoring average, one championship series

Most free-throw attempts, one quarter

Most points, rookie, game

Most rebounds, game

42 37

Magic Johnson, L.A. Lakers vs. Philadelphia, May 16, 1980 Joe Fulks, Philadelphia vs. Chicago, April 16, 1947 + Tom Heinsohn, Boston vs. St. Louis, April 13, 1957 (2 OT) 34 Joe Fulks, Philadelphia vs. Chicago, April 22, 1947 + Elgin Baylor, Minneapolis vs. Boston, April 4, 1959 Field goals

Highest field-goal percentage, game (minimum 8 made) 1.000 .917

Scott Wedman, Boston vs. L.A. Lakers, May 27, 1985 (11/11) + John Paxson, Chicago vs. L.A. Lakers, June 5, 1991 (8/8) Bill Bradley, New York vs. L.A. Lakers, April 26, 1972 (11/12) + James Worthy, L.A. Lakers vs. Boston, May 31, 1984 (11/12) (OT)

Most field goals, game 22

Elgin Baylor, L.A. Lakers vs. Boston, April 14, 1962 + Rick Barry, San Francisco vs. Philadelphia, April 18, 1967 21 Jerry West, L.A. Lakers vs. Boston, April 23, 1969 + Michael Jordan, Chicago vs. Phoenix, June 16, 1993 + Shaquille O’Neal, L.A. Lakers vs. Indiana, June 7, 2000 Three-point field goals

16 Shaquille O’Neal, L.A. Lakers vs. New Jersey, June 5, 2002 16 Shaquille O’Neal, L.A. Lakers vs. Indiana, June 9, 2000 Rebounds 40 38

Bill Russell, Boston vs. St. Louis, March 29, 1960 + Bill Russell, Boston vs. L.A. Lakers, April 18, 1962 (OT) Bill Russell, Boston vs. St. Louis, April 11, 1961 + Bill Russell, Boston vs. L.A. Lakers, April 16, 1963 + Wilt Chamberlain, San Francisco vs. Boston, April 24, 1964 + Wilt Chamberlain, Philadelphia vs. San Francisco, April 16, 1967

Assists

Most assists, game 21 20

Magic Johnson, L.A. Lakers vs. Boston, June 3, 1984 Magic Johnson, L.A. Lakers vs. Boston, June 4, 1987 + Magic Johnson, L.A. Lakers vs. Chicago, June 12, 1991

Highest average, assists per game, one championship series 14.0 13.6 13.0

Magic Johnson, L.A. Lakers vs. Boston, 1985 (84/6) Magic Johnson, L.A. Lakers vs. Boston, 1984 (95/7) Magic Johnson, L.A. Lakers vs. Boston, 1987 (78/6) + Magic Johnson, L.A. Lakers vs. Detroit, 1988 (91/7)

Steals

Most steals, game

Most three-point field goals, game

7 6

Most three-point field-goal attempts, game

Most blocked shots, game

8 7

15 14

Ray Allen, Boston vs. L.A. Lakers, June 6, 2010 Kenny Smith, Houston vs. Orlando, June 7, 1995 (OT) + Scottie Pippen, Chicago vs. Utah, June 6, 1997; Ray Allen, Boston vs. L.A. Lakers, June 17, 2008; Mike Miller, Miami vs. Oklahoma City, June 21, 2012; Danny Green, San Antonio vs. Miami, June 11, 2013; Stephen Curry, Golden State vs. Cleveland, June 9, 2015; Stephen Curry, Golden State vs. Cleveland, June 14, 2015; Stephen Curry, Golden State vs. Cleveland, June 10, 2016 Stephen Curry, Golden State vs. Cleveland, June 7, 2015 (OT) + Stephen Curry, Golden State vs. Cleveland, June 10, 2016 J.R. Smith, Cleveland vs. Golden State, June 14, 2015 + Stephen Curry, Golden State vs. Cleveland, June 19, 2016

Most three-point field-goal attempts, one half 10

John Starks, New York vs. Houston, June 22, 1994 + J.R. Smith, Cleveland vs. Golden State, June 16, 2015 Free throws

Most free throws made, none missed, game 15 14

Terry Porter, Portland vs. Detroit, June 7, 1990 (OT) Magic Johnson, L.A. Lakers vs. Philadelphia, May 16, 1980

Dwyane Wade, Miami vs. Dallas, June 18, 2006 (OT)

Most free throws made, game

Robert Horry, Houston vs. Orlando, June 9, 1995 John Havlicek, Boston vs. Milwaukee, May 3, 1974 + Steve Mix, Philadelphia vs. Portland, May 22, 1977 + Maurice Cheeks, Philadelphia vs. L.A. Lakers, May 7, 1980 + Isiah Thomas, Detroit vs. L.A. Lakers, June 19, 1988 + Rajon Rondo, Boston vs. L.A. Lakers, June 17, 2008 +Dwyane Wade, Miami vs. San Antonio, June 13, 2013 Blocked shots 9 8

Dwight Howard, Orlando vs. L.A. Lakers, June 11, 2009 (OT) Bill Walton, Portland vs. Philadelphia, June 5, 1977 + Hakeem Olajuwon, Houston vs. Boston, June 5, 1986 + Patrick Ewing, New York vs. Houston, June 17, 1994 + Shaquille O’Neal, L.A. Lakers vs. Philadelphia, June 8, 2001 + Tim Duncan, San Antonio vs. New Jersey, June 15, 2003 Turnovers

Most turnovers, game 10 9

Magic Johnson, L.A. Lakers vs. Philadelphia, May 14, 1980 Magic Johnson, L.A. Lakers vs. Philadelphia, May 31, 1983

59 50 48

Dan Majerle, Phoenix vs. Chicago, June 13, 1993 (3 OT) Wes Unseld, Washington vs. Seattle, May 29, 1979 (OT) Rodney McCray, Houston vs. Boston, June 5, 1986

Most minutes played, no turnovers, game

The Finals 2017 151

ALL-TI M E FI NALS RECORDS

TH E FI NALS RE S U LTS Year Dates

Winning Team (Coach) Losing Team (Coach) Games MVP

Year Dates

Winning Team (Coach) Losing Team (Coach) Games MVP

2016 June 2 - June 19

Cleveland (Lue)

Golden State (Kerr)

4-3

LeBron James, Cleveland

1981 May 5 - May 14

Boston (Fitch)

Houston (Harris)

2015 June 4 - June 16

Golden State (Kerr)

Cleveland (Blatt)

4-2

Andre Iguodala, Golden State

1980 May 4 - May 16

L.A. Lakers (Westhead)

Philadelphia (Cunningham) 4-2

Magic Johnson, L.A. Lakers

2014 June 5 - June 15

San Antonio (Popovich)

2013 June 6 - June 20

Miami (Spoelstra)

4-1

Kawhi Leonard, San Antonio

1979 May 20 - June 1

Seattle (Wilkens)

Washington (Motta)

4-1

Dennis Johnson, Seattle

2012 June 12 - June 21

Miami (Spoelstra)

San Antonio (Popovich)

4-3

LeBron James, Miami

1978 May 21 - June 7

Washington (Motta)

Seattle (Wilkens)

4-3

Wes Unseld, Washington

Oklahoma City (Brooks)

4-1

LeBron James, Miami

1977 May 22 - June 5

Portland (Ramsay)

Philadelphia (Shue)

4-2

Bill Walton, Portland

2011 May 31 - June 12

Dallas (Carlisle)

Miami (Spoelstra)

4-2

Dirk Nowitzki, Dallas

1976 May 23 - June 6

Boston (Heinsohn)

Phoenix (MacLeod)

4-2

Jo Jo White, Boston

2010 June 3 - June 17

L.A. Lakers (Jackson)

Boston (Rivers)

4-3

Kobe Bryant, L.A. Lakers

1975 May 18 - May 25

Golden State (Attles)

Washington (Jones)

4-0

Rick Barry, Golden State

2009 June 4 - June 14

L.A. Lakers (Jackson)

Orlando (S. Van Gundy)

4-1

Kobe Bryant, L.A. Lakers

1974 April 28 - May 12

Boston (Heinsohn)

Milwaukee (Costello)

4-3

John Havlicek, Boston

2008 June 5 - June 17

Boston (Rivers)

Los Angeles (Jackson)

4-2

Paul Pierce, Boston

1973 May 1 - May 10

New York (Holzman)

L.A. Lakers (Sharman)

4-1

Willis Reed, New York

2007 June 7 - June 14

San Antonio (Popovich)

Cleveland (M. Brown)

4-0

Tony Parker, San Antonio

1972 April 26 - May 7

L.A. Lakers (Sharman)

New York (Holzman)

4-1

Wilt Chamberlain, L.A. Lakers

2006 June 8 - June 20

Miami (Riley)

Dallas (Johnson)

4-2

Dwyane Wade, Miami

1971 April 21 - April 30

Milwaukee (Costello)

Baltimore (Shue)

4-0

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Milwaukee

2005 June 9 - June 23

San Antonio (Popovich)

Detroit (L. Brown)

4-3

Tim Duncan, San Antonio

1970 April 24 - May 8

New York (Holzman)

L.A. Lakers (Mullaney)

4-3

Willis Reed, New York

2004 June 6 - June 15

Detroit (L. Brown)

L.A. Lakers (Jackson)

4-1

Chauncey Billups, Detroit

1969 April 23 - May 5

Boston (Russell)

L.A. Lakers (van Breda Kolff) 4-3

Jerry West, L.A. Lakers

2003 June 4 - June 15

San Antonio (Popovich)

New Jersey (Scott)

4-2

Tim Duncan, San Antonio

1968 April 21 - May 2

Boston (Russell)

L.A. Lakers (van Breda Kolff) 4-2

2002 June 6 - June 12

L.A. Lakers (Jackson)

New Jersey (Scott)

4-0

Shaquille O’Neal, L.A. Lakers

1967 April 14 - April 24

Philadelphia (Hannum)

San Francisco (Sharman)

4-2

2001 June 6 - June 15

L.A. Lakers (Jackson)

Philadelphia (L. Brown)

4-1

Shaquille O’Neal, L.A. Lakers

1966 April 17 - April 28

Boston (Auerbach)

L.A. Lakers (Schaus)

4-3

2000 June 7 - June 19

L.A. Lakers (Jackson)

Indiana (Bird)

4-2

Shaquille O’Neal, L.A. Lakers

1965 April 18 - April 25

Boston (Auerbach)

L.A. Lakers (Schaus)

4-1

1999 June 16 - June 25

San Antonio (Popovich)

New York (J. Van Gundy)

4-1

Tim Duncan, San Antonio

1964 April 18 - April 26

Boston (Auerbach)

San Francisco (Hannum)

4-1

1998 June 3 - June 14

Chicago (Jackson)

Utah (Sloan)

4-2

Michael Jordan, Chicago

1963 April 14 - April 24

Boston (Auerbach)

L.A. Lakers (Schaus)

4-2

1997 June 1 - June 13

Chicago (Jackson)

Utah (Sloan)

4-2

Michael Jordan, Chicago

1962 April 7 - April 18

Boston (Auerbach)

L.A. Lakers (Schaus)

4-3

1996 June 5 - June 16

Chicago (Jackson)

Seattle (Karl)

4-2

Michael Jordan, Chicago

1961 April 2 - April 11

Boston (Auerbach)

St. Louis (Seymour)

4-1

1995 June 7 - June 14

Houston (Tomjanovich)

Orlando (Hill)

4-0

Hakeem Olajuwon, Houston

1960 March 27 - April 9

Boston (Auerbach)

St. Louis (Macauley)

4-3

1994 June 8 - June 22

Houston (Tomjanovich)

New York (Riley)

4-3

Hakeem Olajuwon, Houston

1959 April 4 - April 9

Boston (Auerbach)

Minneapolis (Kundla)

4-0

1993 June 9 - June 20

Chicago (Jackson)

Phoenix (Westphal)

4-2

Michael Jordan, Chicago

1958 March 29 - April 12 St. Louis (Hannum)

Boston (Auerbach)

4-2

1992 June 3 - June 14

Chicago (Jackson)

Portland (Adelman)

4-2

Michael Jordan, Chicago

1957 March 30 - April 13 Boston (Auerbach)

St. Louis (Hannum)

4-3

1991 June 2 - June 12

Chicago (Jackson)

L.A. Lakers (Dunleavy)

4-1

Michael Jordan, Chicago

1956 March 31 - April 7

Ft. Wayne (Eckman)

4-1

1990 June 5 - June 14

Detroit (Daly)

Portland (Adelman)

4-1

Isiah Thomas, Detroit

1955 March 31 - April 10 Syracuse (Cervi)

Ft. Wayne (Eckman)

4-3

1989 June 6 - June 13

Detroit (Daly)

L.A. Lakers (Riley)

4-0

Joe Dumars, Detroit

1954 March 31 - April 12 Minneapolis (Kundla)

Syracuse (Cervi)

4-3

1988 June 7 - June 21

L.A. Lakers (Riley)

Detroit (Daly)

4-3

James Worthy, L.A. Lakers

1953 April 4 - April 10

Minneapolis (Kundla)

New York (Lapchick)

4-1

1987 June 2 - June 14

L.A. Lakers (Riley)

Boston (Jones)

4-2

Magic Johnson, L.A. Lakers

1952 April 12 - April 25

Minneapolis (Kundla)

New York (Lapchick)

4-3

1986 May 26 - June 8

Boston (Jones)

Houston (Fitch)

4-2

Larry Bird, Boston

1951 April 7 - April 21

Rochester (Harrison)

New York (Lapchick)

4-3

1985 May 27 - June 9

L.A. Lakers (Riley)

Boston (Jones)

4-2

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, L.A. Lakers

1950 April 8 - April 23

Minneapolis (Kundla)

Syracuse (Cervi)

4-2

1984 May 27 - June 12

Boston (Jones)

L.A. Lakers (Riley)

4-3

Larry Bird, Boston

1949 April 4 - April 13

Minneapolis (Kundla)

Washington (Auerbach)

4-2

1983 May 22 - May 31

Philadelphia (Cunningham) L.A. Lakers (Riley)

4-0

Moses Malone, Philadelphia

1948 April 10 - April 21

Baltimore (Jeannette)

Philadelphia (Gottlieb)

4-2

1982 May 27 - June 8

L.A. Lakers (Riley)

Philadelphia (Cunningham) 4-2

Magic Johnson, L.A. Lakers

1947 April 16 - April 22

Philadelphia (Gottlieb)

Chicago (Olsen)

4-1

Team with best record (or tied for best record) during regular season in italics *Finals MVP not named before 1969

152 The Finals 2017

Philadelphia (Senesky)

4-2

Cedric Maxwell, Boston

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