Today's Best NBA Reporting And Analysis 6/20/16
- Cavs Slog Through Doubt To Win The Title (from Zach Lowe, ESPN):
Read it here: http://espn.go.com/nba/playoffs/2016/story/_/id/16356620/cavs-slog-doubt-rise-title
- LBJ Delivers (from Ben Golliver, Sports Illustrated):
Read it here: http://www.si.com/nba/2016/06/20/nba-finals-lebron-james-cavs-warriors-game-7-cleveland-first-title
- Video Breakdown: The Block (from Matt Moore, CBS Sports):
Read and view it here: http://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/nba-finals-every-thrilling-second-of-lebron-james-iconic-game-7-block and from Rohan Nadkarni, Sports Illustrated: http://www.si.com/nba/2016/06/20/nba-finals-game-7-lebron-james-block-andre-iguodala-highlights-video
- Game 7 Recap (from Gerald Bourguet, Hoops Habit):
Read and view it here: http://hoopshabit.com/2016/06/19/2016-nba-finals-game-7-recap/
- Five Observations On Game 7 (from Chris Fedor, cleveland.com):
Read and view it here: http://www.cleveland.com/cavs/index.ssf/2016/06/kevin_love_gets_redemption_on.html
- How The "Others" Helped LBJ Win The Title (from Eric Freeman, Yahoo Sports):
- Did The Dubs' Chase For 73 Help Do Them In? (from Moke Hamiltoon, SBNation):
" Their quest for the NBA's wins record might have overextended the team. Game 7 was 106th of the Warriors' season. The upshot of their chase for 73 is that they've played all 106 like they needed them, while Cleveland was starting Sasha Kaun and friends down the stretch. And Cleveland swept its first two opponents and didn't struggle much against the third, while the Warriors dropped games to the Warriors and Blazers before going seven hard-fought battles with the Thunder.
Andrew Bogut's knee got bonked out of commission in the 104th game of the season, and Andre Iguodala's back gave way in the 105th. Perhaps if the Warriors hadn't needed every single one of the previous 100, the bodies of their defensive stars wouldn't break for the games they really needed.
That forced the supposed best team in NBA history to play a single game for their legacy, against a better-rested team, with their best center sidelined, with their best opponent furious, with their best option for guarding their best opponent hobbled and with the referees on high alert. The deck was ultimately stacked against them, despite the home-court advantage. In the end, they just couldn't pull another rabbit out of their hat."
Additional Player Notes, Updates, Profiles:
Nazr Mohammed (from Anthony Slater, newsok.com): http://newsok.com/okc-thunder-season-in-review-nazr-mohammed-heads-toward-likely-retirement-after-brief-second-stint-with-thunder/article/5505138
- Tyler Harris (from Moke Hamilton, Basketball Insiders): http://www.basketballinsiders.com/nba-sunday-tyler-harris-the-unorthodox-path-and-following-the-process/
- Marquese Chriss (from Angel Guerrero, Cowbell Kingdom: http://cowbellkingdom.com/wayne-tinkle-on-marquese-chriss-the-sky-is-the-limit/