In search of Larry O'Brien: 2015 NBA Playoffs

[OnWis97]

Mark. It. DOWN.

The Rockets will be your next NBA Champion. Why? Because they're part of the Clique of champions.

There, I said it.

Even so, they have not won it all in 20 years.

We are looking at a Final Four of:

• Cleveland
• Atlanta (or possibly Washington)
• Golden State (or better yet, Memphis)
• Houston (obviously, but I have to mention LAC)

David Stern is going to have to come back into the fold because this is not how the NBA is supposed to be.

The last Finals appearance from this group came in LeBron's first Cleveland stint and the last win came in 1995.

I think this is awesome. But I am in the minority. If Cleveland loses the next series, the finals are going to take a beating. Atlanta/Houston? Can you imagine? But if Cleveland wins, LeBron is probably enough to draw some viewers.

I agree 100% (unless that was sarcasm). People have been bitching for the longest time about all the buzz revolving around the "marquee" franchises, and how no other franchise ever gets an opportunity to win. Well, be careful what you wish for, because the league's moving into a period where all of those franchises are going to be crap, sans the Cleveland LeBrons. Now those people going to get to see just how boring the league is when the Atlantas and Houstons and Washingtons of the world are the relevant teams in the playoffs. And if LeBron gets eliminated early? God help everyone. Interest will fall off a cliff. The NBA was already in trouble because the game is really starting to trend toward that dumb Euroball style, which is awful to watch, and officiating/play stoppages are really starting to get out of hand.

I realize that it will never happen (for a litany of reasons), but the NBA is the league that would benefit most from mass contraction. There just isn't enough quality talent to go around for 30 teams, especially when the league (and a good chunk of the players) are so oriented towards accomplished big market clubs like the Lakers, Knicks, Bulls, Celtics, Mavs, and Heat. Everyone else is doomed to fail unless they win the lottery in a good draft year. Oh how I wish the NBA could just cut six franchises or so out of the fold altogether.

Sarcasm, it was. It's always driven me bonkers that fans can't get behind watching good teams that they are not used to watching. Golden State is a fun team. Plus they are actually in an "important" market (maybe this is where the "Golden State" name hurts 'em). But I know that most fans want to see the Lakers in the finals every year (or at least they'll watch; some because they hate the Lakers). It's kinda like how we love NCAA hoops upsets but then we don't watch the plucky teams play in the Final 8 unless it's against Duke.

I wish for all franchises to have a shot and what we see with the remaining teams is refreshing. Really, as long as there are good teams, why should it matter what market they come from or whether or not we are used to them being good (it obviously does, though).

Also, take a look at the key teams you've highlighed (Lakers, Knicks, Bulls, Celtics, Mavs, and Heat). The Knicks, Celtics, and Lakers always matter. And the Bulls are Chicago (though they did not really matter too much pre-Jordan). But Mavs were basically the T-Woves before Dirk arrived. And the Heat were nothing before D-Wade and despite that first title, would not have made your list had LeBron not taken his talents there. The Spurs were meaningless before David Robinson and now look at them. Teams like the Jazz have drawn an audience in their hay day. My point is that maybe one of these teams will become that...two years from now, Golden State may be working on their 3rd straight trip to the finals and if so, they'll draw a TV crowd. Nobody will ever draw like the Lakers but if we just want to have the league be Lakers and Knicks, that may hurt viewership too.

As I said, I know I am in the minority. I know if the Cavs lose in the next round, we are going to have some very low ratings. And yeah, contract the T-Wolves and Bucks. Maybe the Cavs a few years after LeBron is done. These are the three most non-cosmopolitan, bad weather cities incapable of getting a free agent of significance. And maybe a few others should be cut too. But there needs to be at least 23 teams (the 1980s number pre Charlotte/Miami). But I really wish that fans could embrace the success of whoever is left. But the NBA (and all non-NFL sports, really) has too casual of a following that just cannot get on board with a small market team (barring a mega-superstar like LeBron being there).

[CubsFanBudMan]

The Celtics went dormant for 20 years but that so-called clique of champions goes back to 1980. Only a few anomalies.

I can't wait to see who wins.

[Lights Out]

Hey fan police, is it ok for me to criticize the way the team I root for plays now?

Crap like this is why I was mad they didn't handle business back in game 5. Ridiculous.

Seriously, where are all those douchebags? This was so obviously going to happen from the opening minutes of Game 5. Maybe people should stop and think that the actual fans of the team might know what we're talking about before criticizing us for not being homers.

Personally, I'm always going to be a fan, but I'm never getting my hopes up for this team again. I'll just be a casual fan and spend every year waiting for them to find another hilarious way to fail to get past the second round of the playoffs. This franchise is the Washington Capitals of the NBA, except even more futile.

Secretly, you love it. It's why you're a Clippers fan in the first place.

True, Clipper fans are masochists. After that meltdown, though, I doubt I'll ever get my hopes up again. Phoenix 2006, Memphis 2013, OKC 2014, Houston 2015. At some point, this franchise is what it is.

[dfwabel]

Golden State has the opportunity to win several in a row. It's a young core, Steph Curry is really, really good, and Steve Kerr seems to have an excellent handle on how to be an NBA coach.

That's all to say that there may be a first-time champion this season, but that champion may also be set up for a Spurs-style launch like back in 1999 (though it took a bit for that second title to come).

They must pay Green, but luckily for them David Lee has an expiring contract next season. They're up against the cap and they're trying to build the arena with their own money.

[Still MIGHTY]

True, Clipper fans are masochists. After that meltdown, though, I doubt I'll ever get my hopes up again. Phoenix 2006, Memphis 2013, OKC 2014, Houston 2015. At some point, this franchise is what it is. Clippers gonna Clip.

[Lights Out]

I guess this is all Laker fans have to look forward to now that Jim and Jeannie are turning their franchise into the new old Clippers.

[DG_ThenNowForever]

I guess this is all Laker fans have to look forward to now that Jim and Jeannie are turning their franchise into the new old Clippers.

There's probably some truth in that.

[Fishplatter]

This Wizards-Hawks series is pretty boring. Hopefully, Atlanta closes it out tonight, but it doesn't matter. Cleveland is going to the NBA Finals.

[DS729]

This Wizards-Hawks series is pretty boring. Hopefully, Atlanta closes it out tonight, but it doesn't matter. Cleveland is going to the NBA Finals.

They've already swept them right?

Atlanta won 60 games in the regular season. They're not a bad team, and the Cavs don't have Kevin Love and despite the last game, they didn't have the easiest time with the Bulls. It's likely they will win but it's not like the Hawks have been favored the entire season either.

Meh, I don't want to see another LeBron Finals, or see this inept David Blatt get a ring. I'd like to see Cleveland get a championship but this team isn't likeable enough for me to root for. Atlanta-Golden State would be my preferred outcome, Atlanta isn't astounding, but Curry and Thompson are fun to watch and would likely pull a more entertaining game out of Atlanta anyway, plus the Hawks team hasn't made the finals in 40+ years. But the possibility of Hack-a-Shaq or Memphis against Atlanta is frightening as well.

EDIT: Oh man that's a tough break. Still was a really entertaining series, last 4 games were pretty incredible to watch.

[lordsketor]

The Truth was a little late...

[SCalderwood]

Wild finish in DC. Very fitting for what has been a great and entertaining series overall.

So... why in the hell is Golden State's logo/box on the ESPN scorebug colored BRIGHT TEAL? I'm guessing it's probably ESPN trying to contrast the teams as much as possible, but they shouldn't just use random colors that are not part of a team's color scheme for the sake of contrast. The NBA on ESPN has become slightly bearable over the years, but they still do dumb things like this too often.

If anything, use yellow (gold, get it?) for GS and light blue for MEM. At least that way you are using actual team colors, and still get plenty of contrast.

[DS729]

I don't get it either, using a color that isn't in ones identity altogether and a tertiary color. Nothing but the best from the worldwide leader!

[FiddySicks]

Man, Steph Curry. What an absolute monster.

It's great to FINALLY see the Warriors in this position. They've been absolute garbage pretty much my entire life.

[monkeypower]

So was that Pierce's first shot made as a retired player?

[Unocal]

Last time Golden State made the West Finals:

The Seahawks/Mariners didn't exist yet

The NBA had a Midwest Division

The World Hockey Association was still a thing

[JayJaxon]

I don't see how people will say these Finals will have low ratings if Atlanta,Houston, or Golden State is involved. I think a lot of basketball fans are happy there are finally teams not named the Spurs, Lakers, and Heat playing for a championship. I am an Atlanta fan and because of who is left in the field, I will be happy no matter what the outcome is. Finally we have different teams playing for the title. It's exciting.

[The_Admiral]

Until it's Houston and Cleveland, then it's LeBron yet again versus Dwight Howard, whom no one likes anymore.

[habsfan1]

The Truth was a little late...

.001 seconds too late...

[DG_ThenNowForever]

The way the Warriors play is almost unfair. Not that they're cheating, but their ability to so consistently hit the three -- from multiple shooters -- feels like they're playing with cheat codes on. The last few moments of the Grizzlies game were brutal. Memphis kept on cutting the lead to 10, or 9, or 8, but Golden State would pop it right back up to 13, 12 or 11. Being on the other side of a game like that must feel so defeating.

This season has clearly defined the importance of having consistent three-point shooting -- both Atlanta and Golden State have gotten as far as they have on the strength of it. Memphis made it seem like they could muscle Golden State out, but eventually raining three-pointers will overwhelm the best defenses.

Houston also has three-point plays as part of their offense, but they do it the traditional way. Harden plays inside, gets fouled, and either shoots two or completes a three-point play. Howard too, except I'm not sure if he's good anymore.

It all feels so obvious. Great teams used to have a single three-point guy -- Steve Kerr, Robert Horry, and so on -- that it seems absurd we didn't figure this out sooner. Having three or four guys able to reliably shoot three-pointers is a huge competitive advantage. Who knew?

[Lights Out]

The strategy of having multiple three-point shooters is nothing new. Doug Moe probably figured it out first with the Nuggets in the '80s, with Mike Evans, Fat Lever and Bill Hanzlik taking lots of threes. The '90s Rockets were the first team to have legitimate success with it by surrounding Hakeem with floor-spacing shooters at all times. The Warriors are good at what they do, but what they do isn't exactly revolutionary.