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| Lebron vs. Durant is the matchup everyone is salivating over, but it's not the only one that's important. |
If the NBA playoffs haven't been micro-analyzed to the absolute T then I must be out of my mind. Every single playoff game has received some epic Grantland post, ESPN article, Sportscenter segment and it should only get more intense as we dive deeper into what's brewing to be an all-time great Finals. We're going to do our part here to help abuse your brain with different things to think about over the next two weeks and in this case it'll be ranking the importance of the players playing in the NBA Finals.
24. Juwan Howard
If it wasn't for all those reserves sitting on the bench in suits, Howard would be Mr. Irrelevant for these Finals. But thanks to Eddy Curry's inability to lose weight the 39-year-old still somehow is on this roster and I would assume he gets absolutely no time in this series. I wouldn't even tab him as active. I'd say he's like a player-coach who never plays. Credit to Howard if the Heat win, he's been a great ambassador in the NBA and does deserve a ring even if he has nothing to do with the winning of that ring.
23. Royal Ivey
Aside from having the best name in the Finals, Ivey won't be a factor at all.
22. Nazr Mohammed
I actually really like Mohammed as a big body who can just bang down low and match Ronny Turiaf's insanity. Unfortunately he hasn't been needed and probably won't be needed against a Heat team that lacks a true big man.
21. Norris Cole
Cole exploded onto the scene this year showing promise as a maybe a key role player going forward. But that excitement subsided when the Cleveland State-product look like...well...he was still playing for Cleveland State. He has been buried on the depth chart behind James Jones,
20. Ronny Turiaf
I'll tell you what I have no idea why Ronny Turiaf doesn't play more. The guy was injured slightly in the Boston series but he only averaged 8.8 minutes per game. I think he's far superior to Joel Anthony because he brings this wild, mostly uncontrollable, but sometimes useful energy that can fire up an arena. I'm not kidding, he can shift momentum with those crazy eyes. I know Anthony is the more efficient player, but give this future insane asylum patient a chance Spoelstra, I really think he could do wonders, even if the Thunder don't really have a scoring big man.
19. Eric Maynor
You're probably scratching your head to why I put a player on this list who hasn't played since January. Well that's because he is an under appreciated loss coming off the bench for the Thunder. Maynor has shown to be a phenomenal defender and can score here and there. He would be a far better defender than Derek Fisher and might be able to gets some minutes bodying-up Wade. I don't think that Maynor would change this series that dramatically, but it certainly would add to the reasons to why the Thunder are about to have a field day at Miami's expense.
18. James Jones
I wonder how many people in the world are named James Jones? Could his parents think of any less of an original name? Anyways, Jones hasn't played that much in these playoffs because Wade and LeBron rarely come out of the game. I actually think that Jones could have a minor impact in this series simply on the fact that he can shoot the three ball. I know he is an absolute defensive liability and would get straight ruined by Durant, but give him an open three and he'll probably sink it.
17. Daequan Cook
Cook is very similar to James Jones in that he can drill the three, but is a defensive liability. He's played erratic minutes in the playoffs so far, but he had a pretty big impact in Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals scoring 8 points in 4 minutes to really spell a few starter minutes without losing a beat. He's a rhythm shooter and not much more, so if he gets hot he could have a minor impact in a game or two, but outside that he won't be much of a factor.
16. Nick Collison
Finally we break into the rotation players with Nick Collison. The Kansas-product will spell Kendrick Perkins for long periods and if Perk is in foul trouble expect a lot of the battles down low to fall on Collison. I actually really like this guy, he brings a ton of energy, he plays smart and he does everything relatively well for an eighth man. He'll have an interesting matchup with either Bosh, who is a bit too athletic for him, or Haslem, who might be stronger than him. The rebounding matchup between Collison and Anthony or Haslem will be an underratedly important aspect of this game, especially when the benches start building a school with all their bricks.
15. Joel Anthony
Anthony is an interesting piece here in this series, because he could be an absolute non-factor if his age catches up with him or he could be a big rebounding and defending presence going forward. However, much like the Eastern Conference Finals, the big men matchups will be more about boxing out and grabbing rebounds than shutting each other down or being an offensive threat. Anthony's minutes have faded, while Haslem's minutes have sky rocketed, so we'll see if Anthony can find himself a niche in the Finals.
14. Thabo Sefolosha
The Thunder will most likely call on Thabo Sefolosha to be a defensive specialist against Dwyane Wade. He's an inch or two taller than Wade and will really need to use his strength to body the always-in-control Dwyane Wade. Being physical with Dwyane Wade is the only way to defend him, but it's also a hard thing to do. Wade absorbs body contact with the best of them, and it'll probably take some serious ball denial for Sefolosha to throw Wade out of his rhythm. While the Thunder like to take out Sefolosha to bring in the the offensive spark that is James Harden, Sef might be a bigger key than people think. He played 22-plus minutes in all of the Thunder's wins against Ginobili and the Spurs; Ginobili scored 8,13,34 and 10 in those four games and was effectively shut down aside from Game 6 and guess what? Thabo was in foul trouble in that game. Sefolosha will need to have that same impact against Wade if the Thunder want to dominate this series.
13. Derek Fisher
I absolutely believe that Derek Fisher has had a major impact on Russell Westbrook and this entire Thunder team. They somehow rallied to win four straight against a team who couldn't lose and they did it with such a calm and collected confidence that it had to be a product of Fisher's godly amount of experience in those situations. This team is maturing before our eyes and I think we're losing sight of Derek Fisher's importance in this whole process. On the court he won't do much more than spell minutes for Westbrook, but I do expect to have one of these big shots to either put a game away or win it. Fisher deserves another ring more than anyone on this court and hopefully his positive locker room presence can continue on into the Finals.
12. Mike Miller
Mike Miller was supposed to be the underrated key to this Miami dynasty, but instead he's just a salary cap succubus, wasting what is a vital mid-level exception on missed threes and invisible defense. LeBron's drive and kick abilities should matchup perfectly with this three point specialist, but instead all he's getting is shots clanking off the rim. Now, Miller hasn't been horrendous in these playoffs shooting 37.5%, but he was atrocious in the ECFs shooting a little less than 32%. From Game 4 to Game 7 he was an abysmal 1-10 and Spoelstra decided to just flat out sit him in Game 7, which ended up being a good decision. All is not lost with Miller who easily could turn it on at any point, but for now he ranks 12th on this list not because of his on-court play, but because he's leeching important money from a team struggling to find consistent role players.
11. Udonis Haslem
The Eastern Conference Finals was a battle for Udonis Haslem who had to body up Kevin Garnett all series and not only had to take the physical beating from the veteran, but also had to take the verbal abuse Garnett lashes out on his opponents. Haslem held his own though and averaged a quality 9.3 rebounds over 27.3 minutes. He had two tripe doubles and two 14+ rebound games and if the Heat expect to battle the firepower of the Thunder they must dominate the offensive glass which starts with Haslem. It's going to be fun watching him and Perkins battle it out down low because you've got two post players who don't back down and love to mean mug.
10. Mario Chalmers
Just watch this. That impression of Stephen A. Smith is top notch, but it's also completely right. Chalmers should be nothing more than a facilitator. There should be no time in the game that he should be trying to reach back to his Kansas days when he was a superstar. He needs to play within his role, let LeBron create shots for him and just try to not be a traffic cone on the defensive end. I'm not sure who he's going to attempt to guard in this series, but I can assure you they will have a big night. Westbrook is too fast for him, Durant is too tall and James Harden is far too physical offensively. The Heat need Chalmers just to survive out there on the court, not turn the ball over and play within his role. Just relax Mario, relax. If he does go out there and try to be even a semblence of a superhero, adios Miami it'll be a short series. Chalmers needs to check his undeserved ego at the Chesapeake Energy Arena gates.
9. Kendrick Perkins
I think Perk would actually fit better as a character in the Zoolander sequel because his blue steel face is golden. On the court Perkins is going to be the enforcer. Hopefully for OKC he can keep his intensity in check and not flagrant II anyone. He will man the middle and not let LeBron attack the rim like LeBron should. If he can provide any offense like he did in Game 4 vs. San Antonio then that is a major boost for the Thunder. But don't expect Perkins impact to extend much further than the defensive end. He'll really be key for setting the tone for the Thunder, but he also needs to keep the tone to a "must protect this house" level and not a "I'ma kill you" level. You saw what happened when the Pacers and Danny Granger got tough with LeBron and co.; they got worked. Have to tiptoe the line there.
8. Kevin Durant
You're probably stunned that Durant doesn't crack the top-5 or top-3 and that's because we know KD is going to show up, drop 35 and get his. I'm not so worried about Durant in terms of being inconsistent like his buddy Russ Westbrook. Yes, Durant is vitally important to the Thunder, but he's consistent and less important in the grand scheme of a series because you know what you're going to get. The only difference is if KD goes off for some silly Jordan-esque Finals average like 42 and plays impressive defense like he has been doing all playoffs. That is where Durant could change a series so drastically that the Thunder may annihilate the Heat. I doubt that's going to happen so we leave Durant at 8 because he's going to do his thing and no one is worried about it.
7. Chris Bosh
Well after his Game 7 three point shooting barrage, I guess we might have to re-think Bosh. It was made clear that the Heat would do just fine without Bosh, but there was no way they were taking the next step without him. Now he's back, looks healthy and looks ready to be effective. He could be as interesting a player in this series as Harden will be. Bosh is a wild card, but not as much in terms of his consistency, but his upside. Take for example the two 3s he hit in the fourth quarter to step on the Celtics throat. I know everyone I was watching the game with was flabbergasted that Bosh had the audacity to even shoot those threes let alone drain both. But that's his potential. You know he's going to give a decent stat sheet number, but despite him taking a back seat to both 'Bron and Wade, he has the potential to make a big play or two and dare I say "shift a series?"
6. Shane Battier
You've got to be kidding me, Shane Battier is the sixth most important person in this series? Yeah it might be a stretch but hear me out. Battier is a major defensive presence on this team. He actually usually draws the number #1 offensive forward on the opposing team unless he's getting absolutely destroyed(see him vs. 'Melo in the first round). He's isn't as strong of a defender as LeBron but his footwork in one-on-one situations is strong. I'm assuming it'll be LeBron vs. Durant just for the fireworks, but I wouldn't be surprised if he doesn't draw KD for some assignments. I'm quite sure he'll be on Harden when he enters the game, but Battier is just as key as LeBron to shutting down this offensive juggernaut. Wade is an inconsistent defender, and will want to exert most of his energy on the offensive end, so it'll be up to Battier to go 110% defensively. Battier is also somewhat of a threat shooting the three, but he hasn't been great in the postseason so we'll stick to his importance on the defensive end.
5. Dwyane Wade
Now we get to the super-super-superstar portion of this segment. Wade has sort of lost me in this playoffs. He has publicly taken the back seat to LeBron and while I do agree LeBron needs to attack the basket more, I don't think Wade needed to so easily give up the "my team" moniker. He didn't score more than 27 points in the entire ECFs and I'm not so sure he knows his role on the team anymore. Wade should absolutely be the closer. He's the better shooter, more creative driver and overall has that killer instinct. LeBron might have tattooed his name all over that Game 6 swing game, but Wade closed it out. I think Wade's loss of a true identity will hurt the Heat if they find themselves in a shootout and I fully expect the Thunder's speed and depth of athleticism to force the Heat into a fast-paced game they falsely believe they can play. Yes, they can murder the Knicks, Pacers and Celtics when they run in transition, but the Thunder have more athletes and I think getting Russell Westbrook to play a transition game isn't something Miami wants. That's where Dwyane Wade comes in, he's the best half-court offensive player the Heat have, so if they slow the game down it comes down to Wade's efficiency. If he can catch fire a la 2006 Finals, then the Heat should win this series. If he shoots 44% like he did in the ECFs then it's a bad sign for Miami.
4. Serge Ibaka
I just don't see how this guy doesn't defend LeBron and of course the defensive assignment on LeBron is a vitally important piece to beating the Heat. Ibaka may not have the out-of-this-world strength that James has but, he has the footwork and length to contain him. If LeBron beats him with his speed, Ibaka's long arms will allow him to recover from behind and get blocks. Ibaka came alive in Game 4 against the Spurs and will need to find one or two of those games offensively for OKC to win. It will be enjoyable to see what sort of problems his length can create for LeBron who may settle for contested fadeaway jumpers if Ibaka can get comfortable against him. If that's the case then it might be a short series for Miami and not in a good way.
3. James Harden
Harden needs to come in and just be a killer. He'll need to enter the game and simply catch fire while the Heat are scrambling to find someone on their bench that can score. If he can extend leads or cut them then his spark off the bench could be the difference. He has also shown somewhat of a clutch factor that could be enormous if LeBron locks down Durant in the fourth quarter. I like Harden's momentum shifting ability and it may sting the Heat every single game. But if he is average and needs time to settle in when he enters games then it probably won't make much of a difference. However, I have a funny feeling that at the end of this series we might be talking about how big Harden's off-the-bench presence was to this series. I'd go as far as to say Harden has a chance at Finals MVP, but there is such a heavy preference to giving it to Durant that I'm not sure a huge Finals could be enough for Harden to swing the award his way.
2. Russell Westbrook
The absolute key to the Thunder's success. He makes them go, makes them flow and also is widely inconsistent. People are still worried about his sticky-finger tendencies, but I think the tutelage of Derek Fisher has helped Westbrook settle down a bit. Plus the Thunder have been fine up to this point and Russ has been doing his thing. Westbrook scored 10,7, 23, and 25 in the four games they won against the Spurs and if that tells you anything it means Russ has gotten better at reading the game. He doesn't need to get up 25 shots in order to feel in rhythm, and he also understands when he is off and he'll defer to Durant at times. I agree that we're not 100% sure of Westbrook's level of clarity on the basketball court, but he's growing and the Thunder have only lost three games with him at the helm. Even more importantly though is what I said in a post a while ago, the Thunder do it in their own wild, sporadic and exciting way and Westbrook is their catalyst. What some people view as out-of-control is simply #0 finding his rhythm. Yes it's unorthodox and sometimes head scratching, but he'll get the job done. If for some god forsaken and unlikely reason he slips back into that mid-season funk that made everyone think him and Durant weren't meant together, then it will spell trouble for the Thunder. But as I said, that's unlikely.
1. LeBron James
Yep, you guessed it. It's always going to LeBron James until he proves to us something. In Game 6 of the ECFs he proved to us that he can still go-off, but he also didn't allow us the opportunity to see if he's got that clutch gene in his body, so we're still on the hunt for that. His defense on Durant may even be more important than his offensive control. LeBron must attack the basket like he did in Game 6, because he needs to find his offensive rhythm. LeBron isn't a great shooter unless he's hot and he only gets hot when he draws and 1's and attacks the basket like a monster. His legacy is going through another test, like it almost always is. If he can't beat Durant and the Thunder this may become a career-long battle, because the Thunder are going absolutely nowhere either if they win or if they lose. They'll be back next year and assume 'Bron will be too. LeBron can take no more back seats. He can defer to no one. It is now 100% officially on him to win this, even Wade said it was his team. So LeBron either take them to the promise land or feel the wrath of every NBA analyst calling you out for not having what it takes. We may be witnessing the most talented basketball player to ever play the game, but when you get that sort of grandiose title from the world your expectations rise to unfathomable levels. I know you wanted to be Magic when you entered the league, but it's time to be Jordan, LeBron, because not even Michael had your skills. Yet just because you might be more talented than MJ it doesn't mean that you have that killer instinct, and for the second year in a row were about to find out. So far you're 0-for-1 Lebron, here's at-bat number two.
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