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Series: 0-0
Time: 6pm PST
Location: Roaracle
TV: ABC | Radio: KNBR 680
Blog Frenemy: Fear the Sword
It's been an amazing spring and an amazing 10 years being in a Golden State of Mind. Thanks to the hoops gods the Warriors are hosting the NBA Finals in Oakland for the first time since 2000-never.
I can't believe this is about to happen. The Warriors are in the NBA Finals and they have home court advantage?
I mean, the Warriors are in the NBA Finals and they have home court advantage!
There's only one thing keeping this from being perfect.
The NBA on NBC.
(That's better.)
The LeBron Rules
I seriously doubt Steve Kerr and Ron Adams are reading this or need my advice (unlike many previous coaches and the Cohan regime), but my humble suggestion is to break out the the 2015 version of The Jordan Rules this series. This can be a short series if executed to Bad Boy perfection.
I will point you to Wikipedia's Jordan Rules entry for context, before I dive into my game plan.
Here goes:
- Physically challenge LeBron at the rim with Andrew Bogut and Festus Ezeli.
- 50% of the time double LeBron as soon as he touches the ball with a different combo of Klay Thompson, Andre Iguodala, Harrison Barnes, Draymond Green, and Shaun Livingston every play.
- The other 50% of the time guard LeBron man-on-man and collapse the closest wing so that he can't attack the rim without drawing a charge.
- If he enters the key without the ball at all times make sure there's an active big man directly behind him and a wing right in front of him to make that entry pass tough.
- Turn this into a 3-pt contest with JR Smith and Kyrie Irving vs The Splash Brothers.
And win.
Predictions
- Stephen Curry begins his annihilation of Danny Green's NBA Finals 3pt record of 27.
- LeBron gets a triple-double just because he's LeBron and the rest of his teammates aren't that good (h/t James Harden).
- No one in the Warriors front office wishes they traded Klay Thompson, Harrison Barnes, and XYZ for now-Cavaliers PF Kevin Love.
- Tristan Thompson is held to single-digit rebounds.
- Barnes plays big and nails 2 corner 3's just because he plays big in the playoffs.
- Timofey Mozgov gets his shot sent away at least twice by Andrew Bogut.
- Bogut beats Mozgov on the battle of the boards.
- One of the ABC commentators who used to coach the Warriors at some point (I'm hazy on the details) embarrasses himself on the air.
- Warriors by 10
This one's for Mr. Cooper!
Hanging With Mr Cooper Season 1 Episode 07 by arms6290
Shout out to Mark Curry! I will never forget November 12, 2005.