5. Andre Iguodala, Warriors
Iguodala was the deserving Finals MVP two years ago, stifling LeBron James on defense and adding some timely shooting, too. His health may well be the key to the NBA Finals, as a knee problem limited him in the first two games of the Western Conference Finals. He appears to be feeling better now, and just in time — his defending on James was the difference in 2015, and his declining health in 2016 coincided with Golden State losing their grip on the series.
Iguodala figures to get a lot of minutes in the Finals as long as he is capable, and those minutes will be spent chasing James around. That alone gives him a hugely important role in these Finals. If his knee holds up, Cleveland is going to have to find a way around him to win the series.
4. Kyrie Irving, Cavaliers
Irving’s transformation from James’s second-in-command to an NBA superstar in his own right came about in last year’s NBA Finals, culminating in his dagger of a shot against Steph Curry in Game 7 that ultimately won Cleveland the title. Irving has cemented that reputation this season, averaging 24.5 points and 5.6 assists per game in the playoffs, including huge games against the Indiana Pacers and Boston Celtics.
Irving also seems to be peaking at the right time.
The Cavs point guard averaged 25.8 points per game against the Celtics, while shooting an absurd 62.2 percent from the field. That included a 50-percent mark on threes during the series.
The Irving-Curry matchup will be intriguing again, as the Warriors will need to find a way to adept the pick-and-roll that Irving and James are so adept at. James is still the star of Cleveland’s show, but Irving deserves equal billing now — and Golden State will have to wind a way to contain them.
3. Kevin Durant, Warriors
The spotlight will definitely be on Durant in his second NBA Finals. It won’t shine as bright as it would otherwise given the star power on display, but he’ll still be facing some rather unique pressures.
All of the other stars on these two teams have been here before and won at least one ring. Durant has not — in fact, doing so is the reason he came to Golden State. The forward has been under scrutiny stemming from his free agent decision all season long, but this is where it will get serious. This series is why he is here, and he will be judged on how he performs.
Durant has fully bought into Golden State’s style of play, leading the team in rebounds, and narrowly missing leading the team in points scored as well. He’s been perfectly at home in the playoffs, essentially replicating his regular season output. Now, though, he’ll have to do all that he does while also playing at least some role in defending James, all while faced with the pressures of the series that he came here to win. It’s time to put up or shut up.
2. Stephen Curry, Warriors
We all know Curry can score from seemingly anywhere on the court and is a skilled passer of the ball as well. Unlike last year, he’s fully healthy, which means he figures to take charge of the Warriors’ offensive juggernaut, as is his custom. That alone is enough to give Golden State reason for optimism.
On the other hand, Curry’s defense will be under the microscope. He’ll have to find a way to at least give Irving some trouble, which was a mighty struggle for him in 2016.
Cleveland will have the James-Irving pick-and-roll going as much as possible as long as it works, and as they did in 2016, Cleveland will definitely be targeting Curry on defense. Couple that with some other mistakes in that series and Curry will definitely want to atone. Now that he’s healthy, he’s fully capable of doing it.
1. LeBron James, Cavaliers
We all knew this was coming, didn’t we? There is no doubt that as James goes, so go the Cavaliers.
“Playoff LeBron” has stepped it up once more, as he’s averaging 32.5 points, 8 rebounds, and 7 assists per game this postseason. Anyone who thought he might be a little less driven now that he’s successfully led Cleveland to a title has been pretty comprehensively proven wrong during these playoffs, as the four-time MVP looks as motivated as ever.
James still faces plenty of scrutiny. He’s subject to the constant Michael Jordan comparisons and the thoughts of what another title could mean for his legacy. On a smaller scale, he’ll be the focal point of all of Golden State’s defensive gameplanning and will have to find a way to neutralize Durant. LeBron is, without a doubt, capable of single-handedly dragging a team to victory. He might have to do it again here.
