mianderson looks at the 2017 nba finals....

[michael anderson]

First, lets talk about the idot on the warriors sidelines with kerr out. Mike Brown. The defining moment of Brown's career is of course game 5 against boston...the defining game in that series where his 60+ win lebron led team fell at home and lost control of that series. His strategy in that game and series can only be described as coaching malpractice of the highest level. At a time when the league was already starting to understand the concept of smaller lineups and when Lebron and that team were obviously more explosive in the series with AV and a bunch of shooters around Lebron, Brown decided to make the human fossil that was Shaquille Oneal by that point a focal point of the offense/lineup that night. "feed the big guy" brown said, as the offense crept to a stall and Lebron looked out of sorts all night. He singlehandedly pissed that series(and a likely nba title) away due to coaching malpractice.
Has he learned anything since then? Doubtful. Warriors fans are confident it won't be an issue and say "yeah we know he is an idiot, but this is a veteran team that coaches itself and draymond and co won't let him screw things up". The reality is he is still the coach on the sidelines though, and if he starts wanting to "take advantage of a mismatch" and run the offense through Pichula or somesuch nonsense, well.......

Second, let's talk about why the cavs won last year when lebron scrapped his head coaches gameplan and took over the series. Essentially their key offensive strategy starting with game 3 became "find curry and p/r him to death". The warriors didn't have answer. In the series changing game 5 they decided not to switch it over and over again and kyrie did what he did. Then if they switched it they were screwed too; basically they said "here is the p/r with kyrie and bron right at steph...whatcha goin to do mfers?" and golden state didn't have an answer. They can't hide curry on this p/r, and curry can't not play because he is essential to their team....so what do they do? I sure as hell don't know, and I guarantee that Mike Brown doesn't.

Third, bron as a defender proves so valuable against golden state because he and TT can do so many things on defense and cover so many positions. Bron's flexibility here on defense means that even with several negative defenders at once on the floor, bron makes up for a lot of these deficiencies. When Draymond and steph p/r, Lebron was usually involved in it some way. Yeah if they didn't switch it if bron wasnt there steph gets in the lane, and then someone has to help....but the guy that was left open more often than not eventually on the switch was Harrison Barnes, and in games 3-7 he was atrocious. Couldnt knock down open shots after the p/r help. They didn't resign Barnes this year so he is no longer there, but I kinda doubt whatever stiff free agent they brought in to replace barnes is going to be able to knock down open shots either if they dont switch it and help. Whoever it is(?) is probably worse than Barnes anyways.

Fourth, Lebron. He wants to be seriously considered as the GOAT, and if he wins this series a good case could be made. And the warriors don't have a good answer for him, because even iggy(who matches up best) isnt healthy. His health and him not being 100% is a HUGE loss for the warriors.

So in looking at all these things I'm going to say (quickly glances at golden state roster....holy shit)....golden state in 5.