After shedding a few pounds, a leaner and meaner Luka Doncic shredded the competition at the FIBA European championships.

The Los Angeles Lakers should be excited for the 2025-26 NBA season following Doncic’s historic EuroBasket performance in which he led Slovenia to the quarterfinals before being eliminated by Germany.

“Luka’s play in EuroBasket made it clear to the entire basketball world that he’s on that incredibly short list of ‘best player on the planet’ candidates, if not at the top,” said Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka, who traveled to Poland to watch Doncic.

Luka described his offseason as a “great summer,” and he appears to be in the best shape of his basketball career. He gave a taste of what he’ll be serving in the upcoming NBA season with a spectacular performance during the European championships.

Doncic led EuroBasket with 34.7 points per game, becoming the third player to average over 30. His average ranks third in tournament history, trailing only Nikos Galis’ 37.0 in 1987 and 35.6 in 1989.

Doncic looks to be in prime shape and prime position to have an MVP-type season for the Lakers, and it’s up to head coach JJ Redick — who signed a two-year contract extension to be with the Lakers through the 2029-30 season — to make sure to put Doncic in the best possible position to succeed in Year 2 of their partnership.

“I expect the best version of Luka, and it’s my job to bring that out every day,” Redick said during a Lakers press conference.

Pelinka and Lakers governor Jeanie Buss traveled to Poland to watch Doncic play for Slovenia and came away impressed with Luka’s growth as a leader.

“He not only led by example, but he was very demonstrative in practice, in terms of his expectations of the team and how they play,” Pelinka said of Luka.

Doncic seems at peace over what transpired on Feb. 2, 2025, when he got traded from Dallas to L.A. But it doesn’t mean he has forgotten about the simple fact that the Mavericks — a team that drafted him and practically raised him — shipped him out of town.

The Luka Revenge Tour is coming to every NBA city, especially in Dallas, and the extra motivation could lead to an MVP season for Luka and a potential return to the NBA Finals for the Lakers.

OneManFastBreak projects the top eight teams in the Western Conference.

1-Oklahoma City Thunder — Fresh off winning an NBA title, the Thunder signed their top three players to significant contracts and brought back their major role players from their championship squad. However, repeating as NBA champions won’t be easy, as the West is stacked and there hasn’t been a repeat NBA champion since the 2018 Warriors.

2-Houston Rockets — The loss of veteran guard Fred VanVleet, who tore his ACL, hurts from a leadership standpoint. The absence of VanVleet puts added pressure on Alperen Sengun to be more of a playmaker. Sengun had a superb EuroBasket, and his blossoming game should make Ime Udoka and the Rockets coaching staff excited. The addition of Kevin Durant and Dorian Finney-Smith make Sengun even more dangerous as he’ll have more room to operate.

3-L.A. Lakers — Pressure is on head coach JJ Redick to navigate around LeBron James’ potential last season with the Lakers, which could become a distraction. LeBron is entering the final year of his Lakers contract, and the team has shown little interest in extending his deal. “We would love for LeBron’s story to retire as a Laker. That’d be a positive story,” Pelinka said about LeBron’s future with the team.

4-Denver Nuggets — The Nuggets are trying to maximize Nikola Jokic’s prime years. They traded Michael Porter Jr., one of the key pieces of their 2023 championship team, to the Brooklyn Nets for a draft pick and forward Cam Johnson. The team moved off Russell Westbrook and brought back Bruce Brown, and signed veteran Jonas Valanciunas. Valanciunas should lessen some of Jokic’s heavy workload at the center spot.

5-Minnesota Timberwolves — Anthony Edwards is rededicating himself to getting in better shape, and it starts on the defensive end. Ant-Man is entering his sixth NBA season. He has been to the conference twice. For the Timberwolves to advance to the NBA Finals, Ant-Man must be more detailed on both ends of the floor.

6-Golden State Warriors — When Steph Curry, Draymond Green, and Jimmy Butler are healthy and playing together, the Warriors put together a 23-8 record. The problem is that age and mileage might be catching up with Curry (36), Butler (35), and Green (34).

7-San Antonio Spurs — Victor Wembanyama certainly had an adventurous offseason. He trained with Shaolin monks in Zhengzhou, China. He trained with NBA Hall of Famer Hakeem Olajuwon in Houston. Wemby is entering his third season as well-prepared as any player. This could be the year the Spurs return to the postseason.

8-L.A. Clippers — Allegations of a no-show endorsement contract between Kawhi Leonard and a now-bankrupt green banking company hang over the Clippers like a dark cloud. It’ll be up to head coach Ty Lue to keep the team focused and navigate around the scandal.

Play-In teams: Memphis Grizzlies, Dallas Mavericks

Seeing is believing and the Golden State Warriors are getting an up-close-and-personal look at Playoff Jimmy. Jimmy Butler is showing up and showing out in a big way for his new team in the 2025 NBA playoffs.

“He’s different. I’m happy he’s on our side,” Draymond Green said about Butler, who dropped 38 points to lead the Golden State Warriors to a hard-fought 121-116 win over the Memphis Grizzlies.

The win advanced the Warriors into the Western Conference playoffs as the seventh seed. Butler is a major reason why the Warriors remain a legit title contender. Draymond is well aware of Jimmy’s reputation as a big-game hunter when April, May and June roll around and he certainly loves seeing it up close and personal.

“You could just see a whole different intensity level and focus,” Green said postgame. “I’m a basketball fan, so I’ve watched it on TV for years. To see it up close and personal, it’s a real thing.”

Butler’s magnificent all-around game — he also had seven rebounds, six assists, three steals — was the catalyst in Golden State putting Memphis on its heels and building an early 20-point lead before the Grizzlies stormed back.

With the game up for grabs, Steph Curry put on his superhero cape and provided the knockout punch in the second half. Curry took over down the stretch, scoring 15 of his 37 points in the fourth quarter including a perfect 13-for-13 from the free throw line to ice the game.

“We got a hellified Batman in Steph,” Butler told TNT’s Allie LaForce about his Warriors teammate.

“It’s real. It’s real I’m telling you,” Butler added. “That’s a Batman if I’ve ever seen a Batman. Always coming to save the day. He’s so poised, he’s so calm.”

When the Warriors acquired Butler in a blockbuster trade at the trade deadline, they picked up a player who can impact the game in multiple ways. Butler has been everything the Warriors envisioned. He’s been the Robin to Steph’s Batman, and having the two of them together gives the Warriors a punchers chance in the postseason.

“I think one more than anything how together we are on the court off the court, everybody wants everybody to be great,” Butler said. “We play our roles to a tee.”

Golden State has been the NBA’s second-best team since acquiring Butler, who’s had a significant impact on both ends of the court. Since the trade, the Warriors have owned the league’s best defense and they went from having the worst free throw attempts per game to being the best almost overnight.

A loss would have been detrimental for Golden State, a team many experts believe are on a short list on NBA championship contenders. But thanks to Butler and Curry, the Warriors avoid the extra game and get some much-needed rest before the playoff chase truly starts.

“Our guys have been playing high-level, knockout games for three weeks. We desperately needed the [extra days off],” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said.

Image caption: Draymond Green calls Warriors teammate Jimmy Butler “different.” (Getty Images)

Klay Thompson returned to the Bay Area for the first time as a member of the visiting team. The Dallas Mavericks guard/forward wasn’t treated as a villain. He was treated like a conquering hero.

Thompson, an integral part of the Warriors’ four NBA championships in his 13 years there, received the ol’ tip of the cap by an adoring faithful. The sold-out crowd during the NBA Cup game at Chase Center wore a boat captain’s hat as a salute to Thompson, who used to take boat rides to games when he played in the Bay wearing a captain’s hat. Thompson wore that same white cap during the last Warriors championship parade in 2022.

The sea of white caps certainly moved Thompson. You could see the emotion of his face during pregame introductions. There was a two-minute video tribute that rolled through his greatest moments as a Warrior, from the night he was drafted in 2011 to his Game 6 heroics in the playoffs to his record-setting 14 threes in one game to the championship runs in an eight-year span.

“It was a really cool experience. I appreciate the fans very much,” Thompson said after the game. “It was really cool to see the fans’ gratitude towards myself.”

Thompson deserved every bit of love he got from the Warriors organization and their loyal fan base. He grew up in Southern California and attended Washington State, but he made his mark in Northern California. He is a beloved sports figure in the Bay Area, and he will likely enter the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Mass., as a Warrior.

Thompson was one half of the Golden State Splash Brothers — the greatest shooting backcourt in basketball history. His former Splash Bro, Steph Curry, gave him a big embrace before the game. Once the game started, they went at each other like two brothers playing on the family driveway.

On the Mavericks’ first possession, Thompson and Curry were matched up and Thompson drew a foul on Curry for two free throws. Moments later, Steph responded by dropping a 3-pointer in Klay’s face. This tit-for-tat went on for the entire game. Competition at its finest.

“That’s my road dawg. That’s my friend,” Curry said afterwards.

After a slow start, Thompson got hot and reminded Dub Nation what he used to be before the ACL tear and Achilles tendon rupture. Thompson rattled home six 3-pointers and finished with 22 points, making 7-of-17 shots from the field.

But in the end, his former Splash Brother had the last word. Curry scored the Warriors’ last 12 points in the final three minutes, finishing with 37 points (5-for-12 from 3-point range) to lead the Warriors to a 120-117 victory in a playoff-type atmosphere.

Thompson said it was “surreal” witnessing Curry’s late-game flurries as an opposing player.

“It was fun matching up with Steph,” he said. “It hurts to be on the other side of one of his flurries. Guy got hot at the end and made some ridiculous shots.”

It was a night Thompson will never forget, and Dub Nation went home happy.

For the past eight seasons, no one has been able to solve the Golden State Warriors’ perplexing puzzle. Until now.

The four-time NBA champions were finally dethroned as the Los Angeles Lakers eliminated the Warriors in six games in the 2023 Western Conference semifinals. The Lakers became the first Western Conference team to beat the Warriors in a playoff series since Steve Kerr was hired in 2014. The size and length of the Lakers were simply too much for the small-ball Warriors, and the catalyst for the NBA’s top-rated defense was Anthony Davis.

The Lakers’ versatile center was nothing short of sensational against the defending NBA champs. Davis was able to roam freely because the Warriors don’t have a big man who requires AD’s constant attention. The Lakers’ suffocating defense forced the Warriors to play inside the 3-point line and limited their shot attempts by securing defensive rebounds.

First-year coach Darvin Ham brought to L.A. many of the defensive principles he learned from his time with the Atlanta Hawks and Milwaukee Bucks. But the scheme only works if it has a defensive stud patrolling every inch of the hardwood.

Davis is the chess piece Ham frequently uses to check every opponent’s best move.

“The Lakers have a great defense,” said Golden State coach Steve Kerr, whose team was held to 10 points below their season average. “Davis at the rim was a huge obstacle. Not only a shot blocker but a guy who takes up a lot of space and cuts down a lot of passing lanes.”

The Warriors struggled from the field in the close-out game, shooting just 37.9% from the field and making just 13 of 48 3-pointers. Davis attempted only nine shots in Game 6 and finished with 17 points, but his imprint was all over the court. He pulled down 20 rebounds, had two blocks and two steals. His presence was felt throughout the series.

“To me the series came down to games 1 and 4,” Kerr said. “The Lakers outplayed us in key stretches in both games. That’s really the difference. The better team won.”

If one sequence summarized Golden State’s struggles against Davis and the Lakers, look no further than the final frantic minute of Game 4 in L.A. With the Warriors down by a point at 102-101 with 36 seconds left in Game 4, Steph was isolated against AD at the top of the circle with 36 seconds on the game clock. It was only fitting the game would come down to the game’s best shooter against the best defensive center in basketball. You couldn’t have scripted it any better.

Curry was ready to seize the moment, like has for the better part of the decade as the ring leader of the Warriors, but Davis was more than up to the task.

Curry starts the play with a few crossover dribbles. Davis pokes the ball to disrupt Steph’s rhythm and the Warriors guard was forced to retrieve the loose ball and restart the play. Curry then drove left, but AD cuts him off. Curry resets and tries to drive to his right. AD cuts him off again, and forces Curry to take a difficult one-legged, step-back jumper contested by the 7-foot-6 wingspan of Davis. The shot rattled off the rim.

“I pride myself on defense,” David told Spectrum SportsNet reporter Mike Trudell.

“They wanted, obviously, the switch with me and I took that personally,” he continued. “I know what he gets to like his stepback 3 and I just wanted to move my puppies. As my man, coach would say, I just wanted to move them puppies and keep him in front and make him take a tough shot and that’s what I did.

“He’s a helluva player, there’s no shot that he can’t make. He takes all the tough shots and he makes them. I just wanted to make it tough on him and make him shoot over a contested hand and pray that he missed, cuz he’ll make those. And he missed, got it back, and I just wanted to defend again and make him miss again and we ended up getting the rebound. Big time defense from me, but big time rebounding from our guys.”

The Warriors would get another opportunity with 26 seconds left after Draymond Green secures the offensive rebound. He fires the ball back to Steph, who gets another shot at shaking Davis. This time, Curry settles for a 30-foot 3-pointer that he had to put extra arc because of Davis’ length. The shot fell short, bouncing off the front of the rim. Lonnie Walker IV, who had a huge fourth quarter for the Lakers coming off the bench, grabs the rebound and gets fouled. Walker made both free throws, setting up for the final Davis defensive stand.

Down 104-101 and needing a 3-pointer, Golden State coach Steve Kerr called for the “hammer play” to free up a 3-pointer shooter in the corner. The play was a staple of the San Antonio Spurs offense during the Tim Duncan era, and it’s a play the Warriors have run many times. Unfortunately for Kerr and the Warriors, AD and LeBron James were familiar with the play as well. As soon as AD realized what the play was, he peeled off his man and jumped Klay Thompson’s corner route and intercepted Draymond Green’s pass.

Even though the Warriors would get another short possession after Curry grabbed a loose ball off a jump ball, but inexplicably threw the ball away with a time-out left in his pocket, the Lakers grabbed full control of the series thanks to their superstar center wearing No. 3.

“That’s a big part of the series for sure. Davis is dominant,” Kerr said about the Lakers’ big man.

Davis has been an absolute monster on defense during the 2023 playoffs. He leads all players in the postseason in every major statistical category on defense. He’s No. 1 in blocks (3.3) and rebounds (14.1), and has contested the most 2-point shots through the first two rounds of the postseason. He is also the only center who ranks in the top five on deflections.

AD’s disruptive hands are a big reason why the Lakers own the best defensive rating since the All-Star break. The addition of forwards Jarred Vanderbilt and Rui Hachimura have afforded L.A. more athleticism and size up front to go with Davis’ unique ability to guard one through five.

Despite his defensive credentials, Davis remains an easy target for critics. He still doesn’t get the respect he richly deserves from the media and pundits.

When the NBA announced its All-Defensive Teams, there was one glaring omission. Where’s Anthony Davis?

The first team was comprised of Memphis’ Jaren Jackson Jr., Cleveland’s Evan Mobley, Milwaukee’s Brook Lopez, Chicago’s Alex Caruso, and Milwaukee’s Jrue Holiday. All of them were bounced from the playoffs either in the first round or in the play-in tournament. Jackson Jr., the 2023 NBA defensive player of the year, was matched up with AD in the first round and it was a landslide. Davis was the more superior defender and far more impactful than Triple J.

LeBron let the world know who he thinks in the NBA’s best defender. “He’s the best defensive player in the league,” LeBron told TNT’s Chris Haynes.

“I think the league knows it,” LeBron said. “There aren’t many guys who can protect the rim at all costs and switch out on point guards like Steph [Curry]. We trust AD guarding anybody in the league.”

Christmas Day for basketball fans is the unofficial start of the “real season,” when contenders begin to separate themselves from the pretenders.

Seven of the top 10 teams and seven of the 10 best players in the NBA are playing on Christmas Day. There’s no shortage of star power when ABC starts its live marathon live coverage at noon ET.

But this year there’s major competition.

The NFL has a three-game slate on Dec. 25. Aaron Rodgers’ Green Bay Packers take on the Miami Dolphins at 1 p.m. ET followed by the Denver Broncos-L.A. Rams at 4:30 p.m. ET. The prime-time game at 8:20 p.m. ET features Tom Brady’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers against the Arizona Cardinals.

Football is king when it comes to TV ratings, so the NBA will have to compete for viewers on a day when it usually owns the viewing audience. To help solve this viewing dilemma, OneManFastBreak.net has tagged three must-see NBA games. The other two games, well, let’s just say you’re fee to switch channel to the NFL games.

Must-see games
Philadelphia 76ers vs. New York Knicks (noon ET, ABC/ESPN) — The Knicks enter Christmas Day as one of the hottest teams in the league. They’ve won eight in a row and now currently sit among the top six teams in the Eastern Conference. The offseason acquisition of point guard Jalen Brunson has solidified New York’s once shaky backcourt. Brunson is the perfect tough-as-nails leader head coach Tom Thibodeau has been seeking since his days with the Chicago Bulls. Brunson takes the pressure of forward Julius Randle and knows how to win close ballgames, which was a big problem last season. The Sixers have been coasting so far, but they still have MVP candidate Joel Embiid. When Embiid decides to take over a game, there are few people on planet Earth who can slow him down. Madison Square Garden will be rocking for this sexy matchup.

Boston Celtics vs. Milwaukee Bucks (5 p.m. ET, ABC/ESPN) — This could very well be a preview of the East finals. Both teams enter the colossal showdown with their full compliment of players. Khris Middleton, who missed last year’s playoff series with a knee injury, is starting to get back into shape. Middleton is the Robin to Giannis Antetokounmpo’s Batman. The Celtics welcome back center Robert Williams, who was vital to their run to the NBA Finals last season. Jayson Tatum is enjoying an MVP season and his running mate, Jaylen Brown, is making a strong case to make the All-NBA squad. Celtics had owned the league’s best record until a rocky West Coast trip tripped them up and allowed the Bucks to gain ground in the standings. The Bucks’ game in Milwaukee starts at 5 p.m. ET, well after the kickoff for Packers-Dolphins game. Wisconsin fans will be able to watch their Packers and their Bucks on Christmas Day.

Phoenix Suns vs. Denver Nuggets (10:30 p.m. ET, ABC/ESPN) — The Suns-Nuggets game is the last NBA game on the Christmas Day schedule. The first quarter of Suns-Nuggets might be a skip since most of us will be watching the end of the Buccaneers-Cardinals game when Brady leads the Bucs to victory over a depleted Cards squad. Once the NFL prime-time game is over, you can tune in to Suns-Nuggets. Both teams don’t like each other. During the 2021 playoffs, the Suns swept the Nuggets and Nikola Jokic was ejected in the clincher for a hard foul on Cameron Payne. Jokic and Devin Booker had to be separated after a heated exchange. Jokic’s brothers got involved in the bruhaha when they yelled at Booker from the stands. We could see fireworks again.

Skip these games
Memphis Grizzlies vs. Golden State Warriors (8 p.m. ET, ABC/ESPN) — A once promising matchup turned into a sour showdown after reigning Finals MVP Steph Curry injured his left shoulder and will be sidelined for a few weeks. Without Curry, the Warriors are a shell of themselves. There’s some bad blood between the Grizzlies and Warriors, so this could have been spicy. The Dubs-Griz game will be going head-to-head with Bucs-Cards, and we all know America will always choose football over basketball. It’s OK. This game could get ugly, anyways.

Los Angeles Lakers vs. Dallas Mavericks (2:30 p.m. ET, ABC/ESPN) — Not even LeBron James and Luka Doncic can save this awful matchup. The Lakers won’t have All-Star Anthony Davis and the Mavericks are struggling to find four other guys to play with Doncic. If LeBron was playing Luka one-on-one, then this game actually be interesting. But as currently constructed, it’s a battle of two teams closer to the bottom of the conference.

Steph Curry plays with a lot of emotion, but it is extremely rare to see him cry on the court.

That’s what happened in the final moments of Game 6 of the 2022 NBA Finals in Boston. The Golden State Warriors were seconds away from winning their fourth NBA championship in eight seasons and Curry let it all out. Tears came down his face after hugging his dad Dell Curry, who was standing under the basket getting ready to celebrate with his son. Steph was so overcome with emotion that he fell to the floor with still 2.7 seconds left on the game clock.

Former NBA player and current TV analyst Grant Hill asked Curry about his moment vulnerability and in classic Curry fashion, he gave a very candid and thoughtful response.

“Any time you’re trying to sustain anything at this level, there’s just so much emotional baggage and the physical nature of what we do. It’s hard,” said Curry, who took home the Bill Russell award as the MVP of the 2022 NBA Finals after leading the Golden State Warriors to a hard-fought victory over the Boston Celtics in a grueling six-game series.

Curry was a unanimous choice as MVP of The Finals after averaging 31.2 points, 6.0 rebounds and 5.0 assists in the series. And he did most of his damage while being guarded by the reigning defensive player of the year in Celtics guard Marcus Smart.

The 34-year-old sharpshooter finished with 34 points, seven assists and seven rebounds in the clincher, giving him 30 or more in three straight games at Boston’s TD Garden. The signature moment came in Game 4 when Curry dropped 43 points and hit seven 3-pointers in a 107-97 win that tied the series at 2. Boston didn’t win another game in the series after that Curry flurry.

“To go to five straight Finals — like I said after going through these last two years — and try to maintain that belief and carry that every single day,” Curry said. “Every time we come into the gym and practice. Every time you come into game. Every time you step into a locker room. You understand that leadership. You have to carry that. Whether guys believe it or not, or you’re gonna end up in the finish line or not, I let all that out at the end of the game. This one definitely feels different.”

This Warriors’ championship run was certainly different. It was sweeter. It always feels sweet to prove people wrong. The Dubs were left for dead after missing the playoffs the last two seasons. They heard all the negative chatter. The dynasty was done. Klay Thompson may never be the same after ACL and Achilles surgeries. They can’t win a title without Kevin Durant. Draymond Green is getting old.

But the Warriors found a way to build it back up, and now they’re back at the top of the NBA mountain.

“What we’ve been through over these last two years have been a lot,” Curry said. “To be able to just let all that out, especially in this building [TD Garden Arena in Boston], it’s a historic building. I was just thinking about all that.”

He added, “Just proud of everybody that played a part in making this a reality.”

Seth Curry, Steph’s younger brother, celebrated with him on the court. Steph said his brother asked this rhetorical question: “What are they gonna say now?”

What are the talking heads and critics going to say? Absolutely nothing. Nada. Zip. As Warriors defensive stalwart Draymond Green put it, Curry left no doubt that he’s an all-time great. Steph cemented his place on basketball’s King’s Landing after winning a fourth title and a Finals MVP.

“Without [Steph], none of this happens,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said of Curry. “That’s not taking anything away from Joe [Lacob] and Peter’s [Gruber] ownership. They built an incredible organization. Bob Myers is a helluva GM. We’ve had so many great players. But Steph ultimately is why this run has happened.”

Kerr was asked if this was the least talented Warriors squad to win a title. Kerr wasn’t in full agreement with that assessment, saying the 2022 Warriors may not have the same offensive firepower as the previous Golden State champs but they’re just as talented especially defensively.

“We had Kevin Durant for three years with this core group. We’re untouchable,” Kerr said. “This [2022 team] has been compared to our first championship team in 2015. Maybe there are some similarities. But this is still a talented group of players.”

He continued: “Our defense was spectacular in this series, especially the last three games. The Celtics had the best defense in the league but we were right behind them. What made this group really special besides the obvious with Steph was the defensive intensity and versatility.”

It’s laughable to think that there are still people, including basketball pundits, who question Curry’s place among the game’s all-time greats. Draymond calls those questioning Curry’s legacy as “garbage.”

“He’s still Steph Curry. He’s still an all-time great. To add [a Finals MVP] to your resume, as a competitor, you want that. For him, well deserved. It’s been a long time in the making. He left no doubt.”

Kevin Durant left Game 5 of the NBA Finals with an Achilles injury. (Getty Images)

Bob Myers was in tears when he delivered the grim news about Kevin Durant.

The Golden State Warriors president of basketball operations confirmed that Durant sustained an Achilles tendon injury in the first half of Game 5 of the 2019 NBA Finals and most likely won’t be able to play basketball for the next nine months. Durant’s early exit put a dark cloud on what turned out to be an amazing finish, as the Warriors rallied behind Steph Curry and Klay Thompson to pull out a gut-wrenching 106-105 victory to stave off elimination. But the Warriors win felt like a loss.

Durant’s injury affected everyone in the building, including the Toronto players. “Some of the guys on our bench were really shook up,” said Raptors coach Nick Nurse. “Some of [our] guys said he tore something.”

Myers said Durant was cleared by the team’s medical staff to play Game 5, saying it was a collaborative decision and they felt good about the decision. He said he didn’t think there was anybody to blame, but later said if you have to blame anyone the finger should be pointed at him.

“I don’t believe there’s anybody to blame, but I understand this world,” Myers said. “If you have to, you can blame me. I run our basketball operations department.”

Myers should take most of the heat for the decision to play Durant, along with the Warriors medical team and head coach Steve Kerr, who said 90 minutes before game time there were no minutes restrictions for Durant. For about 12 minutes, KD looked real good. He drained his first three shots from behind the 3-point arc and even got into a little trash talk with Toronto guard Fred VanVleet.

It all came to an abrupt end early in the second quarter when KD tried to make a simple move against Serge Ibaka on the right wing and pulled up lame. He immediately grabbed the back of his right leg where the Achilles is located. Everyone who has suffered an Achilles tear knows that look. Durant’s season is over and his future now in jeopardy as he heads into free agency.

Myers, feeling the need to defend his medical staff, emphasized that the experts who have been monitoring Durant for the past month are “good people.” But no matter how Myers can put a spin on this decision, it was the wrong one. Myers and the entire Warriors organization failed Durant.

“He just wants to play basketball,” Myers said. “He just wants to play basketball with his teammates and compete.”

“The people that questioned whether he wanted to get back to this team were wrong,” Myers said. “He’s one of the most misunderstood people. He’s a good teammate, he’s a good person. It’s not fair. … I’m lucky to know him.”

Myers’ affection for Durant appears genuine. No one is doubting that he deeply cares for his players. But fact of the matter is KD should not have been cleared to play. The injury was far worse than what the Warriors were letting on. He should have sat out the entire Finals. And Durant’s not the only one who should be sitting out. Klay Thompson is also risking major injury by playing through his hamstring injury, and Kevon Looney can barely get up and down the court without wincing in pain. He shouldn’t be playing either.

Durant put his health on the line, and no one should ever question his heart and how much he cares about winning. But sometimes you have to save players from themselves, and the Warriors organization failed him miserably. Someone should have stepped in and stopped KD from himself.

Live to fight another day. That should have been the approach.

Durant faces a long road to recovery. Depending on when he’ll opt for surgery, the whole healing process could take up to nine points (eight if he pushes his rehab). That means he could potentially miss almost the entire 2019-20 season. The timing couldn’t have been worse because Durant becomes a free agent this offseason. He is looking for a huge payday and this setback could dramatically affect his next contract. Will teams still offer him the max? We shall see.

Achilles injuries crushes basketball careers. Kobe Bryant was never the same after tearing his Achilles. Cousins is struggling to regain his All-Star form after tearing his Achilles. Other NBA stars who suffered the same injury – Isiah Thomas, Patrick Ewing, Chauncey Billups – had their careers cut short.

A dejected Durant took to social media to show support for his teammates after their victory in Game 5. “I’m hurting deep in the soul right now I can’t lie,” Durant wrote. “But seeing my brother get this win was like taking a shot of tequila, I got new life. #dubs”

Kawhi Leonard was named NBA Finals MVP. (AP)

You’ve probably heard this before. The NBA playoffs are all about adjustments. A series can easily flip from one game to the next. That’s exactly what transpired in the 2019 NBA Finals between the defending champion Golden State Warriors and the Toronto Raptors.

The Raptors took Game 1 thanks mainly to Toronto’s 25-year-old forward Pascal Siakam, who had an out-of-body experience in his Finals debut with 32 points on 14-for-17 shooting from the field. The Warriors, who looked rusty and out of sync minus all-world forward Kevin Durant, took great notes from Game 1 and pulled out a few surprises for Game 2.

Then, the series swung to Toronto’s favor in games 3-4. The Raptors stole two straight games at Oracle Arena to take a commanding 3-1 lead in the series. By the time Kevin Durant briefly showed up in Game 5, the Raptors had control of the series and it was just a matter of time before the Warriors dynasty came crashing down.

Here are six observations from the six-game series:

VanVleet joins long list of unlikely Finals heroes

Raptors guard Fred VanVleet made a remarkable turnover after his son was born. Over his last nine playoff games, VanVleet connected on 53 percent of his 3-point shots and capped off his amazing postseason with 22 points in the series-clinching Game 6. VanVleet knocked down two crucial 3-pointers in the final moments of Game 6 that not only knocked out the Warriors but also shut down Oracle Arena for good. Toronto coach Nick Nurse used VanVleet strategically throughout the playoffs, especially against Golden State. He came off the bench in the first half, but started in the second half. His defense on Steph Curry was just as valuable as his production on offense. Kawhi Leonard may have been the Finals MVP but VanVleet will go down as one of the unsung heroes of The Finals, joining the likes of Robert Horry, Steve Kerr, Andre Iguodala, and Kenny Smith.

Cousins makes small contribution

Coach Steve Kerr made one big change to his starting lineup as he inserted DeMarcus Cousins for Jordan Bell. The move gave the Warriors a big body to lean on Toronto’s Marc Gasol on defense and gave the Dubs another playmaker on offense. Cousins scored just 11 points in 27 minutes, but grabbed 10 rebounds and dished out six assists. Cousins’ passing ability added another dimension to the Warriors’ motion offense. He fed Klay Thompson on a few backdoor plays and when the Raptors charged at him he was able to put the ball on the floor and create one-on-one plays. The Cousins move was the only time in the series where Kerr got the best of Toronto first-year coach Nick Nurse.

Siakam got away from Dubs

Kerr and the coaching staff saw how the quicker and more athletic Siakam gave the Warriors fits in the opener. Andre Iguodala, who was assigned to Kawhi Leonard in Game 1, was switched to Siakam in Game 2 and it took away one of the Raptors’ ace cards. By moving the more mobile Iguodala on Siakam, it took away the Raptors’ speed advantage and freed up Draymond to play his usual free safety on defense. The plan worked. Siakam came back down to Earth and was a non-factor in Game. He struggled getting by Iguodala and all those run-outs he had in the Game 1 were taken away with the exception of the one dunk he had in the first half. He finished with just 12 points and went 5-for-18 from the field. But the young Raptor adjusted his game in the latter part of the series by making quicker decisions. Siakam wasn’t able to duplicate his monster Game 1 performance but he came up with timely plays when it mattered most. Siakam’s floater with under a minute left in Game 6 over Draymond Green may have been the biggest basket in Raptors history.

It’s a trap (or not)

The Warriors adjusted the way they were defending Kawhi. After trapping Kawhi almost exclusively in Game 1, the Warriors didn’t trap Toronto’s All-Star forward as much in Game 2. The Warriors saw how easily Kawhi and Gasol handled the trap, so the adjustment was switching to a more conventional straight-up man sometimes and then blitz Kawhi sometimes. It was equivalent to a pitcher mixing up his pitches so batters couldn’t get a beat on them. And when did trap Kawhi, it came much harder and faster, and took away his sight line and passing lanes. Kawhi got his points (34 points) but he had to work for it, making 8-of-20 shots.

Warriors couldn’t solve Raptors’ pick-and-roll plan

Nurse kept the Warriors off balance all series long, using the high pick-and-roll to expose the backline of the Warriors. Nurse anticipated that the Warriors would double team Kawhi whenever he got the ball at the top. So, to counter the trap and exploit the absence of Kevin Durant, he used Kyle Lowry and VanVleet to initiate the offense off high ball screens. Lowry carved up the Warriors with pick-and-roll action in Game 4, finding wide open cutters down the middle of the paint. Without a shot blocker protecting the rim, Serge Ibaka and Pascal Siakam had free paths to the basket. When Lowry and VanVleet were matched up with Warriors bigs like DeMarcus Cousins and Kevon Looney, they went to work. Lowry put on an absolute clinic on how to run pick-and-roll in Game 4. He scored just 10 points in the game, but completely dominated the fourth quarter with his playmaking ability.

Raptors ‘janky’ defense worked

You have to give a lot of credit to Nurse for making some really bold moves in the playoffs. He drew up a 1-2-2 zone against the Bucks to slow down Giannis Antetoukounmpo. And it worked. The Raptors went on to win the series 4-2 after dropping the first two games. He then drew up a box-and-1 defense in The Finals to exploit the Warriors’ lack of depth once the injuries started piling up. The box-and-1 was designed to keep Steph Curry in check. And it worked. The defense that Curry referred to as “janky” disrupted the Warriors’ flow on offense and exposed their weaker shooters like Draymond Green, Kevon Looney, Quinn Cook, Alfonzo McKinnie. Nurse had VanVleet shadow Curry as soon as the ball is inbounded and played a matchup zone behind it with four guys covering each corner of the free throw line. Nurse coached The Finals like he was playing with house money. Once he got on a roll he kept winning and winning until the Warriors ran out of chips.

Things are looking up for Kevin Durant and the Warriors after acquiring DeMarcus Cousins. (AP)

When DeMarcus Cousins couldn’t get a call from NBA teams during the free agency period, he picked up the phone himself, called the Golden State Warriors and offered his services for below market value.

The Cousins signing nearly shut down the internet, as the basketball community threw up their arms in disgust and basically surrendered the upcoming season to the defending NBA champs. The rich got richer. The Warriors are favorites, according to online experts, to three-peat and capture their fourth championship in five years.

Here’s the obvious fact. The Warriors are historically great. They were great before Cousins joined them, and they will be great whenever Cousins becomes available on the court. The Dubs don’t need Cousins to win a third straight championship. It would be like giving Amazon founder Jeff Bezos a $1 billion to add to his $147 billion fortune.

And here’s another fact. Cousins will not be the same player following surgery on his Achilles tendon. Few, if any, NBA stars have bounced back from an Achilles tear and return to All-Star form. The injury caused many, like Isiah Thomas and Patrick Ewing, to retire. Kobe Bryant was never the same player after he tore his Achilles. Dominique Wilkins came the closest to getting back to All-Star form, but even ‘Nique had to alter his game. He became strictly a jump shooter.

Cousins can still be an effective role player for the Warriors. But he won’t be the Boogie Cousins who averaged 25 points and 12 rebounds over his last three healthy seasons. We should drop the Boogie out of Cousins. He’ll just be plain old DeMarcus.

OneManFastBreak.net predicts the eight teams that’ll make the playoffs in the West for the 2018-19 season.

Western Conference

1-Golden State Warriors – Just checking to see if Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, Kevin Durant, and Draymond Green are still on the roster. OK, check. Then there’s nothing much to say here except, “good luck to the rest of the league.” The Dubs will cruise to the best record without breaking a sweat. Wake me up in the spring when the playoffs start. Prediction: 58-24

2-Oklahoma City Thunder – Oklahoma City is still basking in the glory of re-signing Paul George. Once the smoke clears from the PG13 free agency celebration, the Thunder will realize they’re still one piece away from being able to knock off the Dubs. OKC didn’t address its most glaring weakness: shooting. General manager Sam Presti needs to deal one of his wing players for a pure shooter who can space the floor and give Russell Westbrook and George more driving lanes. The addition of point guard Dennis Schroder allows Westbrook to slide over to shooting guard — his more natural position. Prediction: 55-29

3-Denver Nuggets – After finishing ninth in 2018, the Nuggets are in position to kick the door open and bust through the playoffs. Coach Mike Malone’s system is perfectly suited for center Nikola Jokic, who one of the most unique players in the league. The Nuggets have a deep roster with a good mix of young and old talent. Point guard Jamal Murray is ready for a breakout season and Paul Millsap adds a veteran presence on and off the court. Prediction: 54-28

4-Los Angeles Lakers – Some “experts” are saying the Lakers are going to miss the playoffs. Those “experts” should have their media badges revoked. How can you leave out the Lakers when the franchise added LeBron James to go along with a boatload of talented young studs ready to have breakout seasons? LeBron is good for at least 15-plus wins on top of what the Lakers got a year ago. There will be some growing pains, but ultimately this new version of Showtime will be very good and may be a year away from becoming title contenders. Prediction: 51-31

5-Houston Rockets – The Rockets came within one game of advancing to the NBA Finals, pushing Golden State to seven games in the conference finals. But instead of adding pieces to a championship-caliber team, the Rockets did the opposite. They failed to re-sign Trevor Ariza, a veteran 3-and-D player with championship pedigree, and added Carmelo Anthony, an aging star whom they would later drop like a laundry bag. Prediction: 50-32

6-Utah Jazz – It turns that losing Gordon Hayward to the Boston Celtics wasn’t such a bad thing after all. Hayward is a good player, but not a great one. The Jazz may have found that great one in Donovan Mitchell. The second-year guard exploded onto the scene, finishing second in the Rookie of the Year race and leading Utah to the second round of the playoffs. Mitchell has become the single face of a franchise that’s used to having dynamic duos. Prediction: 48-34

7-New Orleans Pelicans – Anthony Davis’ game surged when Cousins went down with a season-ending injury. The Brow was among the league leaders in points (28.1), rebounds (11.1) and blocks (2.6), and he ramped up his game during the postseason that pushed the Pels to the second round. The acquisition of Nikola Mirotic paid immediate dividends as he blended well with Davis as a stretch-4. Guard Jrue Holiday is starting to gain national attention, especially on defense after he did a number on Damian Lillard in Pels-Blazers playoff series. Prediction: 47-35

8-Portland Trail Blazers – Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum are so good they can probably take three YMCA guys to the NBA playoffs. Lillard made his first All-NBA First Team last season and was even in the discussion for MVP. A disappointing first-round playoff exit at the hands of the New Orleans Pelicans was a reality check for the Blazers They were exposed by a bigger, more athletic team. Blazers may be running in place, built more for the regular season. Prediction: 46-36

Last two teams out: San Antonio Spurs, Minnesota Timberwolves

The Lakers’ future looks bright with Brandon Ingram and Kyle Kuzma. (Getty Images)

When ESPN released its annual statistical model projecting win totals for the upcoming NBA season, the Los Angeles Lakers were left out of the playoff picture.

That had many basketball experts scratching their heads because the Lakers enjoyed the best offseason of any NBA team this summer, landing the most coveted free agent on the market. But the acquisition of four-time MVP LeBron James wasn’t enough for ESPN to put the Lakers in the 2019 playoffs. Instead, it projects the 16-time NBA world champs to finish ninth in the ultra-competitive Western Conference with 41 wins. That win total seems way too low for a team that finished 35-47 last season, and could have easily topped 41 wins if not for a rash of injuries to some key players. Second-year forward Brandon Ingram missed 23 games last season and rookie point guard Lonzo Ball, the second overall pick in the 2017 draft, missed 30 games.

According to this site, the teams most likely to go up against one another in the Finals are the Golden State Warriors and the Boston Celtics. The same site has the Lakers among the favorites to reach the Finals, which means there is a very good chance L.A. will win more than 41 games in the 2018-19 season, and 5o-plus wins is not completely out of reach.

The Lakers were already trending up prior to the addition of LeBron. Ingram, 20, was coming into his own as a scorer while Ball, 20, was part of an impressive draft class that included NBA All-Rookie first-team selection Kyle Kuzma, 23, and Josh Hart, 23.

Ingram made an incredible leap from year one to year two. After a pedestrian rookie season, the 6-9 forward with the length and game that has been compared to Warriors star Kevin Durant bumped up his points-per-game average from 9.4. to 16.1. He also pushed his field goal percentage from 40 percent to 47 percent. You could just see Ingram’s confidence growing by the minute, so much so that the Lakers’ coaching staff often put the ball in his hands during crunch time.

Ball’s rookie season was cut short by an assortment of injuries. But before he was shut down for the season, the former UCLA standout was having a solid campaign. His breakout game came in his second game as a pro as he scored 29 points to go along with 11 rebounds and nine assists in a 132–130 overtime win at Phoenix. He became the youngest player in NBA history to complete a triple-double when he had 19 points, 13 assists and 12 rebounds against the Milwaukee Bucks before he turned 20. Philadelphia’s Markelle Fultz would later break that record when he pulled off a triple-double at 19 years old and 317 days.

Ball’s shooting woes — along with the constant drama surrounding his father, LaVar Ball — overshadowed what was actually a very solid first year. His final stats (10.2 points, 6.9 rebounds, 7.2 assists) were comparable to Jason Kidd‘s when he won Rookie of the Year in 1994-95. But because Ball shot just 36 percent from the field and 30 percent from behind the 3-point line, many overlooked the beauty of his overall game.

Kuzma was the steal of the 2017 draft as the 27th overall pick out of Utah exploded onto the scene like a Falcon 9 rocket.

He was the first NBA rookie to compile at least 330 points, 120 rebounds, and 30 made 3-pointers in his first 20 games. The 6-9, 220-pound forward scored a career-high 38 points in a 122–116 win that ended the Houston Rockets’ 14-game winning streak, and he notched 27 points in a 113–106 loss to Golden State.

Kuzma can score from anywhere on the court. He has an array of shots that stretches all the way back to the 3-point line. He finished the season averaging 16.1 points and 6.3 rebounds while shooting 45 percent from the field. Those numbers could have been vastly better if he had started more than 37 games.

“Kuzma should have been a lottery pick. Kuz is a problem,” Durant said about the Lakers’ rising star.

Kuzma recently told ESPN that the rest of the league should take notice and ignore some of the noise surrounding the Lakers’ latest veteran acquisitions that seem to suggest that the young core is not ready to take over the program.

“We think that a lot of people are underestimating us. It is definitely going to be fun playing with all these new guys,” Kuzma said. “A lot of people say we got a lot of different people, a lot of new people. But change can be a good thing. It is not necessarily always a bad thing. There’s a lot of teams in the NBA that need to work on their chemistry.”

He added: “I don’t know why people kind of just rule us out because we are young. We are hungry. We are competitive. Anybody that watched us play last year, we were in a lot of games.”

Former Villanova standout Hart came on strong late in the season once he was given increased playing time. He really took off this offseason as he led the Lakers’ summer league squad to the championship game in Las Vegas. He was named the MVP of the NBA summer league in Vegas.

Now, add LeBron to that young core and the Lakers should zoom past last year’s win total.

Given LeBron’s recent history, 50 wins is well within striking distance. When LeBron first left Cleveland in the summer of 2010, the Cavaliers went 19-63 and endured an ugly four-year slide. When LeBron came back for the 2014-15 season, the Cavaliers went from a 33-win team to a 53-win team. It was the beginning of a four-year run that saw the Cavaliers advance to the NBA Finals four straight years and never dipped below 50 wins.

When Ball, Kuzma, Hart and Ingram were clicking, the Lakers were among the league leaders in points in the paint and points per game (108.1, 11th overall). Only the Rockets and Warriors played at a faster pace. The Lakers were also in the top-15 in defensive efficiency. They were 25th in points allowed, but the addition of LeBron, a former first-team All-Defense, Rajon Rondo and JaVale McGee should fix some of the problems on the defensive end.

The Lakers not only have the roster to compete for a championship they’re also built to beat the Warriors.

Lakers coach Luke Walton has hinted that LeBron may play some center, which could present some big-time problems for the rest of the league. The Lakers could potentially roll out a finishing lineup of Ball, Hart, Ingram, Kuzma and LeBron. All are 6-5 or taller with LeBron anchoring the backline. The Lakers’ version of “small ball” could rival the Warriors’ famed “Hampton Five.”