One day after James Harden was traded to the Los Angeles Clippers, Harden aired out his dirty laundry and threw a few people under the bus on his way out of Philadelphia.

Harden told the media that the role he was given on the 76ers left him playing “on a leash.” He argued that he was not a system player. “I am a system,” he boasted.

Harden isn’t completely wrong about his “system” argument. Systems are built around NBA superstars. The problem with his claim is he is no longer an elite player. He’s still an above-average starter in the league, but the days when he was an All-NBA performer or MVP candidate are long gone. In terms of the superstar hierarchy in Clipper Land, Harden falls behind Kawhi Leonard and Paul George.

Harden is now 34. He’s past his prime. He is playing for his fourth team in three years. He is five full years removed from his 2018 MVP season. If the season ended today, his 17 points per game would be the lowest of his career since 2012 (his last season with Oklahoma City). Seems like we have a systemic problem for The Beard.

Meanwhile, his understudy in Philly, Tyrese Maxey, has been unleashed and thriving under head coach Nick Nurse’s system. The Sixers are playing at a much faster pace, which wasn’t the case when Harden was running point because he preferred to walk the ball up the court.

L.A. started the season 3-1 and were among the league leaders in offensive and defensive efficiency. After acquiring Harden, the Clips lost their lost their rhythm for a stretch and dipped to 30th in offensive efficiency and 24th in defensive efficiency. Since Dec. 1, the Clippers have regained their footing and have become a top-five offensive team. Harden has blended well with Leonard and George in the starting lineup, and the Clippers have climbed back in the top tier in the conference.

Despite their recent success, the Clippers remain vulnerable against teams with length and size up front. During their annuals Grammys road trip, the Clips’ lone blemish in an otherwise successful 6-1 roadie was a loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers. The Cavs are solid in the backline, anchored by 6-11 center Jarrett Allen and first-team all-defensive forward-center Evan Mobley. Allen and Mobley combined for 30 points and 26 rebounds.

In the Battle of L.A. series, the Clippers had all sorts of problems dealing with L.A. Lakers big man Anthony Davis in their three losses against their intracity rivals. Davis punished the Clippers’ small ball unit offensively and defensively, taking away driving lanes and making them one dimensional.

Harden’s ability to attack the paint is supposed to be the key to free up some of the congestion on offense. But Harden was part of the problem. He finished with 23 points in the 116-112 loss to the Lakers on Feb. 28, but 12 of them came in the second quarter. He was MIA during the fourth quarter when the Lakers mounted a furious rally that erased a 21-point deficit. When asked by reporters what went wrong, Harden said, “everything.”

“It’s on all of us,” said a frustrated Harden, who was just 2-for-9 from behind the 3-point line and committed four turnovers in the third loss to the Lakers.

“We are in this together, you know what I mean? It’s frustrating,” Harden said. “You can’t be up [21] points at home and give away a win, especially this time of the year. It’s that simple.”

The Lakers loss capped a brutal February for the Clips.

In their high-profile showdown with the Minnesota Timberwolves at Crypto.com Arena on Feb. 12, the Clips were punished by the Timberwolves’ twin towers Rudy Gobert and Karl-Anthony Towns in a 121-100 beatdown. A week later, the Clippers were routed by Oklahoma City 129-107 coming out of the All-Star break. It marked their second straight defeat to a team ahead of them in the standings.

Clippers head coach Tyronn Lue is well aware of the team’s shortcomings against bigger squads. His solution? Go small.

“I thought our physicality wasn’t there. They played better than we did. They outreached us, outplayed us and everything,” Clippers coach Tyronn Lue said.

Lue admitted that the size of the T-Wolves affected the Clippers, especially Kawhi and PG as both struggled to get to their basket and couldn’t make enough shots from the perimeter to pull Gobert and Towns out of the paint.

“When we’re not making quick decisions and playing the right way, they will make you look bad. I thought their length bothered us. They’re the No. 1 defensive team for a reason.”

When asked how to combat the size and length issue, Lue said “going small” is their best option.

Going small has been Lue’s modus operandi since he took over the job. He prefers a small ball lineup to finish games, usually playing Harden, Leonard, George with Norm Powell and Russell Westbrook or Amir Coffey. The small lineup normally works against most teams, but not against teams with quality bigs.

The best way to counter size is to push the pace and don’t allow defenses to get set. Unfortunately for the Clips, the man charged with initiating the offense prefers to walk it up.

“You can’t walk around offensively. You have to get to your next action. Things we have worked on the last two years. We just have to do a better job in doing that. If you don’t do that and you don’t do it hard, you’ll get beat every night,” Lue said earlier in the season during the Clippers’ six-game losing streak.

Lue refused to put all the blame on Harden during the team’s awkward period. But he did engage in some “dialogue” with his veteran guard about how they could make things work.

“He just needs to understand what we need from him. Him being aggressive, not looking at the bench. Just do your thing,” Lue said. “If you do it too much we’ll let you know. He’s a special player. When you come into a new situation it is tough to come in and try to take it over. With PG, Kawhi and Russ, we’ve had these conversations. We just have to make sure to make James as comfortable as possible because he is going to be huge for our team on what we’re trying to do.”

The Clippers’ season turned around in late November when Westbrook reportedly approached Lue and suggested that he’d be willing to come off the bench to allow Harden more time to gel with Kawhi and PG13 on the first unit. Since Westbrook’s selfless move, the Clippers were able to right the ship and now find themselves in the thick of the race for the best record in the West.

But just when the Clippers were finding their groove and surfacing as serious contenders, the injury bug bit them at the worst possible time. Westbrook fractured his left hand on March 1 and Kawhi left the game against the Timberwolves on March 12 with back spasms. Down two of their studs, the Clippers blew a 22-point lead against the Wolves and ended up getting demolished 118-100. Harden was MIA yet again, finishing with just 12 points on 4-of-10 shooting with four turnovers.

The Harden experiment is still a work in progress. There are days when the Clippers look like word beaters and then there are games when they look like they’re headed for an early playoff exit. The Clips will secure a playoff berth for sure, but the regular season is not where this team will be judged. The final grade will come in the postseason where Harden often failed to deliver.

Harden, who is now playing for his fourth team in three years, acknowledged his playoff shortcomings in a 2022 interview with Fox Sports, but didn’t put all the blame on himself. “I’ve had a few bad games in close-out games. Not all of them have been bad,” he said. “Quite frankly, a lot of the times our team wasn’t good enough to compete for championships, if you want to be honest. There’s only so much I can do.”

He could only do “so much” in a couple of high-profile meltdowns in the postseason.

Against the Golden State Warriors in the 2018 Western Conference finals, Harden had a hand in the Houston Rockets’ disastrous cold streak as the team missed 27 straight 3-point shots. Harden went 2-for-13 from behind the arc.

Against the Boston Celtics in 2023 the Eastern Conference semifinals, he teased the Sixers with a tantalizing 42-point performance in Game 4. A few days later, he had a 9-point stinker on 3-for-11 shooting in Game 7 in Boston.

Anything less than a trip to the conference finals would be considered a huge disappointment for L.A. Should the Clippers get bounced from the postseason in first or second round, the question will pivot to re-signing Harden. Is owner Steve Ballmer — despite having deep pockets — willing to give Harden the big payday he coveted in Philly?

It’s a million-dollar question for a billionaire owner.

When the Los Angeles Clippers played the Philadelphia 76ers on Jan. 17, it marked just the 16th time that Paul George and Kawhi Leonard shared the court together for the Clippers. The lack of cohesion and lineup uncertainties are Clippers coach Tyronn Lue’s biggest challenges since taking over the team during the pandemic year of 2020.

Not knowing who’s available on a week-to-week basis can’t be a fun exercise for Lue. It’s a credit to his coaching talent that the Clippers are still in playoff contention despite all the injuries and the myriad of challenges in dealing with load management.

At the center of the Clippers’ load management saga is Leonard. The two-time NBA Finals MVP has yet to regain his MVP form after tearing his ACL during the 2021 playoffs. Kawhi, who missed all of last season while recovering from the injury, has looked a step slow in the 22 games he has appeared so far this season. He’s averaging just 19.4 points per game, which would be the lowest in his career since 2014-15, and his hallmark lockdown defense is nowhere near Kawhi level.

Kawhi is the unofficial face of the player load management movement. When he was in San Antonio, the Spurs carefully massaged his recovery from various injuries. The load management practice carried over to L.A. when Kawhi joined the Clippers in 2019. But load management only works when you’re saving the player from wear and tear. It’s a different story when the player, as in Kawhi’s case, is coming back from a significant injury and his damaged body is preventing him from regaining his old form.

ESPN analyst Brian Windhorst offered a grim assessment on Kawhi’s health earlier this season. “I don’t think Kawhi looks very good. He’s had a couple of OK games, and his shooting particularly don’t look good,” Windhorst said on “NBA Today.”

Throughout his tenure with the Clippers, Lue has seen more lineup changes than a manager in a Major League Baseball All-Star Game. Lue has had to shuffle his lineups so many times this season that he’s running out of cards. He said he just wants to see his team play together for a 15-game stretch to find out its true potential. He would even take a 10-game stretch.

“I know we have a good team,” Lue said after his Clippers dropped to 23-23 for the season after losing 120-110 to the 76ers at Crypto.com Arena. “But as far as staying healthy, we need to establish some continuity.”

One night after making those statements to reporters, Lue was forced to reshuffle his starting lineup again as The Athletic reported that both Leonard and George would miss the game against the Utah Jazz as a precautionary measure since it was a back-to-back game. Leonard and George didn’t have an injury designation. The Clippers termed the missed game as a “rest” day.

“We’ve just been behind the 8-ball just in terms of injuries and lineups and guys in and out,” said George, who briefly returned to the court to play the Sixers after missing the previous five games due to a hamstring injury. The team is carefully managing George’s hamstring injury and don’t want any setbacks. But at some point, George will have to play consecutive games to get back into All-Star form. He was very rusty against the Sixers, scoring just 13 points on 11 shots.

“I thought he was a little rusty as far as handling the basketball, making the plays, that’s to be expected,” Lue said of George. “Just getting him back on the floor was a positive thing for us.”

But it’s not just George and Leonard who’ve been hit with the injury bug. Veteran point guard John Wall, the Clippers’ big signing in the offseason, sustained an abdominal injury against the Denver Nuggets and is expected to be out for a minimum of two weeks.

When the Clippers are whole, they have a potent unit capable of challenging for an NBA title. With a healthy Kawhi and a healthy PG13 in 2021, the Clippers reached the Western Conference finals before losing to the Phoenix Suns. Without Kawhi in the lineup, the Clippers finished third in the Pacific Division and missed the playoffs in 2022.

Lue isn’t wrong when he said the Clippers are a “good team.” However, a good team can’t be great when it is unable to get any continuity. The Clippers had championship aspirations entering the 2022-23 season. But if Kawhi and PG continue to miss games, the Clippers could miss another opportunity on fulfilling their full potential.

LeBron James and Anthony Davis celebrated an NBA title in 2020. Getty Images)

Each year OneManFastBreak.net ranks the five best players in the NBA. Let’s call it the “OMFB Furious Five.” It’s paying homage to the five styles of Chinese martial arts: snake, crane, monkey, praying mantis, and tiger.

The ranking system is based on one man’s opinion and does not follow or conform to any standard format, with more emphasis placed on how each player performed in the postseason. Stars are born during the regular season, but legends are made in the playoffs.

Last year’s OMFB Furious Five featured Anthony Davis (5), James Harden (4), LeBron James (3), Giannis Antetokounmpo (2), and Kawhi Leonard (1).

The list relatively stayed the same except for one addition and the return of a king. Without further ado, here are the five best basketball players in the world.

5. LUKA DONCIC
Dallas Mavericks, Guard-Forward

Luka Doncic enjoyed a breakout performance in the 2020 playoffs. (Getty Images)

Luka Doncic officially arrived as a bonafide superstar in 2020 when he gave us one of the memorable moments inside the Disney World bubble. The Dallas Mavericks’ young superstar, playing on a badly sprained ankle, put up 43 points on the vaunted Los Angeles Clippers defense, including the dagger step-back 3-point shot at the buzzer to give the Mavericks a 135-133 win in Game 4 of a Western Conference first-round playoff series. After burying the game-winning jumper, Luka starred into the camera and spewed a primal scream so loud the bubble nearly burst. It was a major statement from the then 21-year-old Doncic. He announced to the whole basketball world that he has arrived and he’s not going any time soon. “My goal is to win a championship,” said Doncic, whose Mavs were eliminated by the Clips in six games but not before putting together one of the most spectacular playoff debuts. The Slovenian sensation averaged 31 points, 9.8 rebounds, 8.7 assists and posted two triple-doubles against one of the best defensive teams in the league. Oh, by the way, he was also the youngest player to ever hit a game-winning shot in the postseason. “He is one of the toughest players that I have ever seen in this league, and that goes back 35, 36 years,” Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle said of Doncic, who is up for Most Improved Player this year after winning Rookie of the Year in 2019. “[Luka] is a great young player that is getting better each year,” Carlisle said. “He has an irrepressible enthusiasm for the game, for his teammates, for winning. We’re so fortunate to have him. Now we have to get our roster healthy and get the right players around him.”

4. ANTHONY DAVIS
Los Angeles Lakers, Forward-Center

The center position has evolved over the years. Anthony Davis came into the NBA in 2012, one year after MDE (most dominant ever) Shaquille O’Neal retired. Davis led the University of Kentucky to the NCAA championship and was the unanimous No. 1 overall pick in the NBA draft. Davis walked into the league as a skinny 19-year-old big man with guard-like skills but with a 7-6 wingspan. He was a hybrid. If Shaq was the last true back-to-the-basket dominant big man in the NBA, Davis was the future. He is the “center” most teams covet. He can post up. He can face up. He can step back and shoot 3-pointers. He can handle the ball and be able to get to his spots. But more importantly in today’s game, he can defend all positions — including perimeter players. The Brow is the total package.

Anthony Davis is regarded as one of the best defensive players in the NBA. (Getty Images)

Being able to contain guards for a 6-10, 253-pound big is a luxury most teams don’t have. The game has become so pick-and-roll heavy that big men must be able to hold their own against guards on switches. As good as Davis is offensively — he’s a career 52 percent shooter from the field and averages 24 points per game — his defense is what sets him apart from his peers. He averages 10 rebounds per game and 2.4 blocks. He is one of the league leaders in blocked shots year in and year out, and has been named to the All-Defensive team multiple times. “He does everything,” said LeBron James, Davis’ L.A. Lakers teammate. “He’s able to protect the rim, he’s able to guard in the post, he’s able to switch out to guards,” James added. “He’s able to block shots when guys are shooting floaters and runners. Get steals. I mean, he does everything defensively for us.”

3. GIANNIS ANTETOKOUNMPO
Milwaukee Bucks, Forward

Giannis Antetokounmpo led the Bucks to the Eastern Conference finals in 2018-19. (Getty Images)

Giannis Antetokounmpo is well aware he’s far from being a finished product. Sounds ridiculous to even suggest that the NBA MVP, who averaged 27.7 points per game, 12.5 rebounds, 5.9 assists, shot 58 percent from the field and led his team to the best record in the Eastern Conference during the 2018-19 season, still has plenty of room for improvement. But that is the case with the 24-year-old Greek Freak, who is only scratching the surface of his prodigious talent. “I always think that I can improve,” Giannis told NBA TV. “That’s the one thing I have been doing, and I’m gonna keep doing it. There are going to be times that I’m not going to improve anymore. But as long as I keep working hard, keep believing in myself, I think I will keep getting better. I can tell you right off the top of my head five things I could do better,” he added. “I could shoot more threes, catch and shoot threes so I can help my teammates space the floor better. I could be able to playmake more. I could improve my handles. Make my handles more tight. There’s a lot of things I can improve.” To hear an MVP talk about all the things he needs to improve on is very refreshing. Giannis strikes a good balance of high level of confidence and humility. He has great confidence in his ability, but he’s also well aware of his weaknesses. With Giannis leading the way, Milwaukee is a championship contender in the East. “We try to get better each day. We try to compete at practice and create a habit that can carry over to the game,” Giannis said. “We know teams are going to come and try to win games against us. But we gotta be ready. We gotta do what we did last year. Defend together. Move the ball offensively. If we keep doing that we’re gonna be fine.”

2. KAWHI LEONARD
Los Angeles Clippers, Forward

Back in July 2015, Kawhi Leonard signed a multi-year contract with the San Antonio Spurs with the intention that he’ll be the face of the franchise for years to come. Leonard was coming winning his first NBA championship with the Spurs and was named Finals MVP in 2014. Fast forward to July 18, 2018. That was the day when the Spurs and Kawhi parted ways after an ugly divorce where both sides dug in their heels and stood their ground. The Spurs traded their cornerstone to the Toronto Raptors, along with Danny Green, for DeMar DeRozan, Jakob Poltl and a 2019 first-round pick. The Spurs felt their relationship with Kawhi couldn’t be repaired. The core issue centered around Kawhi’s thigh injury. The Spurs doctors gave a different diagnosis than Kawhi’s doctors. Leonard played just nine games in the 2017-18 season and wanted out. Leonard’s reputation and status as one of the game’s greats took a severe hit. He needed to repair his rep and image while he was in Toronto. And did exactly that. Kawhi best on himself and put together a historic season with the Raptors. He clawed his way back to the mountain with a playoff performance worthy of legendary status. He averaged 30.5 points per game in the playoffs playing nearly 45 minutes. He delivered one of the greatest moments in NBA playoff history when he knocked off the Philadelphia 76ers in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference semifinals with a dramatic game-winning, buzzer-beating 3-pointer that bounced off the rim four times before falling in the basket.

It was one of the craziest finishes you’ll ever witness. “Game. Series. Toronto has won,” play-by-play commentator Kevin Harlan said. But Kawhi wasn’t done. In the next round, he went head-to-head with 2019 NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo. After dropping the first two games, Kawhi locked in and shut down Giannis and the Bucks the rest of the series to push the Raptors to their first NBA Finals appearance. Waiting for the Raptors in The Finals was defending two-time champion Golden State. It was supposed to be a massive mismatch. The Warriors had four future Hall of Famers in Kevin Durant, Steph Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green while the Raptors limped into the series with a battered and bruised Leonard. In the end, it was the Warriors who were left battered and bruised and limped off the court with  a depleted roster after Durant went down with an Achilles tear and Klay injured his ACL. The Raptors celebrated Canada’s first pro basketball championship and Kawhi was named Finals MVP.

And now, the No. 1 player in the world. Drum roll please . . .

1. LEBRON JAMES
Los Angeles Lakers, Forward

“I’m LeBron James, and I ain’t got no worries!” This was LeBron’s message to his detractors after leading the Miami Heat to a championship in 2013. Years later, LeBron’s doubters are still trolling the internet. LeBron has been historically great we tend to overlook or even dismiss his greatness. His resume is about as complete as any legendary hooper. He doesn’t need to prove anything. He took a below-average Cleveland squad to the 2007 NBA Finals, but he got swept by San Antonio. He won two championships in Miami, but he lost to Dallas and San Antonio. He ended Cleveland’s 52-year championship drought in 2016, but he lost three out of four times in The Finals to Golden State. It doesn’t seem to matter what LeBron does. It is never enough to shut down the haters. And that’s fine with him because it is the very thing that fuels his thirst to strive for greatness. Add winning a championship for basketball’s version of Camelot to LeBron’s outstanding resume. James ended the worst six-year period in Lakers history after winning the 2020 NBA title inside the Disney World bubble. When you bring home the Larry O’Brien trophy to L.A., you elevate your GOAT card from gold to platinum. He is now firmly in the top five, joining Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Kobe Bryant. “I told [Lakers owner] Jeanie [Buss] when I came here that I was gonna put this franchise back in the position where it belongs,” James said during the postgame ceremony shortly after securing his fourth NBA title with his third franchise and winning his fourth Finals MVP. He’s the first player to win Finals MVP with three different teams. He won it twice with the Miami Heat, once with the Cleveland Cavaliers and L.A. Lakers.

“For me to be a part of such a historical franchise is an unbelievable feeling,” James said. “Not only for myself but for the organization, for the coaches, for the trainers, for everybody here. We just want our respect. Rob [Pelinka] wants his respect. Coach [Frank] Vogel wants his respect. Organization wants their respect. Laker Nation wants their respect. And I want my damn respect, too.”

His crowning achievement was leading the Cavs to their first NBA title, ending a five-decade championship drought in the city of Cleveland. James was sensational during the 2016 NBA Finals. He averaged a Finals best 29.7 points, 11.3 rebounds, 8.9 assists, 2.6 steals, and 2.3 blocks. He made The Block in the final minute of Game 7 at Oakland’s Oracle Arena when he chased down Andre Iguodala and prevented what could have been the dagger layup that might have ended the Cavs’ championship hopes. Instead, with one super-human rejection, he lifted the Cleveland curse and set up Kyrie Irving’s game-winning 3-pointer that will be forever be known in northeast Ohio as The Shot. LeBron’s 2016 Finals performance was a stark contrast to his infamous “shrinking” in an embarrassing 4-2 series loss to Dallas in the 2011 Finals.

James said the loss to the Mavs in the 2011 Finals humbled him. He learned an important lesson. It made him make some significant changes on and off the court, including adding a post-up game with the help of Hakeem Olajuwon. LeBron reduced the amount of 3-point attempts and made a concerted effort to take the ball to the basket. He put together one of the most dominant and efficient regular seasons in league history, and earned his fourth MVP award. LeBron and Co. authored a historic 27-game winning streak and finished with a league-best 66 wins.

LeBron will always have his critics because of the way he left Cleveland the first time. But he returned to Ohio in 2015 and delivered on his promise by bringing a championship to The Land in 2016, cementing his basketball legacy and finally silencing his critics. So we thought. For someone who will go down in history as one of the greatest to ever play the game, LeBron has endured a ton of criticism. He has risen to the challenge, proving to the whole world he is fit to be basketball’s king.

Joel Huerto is the editor and publisher of OneManFastBreak.net. Follow him on Twitter @onemanfastbreak.

LeBron James and Giannis Antetokounmpo are ready for NBA restart. (Getty Images)

Basketball is back. It may not be the usual games we’ve been accustomed to, but it’ll have to do.

The NBA and its partners have created a unique bubble plan, setting up shop at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Fla.,where 22 teams will be participating in an AAU-type environment. The bubble plan has daily COVID-19 testing and strict policies about entering and reentering the Orlando bubble. When players arrived in the sprawling campus at ESPN’s Wide World of Sports Complex, they quickly found out nothing will be normal about this restart.

Yahoo Sports writer Chris Haynes gave an insider’s perspective on life in the NBA bubble. Teams have designated hotels and food is brought to players’ rooms. There is a “snitch line” that makes sure everyone is following COVID-19 protocol. Even Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s leading expert on infectious diseases, was impressed with the $170 million program. It is the most comprehensive plan from all the major sports leagues dealing with the coronavirus pandemic. If this bubble plan bursts, we might as well cancel the rest of sports for 2020. If it works, you’ll see other leagues implement a similar program. It’s a copycat league.

There was some unfair chatter of a possible asterisk next to the team that wins the 2020 NBA championship. Yeah, there will be an asterisk. But it’ll say this: * Won championship despite going through the most difficult road of any NBA team in history. No home court advantage. No crowds. Giant video monitors serving as backdrops. Practices held inside a ballroom. Plenty of social distancing. And oh by the way, if a player is infected with the coronavirus, they’ll need to be quarantined.

The coronavirus pandemic halted the NBA season for five months. That’s equivalent to an entire offseason. There will be rust. There will be fitness issues (remember Shawn Kemp after the 1999 strike). There will be upsets. There will be missteps. This is a season unlike any other. Buckle up, folks. It’s going to be crazier than Mr. Toad’s wild ride.

The favorites: L.A. Lakers, L.A. Clippers, Milwaukee Bucks

The Lakers, Clippers and Bucks were head and shoulders above the rest of the competition when the sports world shut down on March 11. Fast forward to July following a four-month layoff due to the coronavirus pandemic and the three teams favored to win the NBA title are … drum roll, please … Lakers, Clippers and Bucks. So, basically nothing changed.

The Lakers were probably the team that was most affected by the COVID-19 shutdown as they were coming off huge wins against the Clippers and Bucks days before commissioner Adam Silver hit pause on the 2020 season. The lethal combination of LeBron James and Anthony Davis make the Lakers a difficult matchup for anyone. Offensively, the Lakers have the NBA’s most efficient offense. LeBron has been the Lakers catalyst even at the advanced basketball age of 35. But LeBron is no ordinary baller. In year 17 as a pro, LeBron averages 25 points per game and leads the league in assists (10.6). His offensive game was rounding into playoff form in March. The Lakers did take a hit defensively with the loss of lockdown perimeter defender Avery Bradley, who decided not to participate in the bubble plan. The loss of Bradley leaves a huge void in the backcourt as head coach Frank Vogel will be forced to shuffle his backcourt rotation and may have to give minutes to Dion Waiters and J.R. Smith. Waiters was cast aside by the Miami Heat while J.R. hasn’t played in a meaningful NBA game since 2018.

The team most equipped to handle the Lakers in a playoff series is the Clippers. Reigning Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard wants nothing more than to ruin the Lakers party, become the undisputed king of L.A. and validate his position as the best player in the world. The Clippers have the deepest roster among the 22 teams in the restart. The only question mark(s) is on-court chemistry. Paul George is still rounding into shape coming off surgery to both shoulders while Kawhi remains under load management protocol. PG and Kawhi don’t have lot of court time together, but when both were in action the Clippers were 24-8. The Clippers owned the third-best offensive rating and fifth-best defensive rating. They also have the best bench in the league (51.5 points per game), led by super subs Lou Williams and Montrezl Harrell, who could start for many clubs. L.A. also added guard Reggie Jackson and forward Marcus Morris, giving coach Doc Rivers a plethora of options. LouWill and Trez will miss the opening week of the restart, but both are expected to rejoin their teammates when the seeding portion of the schedule concludes. The Clippers are a confident bunch and they’re not worried where they end up in the standings.

The Bucks likely benefitted from the long layoff as they were in a bit of a funk (6-4 in their last 10 games) after the All-Star break. All-Star forward Giannis Antetokounmpo sustained a left leg injury during the loss against the Lakers in March and appeared a little fatigued. Milwaukee’s title hopes rest on the broad shoulders of Giannis, who is having an MVP season (29.5 points per game, 13.9 rebounds, shooting 55 percent from the field). He’ll need to be at his absolute best because his supporting cast isn’t good enough to carry him. Good news is The Greek Freak appears to be healthy again. Giannis needs to be special if the Bucks are going to advance to the NBA Finals for the first time since 1974 when Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was the face of the franchise.

Contenders: Denver Nuggets, Utah Jazz, Houston Rockets, Philadelphia 76ers, Boston Celtics

There is a major logjam of teams in the discussion. Even though these teams are all capable of making a deep playoff run, they have some weaknesses that could be exposed and eventually derail their championship hopes.

Houston is going all-in on small ball, putting Robert Covington (6-8) and P.J. Tucker (6-5) in the frontcourt with guards Eric Gordon, Russell Westbrook and James Harden in the backcourt. Coach Mike D’Antoni could either look like a genius or he could lose his job. He will lean on his two superstars, Harden and Westbrook, to generate most of the offense. That’s a heavy burden even for a dynamic duo averaging a combined 61 points a game (No. 1 in the league). If one of them has an off night it could be lights out for the Rockets. As an added distraction, you have the Westbrook COVID-19 positive test. Houston, that’s a problem.

Speaking of COVID-19, Nuggets All-Star center Nikola Jokic is also coming off a positive virus test. The good news is Jokic has recovered and looks in fantastic shape, stunningly slim. The Serbian big man was listed at 280 pounds at the start of the season and he appears to have shed at least 25 pounds. Jokic is the linchpin to everything the Nuggets do. The Nuggets will go only as far as Jokic can carry them.

Did anyone say COVID-19? If there’s such a tag as Team COVID, it’s the Utah Jazz. Center Rudy Gobert was one of the first faces of the coronavirus pandemic as his positive test triggered the league-wide shutdown. Guard Donovan Mitchell also tested positive for the virus, and there was a period during isolation when Gobert and Mitchell were at odds. Mitchell reportedly was upset about Gobert’s careless behavior about the coronavirus. Both appear to have squashed their reported beef. But one issue Gobert and Mitchell won’t be able to fix is the absence of Bojan Bogdanovic. The veteran sharpshooter had wrist surgery and won’t be playing in the bubble. Bogdanovic was averaging 20.2 points per game and 41 percent from 3-point range before shutting it down.

If there was team that needed a reset it would be Philly. The Sixers greatly underachieved during the season and almost seemed disinterested. All-Star center Joel Embiid appeared out of shape prior to the pandemic and fellow All-Star Ben Simmons kept teasing us with his new jump shot but kept disappointing us, too. When they are both clicking, Embiid and Simmons pose a lethal 1-2 punch talented enough to save coach Brett Brown’s job. The reboot could turn out to be a blessing in disguise.

The Celtics have a budding star in Jayson Tatum, and he could finally have his breakout moment. The one negative for the Celtics is their lack of size. Tatum is the Celtics’ tallest starter at 6-8 and all their rotational players with the exception of Enes Kanter are 6-8 or shorter. Celtics are severely undersized against their two biggest obstacles: Philly and Milwaukee.

Sleepers: Dallas Mavericks, Toronto Raptors, Miami Heat, Oklahoma City Thunder

What do the Mavericks, Raptors and Heat have in common? They all have coaches with championship pedigree. The restart will be a sprint, and teams with steady leaders should thrive.

Rick Carlisle, who led the Mavericks to an NBA title in 2011, is one of the game’s best in-game strategists and he has a wonderful chess piece to play with in rising superstar Luka Doncic. The Mavs offense revolves around Doncic. The 2019 Rookie of the Year now has a full two years of NBA experience to process in his super high basketball IQ, and his arrow is pointing way up. In his second year in the Association, Doncic nearly averaged a triple-double (28-9-8). Looks like Luka is ready to make the jump into elite status.

It’s a bit odd to call a defending NBA champ a playoff sleeper, but Nick Nurse and the Raptors have gotten almost zero respect following their stunning win in the 2019 NBA Finals over the Golden State Warriors. When Kawhi left for L.A., almost all the basketball pundits left the Raptors for dead. Guess what? The Raptors are still ticking. Paschal Siakam has emerged as a bonafide No. 1 option. Kyle Lowry and Marc Gasol have logged a lot of miles, but they are crafty veterans who know how to turn it on in the postseason. Don’t sleep on the team from The North.

Erik Spoelstra hasn’t had much to work with since LeBron left town and Dwyane Wade’s skills started to fade. This year, Spo has a boatload of talent. With Jimmy Butler leading the way, third-year player Bam Adebayo emerging as the secondary star, role players Kendrick Nunn, Duncan Robinson and rookie Tyler Herro all gaining confidence by the day, Miami has a young, hungry squad looking to put some serious heat inside the Orlando bubble.

Billy Donovan may not have a NBA championship ring, but he does own two college basketball championship plaques when he led the Florida Gators to back-to-back NCAA tournament titles in 2006-07. With the departures of Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and Paul George, Donovan can freely coach the Thunder without having to worry about hurting a superstar’s ego. And he has a veteran leader in point guard Chris Paul to help him guide a young and energetic squad that will be a tough out.

Kawhi Leonard led the Raptors to an NBA title. (Getty Images)

Each year OneManFastBreak.net ranks the five best players in the NBA. Let’s call it the “OMFB Furious Five.” It’s paying homage to the five styles of Chinese martial arts: snake, crane, monkey, praying mantis, and tiger.

The ranking system is based on one man’s opinion and does not follow or conform to any other format, with more emphasis placed on how each player performed in the postseason. Stars are made during the regular season, but legends are born in the playoffs.

Last year’s OMFB Furious Five featured Russell Westbrook (5), Steph Curry (4), James Harden (3), LeBron James (2) and Kevin Durant (1).

The debate on who is the top gun was settled after the Toronto Raptors ended the Golden State Warriors dynasty.

OneManFastBreak.net rates the five best players in the Association:

5. ANTHONY DAVIS
Los Angeles Lakers, Forward-Center

The center position has evolved over the years. Anthony Davis came into the NBA in 2012, one year after MDE (most dominant ever) Shaquille O’Neal retired. Davis led the University of Kentucky to the NCAA championship and was the unanimous No. 1 overall pick in the NBA draft. Davis walked into the league as a skinny 19-year-old big man with guard-like skills but with a 7-6 wingspan. He was a hybrid. If Shaq was the last true back-to-the-basket dominant big man in the NBA, Davis was the future. He is the “center” most teams covet. He can post up. He can face up. He can step back and shoot 3-pointers. He can handle the ball and be able to get to his spots. But more importantly in today’s game, he can defend all positions — including perimeter players. The Brow is the total package.

Anthony Davis is regarded as one of the best defensive players in the NBA. (Getty Images)

Being able to contain guards for a 6-10, 253-pound big is a luxury most teams don’t have. The game has become so pick-and-roll heavy that big men must be able to hold their own against guards on switches. As good as Davis is offensively — he’s a career 52 percent shooter from the field and averages 24 points per game — his defense is what sets him apart from his peers. He averages 10 rebounds per game and 2.4 blocks. He is one of the league leaders in blocked shots year in and year out, and has been named to the All-Defensive team multiple times. “He does everything,” said LeBron James, Davis’ L.A. Lakers teammate. “He’s able to protect the rim, he’s able to guard in the post, he’s able to switch out to guards,” James added. “He’s able to block shots when guys are shooting floaters and runners. Get steals. I mean, he does everything defensively for us.”

4. JAMES HARDEN
Houston Rockets, Guard

Can you imagine OKC now had it kept Harden, Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant? The Harden-to-Houston deal remains one of the most absurd moves in league history. The Thunder haven’t reached the NBA Finals since the trade, while Harden has risen to MVP status. Harden reminded OKC what they’re missing when he put on a memorable performance on Feb. 20, 2013 against his former team. It was a game that convinced hoops fans that Harden, now out of the shadows of Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook, is one of the best players in the world. With his Rockets down by 14 with under five minutes left, Harden decided to take the game over. He single-handedly rallied the Rockets, dropping a career-high 46 points in a 122-119 victory that had the Toyota Center buzzing — and the rest of the league for that matter — buzzing. Harden made 14 of 19 shots from the field and made seven of his eight 3-point attempts. It didn’t matter who OKC put on Harden, he just kept scoring. The signature play of the evening came at the two-minute mark of the final quarter when Harden faced Ibaka on the wing, gave him one crossover dribble, four between-the-legs dribbles, then stepped backed for a long 3-pointer over the best shot-blocker in the NBA to tie the score at 111. During the 2014-15 season, Harden led the Rockets to Western Conference finals where they fell to eventual champ Golden State. Harden reached a major milestone in his basketball career when he was named the 2017-18 regular season MVP after leading the Rockets to the best record in the NBA. Harden and the Rockets lost in Game 7 to Steph, KD and the Warriors in a hard-fought seven-game series in the Western Conference finals.

3. LEBRON JAMES
Cleveland Cavaliers, Forward

“I’m LeBron James, and I ain’t got no worries!” This was LeBron’s message to his detractors after leading the Heat to another championship in 2013. Three years later, James still has no worries after pulling off the unthinkable: He led the Cleveland Cavaliers to their first NBA championship and ended the 52-year championship drought in the city of Cleveland. James was sensational during the 2016 NBA Finals. He averaged a Finals best 29.7 points, 11.3 rebounds, 8.9 assists, 2.6 steals, and 2.3 blocks. He made The Block in the final minute of Game 7 at Oakland’s Oracle Arena when he chased down Andre Iguodala and prevented what could have been the dagger layup that might have ended the Cavs’ championship hopes. Instead, with one super-human rejection, he lifted the Cleveland curse and set up Kyrie Irving’s game-winning 3-pointer that will be forever be known in northeast Ohio as The Shot. LeBron’s 2016 Finals performance was a stark contrast to his infamous “shrinking” in an embarrassing 4-2 series loss to Dallas in the 2011 Finals.

LeBron James took his talents to L.A. (Getty Images)

James said the Mavs series humbled him and he learned an important lesson. It made him make some significant changes on and off the court, including adding a post-up game with the help of Hakeem Olajuwon. LeBron reduced the amount of 3-point attempts and made a concerted effort to take the ball to the basket. He put together one of the most dominant and efficient regular seasons in league history, and earned his fourth MVP award. LeBron and Co. authored a historic 27-game winning streak and finished with a league-best 66 wins. He raised his level of play during the postseason and the signature moment came in Game 7 of the 2013 Finals when he drained a mid-range jumper from the wing with 27 seconds left to put the Heat up by four. For the series he averaged 25 points, 10 rebounds, and seven assists. James will always have his critics because of the way he left Cleveland the first time. But he returned to Ohio and delivered on his promise. He fulfilled his promise by bringing a championship to The Land, cementing his basketball legacy and silencing his critics. For someone who will go down in history as one of the greatest to ever play the game, LeBron has endured a ton of criticism. He has risen to the challenge, proving to the whole world that he is fit to be king.

2. GIANNIS ANTETOKOUNMPO
Milwaukee Bucks, Forward

Giannis Antetokounmpo led the Bucks to the Eastern Conference finals in 2018-19. (Getty Images)

Giannis Antetokounmpo is well aware he’s far from being a finished product. Sounds ridiculous to even suggest that the NBA MVP, who averaged 27.7 points per game, 12.5 rebounds, 5.9 assists, shot 58 percent from the field and led his team to the best record in the Eastern Conference during the 2018-19 season, still has plenty of room for improvement. But that is the case with the 24-year-old Greek Freak, who is only scratching the surface of his prodigious talent. “I always think that I can improve,” Giannis told NBA TV. “That’s the one thing I have been doing, and I’m gonna keep doing it. There are going to be times that I’m not going to improve anymore. But as long as I keep working hard, keep believing in myself, I think I will keep getting better. I can tell you right off the top of my head five things I could do better,” he added. “I could shoot more threes, catch and shoot threes so I can help my teammates space the floor better. I could be able to playmake more. I could improve my handles. Make my handles more tight. There’s a lot of things I can improve.” To hear an MVP talk about all the things he needs to improve on is very refreshing. Giannis strikes a good balance of high level of confidence and humility. He has great confidence in his ability, but he’s also well aware of his weaknesses. With Giannis leading the way, Milwaukee is a championship contender in the East. “We try to get better each day. We try to compete at practice and create a habit that can carry over to the game,” Giannis said. “We know teams are going to come and try to win games against us. But we gotta be ready. We gotta do what we did last year. Defend together. Move the ball offensively. If we keep doing that we’re gonna be fine.”

And now, the No. 1 player in the world. Drum roll please . . .

1. KAWHI LEONARD
Los Angeles Clippers, Forward

Kawhi Leonard defeated Steph Curry and Klay Thompson in the 2019 NBA Finals. (AP)

Back in July 2015, Kawhi Leonard signed a multi-year contract with the San Antonio Spurs with the intention that he’ll be the face of the franchise for years to come. Leonard was coming winning his first NBA championship with the Spurs and was named Finals MVP in 2014. Fast forward to July 18, 2018. That was the day when the Spurs and Kawhi parted ways after an ugly divorce where both sides dug in their heels and stood their ground. The Spurs traded their cornerstone to the Toronto Raptors, along with Danny Green, for DeMar DeRozan, Jakob Poltl and a 2019 first-round pick. The Spurs felt their relationship with Kawhi couldn’t be repaired. The core issue centered around Kawhi’s thigh injury. The Spurs doctors gave a different diagnosis than Kawhi’s doctors. Leonard played just nine games in the 2017-18 season and wanted out. Leonard’s reputation and status as one of the game’s greats took a severe hit. He needed to repair his rep and image while he was in Toronto. And did exactly that. Kawhi best on himself and put together a historic season with the Raptors. He clawed his way back to the mountain with a playoff performance worthy of legendary status. He averaged 30.5 points per game in the playoffs playing nearly 45 minutes. He delivered one of the greatest moments in NBA playoff history when he knocked off the Philadelphia 76ers in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference semifinals with a dramatic game-winning, buzzer-beating 3-pointer that bounced off the rim four times before falling in the basket.

It was one of the craziest finishes you’ll ever witness. “Game. Series. Toronto has won,” play-by-play commentator Kevin Harlan said. But Kawhi wasn’t done. In the next round, he went head-to-head with 2019 NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo. After dropping the first two games, Kawhi locked in and shut down Giannis and the Bucks the rest of the series to push the Raptors to their first NBA Finals appearance. Waiting for the Raptors in The Finals was defending two-time champion Golden State. It was supposed to be a massive mismatch. The Warriors had four future Hall of Famers in Kevin Durant, Steph Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green while the Raptors limped into the series with a battered and bruised Leonard. In the end, it was the Warriors who were left battered and bruised and limped off the court with  a depleted roster after Durant went down with an Achilles tear and Klay injured his ACL. The Raptors celebrated Canada’s first pro basketball championship and Kawhi was named Finals MVP. Kawhi is the king of the basketball realm.

Joel Huerto is the editor and publisher of OneManFastBreak.net. Follow him on Twitter @onemanfastbreak.

(Photos by Getty Images)

Kawhi Leonard drives to the basket against Anthony Davis. (Getty Images)

The biggest winner during the NBA offseason was the city of Los Angeles.

Staples Center will be the center of the basketball universe as we enter the 2019-20 NBA regular season because two of the best teams in the league will play 82 times in Downtown Los Angeles.

The pride of Riverside, Calif., Kawhi Leonard chose the glitz and glamour of Hollywood over the cold winters in Toronto (duh!) and he brought another Southern California native, Palmdale’s Paul George, with him. Leonard and George now form a formidable 1-2 punch as members of the L.A. Clippers. Add pitbull guard Patrick Beverley and super subs Lou Williams and Montrez Harrell in the mix and you have a team that is favored to capture the NBA title.

This could be the year the Clippers will finally be able to put up a real banner at Staples Center instead of those giant selfies that hung during the Lob City era.

“Everybody being high character. Sacrifice. Wanting to win. Determination. Knowledge. All that together. Just being on the floor, going out there as one unit. All trying to accomplish that ultimate goal. That’s what drives a championship team,” Leonard said.

LeBron James has been awfully quiet all offseason — outside of a few Taco Tuesday posts on social media. LeBron is so accustomed to playing through June that this was the first offseason where he had a full five months off in more than a decade. And all this waiting has King James extremely anxious.

“I’m very motivated. Right now I’m not in a talking-about-it mode. I’ve been very quiet this summer for a reason,” LeBron said. “My mother always taught me don’t talk about it be about it. That’s where I’m at. As a team and myself, we need to get the Lakers back to where they’ve been accustomed to.”

LeBron appears rested and ready to go, and he now has a super sidekick in All-Star forward Anthony Davis.

The LeBron-AD combo became a reality after the Lakers traded away one-third of their roster. But the Lakers brass feel it was a necessary move because now they feel like they have their best 1-2 punch since Shaq and Kobe.

OneManFastBreak predicts the eight teams that’ll make the playoffs in the Western Conference:

1-L.A. Clippers (58-24) – The Clippers would be a lot higher if it wasn’t for Paul George’s offseason surgery on both his shoulders. The timetable PG’s return is around November. Also, the Clippers are planning to implement the same load management approach the Toronto coaching staff did with Kawhi. It won’t matter much if Kawhi or PG take a few games off. These Clippers are the deepest team in the league. Center Montrezl Harrell brings effort and energy every single night, and combo guard Lou Williams is arguably the best closer in the game. Doc Rivers’ crew will be there in April, May and potentially June.

2-Denver Nuggets (56-26) – Nikola Jokic is now universally recognized as the best center in the NBA. The big man from Serbia is redefining the center position with his ability to score, rebound and pass. Jokic is the anchor of a Nuggets squad that is deep and talented. Point guard Jamal Murray gained some much needed playoff experience last year and ready to become the team’s closer. If Michael Porter Jr., 21, ever gets out of the training room and onto the court, the Nuggets could be battling for the top spot in the West for the next few years.

3-L.A. Lakers (54-28) – The Lakers have five championship-caliber players on the roster: LeBron, AD, Danny Green, Avery Bradley and Kyle Kuzma. To win a title, you need at least seven to eight solid guys in the rotation. For now, the Lakers don’t have that. Rajon Rondo, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Dwight Howard are extremely limited, and so is JaVale McGee. You can’t trust them in a seven-game series. As long as Davis and LeBron are healthy, the Lakers have a formidable squad. But if one or both miss time, the Lakers are back to being a lottery team. Bringing back Rondo was a mistake. It hinders the progress of Alex Caruso and Quinn Cook.

4-Houston Rockets (53-29) – It is now or never for coach Mike D’Antoni. D’Antoni has his best roster since his Phoenix Suns days, and some could argue it could be better. James Harden is at the height of his powers and there are no signs of him slowing down. In fact, he seems to be getting better and better. The acquisition of Russell Westbrook was panned by critics. Not sure why. Westbrook is a former MVP who is hungry for a title. He and Harden are good friends off the court, and they played together in Oklahoma City. Great players figure out a way to co-exist on the court. Harden and Westbrook will figure out a way to make it work in Houston.

5-Portland Trail Blazers (50-32) – If you still don’t think Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum are two of the best guards in the league then you should pull up YouTube videos from the 2019 playoffs. Lillard sent the Thunder home with a dagger 3-pointer from Beaverton, while McCollum was at times the best player on the court during the Blazers-Nuggets series that was an instant classic. The loss of center Jusuf Nurkic was masked with the addition of Hassan Whiteside. If Whiteside can provide rebounds and defense, Lillard and McCollum will take care of the rest.

6-Utah Jazz (49-33) – Donovan Mitchell has been teasing us for the past couple of years with his star potential. It’s time for Mitchell to finally make that big leap and become the true alpha dog. Mitchell has a better supporting cast this season with the acquisition of point guard Mike Conley and sharp-shooting forward Bojan Bogdanovic (the taller Bogdanovic).

7-San Antonio Spurs (48-34) – The Spurs have made the playoffs for 22 straight seasons under Gregg Popovich, and that streak will continue this season. Popovich may have pulled off his best coaching job last year. Pop integrated DeMar DeRozan into the Spurs system and had him play the Manu Ginobili role. LaMarcus Aldridge is doing his best fulfilling the Tim Duncan role. Now, Pop’s next challenge is to develop a point guard to play the Tony Parker role. He’s got a couple of willing students in Derrick White and Dejonte Murray.

8-Golden State Warriors (46-36) – It’s strange seeing the Warriors this low in the postseason seedings, but that’s the harsh reality brought about by the departure of Kevin Durant, the injury to Klay Thompson, the loss of Andre Iguodala and the retirement of Shaun Livingston. The biggest challenge for coach Steve Kerr and his coaching staff will be managing the minutes for Steph Curry and Draymond Green. Will Kerr burn out Curry and Green just to earn a seventh or eighth seed? That’s a tough call for a proud franchise.

Last teams out: Dallas Mavericks, Minnesota Timberwolves, Memphis Grizzlies

Kawhi Leonard and Paul George team up in L.A. (Getty Images)

You know you’re big time when you can top an earthquake as the biggest news of the day. Just a little over two hours after a 7.1 magnitude quake rocked Southern California, Kawhi Leonard registered a major aftershock when he decided to come to the Los Angeles Clippers and brought another All-Star player with him.

The stunning announcement shifted the balance of power in the NBA. All of a sudden, the Clippers — long considered the JV team at Staples Center — became the favorites to win the 2019-20 NBA title and it evaporated dreams of a Lakers superteam. In the end, Kawhi wasn’t really interested in joining forces with LeBron James and Anthony Davis. He was more interested in creating his own dynamic duo across the hallway.

Sacramento may be the capital of California, but Los Angeles is now the epicenter of the basketball universe.

For a guy known around the league for being quiet, Kawhi sure knows how to communicate what he wants. Kawhi looked around the landscape to see who’d be interested in joining him in L.A. He reportedly tried Kevin Durant, but he was already set for Brooklyn. There were reports he tried to lure Kyrie Irving but Kyrie also had his sights set on Brooklyn. That’s when he turned his attention to another former Southern California native, Paul George. Kawhi laid the groundwork by talking to George about joining forces. Once PG13 was onboard, Kawhi then told the Clippers what he wanted. His message was: make it happen and I’m coming. Clippers owner Steve Ballmer, coach Doc Rivers and general manager Lawrence Frank went to work, and with the help of legend Jerry West acting as yoda, the Clippers got a deal done with Oklahoma City to bring George to L.A. Once PG13 was in the Clipper fold, Kawhi said “no” to the Lakers and Toronto Raptors.

This is now the new NBA. Two stars surrounded by good role players.

When Durant decided to leave Golden State and take his talents to Brooklyn, the superteam era officially came to an end. And this is a good thing for the league because the Warriors simply had a significant competitive advantage during Durant’s three years in the Bay Area. They had arguably four of the top 15 players in the league all in the primes. It just wasn’t fair.

Now that the Warriors are down to three studs (two for now until Klay Thompson returns from his ACL injury), teams feel like they have a shot.

Kawhi saw what Durant went through in Golden State. He saw all the scrutiny KD endured for joining a superteam and he wasn’t about to walk into that same fire. Kawhi already earned two NBA championship rings and wasn’t interested in being handed a third.

The move may not have been popular in Laker Land but it definitely made it a lot more interesting for the NBA and basketball fans. The league is wide open.

The Clippers may be heavy favorites according to Las Vegas oddmakers but there are bunch of teams led by terrific tandems right behind them, all with legitimate shots at winning a championship. OneManFastbreak breaks down the best duos in the NBA:

Kawhi Leonard + Paul George (L.A. Clippers) – Kawhi and PG are considered the best two-way players in the NBA. Add pit bull guard Patrick Beverley to the mix and the Clippers may possess the most impenetrable defense in basketball.

LeBron James + Anthony Davis (L.A. Lakers) – Last we checked, LeBron is still pretty good. He’s coming off one of his worst seasons due to injury, but statistically LeBron is still a top-15 player when healthy. The same can be said about AD. When he’s healthy, Davis is arguably the best big man in the basketball and capable of producing astronomical numbers.

Steph Curry + Klay Thompson (Golden State Warriors) – The Splash Brothers have taken a bit of a hit recently due to injuries and tons of mileage from playing in five straight NBA Finals. But we’re not ready to count out the Splash Brothers.

James Harden + Russell Westbrook (Houston Rockets) – When Woj broke the story that Westbrook would be traded from OKC to Houston for Chris Paul and draft picks, a lot of basketball pundits immediately dismissed the Harden-Westbrook collabo as a desperate move by the Rockets. Talking heads are completely missing one important factor: friendship. Harden and Westbrook are very good friends off the court, so they will find a way to make it work on the court.

Damian Lillard + C.J. McCollum (Portland Trail Blazers) – One NBA executive said Lillard and McCollum are so good they can carry three dudes from the YMCA into the playoffs. Lillard and McCollum could have been in the Finals if Jusuf Nurkic didn’t break his leg.

Ben Simmons + Joel Embiid (Philadelphia 76ers) – Simmons and Embiid are the Eastern Conference version of LeBron and AD. The Sixers came within a Kawhi Hail Mary bounce in Game 7 from reaching the conference finals. If Simmons adds a jumper and Embiid gets in better shape, Philly could reach the Finals for the first time since the Allen Iverson era.

Mike Conley + Donovan Mitchell (Utah Jazz) – The Jazz upgraded at point guard with the acquisition of Mike Conley from Memphis. The veteran gives budding superstar Donovan Mitchell a runningmate who can run the team, score if needed and defend his position.

Jamal Murray + Nikola Jokic (Denver Nuggets) – Jokic had a breakout season in 2019 as he established himself as one of the best centers in the Association. The 7-footer is a walking triple-double and the Nuggets run their offense through him. The Nuggets believe in Murray after signing him to a $170 million contract.

Kyrie Irving + Kevin Durant (Brooklyn Nets) – This dynamic duo should be higher strictly on star power. Because of Durant’s devastating Achilles injury, NBA fans will have to wait a year. Kyrie will have to shoulder the load until KD returns.

Kawhi Leonard has a big decision this offseason. (Getty Images)

Kawhi Leonard is two wins away from leading the Toronto Raptors to its first ever NBA championship. That’s quite an achievement considering where he was a year ago.

With Kawhi having a memorable playoffs and Golden State all of a sudden looking vulnerable due to a myriad of injuries, online sportsbooks no longer have the Raptors as heavy underdogs.

Should the Raptors somehow pull off the biggest upset in the history of the NBA Finals, Kawhi will have a very interesting decision to make once the offseason begins. Should he stay in Toronto where he has become the most beloved athlete in Canada since Steve Nash? Or should he leave and become a free agent, free to sign with any team who can fit him under the cap?

The allure of free agency and playing for his hometown team – whether it’s the Lakers or Clippers – is truly enticing, especially since Leonard has been hinting at coming home to Los Angeles ever since he had a falling out with the Gregg Popovich and the San Antonio Spurs. Kawhi’s uncle, Dennis Robertson, has reportedly been eyeing L.A. for the last two years, and Toronto was basically a pit stop for the All-Star forward.

But the Kawhi flight to L.A. appears to be delayed. The engine is still running, but the schedule now says “still boarding.”

To say that Kawhi has already made up his mind on where he’ll land next season would be false. Just ask Charles Barkley. The outspoken basketball analyst came on “The Dan Patrick Show” and said reports that Kawhi and Kevin Durant have already made up their minds on where they’ll land next season is “fake.”

“I don’t think these guys know anything,” Barkley said. “I don’t think these players know where they’re going. You know how I know that? This is how full of crap all these reporters are. Because all these [players] are caught between a rock and a hard place. They can’t go anywhere by themselves. That’s the biggest problem all these guys got. No matter how great – whether you’re talking about Kawhi, KD, Kyrie [Irving], Jimmy Butler – none of these guys can make a move until something happens.”

Barkley continued: “If you go to a team by yourself, the team is not going to be any good. So that’s what’s going to be very interesting this summer. Who makes the first move. Who’s talking behind the scenes? Because you can’t go anywhere by yourself, or you’re going to be making a lot of money on a bad team.”

What Barkley said made perfect sense. Sometimes the grass is not greener on the other side. Kawhi may not be happy playing for Doc Rivers in L.A. He may not like playing with Patrick Beverley or Lou Williams. He may not enjoy playing in an arena where they use giant selfies to cover up Lakers championship banners.

Kawhi is in a great spot in Toronto, and the Raptors don’t need bring him to the Hamptons to make their best pitch.

He is the unquestioned leader of the team. He has the backing of an entire nation. He plays for a head coach in Nick Nurse who allows him to miss games and manages his workload. He has a very competent general manager in Masai Ujiri. He has a solid supporting cast led by two veterans – Kyle Lowry and Marc Gasol – Kawhi respects and can lean on for support. He is playing with a rising star in Pascal Siakam. And last, but definitely not least, he can make an additional $40 million by re-signing with the Raptors.

There are no guarantees Kawhi will stay healthy for the rest of his career. At some point, he’ll have to think long and hard about his well being. Money can’t buy you love, but it can buy you a lot of homes. A super-max contract affords Kawhi the ability to purchase a home in L.A. and Toronto. He can have the best of both worlds. Live in L.A. Work in Toronto. Sounds like a good deal.

LeBron James was an all-state receiver at St. Vincent-St. Mary.

Basketball players have been referred to as the greatest athletes in the world. In the NBA, you see superbly conditioned athletes soar to the basket and throw down rim-rattling dunks or muscle past two or three defenders. Sometimes we marvel so much at these super beings that we, as fans, wonder how pro basketball players would do in another realm, such as pro football.

With the return of the NFL season, I thought it would interesting to put together a football team comprised of current pro basketball players. Who knows? Some of these guys may consider this crazy idea and ditch the round ball in favor of the pigskin. I’m sure NFL general managers would love to have any of these guys on their roster. This concept has been written in the past, but not in the context where each basketball player is assigned a football position. So, without further ado, here is my 25-man, NBA-inspired gridiron gang:

QUARTERBACK

Kevin Durant (6-9, 235)

— If Allen Iverson was still in the Association this would be an easy choice. Iverson was an all-state quarterback in high school and was considered a Michael Vick-type talent in the state of Virginia. But since A.I. is currently out of the NBA the next best option is Kevin Durant. You may wonder why we’re going with KD over skilled passers such as Chris Paul or Rajon Rondo. Durant may not possessed your prototypical quarterback, but he’s a terrific athlete who has shown in the past that he can sling the football. If you recall, during the NBA lockout, Durant flashed his QB skills in a pick-up flag football game. We have visual evidence.

When K.D. asked a bunch of Oklahoma State students in Stillwater, Okla., if he could play in their flag football game because he was bored during the NBA lockout, one of the students asked Durant if he could catch a football. Durant replied, “Are you for real?” Durant may not seem imposing but he’s quick and explosive, and he’s got arms like Mr. Fantastic. The scouting report on Durant would be something like this: has great size to oversee the defense, decent arm strength to get the ball down the field, can elude rushers with his agility, able to make plays when the pocket collapses. Mel Kiper Jr. would have given him a B+ and a second-round grade.

RUNNING BACKS

Derrick Rose (6-1, 190)

— Legendary Penn State football coach Joe Paterno said he knew Curt Warner could play running back for him after watching him in a pickup basketball game. Paterno says if you can run, plant, cut, and change direction quickly on the basketball court then you can play running back on the football field. In terms of changing gears without skipping a beat, very few players in the world can match the Chicago Bulls’ superstar guard.

Deron Williams (6-2, 209)

— Williams attended The Colony High School in Texas, and we all know football is king in the state of Texas. D-Will was also a highly touted wrestler as a youngster, so he is no stranger to using leverage and doesn’t shy away from contact. At 209 pounds, Williams could be a very capable tailback in the NFL.

TIGHT END

LeBron James (6-8, 255)

— The tight end position is where basketball players seem to have the most success on the football field. Antonio Gates, Jimmy Graham and Tony Gonzalez were power forwards in college before they were drafted as tight ends in the NFL. LeBron was an all-state wide receiver at St. Vincent-St. Mary in Akron, Ohio, but he would be better suited at tight end because he would be an absolute nightmare to cover for any linebacker or safety. James has phenomenal quickness for a man his size. He could realistically play any position on the field. He’s big enough to play outside linebacker and he’s fast enough to be a safety. He could also play quarterback if needed. As a tight end, LeBron will be able to utilize his 255-pound frame to block and set the edges. And when it’s time to score in the red zone, LeBron and his 44-inch vertical leap could outjump any defensive back in the end zone. LeBron scored 27 touchdowns in two seasons for St. Vincent-St. Mary. “I think LeBron could come in and do better than Antonio Gates,” said former All-Pro NFL receiver Randy Moss. “LeBron James is the athlete that comes around every so often.”

WIDE RECEIVERS

Matt Barnes (6-7, 226)

— The forward was a former all-state wide receiver at Del Campo High School (Calif.) so he can definitely play the position. Barnes is a tough player who doesn’t mind getting dirty. He should be a perfect candidate to go over the middle and catch passes in tight zones. Barnes may not be Hines Ward in terms of blocking, but he’ll irritate the heck out of the opposing defensive backs.

Russell Westbrook (6-3, 190)

–Westbrook is considered one of the fastest players in basketball, and he could certainly give NFL speedster DeSean Jackson a run for his money in the 40-yard dash. The ultra-quick Oklahoma City guard can cover a lot of ground, making him an ideal candidate to be the deep threat on offense. One of Westbrook’s greatest strength is his passion for the game. Football is all about raw emotion, and few NBA players play with more raw emotion than Russ. With Durant playing quarterback on our fantasy squad, it makes sense to have his Oklahoma City teammate to be his primary target.

KICK RETURNER

Darren Collison (6-0, 160)

— The point guard is an absolute blur on the court, able to change gears without losing any speed. Collison can thank his parents for his sprinter’s speed as both were former elite track runners from Guyana.  If it were not for his undying devotion to the game of basketball, Collison easily could have been running track instead of running point.

KICKER

Kobe Bryant (6-6, 205)

— We all know Kobe played soccer when he was in Italy. He follows the sport religiously and has, on more than one occasion, displayed his soccer skills on the pitch. NFL kickers are all soccer-style kickers. Given enough practice and proper technique, Kobe should be able to pick up the nuances of kicking field goals. Kobe is a perfectionist, so if this challenge was presented in front of him he will attack it like a Black Mamba. Because so many football games are won or lost with last-second field goals, who better to put in clutch situations than Kobe Bryant.

OFFENSIVE LINE

Al Horford (6-10, 245)

Kevin Love (6-10, 260)

Kendrick Perkins (6-10, 275)

Zach Randolph (6-9, 260)

Marc Gasol (7-1, 270)

— Blocking in football is similar to setting screens in basketball, except when you use both hands on a screen you’ll get called for a foul. All five of the players mentioned above can all set good picks. But more importantly, each player plays with a bit of a nasty streak, which comes in handy when you need to get a first down on fourth-and-1. Atlanta Hawks center/forward Al Horford could anchor the line at center because he’s likely agile enough to handle the position. We all known center Kendrick Perkins has a nasty streak, and that should translate well on the football field. Power forward Kevin Love, who led the NBA in rebounding in 2010-11, has good size and extremely good hands, which will help him grab an oncoming speed rusher. Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph are arguably the best center-power forward tandem in the NBA and they certainly don’t mind playing in the trenches. Having these two play on one side of the offensive line bring familiarity, continuity and physicality.

DEFENSIVE LINE

Glen Davis (6-8, 295)

— Can’t think of a better anchor on defensive line than Clippers power forward Glen “Big Baby” Davis, who has always bragged that he could play in the NFL. Who’s gonna argue with a 295-pound man? Not me. But Davis’ claim is not a stretch. He was a terrific two-way football player at University Laboratory High School in Baton Rouge, starring at defensive end, defensive tackle and tailback. Yes, tailback! He scored 15 touchdowns his junior year in high school so he could be a tremendous goal-line back. But Big Baby hung up his cleats for good when he received a basketball scholarship from LSU. Big Baby shows great agility for a 295-pound (ahem, roughly) athlete. Watch:

DeAndre Jordan (6-11, 265)

— DeAndre Jordan is front Texas, and we all know football is king in the state. Jordan has the size and quickness to be a great edge rusher. And in terms of hand-eye coordination, Jordan could give Houston Texans stud J.J. Watt a run for his money.

Dwight Howard (6-11, 265)

— The Orlando Magic all-star center has the size, strength and agility that would make any defensive line coach drool. Howard’s freakish athleticism is suited at defensive end. He can rush the passer and, using his 40-inch vertical leap, bat down any ball that comes his way. He would be absolutely intimidating if he could only wipe that big smile off his face.

Joakim Noah (6-11, 240)

— Joakim Noah could play defensive end because of his great motor. Noah, a former Defensive Player of the Year in the NBA, has earned the reputation as being one of the toughest competitors in basketball. So, all that effort and energy should bode well on the football field.

LINEBACKERS

Metta World Peace (6-7, 250)

— In building a defense, you start with a nasty, punch-you-in-the-mouth middle linebacker. With that in mind, can you name anyone crazier than the player formerly known as Ron Artest? I think not. There is absolutely nothing peaceful about Metta World Peace, who calls his record label TruWarier. He definitely fits the part of a middle backer. Metta, who is currently playing in China, has his sights set on a possible return to the Association.

Kenneth Faried (6-8, 228)

— When your nickname is the Manimal you’re a perfect fit to play outside linebacker. Faried’s greatest asset is his motor. He plays hard on every play and doesn’t shy away from physical play. Those are two absolute necessities to play linebacker. That should translate well on the football field because Faried can play sideline to sideline and be a disruptive force.

Blake Griffin (6-10, 250)

— Few can match Blake Griffin in terms of speed and power. Griffin is a gifted athlete who has earned a reputation as one of basketball’s best dunkers. We won’t need Blake to thrown down dunks. Instead, we’ll need him to throw down quarterbacks, running backs, and receivers.

CORNERBACKS

Nate Robinson (5-8, 200)

— Nate the Great is the only player on this entire list who actually play college football. Robinson played point guard in basketball and cornerback in football for the University of Washington. Robinson is a physically gifted athlete who can run all day and is built like granite. He is such a well-conditioned athlete that he could probably be a good two-way player.

Robinson’s reputation as a football stud didn’t get lost with Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll, who invited him to Seahawks camp in 2011. Robinson didn’t show up, but he may have to revisit that offer once his basketball career is over.

Tony Allen (6-4, 213)

— Grizzlies guard Tony Allen is one of the best on-the-ball defenders in the NBA and could transition into a solid man-to-man cover corner. In 2005, Allen was charged with aggravated battery stemming from an altercation outside a restaurant in Chicago. Police charges? Battery? Altercation? Sounds like Allen has a little bit of Pacman Jones in him.

SAFETIES

Kawhi Leonard (6-7, 230)

— Can you imagine Kawhi playing safety in the NFL? He can run with any receiver. He can lock down any tight end or running back. And he’s got massive hands. If a pass comes his way, you know Kawhi won’t drop a sure interception.

Dwyane Wade (6-4, 220)

— Before he became a full-time hoopster, Wade played wide receiver and defensive back for high school football powerhouse Richards High in Oak Lawn, Ill. Wade has the size to make plays at the line of scrimmage, and he can certainly outjump and outrun a lot of NFL receivers and tight ends. Wade grew up watching the Chicago Bears as a youth so you know he’s familiar with the Monsters of the Midway.

PUNTER

Manu Ginobili (6-6, 205)

— Manu Ginobili is a native of Argentina, so you know he played soccer as a youngster. Manu may arguably be the second-greatest athlete from Argentina, behind only soccer great Lionel Messi. Ginobili can also be a field-goal kicker, but since we already have Kobe at kicker, Manu will have to channel his inner Ray Guy.

There you have it. A 25-man football team comprised of current NBA players. Since Microsoft billionaire Paul Allen owns the Portland Trail Blazers and Seattle Seahawks, he is the right man to sign the checks for this fantasy football team.

Joel Huerto is the editor and publisher of OneManFastBreak.net. Follow him on Twitter @onemanfastbreak.

Spurs forward Kawhi Leonard is named the 2014 NBA Finals MVP. (GETTY IMAGES)

When San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich unleashed Kawhi Leonard, the 2014 NBA Finals turned into a one-sided contest.

Leonard looked like a different player after a disappointing Game 2. He scored a playoff-career high 29 points in Game 3 and followed that up with a 20-point, 14-rebound effort in Game 4. The Spurs won both games in Miami to put a stranglehold on the series, and completed the demolition of the two-time champion Heat with a 104-87 win in Game 5 to hoist the Larry O’Brien Trophy for a fifth time in franchise history.

Once Leonard — who scored 22 points and grabbed 10 rebounds in the series clincher — became a bigger part of the Spurs’ offense, the Heat had no response. A team can only game plan for so many players, and the Spurs already have three of the best in Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili. When Leonard got cooking, the Heat were toast.

“He’s very efficient,” LeBron James said of Leonard, who guarded him for most of the series.

“First two games he didn’t play so well,” James said. “I thought he attacked more in the last three games. He shot the ball extremely well. Every year he gained more and more confidence.”

LeBron posted LeBron-type numbers during The Finals, but he had to work for every basket thanks to Leonard’s defense. Anyone who didn’t vote for Leonard on the all-NBA first-team defense should have their credentials revoked. This young man is one of the five best one-on-one defenders in the league, and he should be on the all-defense team for the rest of his career. Mark it down.

“Just coming into the series I just focusing in on guarding LeBron. But I got in foul trouble. I just got aggressive in Game 3 and got in a rhythm,” said the third-year pro, who just keeps getting better and better each time he steps on the court.

He definitely got better and better with each Finals game. He shot the ball well over 60 percent from the field and averaged 23 points in the last three games.

“It’s just a good progression for me,” Leonard said. “I just believe in all the hard work that I put in.”

Whatever Popovich told Kawhi after Game 2, it worked.

“We have conversations throughout the year. Mostly one way because Kawhi is a quiet young man. But he listens and he’s a great learner. And he’s super competitive. He has the drive to be the best. He walks the walk,” Popovich said of his 22-year-old budding star, who started his career as a post-up forward in college and turned himself into a solid wing player in the NBA.

“He’s there early, he’s there late. He wants me and the coaches to push him,” Popovich said. “I just talked to him about not being in that defer sort of stage. The hell with Tony. The hell with Timmy. The hell with Manu. You play the game. You are the man. You’re part of the engine that makes us go. And it starts with his defense and his rebounding. I haven’t called a play for him the whole playoffs. I do not call his number. Everything he did was out of emotion.

“In the future, obviously we’ll use him a lot more on an individual basis. But it’s not really our style, and he appreciates that.”

Leonard shows very little emotion on the court, which makes him a perfect fit in San Antonio. You’ll never hear him complain about not getting enough touches and he always compliments his teammates and coaches. But don’t let the soft tone and California cool demeanor fool you. He’s a quiet assassin.

When the Spurs traded for Leonard in the 2011 draft, giving up then promising guard George Hill, some questioned the move. But Popovich and RC Buford knew what they were getting in Leonard. They got a Bruce Bowen-type perimeter defender who also has the potential to be a very good offensive player.

Leonard is the only Finals MVP who hasn’t made an All-Star team. That should change after what he did in this year’s playoffs.

“He just played free. You could tell [after Game 2] his teammates came up to him and told him, ‘Just play basketball.’ And he not only took what the defense gave him he took what he wanted at times as well,” Dwyane Wade said.

“He’s a young player who is growing up in this league,” Wade said. “Everyone knows what Pop says that he’s the future of this team.”

Joel Huerto is editor and publisher of OneManFastBreak.net. Follow him on Twitter @onemanfastbreak.