“Trading Baskets” is a weekly NBA column written by Reagan Griffin Jr. and Eddie Sun. The writers “hand off” each week’s installment, continuing an ongoing dialogue to challenge the way fans think about basketball. Click here to read last week’s edition.
Leave it to the late great Kobe Bryant to succinctly analyze and break down the greatest NBA team of the last decade, and do it better than most pundits on TV. Dubbing it “The Golden Democracy,” he pinpointed communication, teamwork and movement as the sources of the Warriors' dominance, and not necessarily their on-paper talent. This came out in 2017, in the midst of Golden State’s battle with the Cleveland Cavaliers, a talented but hierarchical team with a clear pecking order.
Kobe’s basketball acumen was always razor-sharp, but even so, the depth and quality of the breakdown was a surprise. This was one of the first videos for his Musecage Basketball Network, something of a mix between storytelling for kids and basketball analysis –– ironically, he explained the Warriors' success with more precision than the sports content for grown folks. ESPN seemed to pick up on this too; Kobe continued his basketball breakdowns in their “Detail” video series.
Ever since the passing of Kobe Bryant, the season has been about honoring and upholding his legacy, especially in the NBA bubble. His spirit is omnipresent throughout the league. Most basketball fans understand the significance of this Lakers finals run, given Kobe’s death and the ten years that have passed since he last led the franchise to a title. The storyline, while undoubtedly poetic, is also a strung-out one to say the least. Sports media, fans and players such as Anthony Davis peddle Kobe’s legacy into their musings and achievements, sometimes to the point where it almost feels manufactured.
Kobe was a student of the game and became a master after he retired. Since the NBA returned, there’s been plenty of compelling basketball with high-level execution and intriguing tactics. We’ve seen everything from tremendous individual play to teams throwing out zone defenses more than ever before. If Kobe were around, he would undoubtedly be analyzing the whole thing.
So what does all this have to do with the Finals matchup? More than anything, the contrast between the Miami Heat and the Los Angeles Lakers reminded me of the principles Kobe outlined in “The Golden Democracy”. Stylistically, this Heat squad resembles those Warriors closer than any other team right now. On the flipside, the Lakers have the most talented superstar duo in the league, and the clear-cut two best players in this series.
This Finals is about Princes vs. Process –– superstars versus collective depth, playing through talent versus sharing the ball, top-heavy dominance versus roster versatility. There’s a distinct clash of basketball playstyles.
Miami attacks in waves. They upset the Milwaukee Bucks and Boston Celtics by overwhelming them with options on both sides of the court. While Jimmy Butler gives them a solid star, the Heat’s strength lies in their endless bag of plays. Take away their first option, and they can cleanly execute their second, third or fourth.
Consider their weapons: They have a great pick-and roll-guard in Goran Dragic. Duncan Robinson is a game-changing three-point threat. Jae Crowder and Andre Iguodala provide veteran savvy and tough defense, along with some perimeter shooting. Tyler Herro sprinkles in the necessary excitement and arrogance. And Bam Adebayo is a swiss-army knife of a center, and the player that makes all the parts work. Erik Spoelstra is also regarded as one of the best coaches in the NBA, and he won’t be afraid to make bold play calls.
However, the Heat may be severely compromised after Game 1. Dragic and Adebayo suffered foot and neck injuries, respectively, and may miss the rest of the series. Butler injured his ankle in what looked like a nasty sprain, though he played the rest of the game hobbled. Obviously, losing their top three players deals a tremendous blow to their chances, but it also gives them a chance to flex maybe their greatest attribute: resilience.
If we’ve learned anything from these playoffs, it’s that this Miami Heat team will fight. They probably shouldn’t be on this championship stage, but outworked their opponents to get to this point. And after all the comeback wins and series upsets, they have more than deserved it. The determined attitude starts at the top with Pat Riley and permeates throughout the organization, and though they were dealt a blow in Game 1, count on them to play hard no matter what players are available.
As for the Lakers, there’s not much to explain. Acquiring and playing through premier talent is a tried and true formula, albeit a vanilla one. LeBron James is an unstoppable force. Anthony Davis is unguardable on offense and impenetrable on defense. Their ancillary pieces don’t bring anything novel to the team, but complement the duo well. They’ve played incredibly well all season, and given the injury outlook, could be wrapping up this series in short order.
As someone with no stake in either team, I’m only rooting for entertaining basketball. I’m cheering for the beauty of execution and the thought processes behind the chess match. There would be nothing better in this crazy year of upheaval, tragedy and postponement than a well-played finale.
“Trading Baskets” runs every other Friday.