Make no mistake about it: the upcoming NBA Finals between the Cleveland Cavaliers and Golden State Warriors will be centered on the mouth-watering matchup between two-time champion LeBron James and 2015 MVP Stephen Curry. Both have been spectacular through the first three rounds, and are great enough to go on producing all throughout the Finals.
But much like the Curry vs. Harden matchup in the previous round, the winner of this series might not be decided by the superstars (who will get their points), but by a key role player either playing above or below his capabilities. With that said, let’s highlight one such role player on either team and breakdown how they will change the course of this series for their teams.
For more of our coverage of the NBA Finals, check out our NBA Finals experts predictions piece here, and our comprehensive Game 1 preview here.
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The Key Players for the Cavs and Warriors in the NBA Finals
The Warriors’ Key Player: Harrison Barnes
He will be one of the LeBron stoppers
Draymond Green will likely get the primary assignment of guarding James in this series, but Barnes should log some heavy minutes on him as well. (Andre Iguodala and Klay Thompson will have their shot at the King, too.) Barnes will be James’ natural matchup at small forward when both teams’ starting bigs are on the court, and he could also spend time as a small-ball four when the Cavs go with their dangerous James-plus-three-shooters-and Thompson/Mozgov lineup.
[sc:NBA240banner ]Barnes had a taste of guarding an MVP-caliber talent in the last round with James Harden, and he fared quite well at times. But facing LeBron will be a different proposition. Barnes will have to hold his own in the post to prevent the Warriors from sending double-teams against James, or they risk getting picked apart like the Hawks so sadly did.
He can take advantage of possible mismatches
On the other end, Barnes is the most logical place to hide the Cavs’ least effective defender, Kyrie Irving. If the Cavs do, in fact, put Irving on Barnes, the much bigger North Carolina product must dominate that particular UNC-Duke matchup with physical post play.
It’s no secret that Irving’s lower body is all sorts of banged up already. Barnes has the bulk to punish him even more to the point that Irving’s offensive game slips, and forces the Cavs to another defensive adjustment.
He can go off offensively
Barnes has quietly had a very decent playoffs, averaging 11 points on 46 percent shooting. He had by far his best offensive game in the decisive Game 5 against the Rockets, with 24 points on 10-of-20 shooting from the field.
After Curry and perhaps Thompson, Barnes is arguably the next best Warrior who can create his own offense. With the Cavs defense tilting to the backcourt duo, Barnes will be called upon at some point during the series to provide an offensive spark.
Honorable Mention – Draymond Green
Not only will Green have to contain the best player in the world, he’ll also need to keep the relentless Tristan Thompson off the offensive boards when the Cavs go small. That’s quite a handful for one guy. But after getting the better of Anthony Davis, Zach Randolph, Marc Gasol, Dwight Howard and Harden, do not underestimate Green’s ability.
The Cavs’ Key Player: Iman Shumpert
Shumpert has been huge in these playoffs
Guess who leads the Cavs in net rating in these playoffs? LeBron James, who is averaging a near triple-double? Nope. It’s in fact Iman Shumpert, just ahead of fellow wing, JR Smith.
Obviously, no one’s saying Shumpert (or Smith) is a better player than James; that stat just exemplifies how valuable Shump has been on both ends of the floor this postseason, and he will be again in the Finals.
He is the Cavs’ Swiss Army knife on defense
Shumpert got the nod as the Cavs’ key player in this series over Smith because of the impact he can have on defense. Shump will likely draw the short straw and guard Curry in place of Irving for most of the series. But with the constant switching the Cavs can do with their small lineups, he’ll see time with just about all of the Warriors’ wings and perimeter players at some point.
Shumpert did a terrific job of shadowing Kyle Korver through all of his intricate off-ball movement, and he can do a similar job with the active feet of Curry and Thompson. Keeping either of those two contained will go some way in shutting down the Warriors’ offensive machine.
He can be a deadly floor spacer
Shumpert, a 37 percent three-point shooter in this postseason, is not exactly a knockdown shooter on the level of Irving (48 percent) or Smith (40 percent). But he’s an integral part of the Cavs’ deadly small-ball lineup that has lit it up in the postseason. He shot 43 percent from three against the Hawks, as James found him for open looks amid Atlanta’s double-teams.
If Irving remains healthy (which keeps Dellavedova off the floor, making Shumpert the least-threatening shooter) and the Warriors are finally forced to double LeBron in the post, Shumpert can make them pay from deep.
Honorable Mention – Tristan Thompson
Thompson has been one of the breakout stars of these playoffs, and his prodigious offensive rebounding has been a tremendous weapon for the Cavs. If he can get the better of his matchup with Draymond Green, the Cavs could be in business for an upset.
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