Who will claim the ultimate prize and win the 2016 NBA Championship?
First Round
Out West, the Spurs faced no issues to start off, easily sweeping past the Jazz, and would be joined by the Timberwolves in Round 2. Minnesota got an incredible 48 points from Kevin Durant to win Game 3, and then 30 more to clinch Game 4. The 3 seed Vancouver Grizzlies saw their defensive collapse against the underdog Warriors, who promptly sent Vancouver packing in a sweep thanks to the scoring duo of Ellis Carlisle and Julio McDaniels. Denver would also look for a big upset, stunning Dallas after winning Game 1, but the Mavericks quickly recovered to win the next 3 in a row and advance.
But in the East, the Hawks were not so fortunate in avoiding the upset, as the Celtics would push Atlanta all the way to 5, before stunning the home crowd as Eric Gordon dropped 30 and the best team in the NBA were sent packing. The unproven Orlando Magic were no match for the veteran Bulls, who dispatched of the Magic in 4 games, with Damien Baxter and Dwyane Wade combining for 68 points in the decisive Game 4. The 2nd and 3rd seed Pacers and Knicks would also be in danger of the upset, as both were pushed to Game 5. But the Knicks took out the defending champion Nets with stellar defense, while Klay Thompson out-dueled James Harden to secure Indiana's ticket.
Second Round
In a series that saw Chicago got in heavy favorites, the bookers should really have watched the first round, as Boston crushed the Bulls, who took 2 games but it wasn't enough. And in the other Eastern Conference series, Jimmy Butler, recently returned to New York, proved to be one of the best guards in the league. Butler completely neutralized Thompson, and Indiana never found a second scoring option, as they were sent packing in 5.
Out West, the top seeded Spurs looked good in Game 1, winning their fourth game in a row. But Kevin Durant had enough of that, and led the Timberwolves to their own four wins in a row, brushing San Antonio aside. Dallas was pushed to their limits against the feisty Warriors, who got all the way to overtime of Game 6 before Edwin Russell took charge, sending Golden State home.
Conference Finals
Despite a great playoff run, Boston's lack of starpower finally cost them in the Eastern Conference Finals. The Celtics would quickly go down 3-0 with no one really stepping up to save them, though they did scrap out a couple wins, before finally being put down in Game 6 on their home floor, with Carmelo Anthony and Hassan Whiteside combining for 42 points.
In the Western Conference Finals, Dallas would win the first two games at home, though both wins were close. But Minnesota's stars came to play, as point guard Colin Braun dropped 35 in Game 3 and Kevin Durant went off for 40 in Game 4, both wins for the Timberwolves to even the series. The Mavericks backcourt responded well, as Russell and Stephen Curry combined for 53 points to win Game 5, but would be shut down in Game 6, as Pau Gasol scored 18 points and grabbed 17 rebounds to force a Game 7. With every home team victorious so far, Dallas had the advantage. Both teams struggled to score in a defensive slugfest, but in the end, the Timberwolves fell apart, scoring just 13 points in the 4th quarter as the Mavericks hung on to advance to their third NBA Finals appearance in The New Millennium.
NBA Finals
After third road losses against Minnesota, Dallas visited Madison Square Garden and erased their previous misfortunes, as guard Kenneth Nance provided 25 points off the bench in a Mavs victory. Game 2 was all defense, as everyone struggled to get open shots. But as always, Stephen Curry was the difference for Dallas, forcing seven turnovers from Chris Paul and hitting several clutch threes down the stretch for another road win.
But Paul responded well in Game 3, as he now forced Curry to miss every shot he took in the 4th quarter and set up his teammates with easy looks for a double digit win. Curry would have another poor shooting night in Game 4, which belonged to Hassan Whiteside. The former Marshall product dominated Al Jefferson in the paint, notching 26 points, 7 rebounds and 3 blocks as the Knicks held off a late Mavericks rally to tie the series.
With momentum in their corner, the Knicks were firing on all cylinders in Game 5. Both Carmelo Anthony and Chris Paul had 10 assists, Anthony added on 28 points and New York withstood nine three-pointers from Curry to take a 3-2 lead.
The Mavericks were all out of sorts, and even a trip back home to Dallas couldn't solve their woes. The entire team struggled, Curry most of all who went 2-9 from downtown. And with the Mavericks' star in a slump, Melo took advantage, stealing the limelight. Anthony dropped 36 points and added on another 10 assists, finishing just one rebound short of a triple-double. Dallas had no answer, and would be completely sunk when young Jimmy Butler outran the entire team on an incredible coast-to-coast lay-up that proved to be a defining moment of the series. The Mavericks fans watched on as Anthony, Paul, Whiteside and Butler, many of whom are considered bad boys and troublemakers by modern NBA fans, took over basketball's biggest stage. Anthony took the final inbound, and from half the country away, you could just about hear the masses in the Big Apple began to celebrate. The New York Knicks are your 2016 NBA Champions!
NBA Finals MVP: Carmelo Anthony(22.5 ppg, 5.8 rpg, 5.2 apg)
A huge victory, not just for guys like Anthony and Paul whose careers have been defined by failing to even sniff a ring, but for Knicks fans who have suffered through many years of agony, both in real life and in this game. The Knicks were The New Millennium's very first runner-up; it seems only fair as this series winds to a close, they finally get their title. Join me next time on The New Millennium for the 2016 offseason.
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