The NBA Finals Threematch - Takeaways from Game 1

For the third consecutive year, the NBA Finals pits two of the best teams the league has ever seen against each other in the Golden State Warriors  and the Cleveland Cavaliers.  In what has otherwise been a very predictable NBA Playoffs, the crescendo showcases a matchup that features two teams that have been leaps and bounds ahead of every other team in the NBA for the past 3 years, which will surely result a series full of exciting plays and thunderous dunks.

Golden State has steamrolled their way through the playoffs to this point, going a 12-0 after completing sweeps of the Blazers, Jazz, and Spurs.  Completing a perfect first three rounds is a feat only accomplished by the 2001 Los Angeles Lakers, who ended up 16-1 overall, and were one of, if not the, most dominant playoff team of all time.  In the Eastern Conference, Cleveland was almost able to replicate the incredible success of their counterparts, finishing 12-1 after their first 3 rounds of play.  Needless to say, all signs point towards this being an incredibly evenly-matched series, one that adds another entry to this epic three-year war, and will ultimately decide who the superior of the two superteams is.

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The lights went down in Oracle Arena on Thursday, May 2nd, and the minds of the players, coaches, staff, and fans swirled with questions. A series that places so many legacies the line was about to tip off.  The storylines of so many talented players clashing in the matchup that fans expected all year long.  Will Durant get his first ring?  Will Lebron continue to cement himself as the greatest player of this generation?  Will Klay Thompson break out of his playoff-long shooting slump?  Will Kyrie Irving get the best of Stephen Curry again?  A few of those questions took a few steps toward getting answered in the opening game of this epic series, and here’s a few things we learned...

1. Kevin Durant looks like the MVP

The 2014 MVP winner came out on a mission from the opening tip.  Durant poured in 22 points in the first half alone, and finished with an astounding 38pt/8reb/8ast line.  Just as we suspected here at reversejam, he looks absolutely unguardable.  Even LeBron James had a lot of trouble staying in front of him, typified by this turnover-turned-slam that conspicuously made its way right behind LeBron to set up this tomahawk jam. The Warriors ran the offense almost exclusively through him when he was on the floor, running high pick and rolls that allowed Durant to run rampant through the paint and use his one-of-a-kind combination of size, speed, and agility to finish with ease.  The Warriors also turned it over a Finals-record-tying 4 times the entire game, and Durant was responsible for… 0 of them. Combined with the 54% shooting from the field, 88% from the line, and being +16, he had one hell of a game.  With the performance he commandingly puts himself at the front of the Finals MVP race.

2. The Cavaliers’ Turnover Problem

Cleveland turned the ball over 20 times in Thursday’s game, which would be poor on any night, but when compared to their opponent, who turned the ball over just 4 times, it’s nearly impossible to win a game. The -16 turnover differential the Cavs brought upon themselves was inexcusable on basketball’s biggest stage, and it was largely due to LeBron James’ 8 turnovers. LeBron did get caught up in a couple of charge calls, but many of the miscues came from the Warriors playing the passing lanes excellently.  James has always had a knack for squeezing in high-velocity passes through hairpin gaps between unsuspecting defenders, and that usually works great against the other 28 teams in the association. However, the Warriors are a different breed entirely.  They hounded the lanes all game, and it resulted in 12 steals for the blue and gold, compared to a whopping zero on the other end. (You can take a look at some of the Cavs subpar defensive plays here) The Warriors have established themselves as one of the best defensive teams in the league, relying on extraordinary effort from every player on the floor at any given time, led by DPOY finalist Draymond Green. If the Cavs want to bounce back from the discrepant score in Game 1, the turnovers have got to go down.  The victor of the series will likely be the team that can take care of the ball better, as both are prone to being sloppy with the orange, and the Warriors have the early edge.

3. The Quiet Splash Brother

While Stephen Curry has regained his mojo and is filling it up in the playoffs, (28.5PPG on 50.2% shooting) his running mate has hardly stood out on the offensive end.  Klay Thompson has averaged just 13.8PPG on 36.6% shooting throughout the entire playoffs, numbers hardly near his regular season mark of 22.3PPG.  Klay hasn’t been a playoff choker either, last year he led the playoffs in total points while averaging 24.7PPG and 4.2 made 3-pointers per game. However, kudos to Thompson in that he hasn’t let the poor offensive showing affect him on the other end of the floor.  He’s still showcasing that he is one of the premier defensive 2-guards in the NBA, exemplified in Game 1 on multiple possessions of shutting down LeBron James and Kevin Love (both who have more than 35lbs on him) in the post. While his defense has remained impeccable, it has to be concerning for the Warriors to have their 3rd-leading scorer in this deep of a shooting slump.  However, the addition of Kevin Durant and his ability to put up big numbers on any night has more than amply made up for Thompson’s lack of production.  Still, it would be nice to see the homegrown Splash Brothers firing on all cylinders, and it would definitely help their chances in this series.

The Case for: KawhiVP and the 1-Seed Spurs

Calling the Spurs underrated has almost become a cliche in the modern NBA, and it’s that time of the year where people realize that -- woah!  They’re actually one of the best teams in the NBA!  The boys in San Antonio have managed to fly under the radar amongst the hype of the Warriors and Rockets and, as of today, are sitting just 2.5 games behind the Golden State Warriors and the 1-seed at a 53-16 record.

For the better part of the past two decades, San Antonio has been a team comprised of down-to-earth stars that don’t do much besides play smart and cohesive basketball. As famously said, “The only things guaranteed in life are death, taxes, and the Spurs winning 50 games.” They have masterfully drafted stars that fit perfectly into their team-first system for the better part of the past two decades.  The legendary future HOFer Tim Duncan was taken 1st overall in 1997, Manu Ginobili was scooped up in the 1999 draft with the 58th overall pick, Tony Parker a gem found at the very end of the 1st-round (28th overall), and most recently: Kawhi Leonard was made the 15th pick of the 2011 NBA Draft out of San Diego State University. Now the 2-time reigning Defensive Player of the Year and darkhorse MVP candidate, Leonard and the Spurs are on track to replicate the success that has become a commonplace in their organization, and are the West’s best chance to usurp the Warriors.

In a year many thought the Spurs were going to regress due to the retirement of NBA legend Tim Duncan after 19 seasons, they’ve actually had one of their best regular seasons in recent history.  Per usual, the front office was brilliant in preparing for the future. Luring LaMarcus Aldridge from the Blazers last year, and veteran Pau Gasol from Chicago this offseason has solidified their front line with two very intelligent big men that are willing to sacrifice their gaudy individual numbers (Aldridge went from 23.4PPG in '14-'15 with Portland to 17.4PPG with SA, and Gasol from 16.5PPG last year to 12.2PPG today) for a chance to play with one of the most successful basketball organizations of all time, one that has clinched a playoff berth in an NBA-record 20 consecutive seasons.

While Aldridge and Gasol are excellent pieces, they are both getting older, and aren't exactly the alpha-dog type anymore. The Spurs needed a new leader sans-Duncan, and they didn't have to look very far to get it.  There was one clear choice: Kawhi Leonard.  Leonard was drafted by the Spurs in the middle of the first-round, a pick they acquired from Indiana for point guard George Hill, a ballsy move at the time.  Leonard spent 2 collegiate seasons at San Diego State, where he averaged 15.5 points and 10.6 boards in his sophomore year, but shot just 29.1% from 3 and 44.4% from the field.  However, the Spurs organization saw something in him, a potential large enough for them to climb the draft board to capture. In just his 3rd season he won the hearts of NBA fans by being awarded the 2014 NBA Finals MVP for his efforts in defeating the villainous Miami Heat and their Big 3. He's shown extraordinary improvement in his 6 seasons in the association, averaging just 7.9PPG as a rookie and is now an absolute force of nature in today’s NBA.  He embodies the very essence of a lockdown defender, seemingly crafted by the basketball gods themselves. He currently ranks 7th in the NBA with 1.8 steals per game, and adds 0.7 blocks per game to the table as well.  His defense and anticipation are so good that other teams have actually changed their offensive gameplan to keep him as far away from the ball handler as humanly possible. (see Kawhisland)

While we could’ve possibly seen the Klaw’s incredible defensive ability as a prospect, (check out these hands) I don’t think anyone saw the offensive explosion coming.  After averaging just 14.1PPG in 2 college seasons, Leonard has become one of the most dynamic and aggressive scorers in the NBA. He is currently sitting at a 48.3/38.3/89.4 shooting slash while putting up 26.0 points per game.  He's also getting to the line 7.6 times per game, 3.0 times more than his previous career-high from last year, a testament to how aggressive he has been with the ball.  Take a look at the highlights from his most recent career-high that came against Lebron James in an OT win against the Cavs.  Cool, calm, and collected as he plays arguably the best game of his entire career. Almost every NBA superstar has had one commonality, and that’s the ability to get to the line.  Jordan had a career average of 8.2 FTA per game, Lebron has a career average of 8.3 FTA per game.  His scoring average has steadily increased in each of his 6 seasons, and is now possesses a polished offensive arsenal.

One of Leonard’s defining attributes is that he turns the ball over just 2.1 times per game, minuscule next to some of the league’s other superstars. (looking at you, Harden and Westbrook)  He’s incredibly efficient with the ball, and fantastic at getting open off-ball for layups and open 3’s. The amount of time he needs the ball in his hands to be this good is incredible, and pales in comparison to the crazy amount of possessions and time with the ball the other MVP candidates need.  He currently sits at 3rd in the league in win shares at 11.8, trailing only Houston’s James Harden and Utah’s Rudy Gobert.  His basketball IQ is off the charts, perhaps the defining reason for his incredible improvement since entering the league.  He’s an extraordinarily smart player and stays cool as a cucumber under pressure, already having proven he is capable of taking and making big shots.  See his 2014 Finals MVP where he averaged 17.8PPG on 61.2% from the field against arguably the most talented team the league has ever seen.

It would be a treat to see the Spurs make a deep run in the playoffs, and they are poised to do exactly that. The finals are a place where NBA fans have already seen Leonard thrive, even in a year where he averaged just 12.8PPG in the regular season. Imagine this year in the finals, seeing a new version of NBA Finals Kawhi emerge, a Kawhi that's averaging 26.0PPG during the regular season, more talented and confident than ever before.  

New Orleans Just Got BIGGER - The DeMarcus Cousins Trade

Stop everything.  Get the presses fired up.  The Boogie train is on the move, and the destination is the Big Easy.  Yes, the headlines are correct.  The Pelicans have just acquired arguably the most talented big man in the entire league.  Depending on how well he and superstar Anthony Davis mesh together, we could be talking about an all-time great frontcourt when it’s all said and done.

Demarcus Cousins and Omri Casspi were shipped from the Sacramento Kings to the New Orleans Pelicans for Buddy Hield, Tyreke Evans, Langston Galloway, and a 2018 first and second-round pick.  At first glance, the looks like Cousins for a steaming pile of trash, at second look it looks like Cousins for garbage, and… yeah I give up.  Myself, along with all of us at reversejam.com, can’t figure out a great reason that Sacramento shipped away their franchise cornerstone for a couple of iffy picks and an underwhelming rookie.  Pelicans’ GM Dell Demps must have quite the silver tongue.

Hield has been quite underwhelming in his first season, averaging just 8.6 points per game on 39.2% from the field, not close to what many were expecting from the 4-year college vet.  Evans hasn’t been able to stay healthy for the better part of the past 2 years, and Galloway is likely going to be waived immediately.  Even worse, the two picks are likely not going to be home runs, as the Pellies currently sit at 11th in the Western Conference, and are just 2 games back from the 8th seed and a playoff spot.  Maybe they’re praying Tyreke Evans can average the 20.3/5.3/5.8 line he did as a rookie in Sacramento back in 2010?

Well that’s enough of trying to figure out why this trade happened, let’s get to salivating at the thought of an AD-DMC frontcourt.  There’s little doubt that the two are the best big men in the league, the only other man that should be mentioned is Karl-Anthony Towns, and while he is playing some amazing basketball he’s still a couple years from being at their level.  Take a look at these lines: Anthony Davis 27.7/12.0/2.2/1.3s/2.5b.  Demarcus Cousins 27.8/10.9/4.9/1.5s/1.4b Cousins has one of the most polished post games and the best finishing ability of any big man, and Davis is an absolute a freak of nature with a deadeye shot from mid-range.  The two should complement each other exceptionally well, as their versatility can allow Alvin Gentry to deploy a plethora of offenses.  They could run a stellar high-low post offense, Davis at the elbow with his knock-down midrange jumper, and Cousins at the block bullying defenders and putting back any misses.  Or they could run a 4-out with either of the two towers outside, since they are both threats from beyond the arc.  Essentially, I could go on for days about the amount of options they have with this incredible duo. It'll be fun to watch.

Here comes the absolutely essential section in today’s NBA: CAN THEY BEAT GOLDEN STATE?

All rebellions are built on hope, and that’s why they indeed do have a shot against the Warriors.  As stated before, New Orleans is sitting at 23-34 and only 2.5 games out of the 8th seed in the Western Conference.  They’d have to have a hell of a finish to this season to climb any higher than that, so we might be in for a 2015 first-round rematch.  In their first matchup, Golden State handily swept the Pelicans, who looked hapless whenever Anthony Davis was not on the court, though he played an incredible 43.0 minutes per game.  They now have another lethal weapon in DeMarcus Cousins, however they are still at least one move away from being able to contend with the superteam.  

Jrue Holiday is a great point guard, putting up 16.3 points and 7.5 assists while having his best year since he was an All-Star in Philly, but he can’t do it all by himself.  If you take a look at the depth chart on their website right now, they have a whopping one player at shooting guard: E’Twaun Moore.  That’s a problem.  If they can dump one of their many backup power forward/centers (Terrence Jones, Donatas Motiejunas, Alexis Ajinca...) for a solid 3-and-D shooting guard, say a Gary Harris-type player, they could be looking at an upset bid.  The combination of Cousins and Davis could prove to be too much for the Warriors, as Draymond Green’s 1st Team All-Defensive talents can only guard one guy at a time.  The other will be left to play against the likes of Zaza Pachulia and Javale McGee, and they’ll likely be feasted upon by the elite big men.  The Warriors did take a recent ‘L’ to the Boogie-led Kings, a testament to how Golden State could struggle against teams with a top-tier post presence.

Long story short, the Pelicans are going to be a fun team to keep an eye on as they fight for the 8th seed in the Western Conference.  Come playoff time, we could have an interesting matchup on our hands…

Ibaka's role on the Raptors.

Trading for Serge Ibaka was a great move in all aspects for Toronto. Adding a floor-spacing, defensive veteran may be the key to their recent struggles which have seen the Raptor's lose 10 of the last 14 games. Toronto’s lop sided depth-chart boasts a great guard rotation but lacks a true ‘hierarchy’ in a weak frontcourt; leading to The Raptors inevitable failure at creating an elite starting lineup as they lack a true starting Power Forward.  Starting Patterson at the 4 alongside Valanciunas creates great spacing and fluid team play but results in an underpowered bench unit that now has to rely on a frontcourt consisting of Nogueira and Siakam which possesses no spacing and no veteranship.  Ibaka satisfies Toronto’s desire for spacing in addition to completing their frontcourt rotation making The Raptors an exciting team full of lethal potential.

Ibaka is at his best when he is playing off of slashing wings on an up-tempo team, highlighting his high off-ball IQ as well as ability to score well from anywhere on the court.  Ibaka prefers to create opportunities off-ball resulting in 74.5% of his total field goals made being assisted.  Additionally, 97.5% of Ibaka’s 1.5 threes-made/game are assisted alluding to initially-alarming questions regarding with his fit on Toronto, who have the second lowest assist-totals as a team with 18.6. Not too appealing if you’re Serge Ibaka who thrives off-ball. An immediate flood of Derozan-Isolation clips come to mind. Consider this, perhaps it is not selfish for Derozan and Lowry to take dozens of isolations a game, but out of necessity.  Perhaps the lack of perimeter shooting is suspect, not ball-hogging.  

The 27-year old Power Forward will essentially assume Patterson’s basic role and utility, but with an assumedly higher usage.  Like Ibaka, Patterson is proficient in the paint in duality with being deadly from deep.  96.8% of Patterson’s 62 made-threes in addition to 76.8% of his total field goals have been assisted, suggesting that the Raptor’s are indeed willing, and able playmakers; however, given Patterson’s production as the receiver of Lowry/Derozan drive-and-dishes, it is safe to say that there total assist numbers as a team are low, because Patrick Patterson is there only inside-out, dual-threat big man. Excluding Patterson, all Toronto Power-Forwards and Centers have combined for a total of 6 made three pointers and 35 deep-two’s the entire season.  

Weaving Ibaka’s affinity for off-ball shooting with the spacing his presence will create for the Raptor’s could illustrate a playoff picture featuring Toronto near the top.  Ibaka’s 4.38 assisted Field Goals in addition with Toronto’s 2nd-Lowest 18.6apg would shoot Toronto up the leaderboard to 12th-Most Assists/Game.  Ibaka’s skillset and the spacing it commands would not only resuscitate the Raptor’s season, but accentuate what is to love about Raptors’ basketball.  Kyle Lowry is an extremely sharp ball-handler in the Pick-and-Roll, evident in his ridiculous 1.04 Points Per Possession and 92nd Percentile out of the Pick and Roll.  While Derozan and Lowry isolate and create around 80% of their own shots, they both possess relatively efficient field goal percentages of 47% and 46%.  Spacing that Ibaka could facilitate would only improve those numbers.  Ibaka has a commendable Win-Share of 2.2 on offense this season as well as 1.9 on defense. (What are Win-Shares?) Additionally, the 3x All-Defensive veteran is adding 1.6 Blocks per game this season and is a huge defensive stopper.

Concluding, Ibaka was the perfect acquisition for Toronto as his skillset not only will revive the team’s season but improve their offense and redefine the entire playoff picture.  Ibaka is a great combination of shooting and a high basketball IQ and is just what the Raptors need.  Tie in his defensive efforts and The Raptors have made a great move that may have just placed them within reach of the Finals.

Defensive Player of the Year: NBA 1st Half Awards

John Askins

Staff Writer

@Reverse_Jam

Reverse Jam's NBA 1st-Half DPOY

While the NBA has witnessed a historic offensive explosion through the first half of the season -- boasting numerous 50-point performances and Westbrook’s historic triple-double run -- the defensive side of the game has been dominated by one name: Rudy Gobert.  Heading into the 2016-2017 NBA season, league analysts were extremely optimistic of the Utah Jazz, placing them in the middle of the playoff picture for the Western Conference.  Halfway through the season, those predictions could not be more true: The Jazz are currently comfortable in the 5th seed, and when the core of their starting five is healthy, they are a strong and cohesive force on both ends of the ball that consistently show potential to be a contender in the coming years.

The man at the literal center of Utah’s squad of promising young talent is Rudy Gobert, the former 27th overall pick out of France who has become a defensive force in today’s offensively-dominated NBA.  The Stifle Tower is averaging a league-leading 2.6 blocks per game to go along with 12.6 rebounds and 12.8 points.  He is an extremely versatile defender that can also step out to the perimeter and guard stretch bigs effectively, an increasingly important skill with the league’s shoot-first mentality.  His real value, however, is in the paint.  Facing the Jazz with Rudy on the court essentially means the rim is off limits, as it is shadowed by his 7’1” 250lb frame.  Along with being huge, in 2013 he set a draft combine record with 7 feet and 8 ½ inch wingspan.  Take a moment and imagine trying to shoot over that.  The Mr. Fantastic arms allow him to change almost any shot that comes within the paint, and quite often send it back in the opposite direction  Gobert’s truly astounding physical attributes, along with high basketball IQ and a willingness to learn has turned him not only into a great defender, but an incredible NBA player.

The Jazz are the 4th-best defensive team in the league with Gobert on the court, a mighty feat considering there aren’t any premier lockdown defenders on the Jazz squad.  They are an average of +12 per 100 possessions with him anchoring the D, but have a net minus with him on the bench.

Gobert’s defensive prowess has improved exponentially since his entrance in the league.  The shotblocking numbers have always been there -- he averaged almost a block per game as a rookie in just 9.5 minutes -- but he has evolved from a raw, aggressive shotblocker into an all-around elite defender.  The numbers don’t do justice to how many shots he affects and people he rejects from rumbling to the rim, and his incredible interior defensive prowess has even worked to improve the Jazz’s defense as whole.  His teammates have so much confidence in his ability to deter shots inside that they can play more aggressively on-ball, preventing the opposing team from getting off too many 3-pointers.  The Jazz don’t possess a Kawhi Leonard or Andre Iguodala-type player that can lockdown the opposing team’s best perimeter threat, so it’s especially important that their players can take chances and play very aggressively on the ball to deny outside shots, knowing they have Gobert down low to wreak havoc if they get beat off the bounce.

Gobert got paid this past offseason after inking a 4yr/$102million extension with the Jazz, and it hasn’t made him complacent or content in the very slightest.  He remains hungry and prepared to whatever it takes to improve his game, and it really shows.  The improvement he’s made in just 4 short years in the NBA is truly incredible, and surely very few analysts and experts saw this coming.  Look for Gobert to continue to get better and better as he establishes himself in the upper echelon of NBA centers in the coming years.

Sixth Man of the Year: NBA 1st Half Awards

Reverse Jam: 1st-Half Sixth Man of the Year

Matthew Huang

Staff Writer

@Reverse_Jam

Throughout the next week, Reverse Jam will release a series of articles that will replicate the NBA's end-of-season awards at the end of the 1st half. In a long NBA season, a lot can change and it is important to recognize a player's or team's efforts thus far.

Picking the Sixth Man of the Year might be one of the most difficult award to decide upon. The criterion appears very simple - Choose the best bench player… Right? Past winners of the Sixth Man of the Year Award (6MOY) tend to be the highest bench scorer. Well yes - and no.  Historically speaking, the award tends to be given to the most useful, most vital reserve player on a contending team.  The 6MOY comes off the bench and has to establish himself amongst the starters who have already set a tempo and feel of the game.  He has to perform at a level comparable to that of the starters, yet receive less recognition.  The 6MOY has to figure out the game the starters left him with in time to lead the bench unit towards the end of the rotation.  In short, the 6MOY is the link between two halves of the same team.  While your starting lineup can win the first rotation, the Sixth Man and the bench have to be able to hold that lead until the starters return, making their job extremely difficult.  Given this observation, it only makes sense that each team’s Sixth Man should be: 1) Someone who can be placed into the game at anytime and find rhythm and 2) A natural leader that can run the offense and facilitate the bench unit.  It is with this knowledge that out of all the great bench players in the league, one outstanding reserve player can be selected as the winner of this 1st-Half Sixth Man of the Year - and that is Eric Gordon

Eric Gordon is putting up a very impressive stat-line thus far, averaging 17.4/2.7/2.8 on .392/.421/.850.  It is important to note that Gordon is playing 30.5 min/gm and sinking 3.6 threes a game on a league 2nd-most 9.6 attempts (Second only to that one guy in Oakland). While having a bench player consistently take 10 threes a game seems counter-intuitive, that is Gordon’s role; which will bring me to my first point about the position in that, the 6MOY is awarded to the most useful player - relative to his team.

Eric Gordon’s role on the Rockets

The Rockets bench players play an average of 17 minutes/gm, which is extremely low, 25th in the NBA in fact; and while their average minutes/gm may be very low, they are extremely explosive, scoring 38.2 ppg, which is 8th-best in the league.  The low minutes played by the reserve suggests that the bench’s main job in this system is to give the starters a quick rest towards the end of the rotation.  However, the high scoring totals suggest something else entirely.  While they may not play much, the Rockets reserve players are expected to come in and be extremely effective almost instantaneously.  This ‘instant-offense’ philosophy the Rockets utilize is D’antoni’s brand of basketball, and the Rockets bench clearly reflects that, just with less minutes.  As discussed earlier in this Reverse Jam article, the Rockets rely on a very quick, guard-heavy offense that takes an obscene amount of shots beyond the arc.  The bench’s offensive potency despite their low usage can be traced to their (league 3rd-best) 4.4 threes made a game and their (league 2nd-best) field goal percentage of 47.4.  While the Rockets’ bench is extremely explosive, averaging 38 points in 17 minutes, and is extremely efficient, 47.4% FG - the Rockets play a shallow ten-man rotation.  The Rockets bench doesn't go very deep, but the players who do see the court are integral in the team's success.

While Eric Gordon may come off the bench, he spends more minutes on the court than starters Ryan Anderson and Clint Capela.  D’antoni has expertly crafted the rotation so that Gordon, who is more than capable of starting on an NBA team, is beautifully weaved into playing time with both Harden & Friends and the reserve players.  Gordon’s 30 minutes a game is comparable to that of a starter, and so is his production.  Referencing earlier discussed points, the Rockets bench makes the 3rd-most threes in the league, but it is also important to add that Eric Gordon himself takes 9.2 threes a game. If you’ve been keeping tally of all the stats, you will quickly see how vital Eric Gordon is to the Rocket’s bench as he accounts for 73.6% of the bench’s three’s taken, 81.8% of the bench's made threes, and additionally, accounts for 23.17% of the entire team’s threes taken.  The Rockets’ identity as a 3pt shooting team has been elevated to new heights this season evident in the fact that the Rockets have risen two spots up the league leaderboards in terms of 3-pointers made, due largely to Gordon's efforts.

Concluding, while having a player start 8 games in the 1st half of the season, play more than 2 starters and average 30 minutes per game does not suggest that he would be eligible for the Sixth Man of the Year award, D'antoni intended to strategically bring Gordon off the bench in a guard-heavy rotation to strategically take advantage of opposing team's weaker rotations. D’antoni and Harden came to the conclusion that bringing an additional playmaker and wing scorer would not only be extremely beneficial in sharing the load Harden carries, but vital in the Rocket's success.  Gordon’s salary of $12.4M may seem like an exorbitant price tag for a Sixth Man, but look at it this way: given D’antoni’s quick, shooting philosophy and the rotation they currently utilize to meet that philosophy - Eric Gordon is the perfect Sixth Man to compliment the likes of Harden and starters, as well as a great leader for the bench unit.  While the bench sees little daylight, when they are subbed in, Eric Gordon ensures that the offense is flowing and producing while buying the starters much needed rest.  D’antoni may have finally found the perfect team to implement his philosophy as well as the perfect Sixth Man.  With a ceiling as high as the NBA Finals, only time will tell if the Rockets can maintain their current course but as it stands now: they’re playing a great brand of basketball, are in a great system and have great leadership due, in part, to the 1st-Half Sixth Man of the Year: Eric Gordon.

Most Improved Player: NBA 1st Half Awards

This one really didn’t take much thought.  The answer was crystal clear the seconds after reading the question.  However, I did note a few other players who deserve an honorable mention for seriously stepping their game up:

Demar Derozan, Otto Porter, Jabari Parker, Zach Lavine, Dennis Schroder, Devin Booker

Without further ado, our first half (and likely full year) most improved goes to… Giannis Antetokounmpo.

Giannis came into the league 3.5 years ago with a whirlwind of hype surrounding him. He was quickly dubbed “The Greek Freak” and… to be honest at first it was difficult to understand why. He had very unique physical attributes, but watching him play in his first year wasn’t exactly inspiring.  He couldn’t shoot and looked hesitant -- qualities that are not found in a current-day superstar.  Many (including myself) were wholeheartedly rooting for him, but more production was needed before breaking out the Giannis bandwagon.  

However, with a few years under his belt, he has shown us a heck of a lot more.  Bucks fans witnessed a few glimpses of greatness towards the end of last season, but nothing could have prepared them for what has come this year.  Giannis has taken the league by storm, posting 23.7p/8.8r/5.4a/1.8s/2.0b, utterly god-like numbers across the board. He is the very essence  of a “do-it-all” player, and is a huge reason behind the Bucks being in the playoff conversation this year. His scoring has increased by 6.8 points, assists by 1.1, and he added almost a whole block per game. That’s all on top of his FG% jumping from 50.6% to an extremely efficient 53%, which is crazy given the spike in usage he is experiencing.

One could try and compare him with players like Lebron James or Magic Johnson, but it would be unfair to both sides.  Giannis possesses a combination of skills that the league has never seen before.  The guy is 7 feet tall and has a great handle, which allows him to attack the rim and nonchalantly pick up his dribble before the three-point line and throw down a ferocious dunk. Rarely ever does a draft gamble like Giannis turn out to become one of the league’s most talented players, but John Hammond is surely thanking his stars in Milwaukee.

At the time of he was drafted in 2013, Giannis was a 6’9” forward who did not have much besides potential. There sure was a lot of it, but he hadn’t really refined his game in any direction.  As stated before: he couldn’t shoot, didn’t have a great handle on the ball, two things essential to making a superstar player. However, for the better part of his first 3 years, the basketball world remained confident that huge things were coming from the Greek native. He weathered the ups and downs of being a young NBA player, steadily improving throughout each year. And boy, things have changed.  He is now 7’0” tall and arguably at his most dangerous when handling the ball in the open court.  His great length allows him to corral rebounds with the league’s best, and take off to finish on the other end of the court with ease, or drop a sweet dime to Jabari Parker.  The versatility he displays on a night-in, night-out basis is incredible.  From defense to playmaking to finishing, Giannis has truly become one of the league’s elite, and is deserving of his spot as an All-Star Game starter. Almost every aspect of his game has clicked harmoniously, and the league may have a perennial All-Leaguer on its hands.  

Now the only problem he has is figuring out which position he is best at.