J-Speaks: The Passing Of An Iconic Athlete And Activist

 From an early age, he was one special athlete, where it was on the hardwood, on the grass with a stick or on the diamond, and on the track, he was special. After a standout collegiate career in upstate New York, he would go on to be one of the greatest players in NFL history in less than a decade. His second act saw him be sensational on the silver screen and as an activist being the voice for the voiceless when it came to issues that affected the minority community. He also had a complicated life off the field and silver screen when it came to how he treated the opposite. In the end, he was someone that made an impact that had the attention of everyone. Last week, we said goodbye to this sports legend.

Last Thursday, NFL Hall of Famer, actor and activist Jim Brown passed away at his home in Los Angeles, CA. He was 87 years old.

A spokeswoman for the Brown family said that the NFL legend passed away from natural causes at his home in L.A.

He is survived by his wife, Monique, of nearly three decades in Monique and five of his six children, Kim, and Kevin Brown; Jim N. Brown, Jr.; Morgan Brown; Aris Brown; Kimberly B. Brown. Jim, Jr. and twins Kim and Kevin are children of Mr. Brown and his first wife Sue of nine years Sue from 1959-68.

Brown’s daughter, Karen Brown Ward, according to The Brunswick News had passed away in 2016.

“It is with profound sadness that I announce the passing of my husband, Jim Brown. He passed peacefully last night at our L.A. home. To the world he was an activist, actor, and football star,” Monique said on her Instagram page at @Mrs.MoniqueBrown at the end of last week.

“To our family, he was a loving and wonderful husband, father, and grandfather. Our hearts our broken…”

While Brown was an all-around athlete going back to his days at Manhasset High School in Long Island, NY, his well-known greatness came on the gridiron, especially in the NFL as not just one of the greatest running backs but one of the greatest football players in that league’s history.

Upon his retirement from the NFL (1957-65) at age 29, Brown was the NFL’s all-time leading rusher (12,312 yards), including holding the single-season leader in rushing yards (1,863 rushing yards in 1963: 14-game season). Both rushing marks have been eclipsed. But Brown still remains the golden mark for that specific skilled position in the NFL in terms of toughness, strength, and durability.

Despite his bruising style and playing a position that you take a great deal of hits, Brown played in all 118 career games.

At 6-foot-2, 230 pounds, Brown changed the perception of running backs in NFL using a relentless attitude in a ball-carrying style where he often dragged multiple defenders for extra yards. He would very often push and stiff-arm would-be tacklers and delivered punishing blow after punishing blow as the aggressor.

Brown in an interview once with NFL Films said that his arms were like his “protectors and weapons.”

“Jim Brown was a gifted athlete—one of the most dominant players to ever step on the athletic field—but also a cultural figure who helped to promote change,” NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said last Friday. “During his nine-year NFL career, which coincided with the civil rights movement here at home, he became a forerunner and role model for athletes being involved in social initiatives outside their sport.”  

Brown was also a running back that was exceptional receiver in his NFL career registering for his career 262 reception, 2,499 receiving yards, and 20 receiving touchdowns.

                        Jim Brown’s NFL Career Resume                                     
NFL Rookie of the Year (1957) 
Three-time NFL MVP (1957-58, 1965)
NFL Champion (1964)
Nine-time Pro Bowler
Eight-Time NFL All-Pro selection
Eight-time NFL rushing leader
Retired as the NFL’s all-time rushing leader
Elected to Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1971
12,312 career rushing yards: 11^th NFL history
106 career rushing touchdowns: 6^th NFL history

“Jim Brown is a true icon of not just the Cleveland Browns but the entire NFL,” Browns Governors Jimmy and Dean Haslem said on Friday.

“He was certainly the greatest to ever put on a Browns uniform and arguably one of the greatest players in NFL history. Jim was one of the reasons the Browns have such a tremendous fan base today. So many people grew up watching him just dominate every time he stepped onto the football field, but his countless accolades on the field only tell a smart part of his story.”

To put into perspective how impactful Brown was in NFL history, he once told fellow Hall of Fame Tight End that when anyone tries to “tackle” you remember how much it hurts.

“He lived by that philosophy, and I always followed that advice,” Mackey added about what Brown said to him.  

Mr. Brown was born Feb. 17, 1936, at St. Simons Island off the Southern coast of Georgia raised by his grandmother until the age of 8. He moved to Long Island, NY to live with his mother first in Great Neck, NY and then in an apartment in Manhasset, NY.

His legendary football journey as well as his dominance as a high school athlete where he averaged 14.9 yards per rush in football, 38 points per contest in basketball, and pitched “a couple of no-hitters” in his words on diamond.

Brown always insisted that he “wasn’t a good” player in baseball. But his talents got the attention of then New York Yankees Manager Casey Stengel where he wrote him a letter expressing interest in him joining the “Bronx Bombers.”

Brown best sport that he and his coaches in high school said was lacrosse, which he played in college than anyone else before or since him.

To put into context how great of an athlete Brown was in high school, he earned 13 varsity letters in football, lacrosse, basketball, baseball, and track.

Brown once confided to a coach that his intention was to make football his career due to the fact that he never ran into any racial barriers in football.

For much of his young life in Manhasset, Brown said he never recalled how he did not experience “no racism” and was very moved by the support from the mostly Caucasian Manhasset, NY community gave him.

One moment in particular that Brown recalled in his young life is when Syracuse University declined to offer him a scholarship until he proved his worthiness at the varsity level.

Then Manhasset attorney Ken Molloy organized a fundraiser that paid for Brown’s first year of college.

In his career with the Orangemen, Brown lettered in football, basketball, and track. Among the records that Brown set in football for the Orangemen included scoring 43 points in a game against Colgate.

Along with being a member of the Pro Football and College Football Hall of Fame, Mr. Brown is also a member of the Lacrosse Hall of Fame.

Retiring at the height of his football powers, Brown’s second act of his life saw him emerge as something that very few minority Americans became back in the 1960s: a movie star.

His movie credits consist of 30 films that include, “Any Given Sunday (1999),” “He Got Game (1998),” “I’m Gonna Get You Sucka (1988),” “Mars Attacks! (1996),” and “100 Rifles.”

It was from the set of shooting “The Dirty Dozen (1967)” in England that Brown informed the Browns of his surprise retirement from the NFL as a player.

“People ask me, ‘Why would you want to quit [football]?’” Brown later said.

His answer to that was “make more money [acting], have Raquel Welch as a leading lady, I don’t get hit, they call me Mr. Brown…”

Along with his emergence as an actor, Mr. Brown found his other calling, becoming an activist. He referred to himself as a “born activist” where he used his public platform and voice in advancement of several causes, including his organization of “The Cleveland Summit” in 1967.

It was a meeting of the nation’s top Black athletes, which included NBA Hall of Famers in 11-time NBA champion Bill Russell and six-time NBA champion and six-time Kia MVP Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, who was Lew Alcindor back then to support boxing legend Muhammad Ali’s fight against serving in Vietnam War.

Brown in the later years of advocacy included his work to curb gang violence in the Los Angeles, CA and in 1988 founded the “Amer-I-Can” program that focused on helping disadvantaged kids and ex-convicts in inner-cities.

“I hope every Black athlete takes the time to educate themselves about this incredible man and what he did to change all of our lives,” NBA perennial All-Star and four-time Kia MVP or the Los Angeles Lakers LeBron James said of Mr. Brown. “We all stand on your shoulders Jim Brown. If you grew up in Northeast Ohio and were Black, Jim Brown was a God.”

“As a kid who loved football, I really just thought of him as the greatest Cleveland Brown to ever play. Then I started my own professional athlete and realized what he did socially was his true greatness. When I choose to speak out, I always think about Jim Brown. I can only speak because Jim broke down those walls for me.”

James has used his voice and influence to give back in supporting non-profit organizations like “After-School All-Stars,” “Boys & Girls Clubs of America,” and “Children’s Defense Fund.

He also has his own charity foundation, the LeBron James Family Foundation, which is based out of hometown of Akron, OH, which since 2005 has held an annual bike-a-thon to raise money for various causes.

In November 2017, James’ hometown’s school board approved the “I, Promise School,” a public elementary school, which officially opened on July 30, 2018 that was created in a partnership with James’ foundation as a way to help students that struggled in school remain in school.

Brown even with his positive marks on and off the athletic field, he did have many confrontational moments from getting arrested six times, mostly on charges of hitting women. That included an incident in June 1999 when Brown’s wife Monique called 911 where she said that Brown smashed her car with a shovel and threatened her life.

The case went to trail and Mrs. Brown recanted that accusation and Mr. Brown was acquitted of the charge of domestic violence but was charged with misdemeanor vandalism and was sentenced by an L.A. judge to serve six months in prison for his refusal to attending domestic violence counseling.

Jim Brown’s career highlights have stood the test of time, even though the footage from then today might look a little grainy and slightly blurred.

While running backs in today’s NFL are not an important part of the offense, there is no devaluing Brown’s role that era of the NFL, where grinding out yards on the ground and a cloud of dust and the mud of converted baseball diamonds was the path to wins compared to the fast-quick-strike offense through the air by the arms of the quarterback today.

Brown being one of best offensive players in that era is how he was voted the best football player of the 20^th century 24 years ago. In 2010, NFL Films ranked Mr. Brown as the second-best player in NFL history behind fellow Hall of Fame wideout Jerry Rice.

His post playing days on one hand were good with what he did on the silver and small screen. On the other hand, it was a complicated one because of his anger issues that have led him down some dark paths.

Jim Brown was an individual that never had a problem expressing his feelings on any topic from the gridiron to what is going on in the world. He always walked to the beat of his own drum and made an impact on this world and was remarkable and unforgettable.

Information, statistics, and quotations are courtesy of 5/19/2023 www.hollywoodlife.com story, “Jim Brown’s Kids: Everything To Know About The Late NFL Legend’s 6 Children,” by Sabrina Picous;f 5/20/2023 New York Newsday stories “Brown Ushered In The NFL,” by Neil Best and “LI, NFL, Lacrosse Legend Continued To Make Impact,” by Tom Rock With John Jeansonne, and The Associated Press; https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/LeBron_James#Legacy; and https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jim_Brown.

J-Speaks: Former NBA Lottery Pick Retires

 Nearly two decades ago, the boys from the “Rockies” of Colorado selected with a Top 5 pick in that June’s NBA Draft a forward who was coming off leading his collegiate squad to the National title. In his nearly two decades in “The Association” this said former Orangemen would go on to finish in the Top 10 in scoring all-time playing for the boys from the “Rockies;” “The Big Apple; “OKC; “H-Town;” “Rip City” and the “City of Angels.” He also etched his name as one of greatest players to ever hoop on the international stage at the Olympics. At the start of this week that said great scorer and Ambassador to our nation in the Olympics called it career.

On Monday, Carmelo Anthony, the former No. 3 overall pick in the 2003 NBA Draft, 10-time All-Star, six-time All-NBA selection and member of the NBA’s 75^th Anniversary Team made his retirement from the National Basketball Association (NBA) official. He totaled 19 season in the league starting with the Denver Nuggets, who selected him No. 1 overall out of Syracuse University.

In a video announcing his retirement, Anthony, a Baltimore, MD native said, “I remember the days when I had nothing, just a ball on the court and a dream of something more. But basketball was my outlet. My purpose was strong, my communities, the cities I represented with pride and the fans that supported me along the way. I am forever grateful for those people and places because they made me Carmelo Anthony.”

He added, “But now the time has come for me to say goodbye… With this bittersweet goodbye to the NBA, I’m excited about what the future holds for me.”

In his 19 seasons with the Nuggets, New York Knicks, Oklahoma City Thunder, Houston Rockets, Portland Trail Blazers, and Los Angeles Lakers, Anthony finished No. 9 on the NBA’s all-time scoring list at 28,289 points. Trailing only now Los Angeles Lakers’ perennial All-Star LeBron James, who was selected No. 1 overall in 2003 draft by essentially his hometown squad in the Cleveland Cavaliers. Hall of Famers Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Karl Malone, the late Kobe Bryant, Michael Jordan, future Hall of Famer Dirk Nowitzki, the late Wilt Chamberlin, and current Turner Sports NBA studio analyst Shaquille O’Neal.

For his 19-year career, Anthony averaged 22.5 points and 6.2 rebounds on 44.7 percent from the field and 35.5 percent from three-point range.

“Carmelo Anthony is one of the NBA’s all-time greats and ambassadors,” NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said in a statement Monday. “We congratulate him on a remarkable 19-year career and look forward to seeing him in the Hall of Fame.”

Before he set the NBA on fire with his ability to get buckets at the drop of a hat, Anthony played for the Syracuse Orangemen and led them to their first NCAA Tournament title in school history. He averaged in his lone season for the Orangemen 22.2 points and 10 rebounds. During that year’s March Madness, Anthony led Syracuse in scoring, rebounding, and minutes played per contest. His 33-point performance against the University of Texas Longhorns in the Final Four set a single-game NCAA Tournament record for a freshmen. He followed that up with a double-double of 20 points and 10 boards in the 2003 NCAA Title Game against the University of Kansas Jayhawks leading a just mentioned the Orangemen to their first championship in school history and being named that tournament’s Most Outstanding Player.

“Legend. Congrats to @carmeloanthony and thank you for the memories. We all look forward to seeing what’s next,” Syracuse University said to Anthony on their Twitter page @Cuse_MBB.

That June’s draft, the aforementioned Nuggets selected Anthony No. 3 overall, right behind James, and Darko Milcic, who was selected No. 2 overall by the Detroit Pistons. Anthony was selected one pick ahead of Hall of Famer Chris Bosh by the Toronto Raptors at No. 4 and soon-to-be Hall of Famer, three-time NBA champion and now member of the ownership group of the Utah Jazz and host of TBS’ game show “The Cube” Dwyane Wade at No. 5 overall by the Miami Heat.  

Anthony would spend the first eight seasons of his career with the Nuggets, helping them reach the NBA Playoffs in each of those eight seasons after an eight-year absence. He averaged 24.8 points and 6.3 boards on 45.9 percent from the field in those eight seasons.

                    Nuggets All-Time Scoring Leaders                
1) Alex English, 21,645         3) Carmelo Anthony 13,970 
2) Dan Issel 14,659                4) Nikola Jokic 12,054

Anthony ranks in Nuggets history No. 6 in games played (564); No. 7 in steals (634); No. 9 in rebounds (3,566); No. 3 field goals made (4,989) and No. 2 in field goals attempted (10,877); and No. 3 in made free throws (3,582) and No. 2 in free throws attempted (4,462). 

The closet Anthony came to playing for a title in his NBA career came with the Nuggets alongside former All-Stars in now Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups and Kenyon Martin, Sr. in 2009 where they lost in the Western Conference Finals to the eventual NBA champion Lakers in six games.

In late February 2011 after months of speculation that Anthony wanted to depart for greener pastures with another NBA team, the Nuggets dealt their perennial All-Star to the Knicks in a three-team deal that included the Minnesota Timberwolves along with Billups, Anthony Carter, Shelden Williams in exchange for Wilson Chandler, Raymond Felton, Danilo Gallinari, Timofey Mozgov, and Kosta Koufos.

In their first two seasons with Anthony, the Knicks made the Playoffs but were bounced in the First Round first by the Celtics in 2011 in a four-game sweep. The next spring, they were ousted in five games by James, Wade, Bosh, and the eventual NBA champion Heat in five games.

In 2012-13, the Anthony led Knicks, that had now Indiana Hoosiers head coach Mike Woodson, Hall of Famer and Dallas Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd, Martin, Sr., J.R. Smith, Amar’e Stoudemire, Iman Shumpert, Quentin Richardson, Raymond Felton, and Marcus Camby reached the Playoffs going 54-28 that season, winning the Atlantic Division title. They took down the Celtics in the opening-round in six games, but in the East Semis lost 4-2 in East Semis to the archrival Indiana Pacers.

Anthony, who was born in Brooklyn, NY had long raved about his time with the Knicks and what it was like to play at Madison Square Garden, “The World’s Most Famous Arena.” 

“The Garden. They call it The Mecca for a reason, Anthony said about MSG in 2014.

Those dreams turned about to be a nightmare unfortunately for Anthony his remaining years in the “Big Apple” as the Knicks missed out on the Playoffs as they missed the postseason from 2014-17.

Anthony did have a performance to remember on Jan. 24, 2014 where he scored a career-high and Knicks’ single-game franchise scoring record with 62 points to go along with 13 rebounds on 23/35 from the field, including 6/11 from three and 10/10 at the foul line in the Knicks 125-96 win versus the then Charlotte Bobcats (now Hornets).

In his seven seasons with Knicks, Anthony averaged 24.7 points, and seven rebounds on 36.9 percent from three-point range. Only Hall of Famers Bernard King (26.5) and Bob McAdoo (26.7) had higher scoring averages than Anthony.

Anthony finished his Knicks career No. 10 in field goals made (3,627) and No. 9 in field goals attempted (8,195); No. 3 in made threes (762) and attempted (2,067); No. 9 in made free throws (2,170) and attempted (2,613).

Before the start of 2017-18 NBA season, Anthony, who after several clashes with then Knicks’ President Phil Jackson demanded a trade was dealt to the Thunder in exchange for Enes Kanter, now San Antonio Spurs’ sharp-shooter Doug McDermott and a 2018 Second-Round pick.

Anthony’s team-up with now Los Angeles Clippers’ perennial All-Star Paul George and 2016-17 Kia MVP Russell Westbrook produced just a 47-35 record, finishing No. 6 in West and they fell to Utah Jazz 4-1.

In his lone season with Thunder, Anthony averaged 16.2 points and  5.8 rebounds on just 40.4 percent from the field and 35.7 percent from three.

On July 25, 2018, Anthony was traded to the Atlanta Hawks in a three-team deal that also included the Philadelphia 76ers. Five days later, Anthony’s deal was bought out by the Hawks and subsequently waived.

Anthony on August 13, 2018 signed a one-year, $2.4 million veteran’s minimum deal to join the Houston Rockets and perennial All-Stars in now Phoenix Suns lead guard Chris Paul and current 76ers guard James Harden. Anthony also reunited with head coach with the Knicks Mike D’Antoni.

The marriage did not last long. Just 10 games to be exact, averaging 13.4 points on 5.4 boards on 40.5 percent from the floor and 32.8 percent on his triple tries. Back on Nov. 15, 2018 then Rockets General Manager Daryl Morey, now with the 76ers announced that the team was “parting ways” with Anthony, who had played just 10 for the franchise, making two starts.

Morey said that Anthony “accepted every role” asked by D’Antoni. But that Anthony’s “fit we envisioned when Carmelo chose to sign with the Rockets has not materialized; therefore, we thought it was best to move on as any other outcome would have been unfair to him.

Anthony’s tenure with the Rockets officially ended on Jan. 22, 2019 when they dealt him to the Chicago Bulls along with the draft rights to Jon Diebler and undisclosed cash considerations in exchange for the draft rights to Tadija Dragccevic.

“Future Hall of Famer!! Salute @carmeloanthony, #StayMe7o,” Paul tweeted @CP3 to his former teammate as well as with Team USA.

It would be close to a year before Anthony resurfaced in the NBA signing with the Trail Blazers on a one-year non-guaranteed deal in the middle of November 2019.

Anthony alongside perennial All-Star Damian Lillard and then backcourt mate CJ McCollum made the Playoffs in their two seasons together but were ousted in the First-Round in five and six games respectively to the eventual NBA champion Lakers in 2020 and ironically enough the Nuggets.

Anthony in his two seasons in “Rip City” averaged 14.3 points and 4.6 boards on just 42.5 percent from the floor and 39.9 percent from three.

After a few off-seasons where they contemplated playing with each other, Anthony and James finally made it happen in early August 2021 when Anthony signed with the Lakers forming a spectacular foursome on paper with James, Westbrook, and Anthony Davis.

Injuries and being no cohesiveness resulted in the Lakers going 33-49 that season and missing the Playoffs. Anthony in what would be his final season in the NBA averaged 13.3 on 44.1 percent from the floor and 37.5 percent from three-point range.

James, who has known Anthony since they were high school rivals Oak Hill Academy versus St. Vincent, St. Mary’s said in a video tribute to Anthony’s retirement, “You’re one of the greatest players I’ve ever seen.”

“From the very moment that I saw you at Colorado Springs at USA Basketball Under 17 all the way to teaming up with you with the Lakers, man. You’ve always been one of the best I’ve ever seen play.”

“I just want to say congratulations my brother…Going all the way back to high school sitting outside that hotel, man. All the way to our battles that we had together…. I’m just so proud of you man and so bumbled and blessed to be a part of your journey.”

Another former Laker teammate in Isaiah Thomas said in a tweet that Anthony was one of the “REALIST SUPERSTARS” that has ever played on the NBA hardwood.

Two-time Kia MVP, NBA champion and perennial All-Star Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks tweeted @Giannis_An34 thank Anthony for “pushing” him higher and “congratulations” on his “legendary” career.

Pacers All-Star lead guard Tyrese Haliburton said in a tweet @TyHailburton22 that his first NBA jersey was Anthony’s 2003 All-Star one, which he had a photo of in that tweet and said that he wanted cornrows so badly because Anthony had them.

Haliburton also said in that tweet, “One of the first legends to show me love. Salute to one of the realest!”

Hornets All-Star wing Gordon Hayward in a tweet @gordonhayward to Anthony, “Enjoy the next chapter!”

Hawks All-Star guard Trae Young in a tweet @TheTraeYoung said that he “shedded a tear” in hearing about Anthony’s retirement from basketball adding, “The game will miss you, Legend! Thank you.”

While Anthony never won an NBA title, he helped Team USA capture Gold in the Olympic Games in Beijing in 2008, in London in 2012, and Rio de Janeiro in 2016, totaling 31 total games played in four appearances for the USA Basketball in the Olympics starting in 2004.

His 37-point performance making 10 triples against Nigeria set single-game record for Team USA Men’s Basketball. He also set the single-game record in 2008 against Argentina going 13/13 at the foul line.

What is next for Anthony? He said during his retirement address that he is looking forward to watching his son Kiyan, 16, whose mom is actress, TV host and entrepreneur Alani “La La” Vazquez.

“People ask what I believe my legacy is? It’s not my feats on the court that come to mind, all the awards and praise. Because my story has always been more than basketball. My legacy, my son…I will forever continue through you,” Anthony said. “The time has come for you to carry this torch.”

In 2003, the Denver Nuggets drafted a 19-year-old from Baltimore, MD named Carmelo Anthony, who came in and helped turn the Nuggets from a cellar dweller to a Playoff perennial. While he never won in his lone real chances with the Nuggets or New York Knicks, it was never from a lack of effort or scoring prowess.

He always brought his best to the court when needed and never shook of the responsibility of being a leader whether he did from the from with the Nuggets or Knicks or by example in his lone season with the Thunder or on the back nine of his career with the Portland Trail Blazers or Los Angeles Lakers.

On the international stage with Team USA, there is no one who shined on that stage than Anthony, who was part of that 2004 Olympic squad in Athens, Greece along with LeBron James, Dwyane Wade that finished an embarrassing third, capturing the bronze after winning Gold the previous three Olympics. In the years that followed, Anthony, Wade and Bosh led Team USA to Gold over the next Olympic games.

The other caveat about Anthony’s career, the draft pick that the Nuggets acquired when they dealt him to the Knicks ended up being now starting lead guard Jamal Murray, selected No. 7 overall in 2013.

There is without question that the best No. 15 in the history of the Nuggets is two-time Kia MVP and perennial All-Star Nikola Jokic. The predeceasing No. 15 in Anthony with his deal is how head coach Michael Malone’s squad got the player that has them in position to win their first title in their 47-year NBA history.

As great as Anthony was on the court, his philanthropic work off the hardwood during his career has been just as impactful.

Most guys who are able to get out of the difficult circumstances that Anthony had growing up where he was surrounded by crime, drugs and one bad influence after another want to find their ticket out and never return if they can. Anthony returned and through his voice and power found ways to make things a little better for the youth in his area like building a community center that bears his name.

Carmelo Anthony in his NBA career did things both on and off the floor  on his terms and that is how through hard work, dedication, and commitment became one of the most prolific scorers in NBA history and someone that many of today’s player looked to growing up and saw what they wanted to work to be.

Information, statistics, and quotations are courtesy of 5/22/2023 www.nba.com story, “Former All-Star Carmelo Anthony Announces His Retirement;”  https://www.espn.com/nba/boxscore/_/gameid/400489513; https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/a/anthoca01.html; https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/NYK/leaders_career.html; https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carmelo_Anthony;   https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/2004_United_States_men%27s_Olympic_basketball_team

J-Speaks: 2023 Eastern Conference Finals Preview

 

Three years ago, the boys from “Beantown” squared off against the boys from “South Beach for the right to represent the Eastern Conference in “The Finals.” They squared off again in the 2022 to represent the East in the 2022 NBA Finals. While there has been a major change for the boys from “Beantown” they still finished as No. 2 Seed in the East and fought through some adversity to be on the precipice of competing for title No. 18. Their opponent has used every bit of toughness, togetherness, and purpose to be in position to compete for their fourth title in franchise history. Here is the J-Speaks 2023 Eastern Conference Preview.

(2) Boston Celtics versus (8) Miami Heat
            (57-25)                             (44-38)

Season-Series: tied 2-2.

Playoff History
2010 East First Round BOS def MIA 4-1
2011 East Semifinals    MIA def BOS 4-1
2012 East Finals           MIA def BOS 4-3
2020 East Finals           MIA def BOS 4-2
2022 East Finals           BOS def MIA 4-3

For the third time in the past four seasons the Boston Celtics and Miami Heat will square off for the right to represent the East in The Finals. Prior to this number of tilts in this recent history, these two squared off for three straight postseason at the beginning to start the 2010s.

When the Celtics took down the Heat in five games in opening-round in 2010, future Hall of Famer Dwyane Wade in his presser as the Heat’s season concluded said that was the “last time” he was having an early summer vacation. The Heat that summer went big game hunting to bring in some help from to go alongside Wade, welcoming now Los Angeles perennial All-Star LeBron James and fellow perennial All-Star Chris Bosh into the fold.

After a rocky start their first season together, Wade, James and Bosh, and head coach Erik Spoelstra put it all together winning the East, including taking down the Celtics and their Hall of Fame trio of Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, and Ray Allen in five games in the 2010 East Semis but they fell in six games to future Hall of Famer Dirk Nowitzki and the Dallas Mavericks 4-2 in 2011 Finals.

The Heat answered that failure winning back-to-back titles over the next two seasons, taking down the Celtics first in the 2011 East Semis 4-1 and then in a hard fought seven games in the 2012 Eastern Conference.

When the two teams squared off in the 2020 East Finals in the restart in Orlando, FL because of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) Global Pandemic, it was the Celtics who had the star power with All-Stars Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. However, that series was won by the grit of the Heat led by their All-Star duo of Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo in six games. The Heat would fall in 2020 Finals to the James, Anthony Davis, and the Los Angeles Lakers 4-2.

That same grit was on full display by both teams in last season’s East Finals as the Heat overcame a 3-2 series deficit winning Game 6 at the Celtics to force a winner-take-all Game 7. This time around it was the Celtics that would prevail in seven games thanks to Butler missing a jumper in the closing seconds of Game 7 that would have put the Heat ahead.

When the Celtics matched up with the Heat from in those three straight tilts to start the 2010s, they were led on their sidelines by current 76ers head coach Doc Rivers. In the 2020 East Finals tilt with the Heat, the Celtics were under the direction from the sidelines of Brad Stevens. Last season, the Celtics in 2022 East Finals were led the recently named head coach Ime Udoka.

The Celtics sideline leader this season is former assistant coach Joe Mazzulla, who got the job just before the start of 2021-22 season after the organization suspended Coach Udoka for an inappropriate relationship with a female staffer.

Just like that, Mazzulla was handed the keys to a championship squad led by the aforementioned Tatum and Brown, Marcus Smart, who was the then reigning Kia Defensive Player of the year, Al Horford, Derrick White, Robert Williams III, Grant Williams, and Malcolm Brogdon.

Behind a solid defense and high-octane offense that at its best lit people up from three-point range, the Celtics were a top the Eastern Conference for most of 2022-23 campaign and finished with the second-best mark in the East, capturing the Atlantic Division for a second straight season and for the third time in the last seven seasons.

The Celtics arrival to 2023 East Finals was not a smooth one needing six games to get past No. 7 Seeded Atlanta Hawks as they dropped Game 5 at home to the Hawks and needed to a victory in Game 6 to dispatch them.

In the East Semis, the Celtics lock horns again with their longtime Atlantic Division rival Celtics. Just like in 2022 East Semis against the then reigning NBA champion Milwaukee Bucks, the Celtics dropped Game 5 at home to the 76ers. The Celtics bounced back in Game 6 (95-86) thanks to Tatum, who after scoring just three points on 1/13 field goals, including 0/6 from three the first three quarters, scored 16 points going 4/5 from three in the fourth quarter in, outscoring the Celtics in the final period by himself 16-13.

Tatum carried his fourth quarter heroics in Game 6 with a Game 7 NBA-record with 51 points with 13 rebounds and five assists on 17/28 from the field, including 6/10 on his triples and 11/14 at the foul line. Brown added 25 points with six rebounds on 9/19 shooting, including 3/6 from three.

Entering this East Finals tilt against the Heat, the Celtics are not taking making any assumptions from a season ago will apply this time around.

“Nothing about last year matters,” Brown said in his postgame presser following his team’s 112-88 win in Game 7 versus 76ers in East Semis. “I don’t think Miami is thinking about last year. I think they’re coming out and ready to play basketball. If anything, atone for last year. So, we’ve just got to come out with a great fresh mind and execute.”

The 2022-23 season for the Heat lived up to their mantra of “Heat Culture.” They had injuries to key personnel. They were one of the most inefficient offensive teams in “The Association” during the regular season, averaging only 109.5 points and 23.8 assists per game on 46 percent from the field and 34 percent from three. There were also times where the boys from “South Beach” did not look connected defensively, which has been their calling card for nearly three decades since the arrival of now lead executive in Hall of Famer Pat Riley.

Yet head coach Erik Spoelstra’s squad not once made any excuses just competed their tails off and found a way to earn a spot in the East Play-In Tournament at the end of the regular season.

The Heat’s first chance to clinch a spot in the postseason did not go well as they fell at home 116-105 in their Play-In tilt versus the Atlanta Hawks on Apr. 11 on TNT as the visitors clinched the No. 7 Seed in East.

The Heat were seriously on the ropes of missing the Playoffs three nights later versus the Chicago Bulls, but a 15-1 run to close the game put them on the right side of the scoreboard with a 102-91 victory versus the Bulls on TNT, clinching the No. 8 and final Playoff spot in the East.

That earned the Heat a First-Round date with the No. 1 Seeded Bucks, and when the Bucks lost their all-world player Giannis Antetokounmpo to a back injury, the Heat took full advantage and won Game 2 at the Bucks 130-117 on Apr. 16 on TNT to take a 1-0 series lead.

After dropping Game 2 at the Bucks 138-122, the Heat back home blew out the Bucks 121-99 on Apr. 22 on ESPN to take a 2-1 series lead.

The Heat followed that up with two epic comeback wins overcoming a 14-point deficit in the fourth quarter to win Game 4 119-114 on Apr. 24 on TNT and then turning out the lights on the Bucks season overcoming a 16-point deficit after three quarters to win 128-126 in overtime at the Bucks Apr. 26 on NBATV to take the series 4-1.

The Heat opened the East Semis by stealing home court advantage with a 108-101 win at the No. 5 Seeded New York Knicks Apr. 30 on ABC to take a 1-0 series lead.

After the Knicks squared things 1-1 with a 111-105 home win two nights later, the Heat manhandled the boys from the “Big Apple” with a 105-86 win in Game 3 on May 6 and followed that up with a 109-101 home victory to go up in the series 3-1.

The Heat after a hard-fought defeat (112-103) in Game 5 at the Knicks May 10 on TNT, finished off the Knicks in a hard fought 96-92 win, becoming the second No. 8 Seed under the current 16-team postseason format since 1984 to reach the Conference Finals, joining the 1999 Knicks.

“It is really freaking hard to get to the Eastern Conference Finals,” Coach Spoelstra said postgame after the Heat’s series clinching win in Game 6 last Friday night. “We’ve had our normal, big, audacious goals for this season, but when you get to one step like this, there’s great gratitude because there’s a lot of teams that would love to be in this position.”

The winner of the sixth postseason tilt will come down to three basic things.

One which squad’s headliner(s) will put their fingerprints at a consistent level in this series.

Over the past few seasons, the success of the Celtics in the Playoffs has hinged on how well Tatum and Brown perform.

For the most part, the Celtics dynamic All-Star duo has risen to the moment, especially last season where they reached The Finals and that has been the case this postseason so far.

Tatum so far this postseason has averaged 28.2 points, 10.6 rebounds, and 5.2 assists on 45. 3 percent from the field, and 35.9 percent from three. While there have been moments where the All-Star has gotten off to slow starts, he has found a way to make an impact on the game besides scoring. He has brought defensively, especially on the glass, registering nine double-doubles so far this postseason, including in four of the final five games of the East Semis against the 76ers. He has also shown his continued improvement as a facilitator, which allows him to be even more dangerous as a scorer.

When Tatum scored 51 points as mentioned in the Game 7 clincher versus the 76ers on Sunday, he surpassed the 50-point performance two-time Kia MVP and four-time NBA champion Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors had in the Game 7 clincher of their opening-round series against the Kings for the most points in a Game 7 in NBA Playoff history.

“It’s easier said than done,” Coach Spoelstra said in advance of Wednesday’s shootaround in advance of Game 1 on defending Tatum and Brown. “You have to do your work early. Weakside defenders have to be in their spots early…they’re a very good driving team because of those two guys collapse your defense and then having spacing, and they’re very discipline with their spacing, with a bunch of 40 percent three-point shooters. You got to scramble and make multiple efforts—there’s no easy, but there is a way. You have to commit to those kinds of efforts.”

The Heat have their own top gun at the offensive end in Jimmy Butler, who once again has raised his play and intensity to an optimum level in the postseason with averages of 31.1 points, 6.6 boards, 5.4 assists and 1.7 steals on an incredible 52.7 percent from the field so far in the 2023 Playoffs.

Butler got his postseason rolling with 35 points, 11 assists, five rebounds and three steals on 15/27 from the floor in previously mentioned Game 1 win by the Heat at the Bucks.

He then closed things in the opening-round first with a career-high 56 points with nine rebounds on a sparkling 19/28 from the field, including three made triples and going 15/18 at the foul line. That was followed by a 42-point performance with eight boards on 17/33 from the field in the Game 5 clincher at the Bucks.

The Heat were led by Butler’s 25 points and 11 rebounds in their just mentioned Game 1 win to start the East Semis at the Knicks. But the Heat’s perennial All-Star injured his ankle and while he has still averaged 24.5 points, he has connected on just 41.7 percent of his field goal attempts and is just 1/8 on his three-point attempts.

Both Tatum and Butler just like in the past two postseasons tilts will see their fair share defenders on them from the opposing team, the other factor that will loom large in this series is the ancillary players around these two stars.

The Celtics will have the advantage to start with Brown, who has averaged 24.6 points, and 5.3 boards on 54.1 percent from the field and 47.1 percent on his threes so far this postseason.

Smart has been solid as well with averages of 15.8 points and 5.1 assists on 46.5 percent from the floor, and 36.3 percent on his threes. Brogdon, the 2022-23 Kia Sixth Man of the Year has carried his solid play from the regular season into the Playoffs averaging 14.8 points on 44.6 percent from the floor and 43.5 percent on his threes. White has ben solid as well with averages of 12.8 points making 50 percent of his shots overall and 42.9 percent of his triples.

While by the numbers they have not stood out, but big men in veteran Al Horford (6.6 ppg, 7.6 rpg) and Robert Williams III (6.7 ppg, 6.4 rpg, 79.2 FG%) have been the glue on both ends that has played a major role in the Celtics getting to this point of being just four wins away from getting back to The Finals.

The Heat while the found a way to get past the Bucks in the opening-round, they lost sharp-shooter in 2021-22 Kia Sixth Man of the Year in Tyler Herro to a fractured hand in Game 1 of the series and then lost reserve guard in All-Star Victory Oladipo to a knee injury in Game 3.

While losing two key offensive threats like that would be a major blow for a team, for the Heat it provided opportunity for guys to step up and is what the likes of perennial All-Star Kyle Lowry (10.1 ppg, 4.5 apg, 35.7 3-Pt.%) Gabe Vincent (11.5 ppg, 4.8 apg), Max Strus (10.8 ppg, 47.3 FG%, 36.9 3-Pt.%), Caleb Martin (10.8 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 52.6 FG%, 38.6 3-Pt.%) have done.

“[Coach] Spo always say we can win games in any type and tonight was in the mud,” Lowry, who had 11 points and nine assists off the bench in the Game 6 versus Knicks said about the team’s ability to win games either high scoring or in the mid-90s. “Just got to have faith in what you do and believe in what you believe in. One thing about us is we’re going out there every single night and we’re going to play hard for each other.”

With the absence of Herro and his ability to strike a match from three-point range, that also opened the door for Duncan Robinson to get back into the rotation and he has taken full advantage raising his three-point percentage from 32.8 percent during the regular season to 42.6 percent (26/61) so far in the 2023 NBA Playoffs.

To put into context the resurrection of Robinson, he has played 194 total minutes so far this postseason after totaling 190 minutes the final three months of the regular season and was out coach’s decision during the Play-In Tournament.

The main guy that has stepped up to be Robin to Butler’s Batman has been Bam Adebayo, whose averaged 18.1 points, 9.2 rebounds, and 3.5 assists on 49.7 percent shooting so far this postseason.

While Butler’s stellar 42-point performance in the Game 5 clincher at the Bucks was the main headline, Adebayo also made an impact with a triple-double of 20 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists. In the Game 4 victory of the East Semis versus the Knicks, Adebayo had 23 points and 12 rebounds on 10/17 shooting. He also registered 23 points with nine boards in the Game 6 clincher versus the Knicks last Friday night.

“You know people always say we’re too little. We need this. We need that. When you want to win that bad, I feel like you’ll do anything. You’ll put your body through a lot for just four wins,” Adebayo said after the Game 6 win on Friday on his team’s determination to win this time of the season.  

The Heat also have a front court combination in veterans Kevin Love and Cody Zeller, who were signed in season and like Horford and Williams III for the Celtics have provided front court depth that was seriously lacking earlier in the regular season.

Being able to push all the right buttons and putting together plans that will put these opposing squads in position to represent the East in 2023 NBA Finals will be Coach Mazzulla for the Celtics and Coach Spoelstra for the Heat.

Mazzulla, 34 the youngest head coach in the NBA this season as mentioned earlier came into this season with a lot of pressure considering the team that he coaches and the mystique that comes with being the sideline leader of the 17-time NBA champs.

The former assistant has shown to be a quick study, especially in the Semis against the 76ers when he made the adjustment in starting Williams III next to Horford instead of staggering their usage on the floor separately. That combination, which was a big reason the team reached The Finals a season ago, played a big role in slowing down the 76ers offense the final two games of the series.

In the East Finals against the Heat, Coach Mazzulla very likely will go back to the lineup he likes to use with Tatum, Brown, Horford, Smart, and White.

His counterpart in Coach Spoelstra is one of the game’s best when it comes to in-series and in-game adjustments. That has never been more prevalent than in this postseason where Spoelstra and his coaching staff have pulled every rabbit out of the hat to get the Heat into a position that very few outside their organization thought they would be this spring.

At the start of this postseason, the Boston Celtics were expected to reach this point. The Miami Heat did not have high expectations to be within four wins of The Finals expect for those from “South Beach.”

On paper, the Celtics enter this matchup as the deeper, talented, and balanced team, led by their superstar duo of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. They also enter as a team that is battle tested over the last two postseason where they had to go seven games their last two Semifinals appearances and they survived both times.

The Heat though enter as the gritter team that is led by their driven superstar in Jimmy Butler, who is determined as ever to get the Heat to The Finals for the second time the past four postseasons.

“If you’re going to double anyone on our team, the ball’s going to move,” Butler, who averaged 24.6 points, 7.2 rebounds and six assists in the East Semis versus the Knicks said on his squad’s capabilities offensively when anyone draws a second defender. “We’ve got guys that can shoot the ball incredibly well. Attack and finish at the rim incredibly well…And if that’s the game plan on whoever, we’re going to swing that ball around again.”

While the headliners in terms of the players on both sides have changed as well as the sideline leader of the Celtics from Doc Rivers, to Brad Stevens now to Joe Mazzulla, what will determine this sixth postseason installment between the boys from “Beantown” versus the boys from “South Beach” will not change. It has come down to who can do the little things that has won and that seems like that will make the difference this time around as well.

“It’s ‘Who’s going to out-tough? Who’s going to play harder than the other team,” Brogdon told NBATV after the Celtics series clinching win versus 76ers on Sunday. “It’s going to come down to rebounding. It’s going to come down to getting stops on the defensive end.”

Information, statistics, and quotations are courtesy of 5/13/2023 7 a.m. NBATV’s “Gametime” With Matt Winer, Dennis Scott, and Brendan Haywood; 5/15/2023 www.nba.com story, “Series Preview: Celtics, Heat Clash Again For Eastern Conference Title,” By Steve Aschburner; 5/17/2023 www.espn.com story, “Erik Spoelstra: ‘No Easy Way’ To Stop Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown,” By Nick Friedell;  https://www.espn.com/nba/player/gamelog/_/id/6430/jimmy-butler; https://www.espn.com/nba/player/gamelog/_/id/4066261/bam-adebayo; https://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/4065648/jayson-tatum;  https://www.espn.com/nba/team/stats/_/name/mia/miami-heat; https://www.espn.com/nba/team/stats/_/name/bos/boston-celtics; and www.landofbasketball.com.

J-Speaks: 2023 NBA Western Conference Finals Preview

For almost forever, to win title(s) in the NBA Playoffs you need four key things. One, one generational player, possibly two. Two, a supporting cast that compliments those headliners. Three, a sideline leader that can get the best out of roster at their disposal. Four, playing solid defense. In the first seven postseason tilts between the boys from “Hollywood” against the boys from the “Colorado Rockies” it was the boys from “City of Angels” that had the advantage in those three areas, particularly their three tilts in the Western Conference Finals. In their fourth tilt between these two squads in this upcoming West Finals, the boys from “Hollywood” still have two of the league’s top headliners, a solid complimentary supporting cast and have been arguably the best defense to this point in the 2023 NBA Playoffs. Their counterparts from the “Colorado Rockies” though are headlined by a now two-time Kia MVP and two complimentary star players. Whether that will be enough to get them over the hump this time around against the boys from “Hollywood” will be seen. Here is the J-Speaks 2023 Western Conference Finals Preview. 

(1)   Denver Nuggets versus (7) Los Angeles Lakers
        (53-29)                                    (43-39)

Season-Series: tied 2-2

Playoff History
1979 West First Round LAL def. DEN 2-1
1985 West Finals LAL def. DEN 4-1
1987 West First Round LAL def. DEN 3-0
2008 West First Round LAL def. DEN 4-0
2009 West First Round LAL def. DEN 4-2
2012 West First Round LAL def. DEN 4-3
2020 West Finals LAL def. DEN 4-1

In the first seven Playoff tilts between the 17-time NBA champion Los Angeles Lakers and the Denver Nuggets, the boys from L.A. always entered those tilts with the best player(s) and supporting cast in that series.

In their 1979 First Round tilt, the Lakers had Hall of Famers Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and Adrian Dantley along with Jamaal Wilkes and Norm Nixon and head coach, who would later become their General Manager in Hall of Famer Jerry West. The Nuggets in comparison were headlined by Hall of Famer David Thompson, George McGinnis, and now former Nuggets head coach in the middle of the 1990s Dan Issel and were coached by Doug Moe.

When the two squads met in the first of three West Finals bouts, the eventual NBA champion Lakers again had Abdul-Jabbar, along with Hall of Famers Earvin “Magic” Johnson, James Worthy and Bob McAdoo, along with Byron Scott, Michael Cooper, Wilkes, Mitch Kupchak, and Kurt Rambis. They were also led by Hall of Famer and now lead executive in the front office of the three-time NBA champion Miami Heat Pat Riley.

While Coach Moe had a high scoring squad led by Hall of Famer Alex English, Fat Lever, Calvin Natt, Issel, Wayne Cooper, they were no match for Riley’s Lakers as they were on the wrong end of a gentleman’s sweep falling 4-1.

The same case held two postseasons later in the opening round when the eventual four-time champion Lakers led by Riley Abdul-Jabbar, Johnson, Worthy, Scott, Cooper, A.C. Green, Rambis, and now radio voice for the Lakers Mychal Thompson, who was acquired during the season easily swept Coach Moe’s squad led by English and Lever flanked by Darrel Walker and now Nuggets pregame and postgame analyst Bill Hanzlik 3-0.

The Lakers and Nuggets would not meet again until 2008 again in the opening-round, with the same result of a 4-0 opening-round sweep by the eventual Western Conference champion Lakers led by Hall of Famers in the late Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol and head coach Phil Jackson, supported by Trevor Ariza, Andrew Bynum, Lamar Odom, Derek Fisher, and now Cavaliers assistant coach Luke Walton.

The Nuggets squad that was swept was anchored by head coach George Karl,  future Hall of Famer Carmelo Anthony and Hall of Famer Allen Iverson, Marcus Camby, Nene Hilario, Kenyon Martin, and J.R. Smith.

The two squads would meet again one year later in a tangle for the Western Conference crown. That Nuggets squad, which now had current Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups on it to provide leadership and elite shot making to compliment Anthony, Martin and Smith gave the Lakers a battle and had them squared 2-2 after four games. But the Lakers won Game 5 of that series at home and closed out the series in Denver with a victory in Game 6.

In their 2012 First Round tilt, Coach Karl’s Nuggets starless squad that consisted of the Ty Lawson, Arron Afflalo, current Boston Celtic Danilo Gallinari, Nene, Al Harrington, Andre Miller, Kenneth Faried, Wilson Chandler, current Dallas Maverick JaVale McGee, and Corey Brewer, pushed the Bryant, Gasol, and Jackson led Lakers to seven games but lost the series.

When the two teams meet in the 2020 West Finals in the restart in Orlando, FL the Lakers were headlined by four-time Kia MVP and eventual three-time Finals MVP LeBron James and Anthony Davis and coached by Frank Vogel.

That squad flanked by a supporting cast of Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, current members of the Chicago Bulls Alex Caruso, Cleveland Cavaliers Danny Green, Utah Jazz guard Talen Horton-Tucker, Washington Wizard Kyle Kuzma, Rajon Rondo, and Dwight Howard.

The headliners of that Nuggets squad was current head coach Michael Malone and now two-time Kia MVP Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray, and Michael Porter, Jr.

A lot has changed between these two squads as they meet again for the Western Conference title.

The Lakers are back in the Playoffs for the first time after a two-year absence. They are led by first-year head coach Darvin Ham, who helped to guide a Lakers squad who overcame a 2-10 start to this season and earned their way into the 2023 NBA Playoffs through the West Play-In Tournament taking down the Minnesota Timberwolves at home 108-102 to claim the No. 7 spot in the West.

The Lakers in the First-Round took down the No. 2 Seeded Memphis Grizzlies 4-2, stealing home court advantage winning Game 1 at Memphis 128-112 on Apr. 16. They closed the book on the Grizzlies 2022-23 campaign with a dominant Game 6 triumph on their home floor 125-85 on Apr. 27.

The Lakers followed the same script in the West Semis taking down the defending NBA champion Golden State Warriors 4-2 handing the Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green, head coach Steve Kerr led Warriors their first postseason series loss to a West opponent since 2015 in their last 20 chances.

They won Game 1 117-112 at the Warriors at Chase Center in San Francisco, CA on May 2 and closed the door on the series with a dominant 122-101 win nine days later.

It is hard to fathom that the Lakers are in this position after a dreadful start to their 2022-23 campaign at 2-10. James and Davis battled injuries during the regular season and they had a supporting cast that just did not balance each other out, particularly Russell Westbrook, even though individually played solidly as a reserve.

The tides began turning for the Lakers with the acquisition first of Rui Hachimura from the Wizards on Jan. 23 for reserve guard Kendrick Nunn.     

Then front office leader Rob Pelinka made two more key deals in acquiring in a three-team deal at the Feb. 9 trade deadline All-Star D’Angelo Russell from the Timberwolves, Malik Beasley, and Jarred Vanderbilt from the Jazz in exchange for Westbrook, Damian Jones, and former Warrior Juan Toscano-Anderson.

In a four-team deal with the Orlando Magic, Nuggets, and Clippers, the Lakers acquired Mo Bamba from the Magic and Davon Reed for the Nuggets sending center Thomas Bryant to the “rockies” and guard Patrick Beverly to the Magic, who eventually waived him.

Those additions coupled with the remaining supporting cast of Troy Brown, Jr., Austin Reaves, Dennis Schroder, and Lonnie Walker IV gave the Lakers a balanced roster that is versatile and complimentary to James and Davis.

So far in the 2023 Playoffs, the Lakers are No. 10 in scoring (112.4), No. 5 in field goal percentage (47 percent), No. 11 in three-point percentage (33.1 percent).

What has allowed the Lakers to thrive this postseason has been their play at the defensive end, where they are No. 1 in opponent’s field goal percentage (42.2 percent); and No. 6 in opponent’s three-point percentage (33.4 percent). The Lakers defense has been especially sturdy in the paint, where Coach Ham’s squad has allowed an accuracy of just 50.9 percent shooting in the paint, ranked No. 2 so far this postseason, with a marksmanship of just 47.9 percent with Davis on the hardwood.

That defense has put the Lakers into the Conference Finals for the 24^th time in their franchise history. In their first 23 visits to one part of the NBA’s Final Four, they have gone 19-4.

Teams To Reach The Conference Finals After Being 8-Plus Games or Worse Under .500 At Any Point Regular Season (Elias Sports Bureau)
1976 Phoenix Suns: 9 Games            
1978 Seattle Supersonics: 12 Games
1984 Phoenix Suns: 8 Games
2023 Los Angeles Lakers: 8 Games

The Lakers also joined the 1987 Seattle Supersonics as the two teams in NBA Playoff history to reach the Conference Finals as No. 7 Seed. The Lakers are also the second team in NBA history to start a season 2-10 or worse and win a Playoff series, joining the 1977-78 Supersonics.

That Lakers defense will be put to the test against a Nuggets squad leads the NBA with an average of 53.6 paint points so far this postseason. That is second in fastbreak points so far in the 2023 Playoffs at 18.3 and is No. 10 in second chance points at 12.9.  

That balance on both ends is a big reason why the Lakers have gone 6-0 at home so far this postseason and have won eight straight games at Crypto.com Arena dating back to the regular season.

As important as the supporting cast and the team’s play at the defense end has been, the Lakers are in the position of being just four more wins away from their first Finals appearance since 2020 is because of the play of solid play of Davis and the steady play of James, who has taken down both the Grizzlies and Warriors and Father Time.

In the series clincher versus the Warriors, James had 30 points, nine rebounds, and nine assists, his 18^th 30-plus point performance in a series clincher, second most in NBA Playoff history. It was also his first 30-point game in the postseason since the 2020 NBA Finals against the Heat.

“There’s not many of our team that’s been in closeout games. So, after Game 5 up in Bay [Area] I knew that I had to come in with a lot of aggression but be very efficient and very strategic on how I play this game. So, it was big time,” James, who went 10/14 shooting said to ESPN’s Lisa Salters after the Game 6 clinching win.

For James, who is averaging 23.4 points, 10 rebounds, and five assists on 49.1 percent shooting so far this postseason when he has gotten to this point of the postseason in his career has led his team to the championship round in his two stints with the Cavaliers (2003-10, 2015-18), and four seasons with the Heat (2010-14).

For James, this will be his 12^th appearance in Conference Finals, going 10-1 in his first 11 appearances, with the lone loss in 2009 East Finals with Cavaliers against the Magic.

With the Lakers, six-game triumph over the aforementioned Warriors, James, 38 won his 41^st career Playoff series, surpassing Fisher for the most postseason series wins in NBA Playoff history.

       Most Playoff Series Wins In NBA History            
LeBron James (LAL) 41    Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 37
Derek Fisher 40                   Tim Duncan 35
Robert Horry 39   

James pretty much had his way with whoever checked him in the first two rounds of this postseason starting with Dillion Brooks of the Grizzlies, who after Game 2 mocked James calling him old and said that he does not respect anyone he checks unless they score 40 on him. While James did not score 40, he did in the Lakers 117-111 overtime win in Game 4 on Apr. 24 scored the game ceiling basket on Brooks that put the Lakers up in the series 3-1.

James knows he and Davis will have to play with that same forcefulness against a Nuggets squad that they have a great deal of respect for.

“It’s going to be a great series. You have two well-coached teams. They’ve been the No. 1 Seed all year long,” James said to Salters about their next Playoff opponent.

“So, we give them a lot of respect. We come into that series with a lot of respect for Denver and what they can accomplish and what they can do against us. And if we’re not locked in, they’ll put it to us. We’ll take a couple of days [off]. But we’ll lock in on our assignments. We understand what they possess. I know what they possess and we’ll be ready for it on Tuesday.”

As important as James’ production will be to get the Lakers back to The Finals, it will be Davis that will be the difference maker on both ends like he has been all postseason for the Lakers.

While Davis has had solid production of 21.2 points, 14.1 rebounds and 3.3 blocks on 53 percent shooting through the first two rounds of this postseason, he has had a games where he has physically shown up but not emotionally or production wise.

In the just completed series against the Warriors, Davis averaged 23.8 points, 17.8 rebounds, and 2.5 blocks on 61.1 percent shooting in the four wins on 29/33 at the foul line. In the two losses, Davis registered averages of 17 points, eight boards, 1.5 blocks 51.7 percent from the field going 4/6 at foul line.

When the Lakers took down the Nuggets in the Conference Finals as mentioned three seasons back, Davis had capable backups to help him guard the now two-time Kia MVP in Nikola Jokic in the aforementioned Howard and McGee.

This time around, Davis will have to check Jokic by himself and his ability to remain out of foul trouble will go a long way in the Lakers being in position to win this series.

“Try to catch him coming out of his house and kidnap him,” Coach Ham said jokingly to the media after practice on Monday about how to stop Jokic.

“A.D. will start on him and other guys will see action against him. Just try to put our best foot forward every time out. We’ll try to do everything we can, do our work early, keep him off balance.”  

They will need Davis to play at the level like he did in the Game 6 victory over the Warriors where he had 17 points and 20 rebounds. But him getting only nine shots like he did in that Game 6 clincher will not cut it against the Nuggets.  

“Togetherness,” Davis said to Salters on how the Lakers went from being 2-10 to start this season to getting to the West Finals. “We want to shock the world, you know? Us starting 2-10, knowing that at the trade deadline we got better. Added knew pieces. The way we were playing, you know, guys  came in motivated and wanting to win.”

“Not a lot of guys been in closeout games or in this position at all in the Second Round on our team. So, you know, they’re hungry. They want it just like me and ‘Bron want another one [title]. Now it’s time to go get it. Unfinished business. We’ve got to go into Denver with a mindset of like ‘Bron said they’ve been the No. 1 Seed and if we come in  messing around, we’ll lose by 30 every game. So, we’ve got to give them their respect. But we know what we’re capable of as a team. Where we want to go and we think we’ve got enough fire power. We just got to go get it done and put it to the test.”  

Three seasons back the Nuggets reached the West Finals by overcoming 3-1 series deficits in the opening-round against the Jazz and in the Semis against the so-called “little brother” to the Lakers in the Clippers to win both series in seven games.

At that time, Jokic was not the lead dog on that squad, though he was quite productive. It was Jamal Murray, who averaged 26.5 points that postseason, making prolific shot after prolific shot, especially when he registered 50 points in a game in the opening-round against the Jazz and now All-Star guard for the Cavaliers Donovan Mitchell.

The previous two seasons though, the Nuggets have not had Murray because of a torn ACL in his knee sustained in April 2021 at the Warriors.

Michael Porter, Jr., the Nuggets No. 3 scorer this season was just finding himself in 2020 Playoffs essentially playing his rookie season in 2019-20 after being shelved because of back surgery his first NBA season.

Without Murray the past two seasons, Jokic raised his game to a level that made him a back-to-back MVP and with the return of Murray and a more seasoned Porter, Jr. the Nuggets became the top team in the Western Conference for the first time in franchise history, despite a 7-10 finish to the regular season.

In the Playoffs, the Nuggets took down the No. 8 Seeded Timberwolves 4-1 and in the West Semis won Games 5 (118-1020 and 6 (125-100) convincingly over the No. 4 Seeded Phoenix Suns.

At the forefront of the Nuggets the first 11 games of the 2023 Playoffs, where they have gone 8-3 has been Jokic, whose averaged a near triple-double of 30.7 points, 12.8 rebounds and 9.7 assists on 54.9 percent from the field, 47.5 percent on his triple tries and 78.7 percent on 6.8 attempts at the foul line. He has registered five of his 11 career triple-doubles this postseason, surpassing the most triple-doubles by a center that was previously held by the late Hall of Famer Wilt Chamberlin with nine. Three of those five triple-doubles came in the Semis against the Suns. Jokic also, with those 11 triple-doubles in his postseason career, tied Hall of Famer and Dallas Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd for No. 4 on that NBA’s all-time list.

Most Double-Digit Postseason Career Triple-Doubles NBA Playoff History
Earvin “Magic” Johnson 30       Jason Kidd 11
LeBron James (LAL) 28             Draymond Green (GS) 10
Russell Westbrook (LAC) 12      Rajon Rondo 10
Nikola Jokic (DEN) 11                Larry Bird 10

           Three Triple-Doubles In A Playoff Series All-Time NBA History                  
1963 Oscar Robertson                   2002 Jason Kidd
1967 Wilt Chamberlin                   2017 Russell Westbrook (LAC) with Thunder
1982 Earvin “Magic” Johnson     2023 Nikola Jokic (DEN)

In the just completed series triumph over the Suns, Jokic in Game 6 on May 11 with his performance of 32 points, 10 rebounds, and 12 assists on 13/18 shooting became just the fourth player in NBA history with a 30-point triple-double on 70 percent from the floor in a Playoff game. He averaged for the Semis against the Suns 34.5 points, 13.2 rebounds, and 10.3 assists on 59.4 percent from the field, 44.4 percent on his threes and 85.4 percent at the charity stripe on 6.8 attempts.

“Fifth game, I think we looked like a championship team. Like, we were so focused,” Jokic, whose squad outscored Suns 98-74 after leading by one late in the first quarter of Game 6 said in his postgame presser. “I don’t know how a championship team looks. But I think that’s how it’s supposed to look.

Through two rounds of this postseason, Jokic already for the third time in his postseason career has registered 300 points, 100 rebounds, and 100 assists in a single postseason.

Highest Scoring Averages While Averaging A Triple-Double In Single Postseason Series  In NBA Playoff History
Russell Westbrook (LAC) 37.4 2017 West First Round with Thunder
Nikola Jokic (DEN) 2023 34.5  2023 West Semis
LeBron James (LAL) 33.6 2017 NBA Finals with Cavaliers

Murray has made up for his two-year postseason absence averaging 25.9 points, 6.5 assists and 5.2 boards on 46.1 percent from the field and a glistening 39.5 percent from three-point range. This includes four games where he has scored 30-plus points including 40 in the team’s 122-113 win in Game 2 of the opening-round versus the Timberwolves where he shot 13/22 from the floor and 6/10 from three on Apr. 19 to put the Nuggets up 2-0. In the clinching fifth game of the series on Apr. 25 versus the guys from the “Twin Cities,” Murray had 35 points and five assists on 12/23 from the field, including 5/9 on his triple tries.

Murray opened the West Semis against the Suns with 34 points, nine assists, and five rebounds on 13/24 shooting, going 6/10 again from three. He fought through an illness in Game 6 at the Suns last Thursday to register 26 points with four steals going 4/7 from three.

“You know, I think we can win the championship. I believe it and you know, it’s just our mindset,” Murray said after his team’s second largest margin of victory in a Playoff series clincher in their history in Game 6 at the Suns. “We’ve been doing it all year. So, we got to carry it into the Playoffs and we’ve shown we can do that.”

In the 2020 West Finals, the Nuggets’ supporting cast was Torrey Craig, Jerami Grant, Gary Harris, Juancho Hernangomez, Will Barton, Paul Millsap, Monte Morris, Beasley, Mason Plumlee, Will Barton. Also on that roster was Vanderbilt.

That roster, while very talented from top to bottom but was short on experience and it showed in the series against the Lakers.

The headliners in Jokic, Murray, and Porter, Jr. are more seasoned now and they have a more seasoned supporting cast in Aaron Gordon, Bruce Brown, Caldwell-Pope, Jeff Green, and rookie Christian Braun.

Brown, and Caldwell-Pope in particular have proven to be key additions on both ends for the Nuggets, especially at the close of their aforementioned tilt with the Suns.

In the previously mentioned Nuggets win in Game 5 versus the Suns, while Jokic led the way with 29 points, 13 rebounds, and 12 assists, Brown off the bench had a game changing 25 point and five boards on 7/11 from the field and 9/10 at the foul line.

Caldwell-Pope shined in Game 6 scoring all 21 of his points in the opening half on 7/9 shooting with five rebounds, where they Nuggets went into the locker room leading 81-51 at the break. KCP entered action totaling 19 points in Games 3-5. He scored 17 points with four boards on 6/7 from the field in the opening period helping the Nuggets to a 44-26 after the first where they closed the period scoring 17 straight points. 

Along with his shooting and ability to check the opposing team’s best perimeter player(s), Caldwell-Pope brings something just as valuable, championship experience having been on the other side of this rivalry helping the Lakers win it all as mentioned in 2020. He will be especially important in this series having to tangle with Russell, Reaves, Walker IV, and Hachimura.  

After a strong regular season, the Denver Nuggets proved to be a strong favorite to be in one part of the NBA’s Finals Four, even though there were many in the NBA circle that had their doubts.

This will be their fifth tripe to the Conference Finals in their NBA history and as mentioned their fourth tilt in the West Finals against the Lakers. The Nuggets overall have not faired well in their Playoff tilts, let alone their bouts in the West Finals against the Lakers losing the first seven postseason series, including their first four bouts in the Conference Finals, going 8-25 in games in the postseason against the boys from the “City of Angels.”

Most Series Wins Without A Loss Team vs. Team In NBA Playoff History
Lakers vs. Nuggets: 7-0              Warriors vs. Rockets: 4-0
Celtics vs. Bulls: 5-0                    Knicks vs. Cavaliers: 4-0
Celtics vs. Rockets: 4-0

The Nuggets enter this bout with the Lakers with home court advantage, a more experienced trio in Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray, and Michael Porter, Jr. They have the experienced head coach in Michael Malone and they have a solid complimentary cast in Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Aaron Gordon, Bruce Brown, Jeff Green, and Christian Braun.

“It seems like for years now, some dusty old countdown in the rocky mountains the little respect that we get some respect. And you sit there and fight it and complain about it or you and just embrace who we are and what we have,” Coach Malone said after Game 6 about his team’s approach earning respect from the public when asked that by ESPN’s Ohm Youngmisuk.

“And I’d rather not waist time on all the pundits who count us out. Who don’t give us the respect that we deserve as a team and everything that we’ve done.”

“But there’s one thing we haven’t done. And until we win a championship people are going to keep saying that about us. So, that’s what drives us. Getting to the Western Conference Finals doesn’t do it.”

The Lakers though have the more established stars with championship mental in LeBron Janes and Anthony Davis, who are both healthy. They too have a solid supporting cast in Austin Reaves, Dennis Schroder, Rui Hachimura, D’Angelo Russell, Jarred Vanderbilt, Malik Beasley, and Lonnie Walker IV.

On top of that, the Lakers are the more committed defensive team, which will be tested against an offensive juggernaut in the Nuggets who featured the most versatile player in the league in Jokic who can score and facility all over the hardwood.

This has all the makings of a classic series that these two teams did have in the opening round as mentioned 11 postseasons back. Only this time the Nuggets do have some serious star power.

Series Pick: Lakers in seven.

Information, statistics, and quotations courtesy of 5/11/2023 10 p.m. “Nuggets vs. Suns” Game 6 West Semis 2023 NBA Playoffs, presented by Google Pixel on ESPN, delivered by Chipotle with Dave Pasch, Hubie Brown, Jorge Sedano; 5/12/2023 10 p.m. “Warriors versus Lakers” Game 6 West Semis 2023 NBA Playoffs, presented by Google Pixel on ESPN, delivered by Chipotle with Mike Breen, Jeff Van Gundy, Mark Jackson, Lisa Salters 5/13/2023 12:30 a.m. ESPN’s “Sportscenter With Scott Van Pelt” from Washington, D.C. and 1:30 a.m. ESPN’s “Sportscenter” from Los Angeles, CA with Ashley Brewer and Stan Verrett; 5/13/2023 7 a.m. NBATV’s “Gametime” With Matt Winer, Dennis Scott, Brendan Haywood; 5/13/2023 www.nba.com story, “Series Preview: Battle Of Elite Big Men As Nuggets-Lakers Clash In West Finals,” By Shaun Powell and John Schuhmann; www.landofbasketball.com; www.basketball-reference.com; www.statmuse.com; https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/2022-23_Los_Angeles_Lakers_season; www.nba.com/stats; https://www.nba.com/game/lal-vs-den-0042200311; www.espn.com/nba/team/stats/_/name/den/denver-nuggets; www.espn.com/nba/team/stats/_/name/lal/los-angeles-lakers; www.espn.com/nba/player/gamelog/_/id/6583/anthony-davis; www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/1966/lebron-james; www.espn.com/nba/player/gamelog/_/id/3936299/jamal-murray; and  www.espn.com/nba/player/gamelog/_/id/3112335/nikola-jokic.