Four Huge NBA Storylines in the Making (2021 Conference Finals)
The NBA Playoffs have not gone to plan. Injuries and upsets have left a curious collection of teams vying for a Championship. But while its disappointing to have big-market, superstar-toting teams like the Nets & Lakers make an early exit, its hard to deny that there’s been some highly entertaining basketball that comes with some fascinating storylines to unpack.
Most pressing is the reality that one of either Paul George, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Trae Young or Chris Paul will be a first time NBA Champion the very near future. There’s more than just an NBA Title on the line for these four — it will shape their legacy and, at the risk of sounding melodramatic, likely change the way we view them for the rest of basketball history. So let’s look ahead at the narratives that are waiting on the other side of the Larry O’Brien Trophy…
1. CLIPPERS WIN: Farewell Pandemic P Forever
Paul George did himself no favours when he nicknamed himself Playoff P — not a single one. Despite being an elite level NBA talent, the statement has haunted him through a string of underwhelming post-season performances. The basketball gods seem to keep gifting him opportunities to prove himself and he continues to come up short (two missed free throws in Game 2 vs the Suns come to mind). PG13 put a target on his back with the self-appointed moniker and opened the door for the Pandemic P narrative to emerge, peaking with a media royal rumble after he clanged a corner 3 off the side of the backboard in the bubble playoffs.
All that said, and as hard as this may be to accept for those covering the NBA, George has been slowly putting that storyline to bed. Through this playoff run he’s averaging 26/9.5/5.5 on 40 minutes per game leading a Kawhi-less Clippers. Per Statmuse.com he has scored 20+ points in 16 straight games — the longest streak in Clippers history and the longest active streak in the NBA. If the Clips dig themselves out of this 3–1 series deficit without Kawhi Leonard and go on to win it all, PG will deserve all the credit in the world followed by a string of apologies. It’s been a long run of being the guy with incredible talent who crumbles in big games, but nothing kills that argument quicker than carrying a team to an NBA Championship. I can already see the Playoff P merchandise!
2. BUCKS WIN: Giannis Backs Up His Two-Time MVP & Quiets Doubters
Giannis is a terrific yet flawed basketball player, and the playoffs have a way of shining a giant spotlight on a player’s flaws for everyone to dissect — just ask Ben Simmons and Rudy Gobert. He continues to shoot 3’s, many of which are objectively bad shots, despite doing so at 17.3% on 4 attempts per game. He looks like a 26 handicap accountant on the first tee of your local golf club every time he goes to the free throw line and is shooting a nauseating 56%. The dissonance between his regular season dominance and his lacklustre playoff history make it hard to truly credit him as one of the best players in the world. It’s only fair that we start to ask questions. Questions like, is Giannis overrated? Can he take a team to the promised land?
Then he goes ahead and puts up a performance like Game 7 to close out the Brooklyn Nets with 40/13/5 on 62% FG. It might be hard to admit, but he’s stepped up on multiple occasions when his team really needs it. If he wins a championship we’ll all be forced to admit that his way of doing things is good enough to get it done. The one big asterisks that sits alongside his back-to-back MVP Awards will disappear forever.
3. HAWKS WIN: Trae Young is a Top 10 NBA Player
Being the best player on a championship team has a way of hastily propelling a player up the ranks past many if their NBA brethren in the eyes of the media. Look no further than the discord around Jimmy Butler deep into the bubble playoffs. Right now, we’re in serious danger of having to vault Ice Trae into the Top 10.
Trae is at the forefront of a new generation of players making their presence felt in this year’s playoffs while leading an unlikely Hawks Team and averaging 29 PTS & 10 AST per game. What doesn’t show on the stat sheet is the fearlessness and swagger that he brings every night that makes him equal parts dislikable and fantastic. He hasn’t even been in the league long enough to cultivate a negative storyline that needs correcting; a championship would simply leave us with no choice but to consider him one of the best players in the league and a serious MVP candidate heading into the 2021/22 Season.
4. SUNS WIN: Chris Paul is an All-Time Great Player, Arguably Best PG Ever
The work Paul is doing at age 36 is basically unprecedented, averaging 16/4/9 through the Playoffs while boasting an endless list of intangibles and leadership. Not only has he performed well himself, but his elite ability to run the point has been crucial in unlocking centre Deandre Ayton who is coming into his own and dominating.
I’m not afraid to admit that this is my favourite narrative in the making. To be honest, I’m not ever sure if I like Chris Paul. All I know is that, as downright infuriating as it may be to watch him play against your team, if you’re a true basketball fan it sure is hard not to respect him. He’s incredibly smart and competitive as hell. He has made his share of big-moment mistakes in previous playoffs and ranks high on the list of Best Players to Never Win a Championship; easily the most backhanded compliment in basketball. No player has more riding on a title, and none are more deserving. A championship moves CP3 straight out of the Charles Barkley, Steve Nash conversation and into the Magic Johnson, Isiah Thomas conversation, ie: best Point Guard of all-time. “Chris Paul: NBA Champion” has a delightful ring to it and would be icing on the cake of a Hall-of-Fame career.
