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Philippines, 27 Apr 2024 |
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2016 NBA Finals -- "Will the real MVP please stand up?" By Adeline Deladisma PhilBoxing.com Mon, 20 Jun 2016  The NBA season and these Playoffs have been something like an episode of that old 1950s TV show "To Tell the Truth." The premise of the show was that a panel of celebrities had to guess which of the contestants, who sometimes told incredulous tales or performed amazing feats, was the real [fill in name]. In less than 24 hours, the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Golden State Warriors will face off in Game 7 of the 2016 NBA Finals, and the true MVP of the league will be asked to stand up. The two contestants, of course, are Stephen Curry and Lebron James. In one corner, we have the imminently affable Curry. The Golden State point guard was named the first unanimous MVP in NBA history last month. He had an MVP season, to be sure. He led his team to the all-time great 73-9 mark, breaking the unbreakable 72 game win record of those hallowed 1995-96 Michael Jordan led Chicago Bulls. He recorded an astonishing 402 made three pointers during the regular season, smashing his own record of 286 he had set just the season before. We all became almost accustomed to his circus shots at the rim and his 35 foot three pointers and his uncanny ability to get his team running to pull out a victory, even when behind in the fourth quarter. The Playoffs have been a different story for Steph. While he has had flashes of his usual greatness, he does not seem to be the player he was during the season. Some of that may be due to injury, as he did sit out two weeks due to a knee sprain. His struggles have led to whispers doubting whether he was deserving of that unanimous MVP vote. Meanwhile, James has been able to showcase what he has become best known for: clutch play in the biggest moments. Cleveland's favorite son has been the individual star of the Finals. He pulled similar feats of greatness and carried his team last year when both Kevin Love and Kyrie Irving were out with injuries, eventually succumbing to the Warriors in six games. It has been speculated that, even if the Warriors win the Championship, James will be crowned the series MVP. As far as his body of work over his career, there is no question that James is one of the greatest players of all time and first ballot Hall of Famer. But as the "Season of Steph" unfolded, some wondered if Lebron's time as the face of the league was up. Some even went so far as to say that if Golden State were to repeat as champions, that was the foregone conclusion. Really? Given Curry's 2015-16 season and James' 2016 Playoffs performances, the end of Game 7 will not spell the end of the drama. James will still be one of the greatest and still in his prime. Curry is still ascending and there's no telling where his ceiling will be. If the Warriors don't repeat as World Champions, despite their incredible regular season, the season as a whole "will be a bust," as Golden State guard Klay Thompson so eloquently put it. The Cavaliers are hoping to spoil the party and be the first team in NBA history to come back from a 3-1 deficit to win the NBA title. Game 7. As James called it, "Two of the greatest words in the world." The final stanza of the 2015-2016 season, and this very intriguing chapter, is slated for Sunday evening (Monday morning Manila time) and the world's eyes will be on Oracle Arena. Click here to view a list of other articles written by Adeline Deladisma.  |
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