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Hardwood Paroxysm: What does the future hold for the Cavaliers and Warriors?

By HP Basketball Network

Jun 16, 2015; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James (23) walks off the court after loose to the Golden State Warriors in game six of the NBA Finals at Quicken Loans Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports
Jun 16, 2015; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James (23) walks off the court after loose to the Golden State Warriors in game six of the NBA Finals at Quicken Loans Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports /
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April 20, 2015; Oakland, CA, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Leandro Barbosa (19) celebrates after making a basket while being fouled against the New Orleans Pelicans during the second quarter in game two of the second round of the NBA Playoffs at Oracle Arena. The Warriors defeated the Pelicans 97-87. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
April 20, 2015; Oakland, CA, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Leandro Barbosa (19) celebrates after making a basket while being fouled against the New Orleans Pelicans during the second quarter in game two of the second round of the NBA Playoffs at Oracle Arena. The Warriors defeated the Pelicans 97-87. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports /

What does the future hold for Leandro Barbosa?

by David Vertsberger (@_Verts) — Hardwood Paroxysm

The sun sets on another gorgeous day in São Paulo, Brazil. The cloudless sky allows a warm orange glow to spread across the country, and soaking in the last bit of light before nightfall is Leandro Barbosa, sipping on a glass of fine rum on the patio of his newly-furnished beach house. It’s June of 2016, and Barbosa steps inside the dream resting place of a retired basketball player. He turns the TV on to watch Game 7 of the 2016 Finals, a rematch of last year’s Cleveland Cavaliers/Golden State Warriors matchup. After a few plays, Barbosa lets out a long sigh and shuts the television off.

He made a mistake, and he knew it. He wanted to go out on top, when he accomplished all he needed to accomplish in the game, but didn’t realize he wasn’t ready to walk away until it was too late. There was no turning back now. He just went an entire year without the weight room, the many conditioning regimens and the game itself. No NBA team would take him back.

Barbosa stepped outside, and started walking. Where? Not even he knew. He needed to clear his mind. Wishes of being able to do it all over again were the only things in his head. He internally screamed and begged for another chance to cradle that leather ball and dash through the lane like the blur he once was.

“Ei!” Barbosa looked up. Lost in his own thoughts, he didn’t realize he was now standing in front of a caged basketball court, lit to perfection, with one, two, three… nine guys seemingly in their early 20’s on the asphalt. One had just called out to Barbosa.

“Precisamos de outro jogador,” the stranger said. “Quero jogar?”

Barbosa looked up at the night sky, now absent of the fiery colors of the sun. This time it was the light from the stars bathing him. He looked back towards the stranger, smiled, and walked towards the court.

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