The Weekside: Andre Iguodala’s long, strange trip to becoming NBA Finals MVP

Words With Friends

This week’s five must-read articles about the NBA. Excerpts here — click through to read the full piece.

1. LeBron’s Handling of Blatt in the Finals Was Unbecoming
by Marc Stein, ESPN

"We…saw LeBron emasculate Blatt in ways that are simply unbecoming of a player of James’ legend-in-the-making stature. I saw it from close range in my role as sideline reporter through the Finals for ESPN Radio. LeBron essentially calling timeouts and making substitutions. LeBron openly barking at Blatt after decisions he didn’t like. LeBron huddling frequently with Lue and so often looking at anyone other than Blatt. There was LeBron, in one instance I witnessed from right behind the bench, shaking his head vociferously in protest after one play Blatt drew up in the third quarter of Game 5, amounting to the loudest nonverbal scolding you could imagine. Which forced Blatt, in front of his whole team, to wipe the board clean and draw up something else."

2. Why NCAA Basketball Is the Best Route for Future NBA Players
by Chris Mannix, Sports Illustrated

"In 2008, when Jennings signed with Lottomatica Roma in Italy, Sonny Vaccaro, the influential former sneaker-company power broker, predicted a revolution. Dozens of high school stars would spend their NBA-mandated post-high-school year in Europe or Asia, collecting checks instead of taking exams. Now Orangeville (Ont.) Prep star Thon Maker, a 7-foot forward, is reportedly considering following Mudiay’s lead. That may look like a trend, but there will be no mass exodus ..In China, Mudiay battled language and cultural barriers. The presence of family members helped, but days off consisted of watching sports documentaries and a night out was usually an extra trip to the gym. A dose of dorm life and cafeteria food never sounded more appealing."

3. How Tex Winter Has Influenced the Golden State Warriors
by Ronald Lazenby, Vice Sports

"The Bulls were known for opening practices with an intense session of basic passing drills and footwork, which observers often found both incredulous and fascinating. Not long after their Dream Team experience in 1992, Pippen famously told Jordan to just imagine how great immensely gifted Olympic teammate Clyde Drexler would have been if he had ever worked with Tex on the fundamentals. For years, Winter complained that Jordan—the best basketball player on the planet—never really learned to throw a proper chest pass, a claim that irritated Jordan to no end … Winter provided Kerr special access to his coaching library and his philosophy when Kerr was with the Bulls, Norm Winter says, adding that Tex’s wife Nancy “once said that Kerr was the one player who reminded her the most of how a youthful Tex played on the court.”"

4. 11 Steps to Becoming a Champion, like the Warriors
by Chris Nielsen, Golden State of Mind

"Beat the best teams in the league. Hell, beat every team in the league. Sweep the Rockets in the regular season. Beat them down after they say you “ain’t even that good.” Make Chris Paul look like a fool. Stick your tongue out at Blake Griffin. Make the Spurs look mortal. Rain on Atlanta’s parade. Grind down the Grindhouse. Make it all look easy."

5. Stephen Curry’s Mouth Guard: An Investigation
by James Camp, New York Times

"Curry chews his mouth guard. No one watching these wonderful N.B.A. finals can have missed it. When Curry shoots a free throw, he likes to gnaw on it: The clear plastic U, like a tiny snorkel, curves up toward the rafters from the side of his mouth. After he makes a field goal, it tends to pop out of place, protruding just past his lips, like terrible dentures. When the field goal is very, very nice, the denture effect becomes more pronounced, to the point that it starts to resemble a second, retractile mouth, tucked within the larger one; I think of “Alien.” (Generally, the farther Curry’s mouth guard ventures from his teeth, the greater his disbelief is at what just happened. Amazing plays, like awful calls, can prompt him to pull it out, and even to throw it.)"

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