The Rotation: Warriors win without Stephen Curry

The NBA playoffs are here. The games are tighter, the lights are brighter, and the narratives are getting thick. It can be a lot to keep up with but don’t worry we’re here to help.

Throughout the NBA postseason, FanSided will be gathering together some of the most talented writers from our network for a daily recap of our favorite stories from the night before.

Welcome to the Rotation.

The Splash Brothers: So fresh, so clean

Cody Williams | @TheSizzle20 | Lake Show Life, FanSided

As the Golden State Warriors took the floor at Oracle Arena for Game 2 with Stephen Curry sitting on the sidelines in plain clothes, Houston Rockets fans had to have a gleam in their eye thinking that this would be the time to pick up a huge upset win on the road. However, even if just one member of The Splash Brothers is present for Golden State, they have the talent to succeed.

Though they dominate on different coasts, Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson have established themselves as the OutKast of the NBA.

On the one hand, there’s Thompson as the Big Boi of the Splash Brothers. Every time both the Warriors guard and the emcee start to execute their craft, there’s an unavoidable level of skill, talent, and importance. Though neither may be going down as the best to ever do it and neither man could honestly deny it, the greatness that’s still present with both men is concrete.

Residing in the same duo, though, you also have a transcendent talent in Curry who mimics the same aura that Andre 3000 brought to the Atlanta-based hip-hop duo. When it’s all said and done, fans are going to have to put both Curry and Andre among the all-time greats in their respective fields, but a big part of that is the uniqueness of their talents. With both Steph’s style of play and Andre 3000’s lyricism and delivery, it’s 100 percent clear that they possess something that can’t be replicated.

Golden State’s backcourt and OutKast are most intertwined, though, in the fact that they both exist in a manner where the whole is greater than the sum of their parts. Andre 3000 and Big Boi are both individual talents with levels of individual greatness that can be achieved as solo acts. But it’s as a duo when they reach their peak and are truly at their pinnacle.

The Splash Brothers are no different. In Game 2 on Monday, it was Klay “Big Boi” Thompson leading the way while Steph 3000 was bound to street clothes on the bench. It was enough to get the win–but in a far less dominant manner than their performance as a duo in their Game 1 victory.

NBA fans can watch to and enjoy a Splash Brother solo effort, but we’ll always be waiting for The Splash Brothers to get back to something that’s a little fresher, a little cleaner–the type of thing only possible when they’re performing side-by-side.

If Dwight doesn’t care, neither should we

Trisity Miller | @Trisity_ | Clipperholics

The despondent glare on Dwight Howard’s face, as he prepared for the walk of shame after fouling out in the fourth quarter against Golden State, told stories.

His eyes served as a reminder of failure. Four minutes left in the quarter, after 12 points, 10 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 blocks, and a +/- of -22, Howard was at his end, smiling shamelessly at the circumstance and situation: the Rockets had once again failed, falling to the hands of a Steph Curry-less Warriors — but not before thoroughly embarrassing themselves.

The critics said the Rockets shouldn’t have been there: W-L record aside, they were right. At no point should it be a chore to watch a basketball. Basketball is supposed to be amusing and for our pleasure, and of the 16 teams in the playoffs — 15 if you, like myself, choose to ignore Memphis’ existence — all but one manage to shoot toward that goal: Houston.

It starts and ends with the man in the middle, Howard, a man whose longing for free agency has already (truthfully, this began mid-season) pushed the center into carefree mode.

Not the carefree Howard embraced early on. That was a fun Howard, corny but without care and not dragging us through thorns to enjoy the journey unless you were an Orlando fan. This is one who has quit, sulks, and as much as one hates to sit back and play armchair psychologist, it’s hard to see it any other way.

This Houston situation seemed perfect when it first came together. Howard could be free from Kobe Bryant’s tyranny and play with James Harden, poised to become the next great NBA wing. Harden’s perimeter skills would allow for Howard to be what DeAndre Jordan is to the Los Angeles Clippers — rim-running to open up the floor and offense and controlling the defense. Ego denied us of that and all that now remains of a once-promising situation is hope, which will only exist when Howard’s elsewhere.

The lack of effort makes it difficult for front offices to evaluate Howard. It could just be the quit in him, giving up and preparing for summer 2016. Or that Howard just isn’t good anymore — in two games, Andrew Bogut has stood superior, the opposite of last season’s Western Conference series between Houston and Golden State. The fact that Houston’s best chances are probably with Clint Capella on the floor, may signal rock bottom for one of the NBA’s most terrifying defenders of all time.

It’s possible Howard sees the requested style of play as a signal of mediocrity and the beginning of his fade from superstar, attempting to reflect the centers of yesteryear on his way out. It’s not true, and instead, Howard is doing so on his own and burning bridges on his way out the door, again. This isn’t Orlando, and to a certain extent, Los Angeles, where Howard’s personality and qualms were ignored because he could still get it done on the court. In a sense, Howard is the friend you defend to no avail, only to be let down and disappointed to find out that everything you hoped wasn’t true, was.

And you know what you do with those friends? Away with them. Dwight no longer deserves our defense.

As my mom once said, ‘you don’t help anyone who doesn’t want to help themselves’, and there’s no better case of that in the league right now than Dwight Howard.

Andre Iguodala is just out here scrimmaging

Kaveh Jam | @KavehsRoom | Hardwood Paroxysm

During a sequence late in the third quarter, after a Dwight Howard jump-hook had cut the Golden State lead to four, Andre Iguodala wandered over to the left wing, just above the three-point line extended. Draymond Green, while canvassing the offense, swung a pass over to Iguodala who immediately pump-faked a three. Patrick Beverley was lodged somewhere behind an Andrew Bogut screen.

No one would have been opposed to Iguodala lofting the three. He was 4-for-5 from that range in the game and appeared to have another clean look. Instead, he weaved his way into the paint, bringing with him both Beverley and Dwight Howard, allowing Bogut to slip unattended to the rim. Just past the free-throw line, Iguodala lifted a lob over the top to Bogut who corralled and flushed an uncontested one-handed dunk.

This is the quandary the Rockets face with Iguodala and precisely what makes him an instrumental part of the Warriors. He is both long-distance sniper and stealth playmaker. What you choose to take away from him simply opens the door to another Warrior advantage. Iguodala — a wily veteran at this stage of his career — is smart enough to leverage the depth of the roster around him.

He finished with 18 points, the most he has ever scored in the playoffs as a reserve. It appeared to come extremely effortless, on 7-for-10 from the field and largely against a defense inclined to supply free lanes to the rim. All of it leading to Iguodala comparing the feel of the game to a “scrimmage.” Houston now finds itself in an impossible situation: patching up a riddled defense while figuring out ways to score themselves.

One of the things that makes Golden State unique among contenders is the synchronism with which their offense and defense operates. On both ends of the floor, they move in unison — think of a water polo team switching ends of a pool. It is the sort of thing that let’s the Warriors put up 115 points in a playoff game without Stephen Curry. Although, Houston’s defensive ineptitude likely contributed to a sizeable part of that as well.

The Warriors are clearly one of the deepest teams in the league and Iguodala’s efficient play as a reserve is really a back-breaker for any opponent, much less one as bungling as the Rockets are defensively. With a late-season ankle injury now apparently in the rearview, his energy, playmaking, and shooting overwhelmed Houston early, leaving the final outcome a matter of formality.

Raymond Felton: A tear in the playoff rain

Josh Hill | @jdavhill | FanSided

If Raymond Felton becomes a hero in a playoff series that ultimately won’t matter, did it really happen?

That’s the question we’re all pondering after Felton went from vilified to vindicated in a matter of seconds in Game 2. Felton is a hero for leading Dallas with 21-points and 11-rebounds in a season-saving win, but he was so close to being the scapegoat in a 0-2 series deficit. If Steve Adams releases his shot a second earlier than he did, all of a sudden we’re talking about how the best player on the floor for Dallas was Felton and how that’s not going to win you much in the playoffs. Instead, Adams is the goat while the Felton, th guy who missed two critical free throws, is the one who helped Dallas win the day.

That’s what playoff basketball does — it has the power to magnify moments and performances even in games that won’t matter in a month. There is no chance in hell that either of these teams beat the Spurs, let alone win a series against the Warriors. But this series isn’t about anything more than living in the moment; accepting the fact that most of these early round games and performances are nothing more than tears in the playoff rain.

The fun thing about this Mavs-Thunder series is that we’re allowed to have short-term memory loss when it comes to things like how Felton was one tip-in way from taking the blame for putting Dallas’ season on the brink. He’s allowed to be a flawed hero and we’re allowed to champion him because we all know none of it will matter soon anyways. Why not just enjoy things while they last?

That’s why this series is so amazing — it’s Kubrick-level existentialism in all of its depressing beauty. High stakes basketball with all of the ultimate meaningless of a preseason game. There’s no point in thinking about tomorrow because there won’t be one for either team, even the series winner. If Dallas wins, you can bet they’re getting maybe one game against San Antonio before bowing out. Ditto for Oklahoma City, who might put up more of a fight but probably won’t make it beyond a six-game series with the Spurs.

God forbid either of these teams get a series against Golden State. If this Mavs-Thunder series is a Kubrick production, a series against the Dubs would be a Tarantino bloodbath.

Neither of these two teams are even close to making it out of the conference and neither will win the NBA Finals. But why can’t we just enjoy this series for what it is: damn-fine entertaining basketball. Who cares if this series is just the undercard fight before the title bout — we couldn’t get enough of the drama late in Game 2.

Raymond Felton’s heroic pendulum swing, and our unashamed praise of him, perfectly epitomizes this.

Rick Carlisle And Chamber Of Thunderstruck

Gerald Bourguet | @GeraldBourguet | HoopsHabit

Death, taxes, and the Oklahoma City Thunder falling apart in the fourth quarter. Nothing else is certain in this life.

Heading into its first round series with the Dallas Mavericks, the Thunder was heavily favored by virtue of having two of the 10 best players in the NBA. With a second round matchup against the Spurs looming, Oklahoma City was expected to take care of business against a Mavs team being carried by a 37-year-old Dirk Nowitzki and Rick Carlisle’s coaching certificate from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

But as much as Clippers-Blazers has been pegged as the “upset alert” series out West, Game 2 shed some Lumos on something that completely flew under the radar: If the Mavs could just hang around through the first three quarters, they had a legitimate chance of winning this series, and that was before Monday when they tied it, 1-1.

Why? It all goes back to Carlisle putting a Confundus charm on his opponents down the stretch and the late-game execution that’s plagued the Thunder all year.

Don’t be fooled by Carlisle’s memory charm, though. He could put on a robe, pull out a wand, reveal himself as an actual sorcerer and cry out “Obliviate!” and still, exactly no one would believe him when he says he’s not an analytics guy. This masterful schemer is well aware of the advantage his team has in the clutch if the score is close.

Despite an impressive 55-win season, OKC suffered a league-worst 14 losses in games where it led entering the fourth quarter. In the first three quarters, the Thunder boasted a total point differential of +588. In the fourth quarter? It plummeted to a measly +1.

The Mavs, on the other hand, played in a league-high 12 overtime games, going 8-4 in those contests. They were only a +27 in the fourth quarter overall, but since they posted a total plus/minus of -27 on the season, suffice it to say that Dallas is a well-coached, cohesive unit that knows how to execute with the game on the line.

According to NBA.com, the Mavs posted a net rating of +16.0 in “clutch situations” (last five minutes, five-point differential or less), this season. That ranked second in the league, trailing only the Warriors’ otherworldly mark of +38.2. By the same crunch-time metrics, the Thunder were a -8.3 and ranked 24th.

Fast forward to Game 2 and the incredulous look on Steven Adams’ mustachioed mug after his buzzer-beater was ruled to be just a split-second too late. It was the perfect image to encapsulate the Thunder’s late-game woes that are harder to shake than an Imperius Curse.

Over the final 6:47 of the game, the Thunder was outscored 16-8. They went 3-for-16 from the floor (not including the late buzzer-beater that was waived off) and committed two turnovers in that span, with a -28.4 net rating over the game’s final five minutes. They were stiffer than a Petrificus Totalus-ed Neville Longbottom.

To be fair to the Thunder, Kevin Durant probably isn’t going to go 7-for-33 again in this series (tying Michael Jordan for the most missed field goals in a playoff game), and Raymond Felton probably won’t drop 21 points again. There’s a very good chance the Thunder strike back with a vengeance and close in five games since, as we saw in Game 1, The Thunder are clearly the superior team.

But if Nowitzki can have another vintage Dirk performance or two, if role players like Felton, Deron Williams, Justin Anderson and Salah Mejri can step up, and if Rick Carlisle is allowed to continue coaching his team as a real-life warlock, the Mavericks have a chance.

Fending off Durant and Russell Westbrook for the first 36 minutes of any game is a tall task, but if the Mavs can keep it close until that final 12, they could legitimately upset a team that continually finds ways to Stupefy their own late-game execution.

Playoff Cory Joseph is here, and he is fantastic

Ian Levy | @HickoryHigh | FanSided

Cory Joseph has an NBA championship ring. He earned it by chipping in all of 87 minutes during the San Antonio Spurs championship run in 2013-14, but it’s the same size as Kawhi Leonard’s ring.

So far this postseason, Joseph has had a chance to chip in a bit more for his Toronto Raptors. After an 98-87 win last night to even their series with the Indiana Pacers, Joseph has now played 48 minutes, scoring 34 points across the two games. He is 11-of-14 from the field and has hit all eight of his free throw attempts. As Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan have struggled to make shots, Joseph has been a wellspring of scoring efficiency.

Joseph was enormously important for the Raptors during the regular season, although his numbers may not have accurately reflected it. His turnover, assist, and rebound percentages were all worse this season in Toronto. His shooting percentages were down, significantly. However, Joseph served as the offensive engine for a second unit that destroyed opponents all season long and his ability to overlap with Lowry, playing on or off the ball, allowed Dwane Casey a considerable degree of lineup flexibility.

Watching Joseph carve up Indiana’s backcourt — slicing to the rim for twisting layups, backing up defenders for pull-up jumpers, bending the defense and setting off a cascade of increasingly late rotations — it’s clear that he belongs here in the playoffs, making big plays in big games. His performance has been more than a little reminiscent of Tony Parker, for whom Joseph served as primary understudy the past two seasons in San Antonio. He is not a deadly shooter, explosive finisher, or artful passer. But Joseph is constantly moving, blindingly aware that every one of his movements creates a defensive reaction. Like a puppet master, he is pushing Indiana’s chess pieces all over the board, setting himself up for the scoring opportunities his modest athleticism and shooting touch can handle.

For years, the San Antonio Spurs have been this machine of player development and reclamation. Aging veterans, and raw, marginal young players are transformed into bastions of confidence and competence by their system and organizational values. For the vast majority of those players, San Antonio winds up being the eventual end of the road. The veterans get used up. The rookies become part of the collective. That’s why it’s been so fun watching Joseph in Toronto, putting his learned Spursiness to use. He’s playing like a Spur, controlling good portions of playoff games with no wasted energy or effort. It is subtle. It is understated (except for his true shooting percentage). And it is fantastic.