2021 NBA Finals Roundtable

NBA Finals Roundtable
Joe Camporeale/USA TODAY Sports

The last series of the season is here. For such a grand occasion, some of the staff at Def Pen Hoops came together to discuss the matchup in an NBA Finals Roundtable.

Despite enduring multiple game delays and games missed from COVID19 safety protocols, the NBA Finals have arrived. While the turbulent journey provided much dialogue on what the league should have done, the destination makes for compelling television. Both the Milwaukee Bucks and Phoenix Suns supply a breath of fresh air to the championship round.

The year 2021 is synonymous with history-making events, including witnessing a female, and person of color, as the Vice President of the United States. Naturally, the NBA followed suit.

Phoenix Suns’ point guard Chris Paul advanced to the NBA Finals for the first time in his career while also leading the Suns to their first postseason in 11 seasons. In the Eastern Conference, the Milwaukee Bucks have a shot at small market validation by hoisting up the Larry O’Brien trophy. Despite Giannis Antetokounmpo’s day-to-day injury status, the Bucks berthed a trip to the NBA Finals.

What is your take on the overall playoff experience and the journey both teams endured?

Jonathan Howard:

The Playoffs have been great for the most part. The actual games have been competitive and outside of the Phoenix Suns sweeping the Denver Nuggets in Round 2, each series has had some parity. The amount of injuries is concerning and the rushed season can be blamed for that. The regular season had a ton of injuries and the postseason wasn’t any different. Hopefully, Giannis Antetokounmpo is healthy for the Finals and we get a battle of the stars between him and Booker.

David Morrow:

The big discussion this season and last has been the whole “asterisk” thing. I am anti-asterisk. This season has felt different, rushed with more untimely injuries to big-name players than normal. But making the NBA Finals — hell, even the Conference finals — is really, really hard. Tacking on an asterisk on whoever wins the 2021 NBA Championship is disingenuous and unfair to these teams and their accomplishments. These teams overcame a lot, including injuries of their own. Overall, I think these playoffs have been tremendous fun, although the injuries have obviously been a downer. But having a Finals without the usual suspects in them will actually be a bit of a fun, fresh change. It will be fun to see how the narratives around both of these teams and their players change, especially whichever team wins.

David Loaiza:

As someone that watches the NBA from outside the US, having the fans back in
the arena has added so much to that at-home experience of watching the playoff
games. Injuries have made their presence felt in the majority of the series and it’s
sad because of the quality of play that was lost without the stars, but at the end of the day
it’s part of the game and all the teams have to adapt. Even the two that are now in
the Finals, Booker is still playing with a broken nose, and Paul had a minor
shoulder injury in the Lakers’ series. The Bucks still have the uncertainty about
Giannis. All the seasons we have injuries but in this one, they will be one of the
things we will remember about the 2020-21 season.
When the league announced the premature season start with a condensed schedule, I predicted a barrage of injuries and a lackluster on-court product. Unfortunately, I was correct in my first prophecy, seen in the multiple playoff teams affected by injury. However, with Chris Paul in his first NBA Finals, I can honestly say I’m happy with the NBA Finals matchup as both teams endured a serious injury on their way to the championship round.

Why is this series important for the league?

Jonathan Howard:

This series needs to be competitive and fun. If it isn’t people will shrug and assume the small markets aren’t worth watching even when they’re the best teams. This is also a shift in the league to a new era of stars. With LeBron James aging and a new crop of talent ready to take over the league. Booker or Giannis need to have great series and show that they could be the new leaders of the NBA. It could be the Finals we say “That’s when the league changed!” 5 years from now. With only Jae Crowder having Finals experience, this will be a battle of the new age through and through.

David Morrow:

History is written by the winners. That is to say, whoever wins this championship will be the crafter of narratives. I can’t wait for the discussions about how close Giannis Antetekounmpo is to be thebest player in the world and if Khris Middleton or Jrue Holiday are top-15 players. Or, alternatively, I can’t wait for the discussions on Chris Paul’s legacy and where Booker and Deandre Ayton fall in the player rankings. I also think it’s fun that the two teams to make the Finals won’t be “super teams.” Sure. Phoenix brought in Paul and Milwaukee added Jrue Holiday, but those guys aren’t Kevin Durant or LeBron James. I’m all for player empowerment and believe players should go play where they want, but seeing Booker or Antetokounmpo winning a championship with the team that drafted them will be cool nonetheless. I doubt that does much to change the “super team” era that we seem to be in, in part because teams like the Nets and Lakers were injured, but I think crowning a champion no one expected to win will be cool.

David Loaiza:

In many ways, this matchup for the NBA Finals feels rights. On the West, the
almighty Lakers and defending champions end up leaving in the first round and, in
the East, the three-headed monster that was the Nets were done in the second round. We also have three stars that we have been waiting for them to show up in the postseason. After
two years winning MVPs, Giannis slew the demons of the bubble, sadly for my
Heat, and waived all the haters that criticized him for the failures in past seasons.
In Phoenix, we have been waiting to see Booker in big games since he made his
debut in the league, and then to put the icing on the cake, the Point God is in the
NBA Finals after 16 years in the league. In a way, it’s like a movie plot.
Lance Roberson:
Aside from the small market conversation that many talking heads scoff and whine about on national tv, it’s the importance of pushing the next generation’s stars. Although two-time MVP Giannis has the individual awards, capturing a championship title will launch him into the best player world category in even the causal fans’ eyes. On the other end, Devin Booker was far from a household name before this postseason run. Now, with a chance at donning a championship ring, the NBA can take this opportunity to advertise him as the next huge star in the NBA.

What matchup intrigues you most?

Jonathan Howard: The Suns’ backcourt vs the Bucks’ frontcourt. Which one will come out on top? Both are of vital importance to their team winning and whichever has the best series will end up the champions.

David Morrow:

I think it’s Brook Lopez and Ayton. Lopez is a solid defender, but Ayton has been one of, if not the rising star of these playoffs. I’m interested to see if Lopez can slow him down. On the other end, I’m interested to see how Lopez’s shooting ability stretches the Suns’ defense. Also, the No. 1 thing to look for in any team playing Phoenix is how it handles pick-and-roll defense. Paul and Booker are maestros who will tear apart drop coverage with their relentless midrange prowess. I wonder if Mike Budenholzer will be forced to go with a Giannis-at-center lineup for stretches, something that I’ve thought he should have done long ago.

David Loaiza:

I would have to go with Khris Middleton and Devin Booker. Both are the go-to scorers of their teams. When in need of a big bucket, especially from three-point range, they are the ones that have to answer. Therefore, for their teams to have a chance at the title, they have to show up in crunch time. I’m also intrigued by Crowder and PJ Tucker, if I could bet on who will be thrown out in a game of the series I would definitely do it. Putting money on both of them of course.
Lance Roberson:
I’m most intrigued by what the Suns do to Giannis Antetokounmpo if he’s able to play. I know last postseason the Miami Heat utilized Jae Crowder on the two-time MVP. Will Ayton be able to deter Antetounmpo from the rim? Does Monty Williams have a team defensive scheme to swarm the paint while protecting the 3-point line?

Who wins the series, Finals MVP?

Jonathan Howard:

Suns in six; Chris Paul is the MVP.

David Morrow:

I think I’m going with Paul for Finals MVP. That’s who I hope to see, at least, and I do think he’s Phoenix’s most important player at this point. I could definitely see Booker or maybe even Ayton taking home the award, but Paul going from never having made a Finals to winning Finals MVP
would be such a cool redemption arc. And Paul is really, really good. If Milwaukee wins, I kind of think Middleton takes home Finals MVP. I’m probably overthinking this one, maybe Giannis (assuming he comes back relatively healthy) wins it with the sheer numbers he always puts
up, but these games are going to come down to crunch time, and if Milwaukee wins, that means it’s crunch time guy — Middleton. Phoenix in 7. I think these teams are pretty well-matched. Down the stretch, however, I trust Paul more than I trust any other player in this series, even though I’m a huge Middleton fan. Antetokounmpo is listed as doubtful for Game 1, and his injury history has the potential to shift this series in Phoenix’s favor even further. Without Giannis, this series isn’t close. The Phoenix in 7 pick assumes Giannis is back and looks like himself by Game 2 or 3 at the latest.

David Loaiza:

Suns in 6 and for the MVP Chris Paul as the leader of the Suns this season and
maybe a couple of 30-point games in the series.
Lance Roberson:
The enormous elephant in the room is, of course, Antetokounmpo’s health. Without the Bucks’ fearless leader, I see the Suns capturing its franchise lone championship in five games, with Chris Paul securing Finals MVP honors. However, if Antetokounmpo can give it a go starting game two and is relatively healthy, I see the Bucks winning in seven. The Finals MVP for such a scenario is hard to call, but I’ll go with Antetokoumnpo.
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