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The winners and losers of the 2017 NBA Finals
Every championship round has a winner and a loser. (Wow, I just felt like Magic Johnson's Twitter account writing that.) But in truth, every NBA Finals has its own winners and losers, beyond just one team hoisting the Larry O'Brien trophy, and the other going home to sulk as the runner-up. Here are the winners and losers from the 2016-17 NBA Finals.
Winners
LeBron's legacy
In his seventh consecutive Finals, LeBron James has never felt more at ease with his place in the game. Even after the Cavs fell behind 3-0 in the series, he referenced Theodore Roosevelt’s “The Man in the Arena” speech to explain why he’s no longer bothered by criticism. The part of the speech that stands out in relation to how we view LeBron’s legacy based on his Finals results: “...if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.”
The Finals loss is LeBron’s third in four seasons, and drops his overall record to 3-5 in the Finals. But consider: Draymond Green placed a call to Kevin Durant in the parking lot of Oracle Arena in the immediate aftermath of last year’s Game 7 loss. The Warriors, a team that won 73 games last season, added Durant in an effort to topple LeBron, who just came off the most iconic Finals performance of his career. If anything, the existence of this Golden State super team is the best indicator of where LeBron stands among the all-time greats.
Add in the fact he just averaged 33.6 points, 12.0 rebounds and 10.0 assists in the Finals in his 14th season in the league, there’s a reason why LeBron seems completely at peace with the results of these Finals regardless of the outcome. Figuring out how to win a championship while this Warriors team is in tact will be difficult. Figuring out LeBron's legacy even as the Finals losses pile up will not be at all.
Kevin Durant
Set all the "KD joined a 73-win team that came back from 3-1 to deny him a Finals appearance" narratives aside, and zoom out and assess this Warriors season as a whole, and you can appreciate how successful the incorporation of Durant into Golden State's lineup was, especially after a Christmas Day loss to the Cavs, when Durant and Stephen Curry slowly figured out how to maximize their talents together on the court.
But as Draymond Green said earlier in the Finals: the Warriors didn't need Durant for the regular season. He was acquired for these playoffs, and specifically the Finals against LeBron and the Cavs. Durant's Finals performance, which earned him the unanimous Finals MVP award, left no doubt as to whether leaving the Thunder was the right choice for his career, even if many would still argue it was the incorrect one. 39 points on 14-for-20 shooting in the Finals clincher. 35.2 points, 8.4 rebounds and 5.4 assists on 55.5/47.4/92.7 shooting in the series. All of our Kevin Durant narratives are now officially dead.
Rihanna
Let's never forget Rihanna's legendary courtside performance in Game 1:
Amazing.— Rob Perez (@World_Wide_Wob) June 2, 2017
Rihanna bows to LeBron then hits a dab and small waves a Warriors fan telling her to sit down.
pic.twitter.com/q0IyIPIbGK
Heckling:
Listen: Rihanna yells "BRIIIIIICK!!!" at Durant during free throw, he stares her down twice (h/t @tshent) pic.twitter.com/XYdFOv9mc3— Rob Perez (@World_Wide_Wob) June 2, 2017
She even left the game on a high-note:
Rihanna: "it doesn't matter, bitch", as she passes Cavs locker room. pic.twitter.com/6DJDBL25Gj— Tony Zarrella (@TonyZ19) June 2, 2017
Jeff Van Gundy
JVG had himself two signature highlights from these Finals. First:
"Rihanna just walked in front of me." Jeff Van Gundy, the realest, out here willing to risk it all. pic.twitter.com/z2jTfiBYrh— Sean Craig (@sdbcraig) June 2, 2017
Second, correctly going after everyone who is so quick to blame whoever a player is dating whenever they don't play well, a tried and true idiotic way to diagnose any athlete's struggles:
Jeff Van Gundy goes on rant defending Khloe Kardashian during game 4 of the NBA finals pic.twitter.com/SSz828NtV3— gifdsports (@gifdsports) June 10, 2017
Stephen Curry
No more 3-1 jokes. No more the unanimous MVP was stopped by Kevin Love in the closing seconds of Game 7. Even no more Under Armour shoe jokes! The Curry 4s were actually adequately looking (I'm not about to declare them fresh though). Curry finished the Finals with averages of 26.8 points, 8.0 rebounds and 9.4 assists. And:
Kevin Durant now calling Steph Curry "Two-time"— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) June 13, 2017
Plus:
Glory to God! pic.twitter.com/5nlTXUObqp— Stephen Curry (@StephenCurry30) June 13, 2017
Draymond Green
Draymond personally blamed himself for costing the Warriors the championship last season, then came back this year, kept himself under control, and there were no suspensions or distractions in the playoffs as his Warriors went 16-1. Add to the fact that he officially kicked off recruiting Kevin Durant in the parking lot of Oracle Arena in the aftermath of last year's Game 7 loss, Draymond might want to personally give himself credit for creating a dynasty in Golden State.
Kyrie Irving
The title of "LeBron's best teammate ever" (with apologies to James Jones) might belong to Kyrie Irving by the time it's all set and done. Even in a losing effort, Irving again reminded us of his offensive brilliance, an "AND 1" player existing in an NBA Finals point guard's body, the world's most famous flat-earth truther bent space and time on his way to averaging 29.4 points on 47.2/41.9/90.0 shooting in the series.
The toaster Klay Thompson signed
Expect every Warriors fan to bring a toaster to autograph signings next season:
Thank you, #KlayToaster: The #Warriors went 31-2 and won an NBA title after Klay Thompson signed this toaster: https://t.co/2qqR46YFAv pic.twitter.com/vbaiJ6QCeI— SFGate (@SFGate) June 13, 2017
JaVale McGee
I'm the only person ever with a rat tail and a NBA championship! Let that sink in!— Javale McGee (@JaValeMcGee34) June 13, 2017
Losers
Any team not named the Cavs or Warriors
We covered this a bit in The Mulligan this month, but watching the Cavs compete with the Warriors in these Finals, teams around the league have to ask themselves: when will we ever get close to competing with these teams. There's no one in the East who can consider themselves legitimate contenders to Cleveland's throne next season. Meanwhile, good luck chasing the Warriors. The Cavs were considered a potential threat to upset Golden State, and look at where all their hard-earned effort got them: one win. To everyone else in the NBA: good luck!
Kevin Love
It's probably not fair to put Kevin Love in the losers section especially after he asserted himself quite well in the Finals, averaging 16.0 points and 11.2 rebounds and playing adequate defense as well. But, this is the curse of being the third banana on this team. LeBron is LeBron. Kyrie has proven himself to be a ridiculous second scoring option, and Love – well, he just wrapped up his best season in Cleveland but there will surely be a million trade rumors linked to him this offseason, and then a few hundred more when the season begins. That's just the cost of being on a LeBron super team.
Dahntay Jones
How you come out of the season having earned the equivalent of a pair of Kyries?
Dahntay Jones' playoff fines are now up to $9,000. Season salary was $9,127. https://t.co/WEbzMgi3nV— Brian Windhorst (@WindhorstESPN) June 10, 2017
Dan Gilbert
Dan Gilbert paid a bunch of money to bring LeBron back to Cleveland and assemble a championship team and all he got at the championship parade was a half-hearted thumbs up from the King last year. Despite losing these Finals, the Cavs have the highest payroll in the league and the bill will continue to get heftier for Gilbert as he keeps this group together and will likely have to continue adding to the supporting cast at LeBron's request to even keep up with this Warriors team. It might be a pretty large sum of money poured into a team that might not deliver another championship as Golden State ushers in a new era of dominance.
The officials from Game 4
In the end, Cleveland's wild Game 4 win over the Warriors was inconsequential, just a blip in Golden State's 16-1 postseason run. But man, that third quarter, when Draymond was ejected and then we all realized he wasn't because a first half technical assessed to him actually went to Steve Kerr. And all hell breaking loose, including a Dahntay Jones technical when he wasn't even in the game, or a skirmish between Zaza Pachulia and Iman Shumpert where the refs missed a few things. Add it all up, it was not the greatest officiating performance, but in time, we'll probably forget about. Just not today, not for this list.
More must-reads:
- How the Warriors were able to win the title
- Ty Lue does not see ‘big gap’ between Cavs and Warriors
- The 'Multiple-time NBA MVP winners' quiz
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TODAY'S BEST
NBA Analyst Believes Former League MVP Would 'Flourish' With Knicks Amid Free Agency Rumors
The New York Knicks entered the offseason looking to make some small upgrades to their roster as they try to build of their run to the Eastern Conference Finals last season. Of course, the Knicks are set to bring back their core of Jalen Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns, Josh Hart, OG Anunoby and Mikal Bridges next season but one area they needed to improve was their bench. That is exactly what the Knicks focused on during free agency as they signed Jordan Clarkson and Guerschon Yabusele, filling two key holes in their second unit. After signing both Yabusele and Clarkson, New York still does have one more roster space open and they have been linked to many players. Rachel Nichols believes Knicks should sign Russell Westbrook Two player who have garnered the most attention from the Knicks are Ben Simmons and Russell Westbrook and NBA analyst Rachel Nichols believes that Westbrook would “flourish” in New York. “That’s a team that needs a guy like him. That actually has a slot for a guy like him. I think he would flourish in New York,” Nichols said on the Open Floor podcast. “I think New York fans would love him, and I think he would be able to fill that sort of vet energy role really well.” Nichols does make a great point about Westbrook being a solid fit in New York off the bench as the backup point guard behind Brunson. Of course, Westbrook revitalized his NBA career last season with the Denver Nuggets as he proved that he could still be a key piece both off the bench and in the starting lineup on a contending team. Last season, the former MVP averaged 13.3 points, 4.9 rebounds, 6.1 assists and 1.4 steals per game while shooting 44.9% from the field and 32.3% from three. For the Knicks, adding Westbrook to their roster would give them another great scorer and playmaker off the bench and would allow Miles McBride to slot in as the backup shooting guard with Clarkson being a forward. By signing Westbrook, the Knicks would be able to upgrade their bench even more this offseason and with the East being weakened due to injuries, New York could be the team to beat next season in the conference.
Jaydon Blue injury update: Major news emerges on Cowboys RB after Thursday practice exit
According to Nick Harris of The Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Dallas Cowboys running back Jaydon Blue suffered a bone bruise in his heel on Thursday. Blue was stepped on during practice, initially looking at an ankle sprain. Thankfully, the MRI came back with some positive news. “Cowboys RB Jaydon Blue’s MRI revealed a bone bruise in his heel after it was stepped on in today’s practice, according to a @startelegram source,” Harris said via X. “No ankle sprain. Good news for the young back who has emerged as an offensive playmaker in camp.” Blue previously told Harris that an ankle injury was what he suffered. Questions about the running back’s availability for Saturday’s preseason game against the Los Angeles Rams are now present. Something to watch as kickoff is scheduled for 6 p.m. CT from SoFi Stadium. Dallas took Blue in the fifth round of the 2025 NFL Draft, hoping to address its running back situation. Blue played his college ball inside the Lone Star State, suiting up for the Texas Longhorns. Plenty of guys at the position have come out of Austin and found quick success. Blue is hoping to be the next one. For now, there is an injury for him to deal with. No exact timeline has been provided per a report or by a team official. Hopefully, Blue is able to get things cleared up quickly and get his first taste of the NFL before Sept. 4’s season opener against the Philadelphia Eagles. More on Jaydon Blue, Cowboys running back situation Running back was a position the Cowboys needed to desperately figure out this offseason. Rico Dowdle, the team’s leading rusher, was no longer on the roster. Behind Dowdle, Dallas did not have much else. A nice mix of veteran presence and youngsters was needed. Javonte Williams and Miles Sanders provide the former, while Blue was a part of the draft class alongside Phil Mafah. A combination of those four figures to be on the opening night roster. Exactly how head coach Brian Schottenheimer splits up the carries is not yet known. Blue’s injury certainly does not help the situation. Cowboys players, in general, have been going down throughout training camp thus far. Making sure everyone is healthy will be critical heading into the season. Especially an explosive back like Blue, someone who can change the outcome of any game in just the snap of your fingers.
Padres already demoting one of their trade-deadline acquisitions
The Padres announced they’ve optioned JP Sears to Triple-A El Paso. They recalled reliever Sean Reynolds and will go with a nine-man bullpen in the short term. Sears will spend at least 15 days in the minors unless he’s brought up to replace a player going on the injured list. San Diego acquired Sears alongside Mason Miller in last week’s massive deadline deal. The 29-year-old southpaw made his team debut Monday night. He allowed five runs in as many innings on 10 hits and a walk against the Diamondbacks. Sears took the loss in a 6-2 defeat. He’d carried a 4.95 earned run average over 22 starts with the A’s. Monday's performance pushed his ERA to 5.12 across 116 innings. It’s a bottom-10 mark among pitchers to log at least 100 frames. Sears had the highest home run rate among that group, offsetting his nearly league-average 20.3% strikeout rate and solid 6% walk percentage. This is the first time in two-and-a-half years that Sears heads to the minors. He broke camp with the A’s in 2023 and has been in the majors since then. Sears has also avoided the injured list for that entire time. As a result, he’s tied for fifth in MLB with 87 starts since the beginning of the ’23 season. The durability is the big selling point, as his production (4.62 ERA/4.56 SIERA) over that stretch is that of a fifth or sixth starter. The demotion shouldn’t have any impact on Sears’ service trajectory. He has already surpassed the three-year mark and will qualify for arbitration next winter. He’s under team control for three seasons beyond this one. While he’ll probably be back up at some point this year, it may require an injury elsewhere in the rotation. San Diego optioned Randy Vásquez over the weekend. They have a four-man rotation of Dylan Cease, Nick Pivetta, Yu Darvish and deadline acquisition Nestor Cortes. Darvish and Cortes will get the ball for the next two outings. San Diego is off Thursday and could turn back to Pivetta and Cease on extra rest for their first two games of the weekend series against the Red Sox. That’d point to the series finale on Aug. 10 as Michael King’s return date. King threw 61 pitches in what is expected to be his final rehab start on Sunday, via the MLB.com injury tracker. He’d be on six days' rest for his first MLB appearance since he went on the injured list in late May with a nerve problem in his throwing shoulder.
Palworld Studio Adds Another 'Exciting Game' to Its Growing List of Hits
Palworld Studio’s publishing division seems to have a knack for grabbing attention lately, and they’re not slowing down. The studio behind the highly anticipated monster-collecting survival game Palworld just announced they’ve signed yet another “very exciting game” to their lineup. And yes, we’re all ears—though we’re still trying to figure out how they balance releasing one banger after another without breaking a sweat. Their latest announcement follows hot on the heels of their impressive work backing a new horror game featuring talent tied to Baldur’s Gate 3 and Final Fantasy. It seems their publishing arm is becoming the go-to for delivering games that make players pause their beloved playthroughs and say, “Alright, fine, take my money.” What’s next, world domination? At this rate, we wouldn’t be surprised. Palworld’s Publishing Momentum is Unstoppable It’s no secret that Palworld itself has been a major talking point in the gaming sphere. This isn’t just your average monster-collecting game; it’s a delightfully chaotic mashup of Pokémon-like creature taming mixed with dystopian survival elements. And yes, you can wield guns while standing alongside your adorable (and potentially exploitable) pals. If that doesn’t scream absurd fun, what does? But what’s intriguing about Palworld Studio is how their publishing arm continues to expand with titles that don’t just ride on the coattails of Palworld’s buzz. Instead, they’re curating a diverse collection of innovative games that somehow scream “this is worth your time” even before you hit the download button. It’s becoming apparent that they’ve tapped into something most publishers can only dream of. From Horror to Hopeful Anticipation The recent horror game they helped bring to life is evidence of Palworld’s ability to pick winners. Featuring developers with experience on mammoth titles like Baldur’s Gate 3 and Final Fantasy, this game blurred the line between spine-tingling chills and jaw-dropping visuals. The kind of game that makes you want to leave the lights on, but also keeps you glued to the screen. This success wasn’t just a one-off. It proved that their publishing arm isn’t about quantity for the sake of it, but about finding games with real potential to connect with audiences. And now, with the news of their next “exciting game” signing, the studio is making it clear they’re not just a one-hit (Palworld) wonder. What Makes Palworld Studio Unique? What’s refreshing about the Studio is that they’re building a reputation not only for their own creations but also for their keen eye as a publisher. They’re choosing projects that feel distinct, well-crafted, and most importantly, fun. This combination of bold decision-making and a knack for gaming trends is likely why they’ve been so successful in catching the attention of hardcore gamers and casual players alike. While some publishers flood the market with games that feel like clones of one another, Palworld seems laser-focused on quality and originality. Whether it’s through survival horror or creature-collecting madness, they’re ensuring that each game they touch carves its own identity in the vast gaming landscape. What’s the Mystery Game? Of course, the identity of their latest “very exciting game” is still under wraps, and we’re left to speculate (read “obsessively refresh the news feed”) about what it could be. Is it another survival title? A new RPG with mind-blowing mechanics? Or perhaps something totally out of left field? The one thing we do know is that Palworld Studio has already proven its ability to deliver. Their track record alone is enough to keep gamers invested, and whatever this new project is, expectations are sky-high. No pressure, right? What Does the Future Hold for Palworld Studio? With Palworld still riding a tidal wave of hype and their publishing portfolio growing stronger with every announcement, it’s safe to say Palworld Studio has carved a spot for themselves as a major player in the industry. And if their next project lands as well as their previous efforts, they might just redefine everyone’s expectations for what a modern game studio and publisher can achieve. While we wait (impatiently) for their sensational mystery game to be revealed, all eyes are on Palworld. Will their unique blend of chaos and charm live up to the hype when it eventually drops? Judging by their track record, we’re willing to bet on it. Why Palworld Should Be On Your Radar If you haven’t been following the studio’s meteoric rise, you’re missing out. Whether it’s their quirky and ambitious Palworld or their growing list of well-crafted published games, everything this studio touches seems to turn into a hit. And with their latest announcement promising yet another gem on the horizon, there’s never been a better time to keep Palworld Studio on your radar (and your wishlist). Stay tuned, because if one thing’s clear about Palworld Studio, it’s that they’re just getting started.
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