David Griffin put together the last roster that beat the Warriors in the postseason.
The former Cavaliers GM knows how thin the margin of success was in 2016 and how infinitesimal it is since Golden State added Kevin Durant.
“Last year we had even less ability to overcome what they did offensively,” Griffin, now an analyst for SiriusXM, said of the difference between the last two NBA Finals, which the Cavaliers and Warriors split.
“You have to be almost perfect in what you do and we weren’t good enough to overcome the level of talent they have on the court. You just can’t ever make a mistake and they make you pay in a way very few teams ever have.”
That is the challenge in front of the Rockets, who won a league-best 65 games this season, have the likely MVP in James Harden and are still considered a significant underdog in the Western Conference finals. What was good enough in the regular season may not be in the playoffs.
“We are going to see if they are going to be able to adjust and at times be uncomfortable,” said Kenny Smith, TNT analyst and two-time champion with the Rockets.
“To win a championship you have to do something that’s going to make you uncomfortable. They’re either going to have to slow it down, abandon the isolation, abandon something that they typically do all the time because that’s just the nature of winning a championship.”
The Rockets could represent the best chance to stop the Warriors from winning three titles in four years. The Cavaliers and Celtics are set to battle in the Eastern finals, but there is little reason to believe Kyrie Irving-less Cleveland is better suited to knock off Golden State than last season’s team. The Celtics have pulled off a miracle to make it this far.
What do the Rockets have that could end the Warriors’ reign atop the sport? While Harden and Chris Paul deservedly get the lion’s share of the credit it could be the emergence of Clint Capela that gives Houston any chance.
“He’s gotten to the point where he’s a legitimate threat on both sides of the floor and I think he’s somebody that might make it that you might have to stay big if you’re Golden State,” Griffin said. “The lineups the Warriors have had a great deal of success with of late are geared away from going big.
“I think it’s possible Capela could be so impactful that they have to keep a traditional big on the court. That would be a real concern for me.”
But since the acquisition of Durant, the Warriors have not even been threatened in the postseason. They are 24-3 overall in six series and have yet to even be pushed to a Game 6.
“Kevin is the piece you can’t really game plan for because they are so good around him you can’t really decide: We’re going to keep Kevin out of the game,” said Griffin, who will be working with Turner Sports for the NBA Finals. “He’s the piece that gives them the most versatility because he’s a 7-foot, guard-skilled big man who is their best rim protector. That’s absurd.”
