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Ranking the Most Important Players in the NBA Finals
On Sept. 30, 2019, Miami Heat players and coaches participated in media day at AmericanAirlines Arena to kick off the start of the 2019–20 season. Exactly one calendar year later, they will open the 2019–20 NBA finals against LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers.
One franchise enters the matchup possessing two of the best players in the entire league, while the other rode a roster deep with talent to a finals appearance. Both teams are now in their 12 week living in the Disney bubble with Game 1 of the finals being the 85 consecutive day on-campus for both teams. Ahead of what surely will be an entertaining matchup, the following is an attempt to rank the most important 24 players in the finals based on how each player might impact the series when on the floor.
24. Jared Dudley, Lakers
The 34-year-old Dudley has appeared in just six games this postseason. He played just over 12 total minutes in the Lakers’ series wins over the Rockets and Nuggets and took just one field goal combined in his three most recent appearances.
23. J.R. Smith, Lakers
When Smith signed with the Lakers ahead of the NBA’s restart, much was made about the impact he might have. Some comments took the form of memes while others dealt more with a potential on-court impact. LeBron James’s former Cavaliers teammate made his postseason debut in Game 2 of the Lakers’ series against Portland, playing more than 21 minutes and taking 12 shots. Two games later, in Game 4 of the series, he logged more than 16 minutes, hitting one of his five field goal attempts. Since then, however, Smith has barely played. He logged just over six minutes in LA’s series against the Rockets and played just four total minutes (all in Game 1) in LA’s conference finals win over the Nuggets. He seems firmly out of the rotation.
22. Meyers Leonard, Heat
Leonard might be the player that the TV broadcast cuts to most often after big Heat three-pointers or defensive stops as he’s seemingly always standing up, cheering on his teammates from Miami’s bench area. Like Udonis Haslem (who did not make the list because he is yet to appear in a playoff game), Leonard has surely been an active teammate off the floor. In terms of on-court action, however, Leonard has been limited. He has appeared in just one playoff game for the Heat, Game 3 against the Bucks. It feels as if he would only be called upon if Miami wanted to play bigger lineups against LA and had other bigs in foul trouble.
— Miami HEAT (@MiamiHEAT) September 5, 2020
21. Solomon Hill, Heat
After not using Hill throughout his team’s first 12 playoff games, Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra called upon the veteran forward in each of his team’s last three games against the Celtics. In his rare appearances, Hill has been utilized to close quarters and often spells Duncan Robinson or Bam Adebayo. It wouldn’t be shocking if he spent a handful of possessions guarding James before the end of the first half.
20. Kendrick Nunn, Heat
Nunn was a worthy selection onto the NBA All-Rookie first team this year, after averaging 15.3 points per game during the regular season and starting all 67 games he appeared in. However, Nunn has been relegated to a reserve role throughout the playoffs. He played just nine total minutes against the Celtics, not playing at all in the Heat’s final three games against the C’s. That being said, Nunn still could provide a scoring boost off the Heat’s bench. His three-point shooting numbers (just 15% from three in the playoffs) might limit his action.
19. Derrick Jones. Jr., Heat
Jones Jr. has been almost a non-factor on offense for the Heat throughout the playoffs, taking just 15 shots in his 11 appearances. However, he’s a versatile forward whom the Heat have used as a defensive upgrade. It wouldn’t be surprising to see him spend some time guarding James if other Miami forwards get into foul trouble. He has also been used in late-clock defensive situations if Miami wants added length in their stifling zone.
18. JaVale McGee, Lakers
McGee has been a staple of the Lakers’ starting lineup throughout both the regular season and postseason. However, as the playoffs have progressed his role has diminished. McGee came off the bench in Games 4 and 5 against the Nuggets, playing just five minutes and two minutes, respectively. With the Heat infrequently playing a traditional center, it’s unclear what McGee’s role would be, other than to provide some added rebounding or energy off the bench.
17. Dwight Howard, Lakers
Howard’s return to the NBA finals comes as the three-time Defensive Player of the Year is playing a completely different role than he did when he led the Magic to the 2009 finals. Despite grabbing just six combined rebounds in the first three games of LA’s eventual conference finals win over the Nuggets, Howard was inserted into the Lakers’ starting lineup in Game 4. In that six-point victory, he recorded a 12-point, 11-rebound double-double. In LA’s Game 5 win, Howard played a playoff-high 35 minutes, finishing with nine points and nine rebounds. It’s unlikely Howard keeps those minute totals up against the Heat, however, with Miami choosing not to play a lot of traditional center minutes.
16. Kelly Olynyk, Heat
While Olynyk averaged almost 20 minutes per game throughout the regular season, that number has been cut to just over 12 minutes per contest in the postseason. Still, the 28-year-old forward has the ability to stretch the floor on the offensive end and could spend some time guarding Anthony Davis on defense.
15. Markieff Morris, Lakers
The Lakers acquired Morris in a February trade with the Pistons, and he averaged 14 minutes per game during his regular season appearances with LA. This postseason, he’s upped that total to 17 minutes per game. At times, like in the Lakers’ Game 4 victory over the Nuggets, Morris has closed games. Other times, he has been used more so to spell other Laker wings. Morris will likely spend some time guarding Jimmy Butler, Jae Crowder and Bam Adebayo this series. The Lakers might also try to use the 6-foot-8 forward to try and contain Heat sharpshooters Duncan Robinson and Tyler Herro.
14. Kyle Kuzma, Lakers
Kuzma saw a sharp decline in minutes this season compared to his first two in the league, dropping from 33 minutes per game in 2018–19 to just 25 minutes per game in 2019–20. This postseason, his minutes have also slightly decreased, and three times against the Nuggets he played 21 or fewer minutes. Kuzma has not recorded a net-positive plus-minus since the Lakers’ Game 3 victory over the Rockets in the conference semifinals. While he will certainly be a capable (and versatile) defender during the finals, it’s unclear if he’ll be any more than a third or fourth option on offense.
13. Danny Green, Lakers
Despite shooting just 36% from three-point range throughout the postseason, Green remains one of the Lakers’ most important wings on offense because of his ability to space the floor. His size also makes him a likely candidate to guard a combination of Tyler Herro, Duncan Robinson or Goran Dragic, all of whom the Lakers will need to contain if they hope to take home the franchise’s 17 title.
12. Andre Iguodala, Heat
With Miami reaching the 2020 NBA finals, Iguodala has now made six straight finals appearances. The three-time NBA champion was acquired in a mid-season trade with the Grizzlies and has played an exclusively bench role since joining the Heat. Iguodala played his best game of the postseason on Sunday night, making all five of his shot attempts, for a playoff-high 15 points. The performance, though, was just his first double-digit scoring outing of the postseason. While Iguodala’s role on offense might be limited because of his inconsistent three-point shooting, he remains a capable passer on offense. The 2014–15 finals MVP took home the aforementioned honor largely because of his defense on James. Now, at age 36, Iguodala is a safe bet to spend a lot of time guarding James in a finals again.
11. Jae Crowder, Heat
The 29-year-old Crowder has logged the fifth-most minutes of any Heat player this postseason and has started all 15 of Miami’s playoff games. His impact in the finals, however, will likely be defined by two factors: how well he guards LeBron James and how well he shoots from the perimeter. In Game 1 against the C’s, Crowder made five of his nine three-point attempts. However, he made just seven more three-pointers in the remaining five conference finals games despite taking 38 attempts. If Crowder shoots the way he did in the waning games of the conference finals, look for Iguodala to cut heavily into his minutes.
10. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Lakers
Caldwell-Pope has logged the third-most minutes of any Laker this postseason. He has also been their most effective three-pointer option, shooting 42% from three on 76 attempts. And while he’s been a consistent threat from deep, the reason he’s not higher on this list is his inconsistent play in the fourth quarter. Caldwell-Pope averaged just 5.3 minutes per game in fourth quarters vs. the Nuggets and 3.9 minutes per game in fourth quarters vs. the Rockets. In the two series combined, he scored just eight total fourth-quarter points.
9. Alex Caruso, Lakers
Caruso has been far more than just a fan favorite during LA’s title run. He’s averaged 24.1 minutes per game, the fifth-most of any Laker, and has scored in double figures in four of LA’s 15 playoff games. The 6-foot-5 guard has also proven to be a capable defender, and it seems likely he’ll be relied upon to guard one of Robinson, Herro or Dragic when on the floor. Vogel has also trusted Caruso in close games, as the former Texas A&M guard averaged nearly nine minutes of action in the fourth quarter per game against the Nuggets. One cause for concern is his three-point shooting, as he is shooting just 24% from three this postseason.
8. Rajon Rondo, Lakers
Rondo’s per-game minute totals have increased throughout LA’s postseason run as the veteran guard looks like one of the players that Lakers head coach Frank Vogel (and James) trusts the most. The four-time All-Star has been a staple of the team’s fourth-quarter lineups. Rondo averaged nine minutes and 5.4 points in the fourth quarter in the conference semifinals vs. Houston. Against the Nuggets, Rondo averaged eight minutes and scored 3.5 points per fourth quarter, while also seeing his assist totals increase in the most recent series. Rondo is also shooting 45% from three this postseason, albeit on three three-point attempts per game, which is more than 10 percentage points better than his regular-season numbers. He remains one of LA’s best passers and seems poised to have a major role in deciding how the series shakes out.
7. Duncan Robinson, Heat
A lethal sharpshooter from the perimeter, Robinson is the kind of the player the Lakers are desperately looking to limit. Six times throughout the playoffs, Robinson has shot 50% or better from three-point range, including doing it three times in the Eastern Conference finals. Miami looks for Robinson at the start of games in particular, as the 6-foot-7 wing has scored more than 40% of his points this postseason in the first frame. He is the type of role player that can swing a game on his own and one the Lakers will be especially cognizant of throughout the finals.
6. Tyler Herro, Heat
Simply put, Herro has been one of the breakout stars of the NBA postseason. He has scored double figures in each of Miami’s 15 playoff games and is coming off a conference final against the Celtics in which he averaged just over 19 points per game. As evidenced by his 37-point Game 4 showing, Herro can be a lights-out three-pointer shooter and dynamic playmaker off the dribble. While he averaged just 27.4 minutes per game in the regular season, a total that was seventh among active Heat players, he’s upped that total to 33.3 minutes per game in the playoffs. Despite not making either All-Rookie team, he’s emerged as one of the most important pieces on the Heat’s roster. He also will be the first player born in the 2000s to play in an NBA Finals.
5. Goran Dragic, Heat
Dragic came out firing this postseason, scoring 20 or more points in each of Miami’s first six playoff games. And while he’s recorded some scores in the mid-to-low-teens in the ensuing nine games, he remains an integral part of Miami’s offense. The 33-year-old guard has taken the most shots of any Heat player and is in a virtual tie with Butler and Adebayo for most assists per game. Miami’s closeout Game 6 win over the Celtics was the latest example that the Heat don’t need Dragic to play an A-level game to emerge victorious. However, it seems unlikely that the Heat win this year’s title without Dragic being the series’ best guard.
4. Jimmy Butler, Heat
Butler was Miami’s leading scorer in the regular season, made the All-NBA team and is averaging 20.7 points (0.2 behind Goran Dragic for the team lead) in the postseason. He’s been a closer on offense—see his average of nine points per fourth quarter in Miami’s series against the Bucks as just one illustration—and a stopper on defense. For the latter reason, the four-time All-NBA defender will likely guard James throughout the series, especially in fourth quarters.
3. Bam Adebayo, Heat
Following the Heat’s Game 6 win over the Celtics, Butler happily called Adebayo the “heart and soul” of the Heat, adding that “he’s going to be the reason we win a championship.” Adebayo capped off the conference finals with a career-high 32 points, adding 14 rebounds and five assists. It was an appropriate ending for the third-year big who opened the conference finals with a game-winning block of Jayson Tatum. Throughout the playoffs, Adebayo leads the Heat in both offensive and defensive win shares, a fitting way to capture his versatility (and importance) on both ends. He is one of the multiple options the Heat have to throw at James, but Adebayo might also be their best option to guard Anthony Davis. The combination of Adebayo’s length, strength and mobility gave two-time league MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo plenty of problems during the conference semifinals, and the Heat are hoping the Kentucky product has a similarly disruptive impact in the league’s most important series.
2. Anthony Davis, Lakers
Throughout the Lakers’ run to the NBA finals, Anthony Davis has been LA’s most productive player. He leads the Lakers in playoff win shares and was first of any LA player in PER. The No. 1 pick in the 2012 draft also enters the finals having recently hit the biggest shot of his career, a game-winning three-pointer in Game 2 of the Western Conference finals. What the Lakers have in top-end star power, they lack in overall roster talent. But it remains hard to see LA losing if their big-two plays up to their potential.
1. LeBron James, Lakers
James will become just the fourth player in NBA history (and first since Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in 1988–89) to make 10 NBA Finals appearances once Game 1 tips off. As impressive as that number is, though, James has done it with three franchises and four different head coaches. James closed out the Nuggets with a 38-point, 16-rebound, 10-assist performance, in a kind of game that is now taken for granted considering all of James’s greatness. He enters this year’s finals looking like the league’s best player and the road to the title still goes through No. 23.
