5 Biggest Takeaways From The 2015 NBA Finals
5. Andre Iguodala Deserved His Award
It’s not often that the MVP Award for the NBA Finals is as heavily scrutinized as the regular season MVP Award, but this series was the exception. In a discussion that usually boils down to differing interpretations of what “most valuable” means, here’s all you need to know: nobody should be upset that Andre Iguodala took home the award.
I’m not naive; I’m perfectly aware the LeBron James was the best player in this series. Averaging 35.8 points, 13.3 rebounds and 8.8 assists per game in the Finals will pretty clearly establish that. If anyone deserved to be the first Finals MVP on the losing side since Jerry West back in 1969, it was LeBron James this year.
But just because King James was a good choice doesn’t mean he was the only choice.
Andre Iguodala was the Warriors' best player and the only guy capable of slowing the Finals' best player. He was amazing. Get over it.
— Adi Joseph (@AdiJoseph) June 17, 2015
For one thing, when West won his Finals MVP Award on the losing team, it was nearly five decades ago in the very first season the NBA even handed out that award. For another, Stephen Curry had a legitimate gripe as the best player all year long on the championship side, averaging a well-rounded 26 points, 6.3 assists and 5.2 rebounds per game for the series.
But most importantly, Andre Iguodala was the most consistently great player on the Warriors throughout this six-game series. He was the most important player for the team that won the series, which means you could argue he had the biggest impact on the final result.
LeBron put up some gaudy numbers, but Iguodala limited him to some pretty inefficient shooting (39.8 percent for the series) and his two-way impact was pretty clear to everyone watching.
"It could have gone to Steph, it could have gone to LeBron, but it's fitting that it went to Andre." Steve Kerr on Finals MVP
— Ben Golliver (@BenGolliver) June 17, 2015
In fact, the turning point of the series was when Warriors head coach Steve Kerr fully embraced small-ball and moved Iguodala into the starting lineup in Game 4. Over the next three games with Iggy in the starting rotation, the Warriors went 3-0 to close out the series, including a season-high 25 points from Iguodala in last night’s decisive Game 6.
LeBron was the best player in this series, but there’s a defendable precedent that the Finals MVP Award should go to someone on the winning side. This is one reason the NBA should have a Playoff MVP and an Finals MVP Award, but this award quite clearly takes into account who wins the title.
And even if that explanation isn’t good enough, LeBron being deserving of the award doesn’t make Andre Iguodala undeserving.
When Iguodala was in, LeBron shot 38% and the Cavs were -55. When he sat, LeBron shot 44% and the Cavs were +30
— Ethan Strauss (@SherwoodStrauss) June 17, 2015
Next: No. 4