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2017 NBA Playoffs Roundup, Day 5: Wall Wills The Wizards, McGee Is Still Good And The MVP Race In A Nutshell

By Gerald Bourguet

Apr 19, 2017; Washington, DC, USA; Washington Wizards guard John Wall (2) reacts after making a three point field goal against the Atlanta Hawks in the first quarter in game two of the first round of the 2017 NBA Playoffs at Verizon Center. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 19, 2017; Washington, DC, USA; Washington Wizards guard John Wall (2) reacts after making a three point field goal against the Atlanta Hawks in the first quarter in game two of the first round of the 2017 NBA Playoffs at Verizon Center. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports /
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2017 NBA Playoffs
December 15, 2016; Oakland, CA, USA; Golden State Warriors center JaVale McGee (1) celebrates with guard Klay Thompson (11) during the third quarter against the New York Knicks at Oracle Arena. The Warriors defeated the Knicks 103-90. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports /

Reminder: JaVale McGee Was Good This Season

As entertaining as Shaqtin’ A Fool is, and as juicy as that beef with Shaquille O’Neal was, it’s about damn time JaVale McGee started getting some respect. Why? Because anyone who watched the Golden State Warriors this year knows he actually had a pretty darn good season in his limited minutes.

Does one decent season in a bench role make up for years of gaffes, boneheaded on-court decisions and plays that simply made basketball fans laugh? No. But pretending like McGee is still some joke as a backup on a 67-win team is just as ludicrous as some of the plays people hammer him for.

In Game 2 Wednesday night, McGee finished with 15 points, five rebounds and four blocks in just 13 minutes, going a perfect 7-for-7 from the field. In a game where Kevin Durant, Shaun Livingston and Matt Barnes were all out, McGee stepped up as an injection of adrenaline off the bench.

Winning by 29 on a night where KD and Livingston sat, plus Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson went a combined 12-for-35 from the field, is a testament to Golden State’s balance and better-than-expected depth.

But McGee — who averaged 6.1 points, 3.5 rebounds and 0.9 blocks in just 9.6 minutes per game this season — was a legitimate difference-maker for yet another night, even if it came against a Blazers team missing Jusuf Nurkic. For a guy who was leading the league in plus/minus per minute at one point in February, McGee’s significant impact in limited minutes shouldn’t be that big of a surprise.