The old cliché says defense wins championships.
Historically that is mostly true. But as the NBA's Eastern and Western Conference Finals get underway Tuesday and Wednesday, the other side of the floor has been pretty good to the final four teams remaining.
The Golden State Warriors, Houston Rockets, Cleveland Cavaliers and Atlanta Hawks statistically comprise four of the top offenses in the NBA. Yes, the Warriors and the Hawks were both among the best defenses in the league as well. But all four are represent of the changing style of play in the NBA: rapid-fire 3-pointers, pick and rolls that spread the floor, and big men stepping out on the perimeter to shoot.
If you look at the records, these are the four teams that were favored to make get this far. They represent the top two seeds in each conference. Still, it's a surprise that form held through two rounds. The Rockets pulled one of the biggest comebacks in league history in defeating the Los Angeles Clippers, while the Cavaliers have been banged up throughout the postseason.
Still, both series will be compelling. On one side, we have the two MVP candidates — Stephen Curry and James Harden — going at each other. On another, we have the ultimate team — the Atlanta Hawks — against LeBron James, the best individual player in the league. Who wins and advances to the NBA Finals? That question will begin to be answered on Tuesday, when the Warriors and the Rockets meet in Oakland for Game 1.
A closer look at each series:
Western Conference finals
Houston Rockets vs. Golden State Warriors
Season series • Golden State, 4-0
What to expect • On paper, this seems to be a bit of a mismatch, since the Warriors swept the season series. But both teams can score, both teams can get out and go in transition and both can put points on the board in bunches.
What separates these two teams is defense. Golden State is the best defensive team in the league, and the Rockets are mediocre. Still, Houston can't be discounted. Dwight Howard is still the best center in the league, and he is a matchup issue for the Warriors. Harden seemed to wake up in the last two wins over the Clippers and Josh Smith has been a revelation since Kevin McHale moved him into the starting lineup.
The problem is that the Warriors are evolving into one of the best teams the league has seen in the past decade. It's going to be difficult for Houston to win this series. Extremely difficult.
Prediction • Warriors in 6
Eastern Conference finals
Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Atlanta Hawks
Season series • Atlanta, 3-1
What to expect • The Hawks don't have LeBron James, but they do have the best team in the Eastern Conference. People seem to forget the Hawks won 60 games, went unbeaten in January and moved the ball exquisitely throughout. Then there's Atlanta's fortitude. The Hawks — despite struggles with the Brooklyn Nets and Washington Wizards — still advanced.
Jazz fans will recognize Kyle Korver and Paul Millsap and DeMarre Carroll, former Utah players who have led the Hawks all season. They will recognize the unselfish play that characterized their tenure in Salt Lake City.
Ultimately, this will come down to a seventh game, since the Cavs are no slouches. James and Kyrie Irving are as good as they come at their positions. Cleveland's received good role play from the likes of JR Smith, Iman Shumpert and Tristan Thompson and persevered despite Kevin Love's first-round injury, which shelved him for the remainder of the postseason. This will be a terrific series, with the Hawks prevailing with the home-court advantage.
Prediction • Hawks in 7
tjones@sltrib.com
twitter: @tjonessltrib
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