It would be a complete rejection of the aforementioned intent to be objective to speculate as to whether the Cavaliers could have won this series if Durant was not in it. Still, it sounds like fun, so let’s do it anyway.
Let’s further pretend the Warriors’ roster had remained much the same as last year’s Finals. Had Durant not been there, Curry – who immediately becomes far easier to trap – now must use Draymond Green and Harrison Barnes more to release the pressure. Klay Thompson would be the ideal option to find, yet on a team featuring more Barnes and Andre Iguodala in lieu of Durant, the defence has less options to cover, making a trap more feasible and less damaging. This is particularly so if Andrew Bogut, an increasingly limited offensive player, were involved. You can leave those three in a way you daren’t leave KD.
Despite a defence that so often left them down during the season, particularly in transition, Cleveland’s defence picked up throughout the series, particularly via these traps. So too did their offense. J.R. Smith awoke from his slumber to make some three-pointers with ridiculous degrees of difficulty, while Tristan Thompson became aggressive offensively, being prepared to drive the ball after coming out to screen and being willing to shoot around the basket rather than pass it out. As opposed to playing three on five too often, Cleveland now had a full contingent for a few minutes at a time.
However, they had nothing behind those five. The bench for the Cavaliers was almost entirely a non-factor. Richard Jefferson had some moments as a shooter, slasher, wizened-veteran type, yet he is only as good as the ball movement around him. Kyle Korver, slowing down and in the latter stages of his career, could not get open. Deron Williams was completely ineffective and a shell of his former self. Iman Shumpert could not make a shot. Channing Frye could not even get minutes. If the Cavaliers did not have their starting five firing on all cylinders – and for the first three games, they didn’t – then they had a disadvantage every minute on the court. The most obvious and important repercussion was this was how tired they got.
Compare that to the Warriors. They of course still relied heavily on Durant, Curry, Thompson and Green, yet they never lacked for depth, due in large part to their positional versatility. If Zaza Pachulia was ineffective at centre, JaVale McGee invariably would be, and even if he wasn’t, Green or Durant could guard the position. Without perhaps the Finals MVP-winning impact of two years prior, Iguodala nevertheless remains a vital cog in the wheel, a defensive stalwart and transition player who is capable of more offensively than he is normally asked to do. Shaun Livingston could back up or pair with Curry. Ian Clark was an unabashed and talented scorer. Patrick McCaw would hustle defensively and hit open looks. Even James Michael McAdoo. The Warriors were able to play at the pace they did because of the depth they had, and while Cleveland could largely match the pace, they could not do so for the full 48.
The Warriors had two things the Cavaliers didn’t – great depth, and Kevin Durant. The barrage never ended, and if ever it did, they found the one person who could always get it back. The three best players in the world currently were in this series, yet Golden State had two of them, and were able to rest them. That was enough.
Going forward, Cleveland can overcome this dominant Golden State team if they can improve their depth, scoring, athleticism and half court defensive personnel. If they become more like the Warriors, basically.