The player-turned-analyst, Danny Green, knows a thing or three about what it takes for a team to win the NBA Finals.
Watching the game from a spectator’s perspective now, Green recently dished his thoughts on the teams with the most pressure to win a title within the next year ot two, as windows are closing.
First, he started off with honorable mentions, naming the Los Angeles Lakers and the Golden State Warriors. The former team has a current window open with LeBron James, but the pressure isn’t as high due to two reasons. One, they have a recent title, and two, Luka will be around for years to come. They have a long timeline in play.
Nov 24, 2021; San Francisco, California, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) dribbles the ball next to Philadelphia 76ers guard Danny Green (14) in the first quarter at the Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images / Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images
As for the Warriors, it’s shocking that the Steph Curry era is still going this strong. Not only are they still viewed as contenders in the Western Conference, but they just won it all a few seasons ago. There’s pressure, but if they don’t take home a title over the next couple of seasons, you can still view the Warriors as the most successful team of this era.
When it comes to Green’s top five, it starts with the Houston Rockets. After spending a few seasons rebuilding following the James Harden era, the Rockets recently took a big swing on Kevin Durant. That was a win-now-or-bust type of move.
“You have traded for Kevin Durant. You gave away some of your young pieces. Jalen Green, we talked about, we thought might have been a mistake. Dillon Brooks, one of your leaders, one of your defensive juggernauts. You only have a window of maybe two years to win. They don’t, this trade is gonna look like a bad one,” Green stated.
The Milwaukee Bucks won the championship the year after the Lakers, but they have heavy pressure to win No. 2, or else they are at risk of losing Giannis Antetokounmpo.
“If you don’t win, Giannis is for sure [gone], like he’s already halfway out the door,” Green said. “You got to have a successful season. You better have a good record by trade deadline.”
After coming up short in the Eastern Conference Finals, the New York Knicks have some pressure to get back and find different results. With a new head coach in the building, Green believes the Knicks should be taking advantage of the “wide-open” Eastern Conference.
Oct 2, 2023; Camden, NJ, USA; Philadelphia 76ers forward Danny Green (14) during media day at Philadelphia 76ers Training Complex. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images / Bill Streicher-Imagn Images
The Clippers and the Sixers—two teams with plenty of connections and similarities—were placed at No. 2 and No. 1 on the list. To put it simply, Green considered the Clippers “old.” They are built around multiple future Hall of Famers, who are entering the final phase of their careers.
As for the Sixers, their success will ultimately come down to what Joel Embiid and Paul George can bring to the table. Last year, injuries racked up, and the season crumbled early. Outside of a few minor changes, the Sixers are basically running it back.
“If they don’t win this year. It’s going to be a lot of smoke in the city, and they’re going to have to make a lot of changes, and it’s going to probably start with Joel,” Green stated.
The Joel Embiid era is approaching its most important season. Coming off two knee surgeries in the past year, the NBA world is curious to see if Embiid can reach his MVP form on a consistent basis again. If not, the Sixers are going to need a whole lot from Paul George, Tyrese Maxey, and the rest of them, as Embiid’s value was sky-high before his latest setback affected him.
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