Last year during the NBA Finals I drafted everyone playing onto two teams, so this year I decided to expand that the Conference Finals. This is how it’s going to work, I’m going to take the All-Star Game captains, Steph Curry and LeBron James, and have them draft two teams made entirely of active players in the 2018 Conference Finals. The All-Star Game was rather exciting, and many of those players are active in these two series. So let’s get down to business.
With the first pick in the 2018 NBA Conference Finals draft, LeBron James selects….
Kevin Durant
Much like in the All-Star draft, King James takes Kevin Durant, a man that many think to be the second best player on earth.
#2 – Team Curry – James Harden
#3 – Team Curry – Draymond Green
Steph is going to need some scoring with KD going to the other side, so he jumped at Harden. I’m not sure the two would have the best chemistry on the court but I know they’d make it work. Draymond, on the other hand, gets along great with Steph on the floor and will provide elite defense.
#4 – Team James – Chris Paul
#5 – Team James – Kevin Love
Part of the banana boat is getting together! LeBron and CP3 are noted close friends and LeBron needs a point guard here. While Kevin love might not be the fifth most-talented guy on the board, I think his relationship with LeBron is regularly understated.
#6 – Team Curry – Klay Thompson
#7 – Team Curry – Clint Capela
I even surprised myself with this one. Capela has been an incredible defender for the Rockets this year and will provide valuable pressure down low for Curry, Harden, and Thompson while they space the floor. But more importantly, the Splash Brothers unite.
#8 – Team James – Andre Iguodala
#9 – Team James – Jayson Tatum
The King takes a page out of the Warriors and Celtics playbook here. They take a couple long swingmen that can play 3 positions. With a former Finals MVP and talented rookie, LeBron is securing a loaded roster.
#10 – Team Curry – Eric Gordon
#11 – Team Curry – Jaylen Brown
Steph picks up another shooter and versatile defender here. With a ton of incredible shooting, and now some consistent defending Team Curry is ready to fight.
#12 – Team James – Al Horford
With the last pick in this made-up draft LeBron opts to take Al Horford, who is known for doing a little bit of everything. His strong defense down-low is what the King needed to fill out his roster.
Rosters:
Team James: LeBron, KD, CP3, Kevin Love, Iggy, Tatum, and Al Horford.
Team Curry: Steph, Draymond, Harden, Klay, Capela, Gordon, and Jaylen Brown.
In the end Team James takes this one. The combination of KD and LeBron is incredibly lethal but when you add the versatility of Iggy, Tatum, and Horford there just isn’t much that Team Curry could do to win.
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