SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Late in the postseason is when it becomes the most apparent: The real championship contenders have players who excel on both ends of the floor.
The lackluster defenders get hunted by the stars on pick-and-roll switches, like when the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference Finals looked to get their best players isolated on Miami Heat swingman Max Strus.
Offensive players who aren’t shooting threats are left alone, like how the Warriors dared Dallas Mavericks guard Frank Ntilikina to hurt them, allowing defenses to play five on four.
