As we get ready for another star studded 2017 NBA Finals it’s important to remember that the supporting casts will, as always, be the deciding factor.
Leading that supporting cast is a sidekick, a link between a team’s focal point and the rest of the roster. In their role as Robin, it becomes their job to do whatever they can to relieve their very own Batman.
With three different players between the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Golden State Warriors having already held a regular season MVP award— LeBron James, Kevin Durant, and Steph Curry— it’ll be supporting stars like Klay Thompson and Kyrie Irving who’ll make the difference.
Here is a list of ten sidekicks who have made the biggest impact on their title-winning teams:
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1. SCOTTIE PIPPEN
If any player in the history of the NBA exemplifies a sidekick it’s Scottie Pippen.
Pippen’s ability to take a back seat to the man widely considered as the GOAT was one of the biggest reasons he and Michael Jordan ended their careers with six championship rings. They were both excellent playmakers, who along with their lockdown defence were able to dominate the 90s while also becoming the first team to win 70 regular season games.
With a 6-foot-8 frame, Pippen, an eight-time All-Defensive first-team member, was always able to take on the biggest assignment on defence, which allowed Jordan to focus his energy toward putting points on the board.
2. KOBE BRYANT
Not all sidekicks cherish the role as much others, and it’s hard to find someone who pushed the definition to its limits as much as Kobe Bryant did throughout his first three championships with the Lakers.
Playing alongside the most dominant centre of his era in Shaquille O’Neal, Bryant was overshadowed by the man who would win all three Finals MVPs between 2000-02. Yet even though O’Neal would receive most of the glamour, the Lakers wouldn’t have won without Bryant.
To go along with his skill, Bryant’s killer mentality was on full display from the get go, proving he was more than capable of being the first-option he would later become. From his heroics in Game 4 of the 2000 Finals, when O’Neal fouled out, to his 48-point showcase in a Game 4 sweep of the Kings in 2001, to the unforgettable lob he threw to O’Neal in Game 7 of the 2000 WCF against the Trail Blazers to help seal a 16-point comeback, Bryant proved himself time and time again.
3. KAREEM ABDUL-JABBAR
While it may be hard to fathom that the NBA’s all-time leading scorer could be a sidekick, the Lakers’ hierarchy changed after Kareem Abdul-Jabbar suffered an injury in the 1980 Finals.
Magic Johnson stepped up in his absence, sparking the “Showtime” revolution and leading Los Angeles to a title as a rookie. While the Lakers’ fast-paced, transition-heavy approach would become their signature offense, Johnson as a floor general was still able to maximize Abdul-Jabbar’s skyhook whenever they needed an easy bucket, leading to four more championships.
Abdul-Jabbar, who was already in his 30s when the Lakers drafted Magic, was still dominant throughout the late stages of his career and even won another Finals MVP in 1985 after averaging 25.7 points against the Boston Celtics. But it was Magic’s show by then.
4. KEVIN MCHALE
McHale joined Larry Bird to form one of the most lethal and consistent forward duos in the history of the league.
A seven-time all-star, McHale’s impeccable footwork helped him become a dominating force in the post. Along with his offence, he did did whatever he could to help the Celtics win throughout their three title runs in the late ‘80s and even played through the ‘87 Finals with a broken foot.
Just like many other sidekicks, McHale understood the importance of defence to be able to allow his star player to focus on offence, with the 6-foot-11 power forward making six All-Defensive teams. However, McHale’s greatest impact came in the ‘86 playoffs, when he scored at least 20 points in 16 of the Celtics’ 18 games, including 25 points in three of Boston’s six games in the Finals against Houston’s Hakeem Olajuwon and Ralph Sampson.
5. KYRIE IRVING
Come playoff time, there’s no denying that Kyrie Irving has established himself as a killer on the court. Next to the best player in the world in LeBron James, he’s carved himself quite the role heading to his third straight NBA Finals.
While getting to the Finals is a cakewalk for the Cavaliers, playing to the best of their abilities on the NBA’s biggest stage is no simple task. In 2016, Irving showed what he was truly capable of by helping the Cavaliers pull off the league’s first 3-1 comeback in a Finals series, averaging 27.1 points in the process while also hitting the biggest shot of the year over Stephen Curry to give them a lead they would hold to win Cleveland’s first championship.
At just 25 years old with already four all-star appearances under his belt, it’s safe to think we’ve yet to see the best of Irving, who’s poised to put on another incredible show come the 2017 Finals.
6. DAVID ROBINSON
No one could have been happier with sitting out an entire season than David Robinson when he found out the Spurs had landed the first overall pick to draft Tim Duncan in 1997.
Robinson, who was already 31, was able to take a step back as an offensive option to create room for Duncan to dominate the league. The result: The Admiral retired a two-time champion, while the Big Fundamental learned from the best and earned himself two of his first three Finals MVP trophies.
In their first run in ‘99, Duncan averaged 27.4 points, 14 rebounds and 2.2 blocks, but Robinson also put his fair share of work by averaging 16.6 points, 11.8 rebounds and three blocks in San Antonio’s 4-1 series win over the New York Knicks. The Admiral would retire a champion in ‘03, but as much as he did on the court, he should receive even more credit for being the base behind the Spurs’ infamous culture.
7. PAU GASOL
Gasol was an ideal sidekick alongside Kobe Bryant during the Lakers’ back-to-back title run in 2009 and 2010.
Coming from the Memphis Grizzlies, where he showcased himself as one of the league’s most promising big men, Gasol’s high IQ allowed him to become Bryant’s go-to option in the post. A four-time all-star and three-time All-NBA member by the end of his tenure with the Lakers, Gasol wasn’t fazed by Los Angeles’ bright lights or Bryant’s killer mentality.
With Gasol, the Lakers reached three straight Finals and the big Spaniard averaged a double-double in two of those series. In 2009, against a then-superstar in Orlando’s Dwight Howard, Gasol averaged an impressive 18.6 points on 60 per cent shooting to go along with 9.2 rebounds and 1.8 blocks per game.
8. SHAQUILLE O’NEAL
After winning three titles as the main option in Los Angeles, O’Neal embraced the opportunity to play sidekick in order to help a young Dwyane Wade deliver a championship to Miami.
Once he made it clear that it was Wade’s team, O’Neal admirably never went back on his word while with the Heat. Even though he was over the age of 30, the Diesel was still a brute force capable of drawing in double teams. With the opposing team’s defence focused on the former MVP, Wade was able to do his damage as a lethal slasher while earning himself the nickname “Flash” from O’Neal himself.
Shaq’s ability to take a backseat payed off when he won his fourth title in 2006. For the first time, he wasn’t the Finals MVP, but he made all the difference by still averaging a double-double while shooting 60.7 per cent from the field.
9. DWYANE WADE
Wade clearly learned from Shaquille O’Neal that in order to win you need to make a couple sacrifices along the way. That was especially the case when he helped Pat Riley reel in LeBron James to South Beach.
Along with taking on a sidekick role, Wade took less money that he rightfully deserved. But in return he was able to play his way to four straight Finals appearances alongside James and an equally important star player in Chris Bosh. When James joined Wade in 2010, the Flash was playing the basketball of his career, but injuries would slow him down throughout their reign.
Wade’s best Finals performance was sadly in a losing effort in 2011, averaging 26.5 points in the same series that James had a meltdown for the ages against the Dallas Mavericks.
10. KLAY THOMPSON
While Klay Thompson has been casted as a no-show in the past two Finals, he still deserves his dues for what he’s been able to do as Golden State’s second option. Blowing a 3-1 lead in 2016 might always haunt him, but his three straight 25-point performances is also something he can hang his hat on.
Don’t forget that Thompson was the biggest reason the Warriors were even able to make it to the Finals last year while Stephen Curry was sidelined due to injuries. Widely considered as the league’s best number two, Thompson was on fire against the Western Conference in 2016, averaging 26.2 points on 45 per cent shooting from three-point distance.
It’s also hard to forget about his 41-point showcase against the Thunder last season in an elimination Game 6, when he hit 11 three-pointers to set a NBA playoff record, helping the Warriors escape a 3-1 hole of their own.
