Doris Burke Previews the NBA Finals

ESPN's Doris Burke breaks down the NBA Finals matchup between the Boston Celtics and Golden State Warriors. Watch on Sling!

It’s less than 48 hours until the NBA Finals tip-off and Doris Burke can not contain herself. On a Zoom call with Sling, she marvels at the Boston Celtics’ defensive stats—which she describes as ”extraordinarily elite in any era”—before catching herself and apologizing like a kid who gets a little too excited for their birthday gift.

“This is such a great matchup, sorry, I’m just so excited,” she says, clapping her hands for emphasis.

Doris doesn’t need to apologize. For NBA fans, the Finals showdown between the Boston Celtics and Golden State Warriors promises to be one for the ages. Not only will the series feature some of basketball’s biggest offensive stars—including Stephen Curry, Jayson Tatum, and Klay Thompson—it includes two of the greatest defensive players in the league: 2017 Defensive Player of the Year Draymond Green and this year’s winner, Marcus Smart, who was the first guard to win the award since Gary Payton took home the hardware in 1996 (Payton’s son Gary Payton II is expected to return from injury for the Warriors as well).

It’s this defensive showdown that seems to electrify Doris, so we asked her how Boston’s D can shut down Golden State’s explosive offense, the comparisons between Green and Smart, and more. Check out Doris’ answers below, along with the full NBA Finals schedule. To watch the games on Sling, use the link at the bottom of this page to sign up for Sling Orange with ESPN3, which will carry the simulcast from ABC.

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What are your thoughts on the Boston D Party vs. the Splash Brothers?

So I think in this conversation about the Boston defense versus the Splash Brothers (Steph Curry and Klay Thompson), what gets lost is Golden State was No. 2 defensively. And when you think about their championship years, even their Finals runs, we got lost in the beauty of their offense, which is understandable. But to me their championships were based on the strength of their defense. So I don’t necessarily view it through the prism of, ‘it’s the Boston defense versus the Splash Brothers.’

What I do know is – the challenge is distinctly different in this series for Boston. Where you just came out of what felt like a cage match, physically, where every inch of real estate was fought for on both sides between Miami and Boston. Now you have the randomness and the movement that Golden State comes at you with. Draymond Green coming up in transition, giving a dribble hand-off to Steph, and all the action that’s moving through every part. The challenge is distinctly different for Boston defensively; it is no less stout with the Golden State Warriors. In fact, because of Golden State’s randomness, it is a greater challenge.

Which bench players do you see having the biggest impact for the Warriors?

The first guy for Golden State that comes to mind is Jordan Poole, because here’s a guy who could start for many organizations. He is electric as a scorer and affords you the luxury of sitting Steph, resting him and yet getting this electric presence.

What I’m curious about is, where is Gary Payton II? Because Gary Payton is one of the great stories in the NBA this year, just in terms of carving out a role and making himself a viable, legitimate person who can help a contending team. I’m pulling like heck that Gary is able to play in this series because, as an on-ball defensive player, as a vertical threat at the rim as a guard in transition, you can just tell that Steph loves playing with this guy.

What do you make of the comparisons between Draymond Green and Marcus Smart?

Two players I have enormous respect for, Draymond Green and Marcus Smart. I’m not sure if we can understand [how good they are], because we are not in a minute-by-minute situation doing the jobs these two men do. Just consider that Draymond Green is an undersized 4 and sometimes 5. And in fact, in the most important moments, [Green] can be the 5. Which means he’s generally outsized, both in terms of height and weight. And it takes an enormous amount of grit to physically battle every single play, defensively.

But his impact goes beyond that. He is brilliant as a defensive player. His early and consistent communication. His constant watch for, ‘where is the next fire about to happen for our defense?’ And to go immediately to that spot and try to put out that fire. Just the competitive will and intellect that he brings, and then the grit to go ahead and fight every possession, it’s really something else to watch.

The same exact thing could be said about Marcus Smart. Obviously different defenders positionally. Marcus Smart – tenacious on the ball. The ability and willingness to grind, to not get picked off if he wants to stay on his particular matchup. The anticipation, the dropping down to give assistance, the tenacity, the intellect, the selflessness of Marcus Smart. The comparison between Marcus and Draymond is appropriate, because they both make their living on the defensive end, but you can make the case that they’re integral to the success of their teams offensively. Draymond, with his feel and his touch in the two-man game with both Steph and Jordan Poole. And then Marcus Smart – organizing and getting the ball where it needs to be for the Boston Celtics. They’re not Steph and Klay: The shooters and the scorers, those types of things, or Jayson and Jaylen [Brown]. But boy, it’d be hard to image their teams without these two guys.

Answers have been lightly edited for length and clarity.

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