Thursday night begins the NBA Finals trilogy between the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Golden State Warriors, and the trash talking has already started from both teams. It’s clear that they don’t like each other.
One of the X-factors for the Warriors this year has been JaVale McGee coming off the bench. He has utilized himself as an athletic rim protector, although he has been part of several controversies this season—most notably his beef with Shaquille O’Neal.
Despite what he and his teammates do and say to shed his “Shaqtin a Fool” label, one anonymous Cavs player said that McGee isn’t smart enough to play in the NBA Finals.
Appearing on Tuesday’s edition of ESPN’s The Basketball Analogy Show (h/t DefPen.com), ESPN.com’s Dave McMenamin told colleague Brian Windhorst that one Cavs player doesn’t believe McGee is mentally equipped to compete in the Finals.
“I had a Cavs player disagree with your opinion of McGee, Brian. He postulated to me that he doesn’t even think McGee’s gonna be able to get on the court or certainly not stay on the court because he doesn’t think he’s quote, unquote ‘smart enough’ to be able to play in this series.”
McGee, for his part, is averaging 7 points, 3.2 rebounds and 1.1 blocks in 10.5 minutes per game this postseason.
However, we’ll have to see how he performs when he has to go up against the likes of Tristan Thompson and possibly guarding Kevin Love (and even LeBron James) this series.
As for the Cavs player that said this, flip the page…