Phil Jackson, the president of the Knicks, asked on Twitter how things were going for 3-point oriented teams. He claimed it was an innocent question, but it could have been taken as snark directed at teams like the Rockets, Warriors, Hawks and Cavaliers, all of which were struggling in the conference semifinals.
That was on May 10. Now the conference finals have arrived, those are the four teams left alive, and there is a definitive answer to Jackson’s question: 3-point oriented teams are doing quite well.
Western Conference
Golden State Warriors vs Houston Rockets
The Warriors, a 67-win team in the regular season, have proven their combination of outside shooting and tough defense to be playoff-capable and enter the conference finals as the odds-on favorites to win the N.