NBA Finals Bring a Michigan vs. Michigan State Matchup

This season, I've been watching the NBA Finals like never before. As soon as football season ended with the Super Bowl in February, I switched to the NBA and have been watching ever since. Sadly, the Detroit Pistons, well, had a very difficult year. But, things are in the works, and hopefully the new president of basketball operations and general manager can put together a winning team around Cade Cunningham. All of that said, I'm not super excited about the two teams that are in the NBA Finals: the Boston Celtics and Dallas Mavericks. Not that I hate these teams, but I'm tired of seeing the same teams win. I was dreading watching (even though of course I still will) the NBA Finals, but then realized that there's a Michigan vs. Michigan State matchup cooked into the NBA Finals this year.

Let's get into the Michigan vs. Michigan State matchup. As a Michigan State University graduate, basketball is in my blood. I'm from the Tom Izzo era. Who isn't, right? The guy has been there for eternity. But, it's always really exciting to see a former MSU basketball player in the pros. As it turns out, former Spartan Xavier Tillman Sr. is playing for the Eastern Conference champions, the Boston Celtics. So, he might make an appearance in the NBA Finals. Meanwhile, former Wolverine Tim Hardaway Jr. is playing for the Western Conference champions, the Dallas Mavericks. So, now I'm excited to watch and root for the, urgh, Celtics.

As for some history, the Celtics got Tillman in a trade with the Memphis Grizzlies earlier this season. So, he went from one of the weakest teams in the NBA to one of the best. Tillman was in Memphis for more than three years. He averaged 6.2 points per game and 4.3 rebounds per game in 207 games. He also started in 56 games. As for Hardaway, he's been in the NBA for 11 years, and this marks his sixth season with Dallas. What's extra exciting for him is that this will mark his first time going to the NBA Finals. Hardaway was a Michigan guard and 2012-13 All-Big Ten honoree. It was a successful time for the Wolverines, and he helped take Michigan to the 2013 national championship, where they lost to Louisville. That said, if you're a Michigan or Michigan State fan and looking for a reason to get into the NBA Finals, that's pretty much all you should need. This Michigan vs. Michigan State matchup is going to be a fun one.

The NBA playoffs are in full swing, and it's been one of the most exciting playoffs in recent years. Many of the top NBA superstars today are in the playoffs, while others are watching, following some upset losses. Either way, there's no denying that the NBA has a ton of talent right now. So many of the games have come down to the wire, which makes for some pretty incredible, and stressful, endings. So, who are the top NBA superstars of the minute?

Before we get into the top NBA superstars today, let's do some NBA history and look at the top players of all time. There's a reason they call LeBron James the GOAT. He's the best ever, according to the raw statistics and numbers via NBA.com. James knows how to really handle the pressure and fame.

In a recent interview with the New York Times, James went into detail about his fame and how it has impacted his life, both personal and professional. "I don't want to say it ever becomes too much, but there are times when I wish I could do normal things," he said. "I wish I could go to Target sometimes and walk into Starbucks and have my name on the cup just like regular people." He obviously can't do that without everyone rushing to meet the greatest basketball player of all time. NBA experts know that when you have a superstar as big as James, he never plays an away game. No matter what city he's in, people will go to that game just to see him. I have yet to see the GOAT in action, so I hope he returns next year, so I can catch him live.

No. 2 on the list of the greatest NBA players of all time, according to the NBA's stats, is Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. He played until he was 42 in an era where that was even more rare than it is today. So, how did he avoid burning out? Speaking with the Harvard Business Review, Abdul-Jabbar said, "I just thought that I had the greatest job in the world, and I wanted to keep it as long as I could. I knew it wouldn't last forever." He also noted that in one of his books, he quoted Jackie Robinson saying, "Athletes die twice," because when you're no longer playing professional sports, it's a kind of a death. That's deep.

Now, let's get into the top NBA superstars today.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's stats currently have him at No. 4 in the NBA, according to NBA.com's Player Impact Estimate. He's a great driver and fantastic defender. That's a dangerous combination. He's one of the hottest players of the season.

Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks is sitting at a Player Impact Estimate of No. 3 in the league via NBA.com. Sadly, before the playoffs began, Antetokounmpo suffered a calf injury, so he was unable to participate. Now, the Bucks are out.

Some might say that putting LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers this far up on the list is a bit surprising. Overall, as I mentioned above, he's the all-time greatest player in the NBA. However, he's currently No. 5 in the NBA right now, according to NBA.com's Player Impact Estimate. He's the GOAT, so I have to put him at No. 3.

Luka Doncic of the Dallas Mavericks is an absolute beast on the court. That doesn't always mean his always team wins, but he's always out there, giving it his all. Doncic is ranked the No. 2 NBA player right now, via the NBA.com's Player Impact Estimate.

Nikola Jokic of the Denver Nuggets, "the Joker," is one of the greatest centers of all time. He's ranked No. 1 in the NBA, according to NBA.com's Player Impact Estimate. He has gotten some raised eyebrows lately, due to some weak Nuggets games in the playoffs. But, there's no denying this MVP is the best right now.