These helmets are too cool to keep locked up for 51 weeks a year.
The NBA hasn't seen a repeat champion since Kevin Durant was a Warrior. But it’s not hard to see a pretty compelling case for why Boston could find itself right back in this position next June.
Beating an unranked and unknown guy like Aliskerov provides a limited boost for someone of Whittaker’s existing renown. But losing to a guy like that? It could be a catastrophic setback at this point in his career.