Here we are.
The final four to seven remaining games of the NBA season.
Different season, same two teams.
The Cleveland Cavaliers will tip off against the Golden State Warriors for the fourth straight year. It has never happened in professional sports where the same two teams have met for a championship four consecutive years, until now.
If you are keeping score Warriors – 2, Cavaliers – 1
Let’s get into it.
This NBA Finals is the most challenging assignment for “KingJames.” However, he is the ultimate mismatch on the offensive and defensive end. But this is LeBron’s best chance of beating this Warriors team.
The Warriors bench not including Andre Iguodala is not as talented and deep as it used to be. The Cavaliers bench is underrated, Cavaliers head coach Tyronn Lue should play Larry Nance, Jordan Clarkson, and Jeff Green more if their confidence is strong and they contribute Cavaliers have a chance in games.
“Definitely a different team but we know everything goes and stops with LeBron James,” Warriors forward Draymond Green said. “Our game plan going in has to be make everything tough on him and take all the other guys out of it.”
In his 15th season, James is averaging 34.0 points per game, 9.2 rebounds, 8.8 assists and 1.1 blocks per game this postseason.
There is no argument that the Cavaliers are better than the Warriors. They are not. The betting line for game one is the highest for an NBA Finals first game in history. I read where some experts in Las Vegas have the Warriors as 10-1 favorites to win the series. Cleveland does not have enough pass LeBron to scare the warriors.
“We have four all-stars, we might have the three best shooters in the league,” Warriors head coach Steve Kerr said.
It is the best team against the best player.
Yes, the Cavaliers defeated the Warriors once in one of the first three meetings even down 3-1 in the series, but the Cavaliers had Kyrie Irving, and the Warriors did not have Kevin Durant. The supporting cast is LeBron’s weakest since the 2007 team. Kevin Love is a better player than anyone on that 07 roster, but there is not much chance for the Cavaliers. LeBron can’t do it all.
I will not bore you with statistics instead; Durant took his talents to a 73-win team. They will always be favored to win. Warriors are the second largest favorite in the NBA Finals over the last 30 years; only the 2001 Los Angeles Lakers were more primarily favored against the Philadelphia 76ers.
Outside of Cleveland, Ohio, I don’t think anyone is rooting for the Cavaliers except for history.
Here is my prediction, the gentlemen’s sweep, 4-1 Warriors.
Photo/RomanGaray/WORLDWIDEWEST
Photo/RomanGaray/WORLDWIDEWEST
