A lot has been said about the paths the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Golden State Warriors have taken to the 2017 NBA Finals and about individual performances so far. Now is the time to concentrate on the spectacle that we are about to witness. But, what is even more interesting is to try to decipher what the outcome of the series will be, and pick a winner once and for all.
NBA Finals with no excuses
The Cavaliers and the Warriors have met in the NBA finals for the last two years. However, basketball fans have lamented the fact that outside factors played an important role in these finals.
In the 2015 NBA Finals, the injuries to Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love left the Cavaliers weak in face of the red-hot Warriors. The Warriors went on to win in six games.
In the 2016 NBA finals, Draymond Green, the soul of the Warriors team, was suspended for Game 5 with his team up 3-1 in the series. To this day, many still cannot understand the severity of his absence. Green's absence certainly hindered the chances of the Warriors coming away with the win. One can also bring up the fact that Stephen Curry was not 100 percent healthy, but he should have found others way to impact the series.
The Warriors are the apparent favorites, with some pundits out there wanting to make it seem like LeBron James and his Cavaliers are the underdogs.
Consequently, in the event that LeBron wins the championship, these same people will look forward to calling LeBron's accomplishment "heroic" or "inhuman," but, no excuses should be made. The two best teams in the league are going to match up and that's about it.
Actually, if anyone should be called the favorite, it should be the Cavaliers, as they are still the current NBA champions.
In addition, this year's Cavaliers roster has had an upgrade thanks to the valuable additions of sharpshooter Kyle Korver and former All-Star Deron Williams. The defending champions should be favored to win again.
The Warriors, on the other hand, have added none other than former NBA MVP Kevin Durant. However, in doing so, they have had to sacrifice the contributions they were getting from players like Harrison Barnes, Marreese Speights, and Leandro Barbosa, as well as the extremely valuable rim protection that Andrew Bogut provided.
The Warriors will be NBA champions again
I do believe that the Golden State Warriors will hoist the Larry O'Brien championship trophy in this year's NBA finals. The Cavaliers will only fall if defeated; this is why the Warriors will have to outplay them in different areas. It will be crucial to not only make stops but also capitalize on the offensive end of the floor, and there is no better team to do this than the Warriors. They can make astounding runs in a span of two minutes and quickly build double-digit leads.
The Cavaliers like to trap the opposition with double teams in specific moments and areas on the floor. However, it will be more difficult for them to do so this year while worrying about what's happening on the other end of the floor.
The addition of Kevin Durant to the Warriors' team is a game-changer. The Cavaliers may want to focus on trapping Stephen Curry, like they have done on other occasions, but, this year, they cannot keep an eye only on Klay Thompson. Thus, Durant or Klay will be more open than usual, and that usually means trouble. If these two players are still properly defended, then Green will be the beneficiary.
On the emotional front, Curry is ready for redemption, Durant is anxious to show his critics why he joined the Warriors, and Green has been hungry for revenge ever since he got suspended for Game 5 in last year's NBA Finals.
These intangibles, combined with the Warriors' infectious ball movement, will be difficult to stop.
If the Warriors use their "death lineup" (Curry, Thompson, Iguodala, Durant, Green) more often, then it'll be even more difficult for the Cavaliers to match up against them without forfeiting some of their ability to rebound, defend, or play with intensity.
Catch Game 1 of the 2017 NBA Finals when it tips off on June 1st.
