After the Cleveland Cavaliers' Sunday overtime win versus the Atlanta Hawks, they are now up 3-0 in the series. Meanwhile, the Golden State Warriors are up 3-1 in their series against the Houston Rockets, who rode a huge game from James Harden on Monday night to a 128-115 victory that kept them alive - for now. Barring that either the Hawks or Rockets do what has never been done before and make a comeback from 3-0 down, we will likely see the Cavaliers versus the Warriors in the NBA Finals. As a Cavs fan, this both excites and terrifies me.
This was the matchup that a lot of people were predicting in the preseason, and especially after the Warriors finished the season as the #1 seed in the West conference and with Steph Curry as the MVP. It will definitely be an interesting series to watch - King James versus the NBA's new Golden Boy. But first, let me just say what excites me the most about the Conference Finals series.
All four teams in the semis weren't there last year and haven't been there in a few years. It's four fresh teams. For once, the semifinals doesn't consist of the Heat or the Spurs or the Thunder. Golden State hasn't made as far as they are in the playoffs in decades, and the Cavs only went to the Finals once in 2007 when they got swept by, you guessed it, the Spurs. My point here is that it's always nice to see fresh teams play for a championship.
I personally believe this is going to be one of the best Finals the NBA has seen in a while. Here's my simple breakdown of which team I think has an edge in certain areas, and my overall prediction of the series results.
Interior: This counts for interior shooting, rebounding, and interior defense.The Warriors, quite honestly, aren't too big on the inside. While they do possess Andrew Bogut and Harrison Barnes, I truly think that Timofey Mozgov and Tristian Thompson will outplay them physically and wear them down. Mozgov has incredible interior defense and guards the paint well, while Thompson is an absolute monster at rebounding. His hustle alone allows the Cavs to get multiple offensive rebounds and second chance points. Additionally, the vast majority of LeBron's scoring has come from inside the paint during the playoffs. I don't see what answer the Warriors will have for LeBron, while Thompson and Mozgov will be able to matchup on their marks well.
Edge goes to the Cavs for the interior.
Beyond the Arc: This counts for 3-point shooting and perimeter defense. While the Cavs are one of the best 3-point shooting teams in the NBA, the Warriors are THE BEST 3-point shooting team in the NBA. Additionally, I don't know who the Cavs will put on Curry. He's the MVP for a reason. The guy can drop treys from deep, in traffic and highly contested, like he's scraping butter on bread. He's an absolute playmaker, and that's scary. The Cavs have had great success with J.R. Smith nailing 3s, but it'll be tough to match the MVP.
Edge goes to the Warriors for the exterior.
Team Condition: The Warriors are this deep in the playoffs, and haven't had too much trouble with injuries. On the other hand, the Cavs have been somewhat riddled with them. Kyrie Irving has sat a few games, LeBron has a few tweaks, and the list goes on. Both teams (hopefully) will have some decent rest before the Finals, and can heal as much as possible. But, the Warriors are healthier, and that's always an advantage.
Slight edge goes to the Warriors.
Experience: This is impossible to ignore. Steph Curry and many of his teammates have never been this deep in the playoffs. Curry is the MVP because he's clutch and can elevate his team, but what will happen when you're playing for a championship? It's hard to tell - everything has to get elevated. I'm sure they will answer the call, but the Cavaliers have much more experience on their team and on the bench. LeBron James has been to four Finals and has 2 rings to show for it. He knows what it takes. On the bench, you have veterans Mike Miller, James Jones, Shawn Marion and Kendrick Perkins who all know what it's like to be in the playoffs. J.R. Smith and Iman Shumpert are seasoned veterans as well. Irving and Thompson are fresh to it, but LeBron and all of the other veterans will make sure they're ready for it. Experience and being a veteran are never things to be taken lightly, and will definitely give the Cavs an edge.
Edge goes to the Cavs.
Final Prediction: Weighing the different sides, it's ultimately hard to tell who will win. If the Cavs are to win, they need to get Curry and the other 3-point shooters off their rhythm. Their perimeter defense has to be stellar. If the Cavs can out-rebound the Warriors, dominate in the paint, and either prevent many 3's or keep up with them, they can win.
My ultimate prediction is that the Cavs take it in 7.
