Cleveland, Ohio: a city dubbed titleless since the Browns captured one in 1964, and rendered unfavorable by most NBA analysts and fans for the 2016 NBA Finals and World Champions – and perhaps rightfully so. The Golden State Warriors capped off the most wins in a season in NBA history at 73 and have had a practically magical postseason. Coming back from a 3-1 series deficit against the Thunder is just another feat worthy of praise GSW has notched this season; and thanks to it, have the Warriors sitting pretty as they head into their second-straight NBA Finals against the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Mix this season, postseason, all the records, awards and facts into consideration, and it seems like the Cavs have as much of a shot against Golden State as you or me. I'm sure it'd be 30 times easier for someone to make a case for the Warriors. But the case for the Cavs is this, and it's a story as old as time: who doesn't love an underdog?
Especially when the underdog does have a considerable chance? The Cavs aren't a bad team by any means; but with the way the Warriors have sized up this season, it's chartered any team worthy of recognition off the map. Any and all media outlets flash the pretty game the Warriors play over TV screens across the country. But before the Steph Curry hype, there was hype about this kid straight out of high school dubbed "The Chosen One," "The King" – and he definitely lived up to it. The King built himself an empire.
No one can deny LeBron James' ability to play every single position, guard every single position defensively and overall lead a team and a league for longer than most other franchise players have or will. His stats and records speak loud and clearly of his success, but watching him play – although not in the same way as Curry, but just as eye-catching – speaks absolute volumes.
So, there's a chance for the Cavs. It may not be sizable to the chance the Warriors have, but that's what makes the underdog so great. Their 7-0 record at home in the postseason is something to hold tight to as they head into the Finals, alongside the incredible play from Kyrie Irving, J.R. Smith and Kevin Love, to name a few.
A friend of mine, JJ Janzer, told me he's looking for the Cavs to dethrone Golden State for a few reasons:
"If he [LeBron] loses, he'll be 2-5 in the Finals, and people will say that sucks and ignore how hard it is to even get there so many times. Literally no other player from the modern NBA ever has or probably ever will be able to lead his team, much less two teams, to the Finals for six straight years. So I want people to appreciate LeBron. And, it'd be nice not to have Steph Curry shoved down my throat for another four months."
Steph Curry was the ultimate underdog – a scrawny high school player still shooting the three from his hip, barely recruited for college ball beyond walk-on positions – and now he's running the league. The Cavaliers are double the underdog Curry was. And I can't wait to see them take the title to its rightful place in Cleveland.
All it takes for an underdog to come out on a top is twofold: execution and things to go their way. Don't get me wrong – I don't hate Golden State because everyone loves them. I don't even hate them. I just want to see them get blown out of the water by the Cavs. They're so far underrated, and LeBron is so far ridiculed, that people just back whoever the media loves most. This matchup will be worth the watch, and either way the series ends – it will go down in history. But I believe the King will get his (third) ring. And he'll bring a title to Cleveland in a wine and gold jersey, one game at a time, four wins total.
