The 2016 NBA Finals feature two teams that have different backgrounds. The series is an East coast versus West coast matchup featuring Steph Curry against Lebron James. However, despite their differences, the two teams do have one thing in common: the will to win.
After winning his second consecutive NBA championship, Houston Rockets head coach Rudy Tomjanovich took the stage and uttered to the world, “Don’t ever underestimate the heart of a champion.” This statement has grown as popular, if not more popular than those Hakeem Olajuwon led Rockets teams. Fast-forward to present day and it also applies to the two teams that are playing for the NBA championship, the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Golden State Warriors.
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In the summer of 2010, Lebron James shocked the basketball community by “taking his talents to South Beach” and leaving his hometown team, the Cleveland Cavaliers, to join all-stars Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh in Miami. “The Decision” infuriated Cavalier fans and they began to despise the man they once dubbed “The King.” Lebron James was supposed to deliver a championship to the people of Cleveland and to his home state of Ohio. Instead he left to seek championships with the Miami Heat.
Initially, the move was not successful as the Heat was defeated in the 2011 NBA Finals by the Dallas Mavericks. Lebron James was heavily criticized and mocked for his performance during that championship series. However, what seemed to be a setback turned into the beginning of a new era.
Over the next two seasons, Lebron won two championships with the Miami Heat, and despite the fact that Lebron has not won the championship since that 2013 series against the San Antonio Spurs, he and his team have won the Eastern Conference championship every year since. For Lebron, this year’s championship series against the Warriors would be his sixth straight Finals appearance. This stretch of dominance by Lebron has not been with the same supporting cast. Other than James Jones, who is also making his sixth straight Finals appearance, no other teammate has been with Lebron every season post “The Decision.” Being able to develop chemistry with different players and coaches, adapting to different roles, all while still being the best player over a six-year span is truly amazing. The Eastern Conference is not as strong as the Western Conference, but over the last six seasons Lebron still had to go through the Boston Celtics featuring the original Big 3 (Paul Pierce, Ray Allen, Kevin Garnett), Paul George and the Indiana Pacers, Derrick Rose and the Chicago Bulls, the Atlanta Hawks and most recently, the Toronto Raptors. These teams all featured star players and legitimate challengers. However, they all had one thing in common in that they fell to will of the King, Lebron James.
Over on the West Coast, a new power has risen. The now two-time MVP, Steph Curry, has taken the NBA by storm by shooting the Golden State Warriors to an NBA championship and a 73-9 regular season, the best record in NBA history. After defeating Lebron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers last year in the Finals 4-2, the Warriors did not let up, and looked as hungry as ever in search of their second championship in a row.
The Warriors did not face any real opposition for most of the season, that is until they ran into the Oklahoma City Thunder in the Western Conference Finals. Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook punched Golden State in the mouth. The Thunder took a 3-1 lead and the series and all seemed lost for the defending champions. Being on the brink of elimination, the Warriors displayed the will to win by climbing back into the series game by game. Klay Thompson hit an NBA playoff record 11 three pointers in game six of the series at Oklahoma City, Draymond Green came out of a rut and provided a defensive presence, and Steph Curry showed why he was the MVP in game seven by shooting the Thunder out of the building.
Currently, the NBA Finals are already underway. Both Cleveland and Golden State are desperate to win in this championship rematch. Both teams have shown that they do indeed have the will to win, but there can only be one victor. So who will prevail? Which team or player will impose their will? Who will show that they have the “heart of a champion?”
