Well the Day many basketball fans across the World have been waiting for is here! The 2017 NBA Finals tips off tonight. Part 3 of what has been a roller coaster ride for fans and players of both teams involved. LeBron vs. KD, Steph vs. Kyrie, The Bay vs. The Land, the Warriors vs. the Cavaliers for all the marbles.
The Warriors and Cavaliers have split their first two NBA Finals meetings with Golden State winning in 2015 and Cleveland winning in 2016. Although many of the main stars on both rosters are the same for part 3 of this Warriors and Cavs NBA Finals matchup, the Warriors enter the game with former NBA MVP Kevin Durant replacing now Dallas Mavericks forward Harrison Barnes at the small forward position. The addition of Durant has many believing the Warriors should run away with the series and I must agree.
Both teams have been the best two teams in the NBA for the past three seasons. Aside for the rivalry brewing with the Cavs and Dub Nation, this NBA Finals will mark the seventh straight Finals appearance for Cavs MVP LeBron James. Both teams had a fairly easy path to the Finals with the Warriors going (12-0) and the Cavaliers going (12-1) setting the table for a great matchup, I just don’t see it playing out that way.
In this series I have the Warriors winning in 5 games. I think the addition of Kevin Durant and the fuel of seeking revenge for losing the Finals after having a (3-1) lead on the Cavaliers in the 2016 NBA Finals will motivate the Warriors to get the job done. With that said I won’t be surprised if the Cavs did repeat as Champs. The Cavs in my opinion have a much better overall roster factoring in their bench. The Warriors made a splash because of four NBA all-stars, yet the Cavs have three. Durant and Curry are a nasty combo but LeBron and Kyrie aren’t some second place side show. These two teams are full of stars but the Warriors young bench outside of Livingston and Iguodala will be tested facing veterans like Deron Williams and Richard Jefferson on the Cavs bench.
Again, I’m going with the Warriors in 5 games (maybe 6) and I have either Steph Curry or Draymond Green winning the Finals MVP award. Steph hasn’t had his best performance in an NBA Finals series yet and I think he has heard the critics speaking on that. Draymond still wears being suspended and costing his team a chance at repeating in the 2016 NBA Finals and I believe he will come out the gate firing. Kevin Durant will be impactful but I feel Steph and Draymond have a bit more to prove this series and will be big in clutch moments.
Before the game tips off tonight remember this. No matter who you want to see win this series we are witnessing history from start to finish. Now only as I mentioned before is this LeBron James fourth straight NBA finals appearance (8th overall, 4 with Cavs, 4 with Heat), this is the first time in professional sports history that two teams will meet for the third straight year in the championship round. It should be a great one.
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