2017 NBA Finals Preview: Golden State Warriors vs Cleveland Cavaliers
Beginning on June 1st, the 2017 NBA Finals get underway and will see the Golden State Warriors take on the Cleveland Cavaliers for the third year in a row.
While the news of a third identical finals matchup might elicit groans and yawns from some, this year’s finals are geared up to be the most exciting and hotly contested for some time. More so than in the previous two encounters, this year both teams are going in with a point to prove: Golden State to show they have not lost their spark that made the world fall in love with them, and Cleveland to show that last year’s win wasn’t a one-off, that they can compete and win.
For those who don’t know, the finals are a seven game series, alternating between both teams’ home courts, with the first team to win four games becoming champions. Sixteen teams compete for their place in the finals, in three preliminary rounds in the same best-of-seven format, match-ups decided on where teams finish in the league standings.
It’s a cliché, but it really does come down to this. The entire NBA season, really, is about teams racking up as many wins as possible to improve their playoff standing. However well you did during the 82-game regular season doesn’t really matter unless you then go on to win the championship. No other prize the league offers comes close to being crowned NBA champions.
Golden State didn’t turn too many heads during their regular season, but their playoff run was phenomenal, winning each series 4-0 - the most dominant playoff performance in the league’s history.
In fairness to the Warriors, this season wasn’t unspectacular, but 2015-16 was an impossible feat to follow up: they broke the record for most regular season wins and over 25 more league records. By comparison, their 67-15 record this year seems like an underachievement.
The Warriors started the season under a cloud, a cloud in the shape of Kevin Durant. The 2014 MVP leaving his team of nine years, Oklahoma City Thunder, to join Golden State in a move felt by many as treacherous and glory-seeking. Despite this, Durant’s performance for his new team was a big part of the Warrior’s success, and he was one of the season's best players, averaging 25.1 points per game.
All eyes will of course be on captain Steph Curry, already hailed by the basketball world as the greatest shooter of all time, and potentially one of the best players of all time. Despite averaging 25.3 points per game and breaking various shooting records, he hasn’t been incredible, as he has the last two years, instead only really, really, really good. Maybe that’s because you can’t improve on perfection, but no one can deny his form wasn’t as good and it probably didn’t come as a surprise to many when he wasn’t named MVP.
It’s not just Curry and Durant though, the Warriors have a deep bench full of talent. Their starting lineup also includes Curry’s backcourt partner Klay Thompson, a highly accurate shooter who holds the record for most points scored in one quarter (37) and the hugely versatile Draymond Green, thrilling on offence and one of the league’s best defensive players, who this year led the league and his team in steals, he also led his team in rebounds, assists and blocks.
Like Golden State, the Cleveland Cavaliers’ 2016-17 season fell short of expectations, but for different reasons. Their defence was lacking, as was their team cohesion, and throughout players have been dropping in and out of the lineup, either due to contracts being cancelled or injuries. Just about every player on their roster has suffered an injury at some point this year – even Tristan Thompson, whose record streak of consecutive games had to end at 447.
Despite this, they too were astonishing in the playoffs. Sweeping both their opponents in the opening two rounds, their unbeaten playoff run halted only by a defiant Boston Celtics side in game 3. This hardly seemed to bother the Cavs, however, who won all the remaining games as if nothing had happened.
Cleveland are possibly the mentally toughest team in the NBA. They never say die, are always fighting, and never let their opponents or the strain and grind of the game get to them. To give an idea of their mentality, in the 2016 finals they were three games to one down and on the verge of defeat, but they hung on to win the final three games and take the title.
LeBron James has been leading the way for the Cavaliers. His talent is undeniable and, at a time when many players his age start to hit their stride, he seems more confident, skilful and commanding as he has ever been. Returning to Cleveland after four years in Miami seems to have given him new purpose and lease on his game, and in the road to the finals he was nothing short of phenomenal, averaging an other-worldly 32.5 points per game.
In addition to James are the other members of Cleveland’s ‘big three.’ Power forward Kevin Love, after a couple of lacklustre seasons, has stepped his game up big time, displaying great hustle and energy on offensive while scoring big on the other end. His highlight of the season was scoring 34 first-quarter points back in November. Guard Kyrie Irving scored 40+ points on four separate occasions this year, in between announcing his belief that the world is flat.
What makes this matchup compelling is the contrast in strengths. The Warriors are a high-scoring team with a game plan to build as big a lead as possible. Conversely, the Cavaliers have a winning mentality and instinct. It never matters how far behind they are, they always have the belief they can win and always do all they can to make it happen.
Both teams showed in their playoff performances what they can be like firing on all cylinders, and that they are both hungry for the title. The fact that Cleveland have improved their scoring ability, while Golden State’s defence has come on in leaps and bounds, will add an air of unpredictability to the matchup. This time, it really is anyone’s guess.
With the potential to be a classic and surely cementing what will be one of the biggest rivals in NBA history, on par with the Magic Johnson/Larry Bird Lakers/Celtics rivalry, this year's finals will be history in the making.
Keep up to date with the finals at NBA.com
