Golden State and Cleveland meet in the NBA Finals for the third year in a row, with the Warriors taking the title in 2015 but being dethroned in 2016 by the Cavaliers, who rallied from 3-1 down to win the best-of-seven series in the greatest comeback in finals history. Both teams are loaded with stars leaving everyone else far behind… again.
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If an individual player can be put in the dynasty category, LeBron James is the closest thing the National Basketball Association has to one.
The reigning NBA Coach of the Year is still not feeling well after a May 5 procedure at Duke University to fix a spinal fluid leak stemming from back surgery complications almost two years ago. In Game 4, Kyrie Irving, Kevin Love and James combined to score or assist 103 points.
But none of that will matter to Cleveland since James, who stretched his Finals streak to an astonishing seven straight years dating back to his time in Miami, is playing the best playoff basketball of a career that already includes three NBA titles and a trio of Finals MVP awards.
So, what needs to happen in order for the Golden State Warriors to claim a second NBA Championship in three years?
Maybe, just maybe, the Warriors are slightly ahead due mainly to the addition of Kevin Durant, the former Thunder with a thunderous amount of baskets in nearly every game that he’s fielded in. Might that push for history have worn them down a bit come the postseason?
For the record the two teams split their regular season meetings, with Cleveland winning 109-108 on Christmas Day and the Warriors winning at home, 126-91. And except for Utah, the Bulls lacked a rival.The healthy respect and contempt teams develop for a finals’ opponent they regularly see was missing.
James has accomplished a lot in his decade-plus in the league, but another victory over the Warriors in the NBA Finals would be his greatest achievement. “You talk about longevity and being able to play at a high level for a long period of time”.
Season series: Tied, 1-1.
Below is a look at the 2017 NBA Finals schedule along with the current NBA Finals MVP odds. The Bulls began their finals run by beating the Los Angeles (Lakers). This year’s team was plus-11.6 and had a rating of 12.1. Klay Thompson hasn’t been outstanding through the post-season but he has the ability to win a game on his own with his shooting if he gets hot … The Golden State Warriors are better than 1/2 favorites at Las Vegas and online sportsbooks, and most experts are picking the Western Conference’s No.1 seed to win a championship. After he and LeBron got tangled up in an on-court collision, King James tried to step over Draymond. Another thing that stands out with the NBA’s elite is defense. Golden State is the team who brought in Durant and place the pressure on their shoulders.
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The NBA Finals is here and once again it will feature the Golden State Warriors. Barnes averaged 9.3 points in the Finals a season ago, on 35 percent shooting.
