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The match-up everyone was waiting for is finally here as the Golden State Warriors and Cleveland Cavaliers take to the court in the NBA Finals. Join The Roar from 11:00am (AEST) for live scores and coverage.
Golden State host the Cavaliers in Oakland for Game 1 and after only losing three games at home since the season began; they will be looking to start strong at home.
The Cavaliers, however, enter the series after five days of rest, having not been particularly troubled on their journey through the Eastern Conference.
Even after dropping two games away to Toronto, there was never really any doubt about the Cavaliers making the Finals.
The same can’t be said of the Warriors.
Oklahoma City really troubled Golden State, and had it not been for a breakdown late in Game 6 by OKC and some Klay Thompson brilliance, the Warriors might well be tuning into the Finals on TV.
If there is one thing you can be sure of in this series, it’s three-pointers. Expect many!
Why? Because these two teams have attempted more three-pointers than any others so far in these playoffs.
Three-point attempts make up 40 per cent of Cleveland’s offensive possessions and 35 per cent of Golden State’s (you’d think that would be the other way around, but there you go).
Where this can become an issue is when shots are not falling, particularly for Golden State. We saw this against OKC where when they couldn’t make threes their whole offence spluttered.
The Warriors are incredibly talented offensively, but without the outside shot, they do not have the same number of options available that Cleveland possesses.
Cleveland’s primary possession being Lebron James. Stopping James getting to the hoop is like trying to stop a freight train – it’s not going to work out too well for you.
James has qualified for his sixth straight Finals, something not accomplished since the Boston Celtics of the 1960s.
We all saw what he did in last year’s Finals, this time, he has Kevin Love and Kyrie Irving healthy. He wants to bring Cleveland a championship after the city’s 52-year drought, and this might be his best shot.
But make no mistakes, the Warriors will not let that happen without a fight. They have been slighted all season by past greats who feel they wouldn’t survive “back in their day.”
The only way to shut everyone up is by bringing home that jewellery again.
Are Cleveland ready for the whole new test that is the Western Conference champions?
Are Golden State battle-tested and ready for another fight? Or already exhausted?
Will any of that really matter?
I have no idea. Nobody does. But it’s going to be a hell of a lot of fun finding out!
Prediction: I think Cleveland could use their time off to surprise Golden State in Game 1 and steal a win.
Cavaliers by 2
Preview written by Elliot Williams
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