Hoop Talk - NBA Playoffs 2017: NBA Finals Edition

Written by Zeke Perez Jr.

Return of the Jedi or Matrix Revolutions?
Back to the Future Part III or Little Fockers?
Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade or X-Men: The Last Stand?
 
For every great third installment in a trilogy or movie series, there is a complete and utter disaster. As many predicted early in the season, 28 teams didn’t matter much at all. The 82 regular season games and the slew of anticlimactic playoff matchups felt more like movie previews than a cinematic feature of their own. As it was scripted, two powerhouses emerged mostly unscathed. Now, the 2017 NBA Finals present the viewing audience with the long-awaited and much-expected part three of the Golden State Warriors and Cleveland Cavaliers trilogy.
 
At this rate, it feels like we could be headed for the NBA equivalent of Ben Stiller’s Scorcher franchise. 'The world called on him once more...and no one saw it coming…. THREE. MORE. TIMES!' There’s nothing inherently wrong with dynasties; some of the most exciting eras of basketball came about when a given team was dominant. With the Bulls of the 90's, the Bad Boy Pistons, Lakers v. Celtics, and the Spurs in the 00's, basketball has always had plenty of teams that would take over the league for a few years running. But the Warriors-Cavs threepeat doesn’t feel quite the same. 
 
Perhaps it’s because of how the two teams got to the Finals this year, dismantling their opponents in the first three rounds for a combined 24-1 record. Matchups that lopsided tend to diminish any potential for excitement. Maybe it’s because of their likeability. Everyone in the 90's loved M.J.; not everyone today loves King James. Not many people like the idea of buying superstars and assembling super-teams. It could be because those teams of the past took on all comers, the parity in the challengers from year to year setting up quite a bit of drama and questions of whether the potential dynasty could fend off a new opponent.
 
Whatever the reasons may be basketball fans are hoping that this year’s matchup is more like Toy Story 3 and a lot less like Spider-Man 3. We’ll need that to save us from the train wreck of a postseason that just happened. So get your popcorn ready for Warriors v. Cavaliers, for the third year in a row. 'Only this time… It’s different!' Who left the fridge open? 

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The 2017 NBA Finals
Golden State Warriors v. Cleveland Cavaliers
(Season Series: Split 1-1)

The Golden State Warriors:
Here’s your scary thought of the day: this year’s Warriors may be the best iteration of the team yet – even better than the record-breaking team of last year and the championship team of the year before. That is in part due to the addition of superstar Kevin Durant. But even without K.D., Golden State is ridiculously deep with talent they’ve drafted and cultivated. Steph Curry and Klay Thompson are splashing, Draymond Green is healthy and not suspended, and K.D. is hungry. Not to mention, it’d be pretty fun to see JaVale McGee get a ring.
 
This year’s Warriors are, surprisingly, a better shot than last year’s team, improving slightly in Field Goal % (.495 from .487) and in Points (9503 from 9421). They have dipped a bit in Three Point % (.383, down from .416), but they still have the ability to get hot from downtown. The aspect of their game that most lends itself to another Finals victory is the fact that they have a deep, capable roster with an assortment of situational lineups and matchup nightmares that the Cavaliers tend to be susceptible to.  

(Tony Dejak/Associated Press)

The Cleveland Cavaliers: 
Slumping their way through the end of the season, the Cleveland Cavaliers are now on a tear and look like the team many expected they would be. They’re getting production where they need it throughout the lineup. Kevin Love is healthy and contributing. Kyrie Irving is playing his best ball in some time. Oh, and in case you hadn’t heard it, LeBron James is pretty good at basketball. He’s well-seasoned, too, making his seventh straight NBA Finals appearance this year.
 
In the playoffs, Cleveland has registered as the second highest scoring team with 116.8 points per game, just behind Golden State’s 118.3 ppg. They have the firepower to stay afloat in a shootout with Golden State, but they’ll need to up their defense quite a bit to come out on top. Cleveland also has the mental edge over Golden State. While this is a rejuvenated Warriors team looking to avenge their blown lead of last year, the Cavs have to feel good about knowing what they have done and can do to the Warriors.
 
The Final Say: 
Two teams that have played unstoppable basketball for the entirety of the playoffs will meet. Something’s gotta give. Most experts right now are picking the Warriors and it’s hard to argue against them. In the Western Conference Finals, the Warriors took on the best defensive team in the league (the Spurs) and made them look foolish. The Cavs may have the league’s best player, but the Warriors have just as much talent, a deeper roster, home court advantage, and the fuel of last year’s embarrassment. Part of me wants to take Cleveland, with Kevin Love and Kyrie Irving playing immaculately, but I just can’t. Not even with perennial jinx Stephen A. Smith taking the Warriors. In a season where everything went exactly (and boringly) how it was supposed to, I’m banking on more of the same.
Series Prediction: Golden State Warriors in 6