NBA Finals Prediction

A quick-and-dirty Grandstander Preview of the NBA Finals, which begin tonight.

Leading up to these Finals, the following occurred:

• The Golden State Warriors, 73-9 in the regular season, had to overcome injuries to to NBA MVP Steph Curry, and then had to overcome a 1-3 deficit against Oklahoma City to reach the Finals.

This could mean that the Warriors were tough and gritty and resilient enough to overcome such adversity, which means that they are a cinch to Win It All, OR it could mean that that spent all their powder in reaching that record setting 73 wins, and are now pretty much spent going into the Finals.

• The Cleveland Cavaliers breezed throughout the Eastern Conference Playoffs, withe two series sweeps and an overall record of 12-2.

This could mean that while the whole world was watching the Warriors all season in their quest to break the season wins record, the Cavaliers were quietly just doing their thing on their way to a return trip to the Finals, OR it could mean that the entire NBA Eastern Conference stinks, that the Cavs were the one-eyed man in the land of the blind, and are going to be mere cannon fodder for the Warriors in the Finals.

So, what DOES it mean?  Remember, that last year the Cavaliers, due to two key injuries to star players, were essentially a one man team - LeBron -  in the Finals, and it took the Warriors six games to beat them.  Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love are healthy and ready to play, and LeBron James is still the best player in basketball.  The Warriors are still that team that won 73 games, and did win three straight over the Thunder, no small task, to get to the Finals.  

Will the Warriors be spent from doing what it took to beat OKC?  Probably not in the long run, but it could be the case in the opener tonight.

Will LeBron James, perhaps a bit miffed over the everyone's season-long love affair with Curry play like a man possessed to let everyone know that he is STILL King James?  I think that you can count on that.  

Me? I can't wait to watch the James-Irving-Love going up against Curry-Thompson-Green.  I think that we are in store for a terrific series, one that will go the distance, and one that will end the 52 year sports championship drought in Cleveland.

THE CAVS TO WIN IN SEVEN GAMES.

There you have it.  As always, watch but don't bet.