NBA: A MVP & A King Walked Into The Finals

Curry

Let’s take a quick trip back down memory lane…at the beginning of the NBA season, nobody would’ve predicted this Finals pairing…certainly couldn’t have pictured it with a Kodak by mid-season, when the Cavaliers were in the unenviable position of below 500 with a laundry list of things to do to set them back on a championship course.  

All of the usual namedropping occurred….this might be Portland’s year…those old guys in San Antonio are never to be taken lightly….maybe the dynamic duo in OKC will get another shot at a finals series…oh, the Hawks are on a roll…..Chicago has their superstar back in the lineup—this might be THE year….until the teams had ultimately dropped out of the running…..

Now here we are, the early part of June, ready to see a champion emerge….

Who will win?  Who knows?  But I do know this…..

For the first time in a long time, I don’t have a horse in the race…..if the Warriors win—amongst other things, it’ll be nice to see Steph add to an already remarkable year….if the Cavaliers win—although I’m not quite ready to make nice with the Cavs fan and most definitely not with the team’s owner, it’ll be one more feather in LeBron’s cap, which is mighty fine with me….

The two superstars themselves could not be more polar opposite….while Curry didn’t get many looks nor believers coming out of little known Davidson College…LeBron has been on our radars since he attended high school….

Role players are critical….the Cavaliers consist of players who, in large part due to LeBron’s leadership, have elevated their game to another level….it goes without saying Curry exhibits his own brand of leadership—the need to elevate his role players hasn’t been a necessary component though….those guys already came to the table with their high skill set….

Coaches do not play.  Coaches can’t be removed from the equation either.  I’m going to pass on the Coach Blatt bashing and simply say…Steve Kerr’s experience as a player and multiple championship winner must not be discounted.  What is cool for both?  First year coaching in the league and look where they are?…talk about setting a bar high!….

I have a hard time looking beyond LeBron…however, his being in the series is not an automatic trip to the winner’s circle.  Come on, if collecting rings were that easy, well, a whole lot more players would have at least one!

Here goes, if I were a betting person……I’d give a slight nod to Golden State.  On paper I’m persuaded by the toughness of the Western vs Eastern Conference & the role that each team’s superstar has to play in order for their team to win!  After fully acknowledging the game is not played on paper…I’m sticking with the Warriors. 

How many games will it take?  Six for sure and if it goes to seven, even better!!

Back to what I do know….I do not want to see anything like either of the conference finals!  Here’s to a competitive, injury free championship series! 

Go Warriors! Go Cavaliers!

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