The wait is finally over. Many pundits have predicted and hoped for the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Golden State Warriors to meet in the NBA Finals, and now it’s set in stone.
LeBron James is looking for his third NBA title in his fifth consecutive trip to the Finals. This time around, he’s back in Cleveland where the franchise will vie for their first NBA title. Meanwhile, Stephen Curry and the Warriors are headed to the NBA Finals for the first time since 1975, which was also the last time that they won an NBA title since the franchise moved to the Bay Area.
Who will prevail in this clash between the two best teams in the NBA? Several experts have weighed in on their predictions, which you can read below. And there’s still some tense action left in the NHL as well. Head on over here for our preview of Game 7 between the Chicago Blackhawks and the Anaheim Ducks.
[sc:NBAArticles ]Experts Predictions for Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Golden State Warriors Series
Series Scores and Schedule
Game 1 – June 4, 9:00 PM ET – Cleveland Cavaliers (+5.5) at Golden State Warriors (-5.5); total: 202.5 – view all NBA lines
Game 2 – June 7, 9:00 PM ET – Cleveland Cavaliers at Golden State Warriors
Game 3 – June 9, 9:00 PM ET – Golden State Warriors at Cleveland Cavaliers
Game 4 – June 11, 9:00 PM ET – Golden State Warriors at Cleveland Cavaliers
Game 5* – June 14, 9:00 PM ET – Cleveland Cavaliers at Golden State Warriors
Game 6* – June 16, 9:00 PM ET – Golden State Warriors at Cleveland Cavaliers
Game 7* – June 19, 9:00 PM ET – Cleveland Cavaliers at Golden State Warriors
*If necessary
Sports Illustrated
| Expert | Prediction |
|---|---|
| Lee Jenkins | Golden State in 6 |
Lee Jenkins of Sports Illustrated predicted early on at the start of the NBA Playoffs that Cleveland and Golden State would meet in the Finals. Jenkins argued that the lack of postseason experience shouldn’t faze the Warriors and their quest for the title.
[sc:NBA240banner ]LeBron James may be the one player on both teams that brings the most praises and experience in the Finals, but the Warriors have collectively been the best at all facets of the game for the entire 2015 season.
Golden State’s year-end accolades speak for themselves: they had the best record in the regular season, have this year’s MVP (Stephen Curry), and Executive of the Year (Bob Myers). The Warriors even finished second in the voting for the three other major individual awards, with Steve Kerr for Coach of the Year, and Draymond Green for both Most Improved and Defensive Player of the Year.
Sports Illustrated
| Expert | Prediction |
|---|---|
| Rob Mahoney | Golden State in 6 |
Jenkins’ fellow SI columnist, Rob Mahoney, also predicted Golden State to win in six games. Mahoney praised the Warriors’ defense, and how their D is capable of shutting down LeBron James and the rest of the Cavaliers.
“Golden State has the length and savvy needed to tie up LeBron, all within a second-nature system that informs their patterns of help and recover,” said Jenkins. “It takes quick, reactive decision-making to get past the Warriors on D. That isn’t exactly the Cavs’ strong suit, as James and Kyrie Irving are both guilty of holding the ball at times at the cost of playmaking momentum.”
RantSports
| Expert | Prediction |
|---|---|
| Trevor Lowry | Cleveland in 7 |
Over at RantSports, Trevor Lowry still insists that LeBron James will outright dominate the series, and prove that he is still the best basketball player on the planet. Lowry also expects James to have learned from last year’s loss in the Finals to the San Antonio Spurs. The King is playing at a very high level right now, as he is averaging a near triple-double in the playoffs.
But it would take much more than just LeBron to do all the work for Cleveland, as Lowry mentioned that the entire Cavaliers roster would have to perform at their peak form to win the series. LeBron has had to do more on his own in this year’s playoffs, and his competitive play eventually rubbed on to the rest of his teammates. It’s all a matter of how Cleveland will adjust their style of play against a much superior team in Golden State.
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RantSports
| Expert | Prediction |
|---|---|
| Seth Lassen | Golden State in 7 |
Another writer from RantSports, Seth Lassen, made a bold prediction that the Cavaliers will steal Game 1 from the Warriors at Oracle Arena. He stressed the fact that not one player on the Warriors roster has ever been to the Finals, and that beginner’s nerves will get the better of Golden State in Game 1.
And yet, Lassen still sees the Warriors winning it all in the end. One key player he looks to play a big role for Golden State is Andre Iguodala. Here’s what Lassen had to say about Iggy:
“Iguodala is often left wide open since teams focus on shutting down Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson. Iguodala will cash in on his chances and come up big for the Warriors in several games.”
Sporting News
| Expert | Prediction |
|---|---|
| Adi Joseph | Golden State in 5 |
Lastly, Adi Joseph of Sporting News believes that the Warriors will make this series a quick one. Joseph’s main argument is that the Warriors have more depth and are healthier as compared to the Cavaliers. The Cavs are already without Kevin Love, Kyrie Irving’s condition is not at 100%, and their playoff-tested veterans Shawn Marion and Mike Miller aren’t helping the Cavs’ cause as much as they expected.
Meanwhile, Golden State’s lack of playoff experience doesn’t seem to bother their young roster. Just recently in Game 5 against the Houston Rockets, Harrison Barnes and Festus Ezeli stepped up big time to help the Warriors seal Houston’s fate. It would be fascinating to see what the Warriors’ bench players will do next, especially since the NBA Finals is a whole new level altogether.
Stephen Curry recovered from his nasty fall from Game 5 to record 26 points, eight rebounds and six assists in Game 5. But he shot just 7-of-21 (33 percent from the field) and 3-of-11 from beyond the arc. Meanwhile, Splash Brother Klay Thompson developed concussion-like symptoms after suffering a blow to the head from Trevor Ariza. But he’ll have a lot of time to recover in time for Game 1.
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