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Five Headlines You Need to Know for the 2015 NBA Finals (Video’s included)

 Brian Dostaler

We started with 30 NBA teams battling it out during the 82 game regular season starting in last October. 16 teams made the postseason in late April. However, winners are crowned in June and we have our NBA Finals matchup, the Cleveland Cavilers versus the Golden State Warriors. Game 1 is tonight 9:00 ET on ABC in Golden State. It is the series all the fans wanted to see when the playoffs started well we got it… finally. For what seems like ages ago now, the Cavilers swept the Atlanta Hawks in the Eastern Conference Finals eight days ago and the Warriors defeated the Houston Rockets in the Western Conference in five games exactly a week from today. We had to wait 168 hours, but we will finally tip-off this highly anticipated NBA Finals matchup tonight.  Here are five headlines to watch out for during this NBA Finals.

1.  The lay-off

I have already mentioned the long hiatus for both teams and as much as it is frustrating for us fans, the players are thoroughly enjoying this “mini vacation.” Golden State’s Klay Thompson is no longer diagnosed with a concussion after receiving an accidental knee to the head from Rockets Forward Trevor Ariza during Game 5 against Houston. Marreese Speights, who has been out with a calf injury, has not played since Game 3 of the Western Conference Semi-Finals against the Memphis Grizzles is expected to be available for Game 1. Meanwhile on the other side for the Cleveland Cavilers, these eight days have given their All-Star Point Guard Kyrie Irving to rest up his ankle and that is huge for the Cavilers. If Irving can get to 100% healthy or close to that, then this series will drastically changed. This week long layoff has even allowed Stephen Curry and Thompson to each attend a major league baseball.

2.  Head-to-Head

Not that I think this makes a difference, but just so you know these two teams split their two regular series meeting with each team winning at home. James did not play in the road 112-94 loss in Golden State but did score a season high 42 points in the win the 110-94 in Cleveland. So there’s that.

3.  Lebron’s Legacy Continued

Lebron James is making his fifth straight NBA Finals appearance as he goes for his third ring in six chances. After spending four seasons in Miami, he has come home to Cleveland with a goal of delivering the city’s first professional championship in 51 years. Despite Lebron’s 17.6% (13-68) from three point land, he has hit numerous big or “clutch shots” this postseason. It starts in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Semi-Finals versus the Chicago Bulls. In a must win game with the Cavs down 2-1 in the series, James took control of the huddle by telling his coach David Blatt to simply give him the ball and let him take the last shot… He delivered.

 

Then in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Atlanta Hawks, Lebron did this…

So only time will tell when Lebron will hit the next big shot.

4.  The MVP

Stephen Curry was awarded his first Most Valuable Player award this season after averaging 23.8 PPG, 7.7 APG 4.3 RPG and shot 44.3% from behind the arc. Curry is trying to bring home the Larry O’Brien Trophy back to the bay area for the first time since 1975 when Rick Barry led the Warriors to a four game sweep of the Washington Bullets. His three point shot has looked pretty good this postseason as Chef Curry has already netted 73 three pointers this postseason, which breaks the NBA record previously held by Reggie Miller (55). Curry, like Lebron, has also been clutch this postseason. The 5-year veteran out of Davidson scored 30 points or more on eight different occasions including two 40-point performances. One of those 40-point performances came in Game 3 against the New Orleans Pelicans in the 1^st round of the Western Conference…

 

Yeah that was pretty cool!

5.  Bench Production

Last year in the 2014 NBA Finals we saw the San Antonio Spurs flat out dominate the Miami Heat in five games. A big part of that was because of their bench play. The Spurs were first in the NBA in bench scoring at 44.3 PPG during the 2013-2014 regular season. During the Finals, we saw Manu Ginobili, Patty Mills, Boris Diaw and Marco Belinelli score all over the Heat defense. The Warriors bench ranked 13^th best in the NBA at 34.6 PPG this season while the Cavilers are dead with only 24.3 PPG. So sure Curry, Thompson, Harrison Barnes, Andrew Bogut and Draymond Green need to play big this series, but so do their bench players Speights, Shaun Livingston, David Lee, Leandro Barbosa and Festus Ezeli. The Cavilers bench is much more limited outside of their starting lineup as only Matthew Dellavedova, JR Smith and James Jones see any significant amount of minutes coming off the bench. The starters need time to rest and for the reserves to step up and the Warriors are simply the deeper team.

Prediction

This series is a toss up, let’s be honest. I don’t think anyone will be surprised if either team wins. However, I will be surprised if the road team wins the clinching game. If the Cavs are up 3-2 with Game 6 in Cleveland, Lebron will not let his home state down. Like wise with Stephen Curry and the Warriors should this series go seven games. With that being said, I believe the Golden State Warriors will be the 2015 NBA Champions. The depth and bench of this team will be too much for the Cavilers. I believe this series will go seven games with Curry adding his first NBA Championship ring to his MVP season.