For Warriors and Cavaliers, Pursuit of Another Finals Turns Bumpy

If the Cavs don't shore up their half court defense, they can bring in all the players they want, it won't make a difference. They are getting sliced and diced by everyone. Nice to score a record number of threes, but the truth is, every big game comes down to the ability to come up with big stops in half court and the Cavs don't seem to be able to do that. Banking on just turning it on come playoff time is pretty risky gamble.

The era of NBA superteams make predictions as to who will end up in the finals pretty failsafe -- even with injuries.

As a Clevelander, I am still pretty much on cloud nine that one of those superteams happens to be my Cavs, led by the best player of his generation, Lebron James.

But I will leave it to wiser sports minds to debate whether this superteam era is good for the sport, even if it gives us some thrilling finals.

General point of article understood.

However using JR Smith or Love in same context as Kevin Durant is a really weak comparison of an individual's impact on team's performance.

NBA's players like to win a title without caring so much about past rivality as Bogus demonstrates this year.
Under an italian prospective players who change teams so quickly after a final does not help the fan to love the game. On the other hand business is business but this could affect the future of NBA.

Kawhi Leonard is, in my opinion, easily the second-best basketball player after LeBron, and, given LeBron's age, he might actually now be the best - it's so hard to tell because LeBron doesn't really try during the regular season.

It's something that the casual fan doesn't often see, but Kawhi is the LeBron James of defense. In other words, one of the greatest of all time. He is that good. I would still give a slight edge to a full-strength Warriors team to stop Kawhi's Spurs, but if Durant is at even a mere 75% I think Kawhi's team will be in the finals.

Kawhi bested LeBron in 2014. I know the fans of the Warriors would prefer to see them back in the finals but a Kawhi-LeBron rematch would be a basketball purist's dream come true. It's the Spurs who invented beautiful-game basketball, not the Warriors, and they remain it's best practitioners in my opinion. The Warriors have simply stacked their roster, they don't have the true efficiency or precision of the Spurs' system where seemingly mediocre players can become lethal threats and Kawhi has such an impact on defense that their opponents' best strategy is to stick his man in a corner and attempt to play 4 on 4.

The Warriors will not make it back to the finals. The West is loaded, and the Warriors have been too inconsistent even when Durant was healthy, which he won't be. The Western Conference Final will be the real NBA championship.

Ahem... Spurs, anyone?

Talk about globetrotting! All teams travel around like crazy I wish them safe journeys.

At least one sentence should mention other contending teams...

The Durant loss is one thing for the Warriors, but Curry and Thompson haven't been as dominant. You wonder if the drive is ebbing as seems to do with players and teams in general. The thing for Cleveland is they aren't a big team. LeBron can dominate, but he is 33 now and how much reserve is in the tank. I would not be surpised to see neither in the playoffs.

This is the part of the season where wise General Manager decisions, good coaching, and perseverance on the part of the players all show up. Lebron James's mention of challenges faced by several teams was a reminder. Meanwhile we'll be distracted by the NCAA's!

"Kerr referred to the league’s “infinite wisdom” in assembling his team’s coming schedule: a trip to the Hawks in Atlanta (Monday), a brief stop at home to play the Boston Celtics (Wednesday) and then back-to-back road games against the Minnesota Timberwolves (Friday) and the San Antonio Spurs (Saturday)."

Oh my, the indignity of it all. A lot of business people have this type of travel schedule and I'd venture to say they are making far less than Kerr's $5 million or LeBron's $31 million annual salary.

Well, I'd rather see Cleveland Vs San Antonio in the finals. But if it's Golden State that will be fine. A friend of mine says to watch out for Houston in the West, but I don't think they have enough. And I hope the Knicks can get it together in time to make it to the playoffs.

Orange, NJ

Warriors looked mortal during their last three games. And Cavaliers have been banged up. It could simply come down to the relative health of the teams. Hence, LeBron and Kyrie resting in Miami.

Cleveland's GM propitiously loaded up, getting Korver in trade, and Deron Williams and Bogut for cash. Cleveland is lucky in that they have the favorite son from Akron to build around, and an owner who is an internet loans mogul from equally unglamorous Detroit. Thus, they can go toe to toe (almost) with Golden State in obtaining a roster full of guys who can play.

If Deron Williams can get chemistry going with a Cavalier second unit featuring Korver, and the returning Smith and Love - watch out. LeBron and Kyrie willl have extra help and extra rest.

Also added was the guy selected after Kyrie in the draft, Derrick Williams. He has bounced around and is a tweener. But let me tell you, he was not bashful about creating his own shot at the Univ. of Arizona. He could thrive as LeBron's caddy.

Cleveland is loaded.

LeBron could play with the Sisters of Charity and carry the Cavs out of the East and into the NBA Finals. A diminished Warrior team, on the other hand, will have to fight tooth and nail to come out of the West.

If the Cavs prove vulnerable, that opens things up for Toronto (if Lowry heals), the Celtics, and the Wizards. All three have top notch guard play but are weak inside. None of them are believed to have seriously pursued DeMarcus Cousins, widely rated as the second best power forward in the game. The rap on Cousins was a bad attitude, and that's certainly true. But he played for the worst organization in basketball, had 6 coaches in 6 years, and basically played with 4 D-League teammates. He played for the US Olympic team and Coach K spoke well of him. I believe he was well worth the risk. Cousins might have carried any of the three Eastern contenders to the Championship. The Celtics, in particular, had plenty of trade bait. Cousins was well worth the gamble. Instead, he went to the lowly Pelicans. I'd put the GM's of all three teams on the hot seat.

“It’s a long season,” Stephen Curry said....way too long to expect a healthy team when playing games on consecutive days.

Since the Cavaliers have by far the most expensive roster in the league, it is not surprising they have an excellent record. What the NBA needs is an actual salary cap.

love how the NYT's defines 2 first place teams as in peril. hey NY- your team just got routed 112-105, and the opponents star wasn't even playing. Talk about alternate realities.

Cleveland has done just what was necessary to broaden and deepen the team, and there is easily enough time to create enough familiarity between teammates. LeBron James knowingly and correctly wanted such additions, and there they are. As to injuries, there is no telling right now however these are well-matched teams just as they are right now.

The playoffs should be terrific.