Well, we are finally here. We have been on a collison course to this rematch the very moment the Cavs won Game 7 of the Finals last year. This matchup was such a sure thing, that we could have wrote this article in August of 2016 and it woudn’t have been much different. These two teams tore through the NBA playoffs like no other two teams have, losing only one game between them — and it took a last second three pointer to do it. Nothing that happened in the offseason matters, nothing that happened in the regular season matters, and nothing that has happened in these playoffs matter, this is the 2017 NBA Finals…
Matthew Garrett – Lead Writer
Q: “In the event that the Warriors lose yet again to the Cavs for a second straight year, is Kevin Durant‘s move to Golden State a failure?”
Q: “Which player is more important to the Warriors winning these Finals, Steph Curry or Kevin Durant?”
A: It all falls on Curry. We can’t keep giving Steph all this credit as one of the greatest of all time and not highlight his failures on the biggest stage. Iguodala won Finals MVP in 2015 and the Warriors blew a 3-1 lead in 2016. This series will be a turning point in the Curry narrative for those of us who don’t live in Oakland. Will he be the main reason the Warriors bring it all home, will he be, “along for the ride” while Durant or Thompson spark them to a title, or will he be invisible while LeBron and company do the impossible for the second time?
In Durant’s first trip to the finals, he averaged 30/6/2 at 23 years old. I have no doubt about him bringing his A game, especially since this is the reason he came to Oakland in the first place.
Q: “Who wins the series and in how many games?”
A: This is a lot tougher for me than most. Yes, Golden State is stacked and look to be an unstoppable force. Yes, Cleveland’s defensive struggles are starting to rear its ugly head again. Yes, Golden State has more weapons and appear to be firing on all cylinders. But I don’t care about any of that because I’m still picking Cleveland to win it all. LeBron James is the greatest player walking this planet and it’s not even close. (If you listen closely you’ll hear Kobe stans cursing me out right now). The main question is how Tyrone Lue is going to expose the Warriors’ weaknesses. Tristan Thompson and Kevin Love are going to dominate the boards and create more opportunities, Cleveland. If Mike Brown has Steph guard Irving then Kyrie will feast. The Warriors are going to throw Green, Thompson, Iguodala, Durant, and every other healthy body over 6’6″ and LeBron but it doesn’t matter. The secret to the Cavaliers winning is controlling the pace. The Cavs will also put Draymond in a position where is temperament will be tested. Honestly, that’s the only reason Dahntay Jones and James Jones are on the roster; to stir the pot.
The Cavaliers successfully Defend the Land in 7, again.
Jason Ferguson – Co-Host of Tha Study Hall w/ Frank & Jason
Q: “Which of the marquee matchups are you most looking forward too? “
A: There is only one possible answer here, Durant vs Lebron! Ever since these two megastars first met in the 2012 finals we have all waited anxiously for the rematch. Head to head this rivalry has usually gone in Lebron’s favor. In 18 regular season matchups, Lebron has won 14 times and beat Durant 4 games to 1 in their lone Finals matchup. Durant joined the Warriors with only one goal and that was to finally win the Championship he looked destined to win in Oklahoma City. Unfortunately for Durant, he will be going head to head with Lebron who has been unguardable in the playoffs except for the dud in game 3 against the Celtics.
Q: “Outside of LeBron James, who is the biggest key to victory for the Cavs?”
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A: In order for the Cavaliers to repeat as NBA Champions, the King himself will need his trusty sidekick Kyrie Irving to be at his best. In the 2016 Finals, Irving averaged 30 ppg in victories (51% shooting) and only 23ppg in losses (40% shooting). Irving is always at his best when he is getting to the rim and using his otherworldly ability to find and angle and finish amongst the bigs. This was clear in game 4 against Boston when Kyrie was unstoppable in the second half as he went for a career playoff high 42 points.
Q: “Who wins the series and in how many games?”
A: Despite the Warriors roster being loaded with former MVPs, you can never bet against the King who looks to be on a mission to cement his legacy as the greatest player ever. Cavs in seven.
Ralph Uriarte Jr. – Redzone Media Manager
Q: “A lot was made of the Draymond Green suspension in last year’s Finals, and many attribute that suspension as to why the Cavs were able to win the series. How important is Green to this team now that Durant is there, and could they survive another suspension to Green if that were to happen?”
Q: “For the Warriors to win this series, the one thing they MUST do is_____”
A: The Warriors have to stay focused and play their game. They lost momentum and let the Cavs get in their heads last year. The Warriors lacked killer instincts. The Warriors need to keep their foot on the gas and never let up. They were one game away from back to back championships last season and blew it. Durant and Green add a physical aspect to the Warriors game plan to combat Lebron and his size and athleticism.
Q: “Who wins the series and in how many games?”
A: Warriors in 6. The Cavs are still struggling against a Celtics team they were supposed to sweep. The Warriors are already at home resting and game planning. The Warriors start fast and the Cavs have shown weakness in their armor. The Cavs will win 2 games, probably at home, but Green on the court the entire series and the addition of Durant will be too much for the Cavs.
Geoff Lambert – Founder / Editor
Q: “Mike Brown is in the worst possible spot. If they lose, it’ll be his fault with the narrative, “What if Steve Kerr had been coaching”, but if he wins, he will get no credit because the team is “expected to win”. Win or lose, how big a part do you really think Mike Brown will play? “
A: The Warriors are a veteran team and they are now playing in their third straight Finals, Mike Brown will have little impact on the outcome of this series. The only way I can see him getting the blame for losing the series is if he doesn’t something blatantly awful, like draw up a play where Zaza Pachulia takes the last shot to win the game and he misses.
Q: “Okay, you’re the Warriors, Game 7, your ball down two with three seconds to go. Who do you want taking the shot and why?”
A: A lot of people would say Kevin Durant in this situation, but I’m going to go a different route and say Steph Curry. If Kevin Durant is the one taking the last shot, then LeBron James is going to be the one guarding him. Despite how bad the Cavs were on defense this year, if I have to defend one possession for all the marbles there is only one guy I’m taking over James to be the defender and that’s Kawhi Leonard — and even then it’s really close. As the Warriors, I would much rather the Curry vs Kyrie Irving matchup.
Q: “Who wins the series and in how many games?”
A: It’s really hard for me to choose between these two but ultimately this is a talent driven league and the Warriors have more talent. Even if we had Irving/Curry and James/Durant as a wash, Klay Thompson is better than any other guard on the Cavs roster and Draymond Green is better than any of their big men because Kevin Love doesn’t play defense. Advantage, Warriors. I’ll take the Warriors in seven.
Matt Sandell – NBA & MLB Writer
Q: “LeBron James and the Cavs took some heat for resting at times during the season, do you think those rest days really helped them in these playoffs?”
A: You never really know do ya….but hey everyone is healthy for the Finals…so you can’t really fault them for that. It’s just a contingency plan for them basically. It probably helped very little.
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- Down 2 points with the ball, 5 seconds on the clock in the 4th, with a chance to tie or win the game.
- Up 2 points, 5 seconds on the clock in the 4th, Warriors have the ball with a chance to win or tie. “
A: I mean…data & statistics say you’d rather be leading at any point in the game lol, but yea I would much rather have to defend the shot than make a shot…I think most everyone would.
Q: “Who wins the series and in how many games?”
A: Considering that the Cavs lost to Boston at home in one game because LBJ played poorly…that’s really awful news if you’re a Cavs fan. This basically says if LeBron goes cold…they have no shot of beating GSW. I say GSW in 5.
Rashan Reeves – Co-Host of the Redzone w/ Kellie and Rashan
Q: “Barring a miraculous recovery, it doesn’t look like Steve Kerr will be able to coach in the Finals, meaning Mike Brown, the coach that took LeBron James to his first Finals appearance, will be coaching against his former player. Do you think that gives James any extra motivation?”
A: No, I think just playing the Warriors will give LeBron all the motivation he needs. He got Mike Brown fired, so he doesn’t think too much of him as a coach anyway.
Q: “Which player is more important to the Warriors winning these Finals, Steph Curry or Kevin Durant?”
A: I believe Steph is. He’s the point guard, he’s the 2x MVP, he’s the champion, Durant hasn’t accomplished winning a championship, Curry knows what it takes.
Q: “Who wins the series and in how many games?”
A: I originally thought the Cavs, but after watching Game 3-4, LeBron scares me. How can you be the most dominant force in the game and mentally check out like he did? Kyrie gives them hope but LeBron in crucial moments always gets too passive! Another thing, the Cavs don’t play defense that well, so I’m gonna change my original prediction and go with the Warriors in 6.
Kellie Ruttar – Co-Host of The Redzone w/ Kellie and Rashan
Q: “This is LeBron James’ 7th straight Finals and 8th overall. He is 3-4 in Finals’ series in his career, if he loses to go to 3-5, it almost guarantees he will finish his career with a losing record in the Finals. How much does that hurt his legacy? Or does it? “
A: The legacy of LeBron James is about so much more than just rings. He has cemented himself as the undisputed second greatest player to ever play the game of basketball, and some would argue he has surpassed Michael Jordan as the all-time greatest. If anything it will help his legacy because Golden State will only have been able to beat him because the had to go out and get the second best current player in Kevin Durant because their superstar power with the Splash Brothers of Steph Curry and Klay Thompson was not enough to get it done last season when they blew the 3-1 lead. LeBron James has so many accolades and is still going, there is no hurting that legacy.
A: Kyrie Irving after LeBron gets the defensive rebound… If I’m the Warriors and I’m down with mere seconds on the clock, I know I’m in huge trouble. Steph Curry does not play well under that kind of pressure, he’s great right up until this type of scenario, and then he chokes like the little bitch that he is. Durant has played this season with a target on him from the media and his detractors, I’m not sure if he’s got the mental fortitude to make this type of game-winning shot. Draymond Green is a thug and unless the game is nut sack abuse, I wouldn’t trust him to win it. I’d give the ball to Klay Thompson, he’s not quite as high profile as the other big names and he’s got the kind of attitude that can be clutch. This is purely hypothetical because screw Golden State.
Q: “Who wins the series and in how many games?”
A: Cavs in 6. Yeah, I’m a homer fan and no, I don’t care what you think about that. Aside from a little falter against the Celtics, the Cavs have dominated the playoffs. The game that they loss came after the largest playoff win in NBA history, they had the right to take it easy after that. The boys in Cleveland have been on the same page and have been getting it done. The big three when they are all on their game can’t be stopped by Golden State’s defense. Kevin Love is playing better than he has in most of his time in Cleveland, Kyrie Irving is showing that he is the most clutch point guard in the NBA right now, the additions of Deron Williams and Kyle Korver have been extremely lucrative in this playoffs, and of course you can’t forget they have King LeBron James. The Cavaliers got the city of Cleveland their first championship in over fifty years last season, that is a weight off their back, that allows them to play the way they are best when they are having fun. Kevin Durant needs to win this series in order to make his betrayal of Oklahoma City not look like a foolish move and I don’t think he’s up to the challenge. Again I say, Cavs in six! Defend the Land boys!
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