By Noli Cruz, Sports Editor
Two days remain before the start of the “three-match” between the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Golden State Warriors.
Basketball experts and analysts have already made their picks, mostly taking the Warriors over the Cavaliers for obvious reasons.
Well, the Warriors are already the best team in the league the past two seasons before adding Kevin freakin’ Durant this year. They won the title against the Cavaliers in 2015 and went up 3-1 in the finals against the same team before losing in 2016.
But it’s hard to bet against a team with LeBron freakin’ James in the lineup. He is the great equalizer in any match up.
LeBron can play center if they want to match up with the Warriors’ small-ball and he can play the point if they want to go big.
While he admits that the Warriors present a lot of problems, LeBron is not fazed by their star-studded opponent.
“I have faced a team with four Hall Fame-bound players before,” LeBron said, referring to Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili and Kawhi Leonard of the San Antonio Spurs.
It would be five Hall of Fame-bound individuals if you count Coach Gregg Popovich.
Kevin Love, Cleveland’s sharpshooting power forward, also finds it funny that they are the underdogs in the finals. “We are the defending champs so I don’t think we should be the underdogs,” he said.
But they are and rightfully so.
The Warriors have four All-Stars in the lineup with Durant, two-time MVP Stephen Curry, sweet-shooting Klay Thompson and defensive demon Draymond Green. They are an offensive juggernaut and they are the top defensive team in the playoffs.
They are heavy at the top with all those stars, but they also have depth with cerebral players Andre Iguodala, David West and Shaun Livingston coming off the bench. JaVale McGee provides length and athleticism at the center position while Ian Clark plays like Steph in short bursts.
In short, they are justifiably the favorites to win it all this year and perhaps for a few more years to come.
Then again, LeBron plays for the Cavs.