Despite playing in cities nearly 4,000 kilometres away from one another, the Golden State Warriors and Cleveland Cavaliers are a lot closer than you may think.
Starting with the coaches, each team operates under the guidance of a rookie NBA bench boss. Warriors’ coach Steve Kerr has been through it all, winning five championships as a player, serving as a television analyst and holding a position in the Phoenix Suns front office before getting into coaching. On the other hand, Cleveland’s David Blatt gained most of his experience in Europe, playing and coaching in Israel prior to making the jump to the NBA.
And then there’s the star power: the Warriors and Cavaliers are led by two of the league’s biggest names in the game in reigning MVP Stephen Curry and four-time MVP LeBron James, respectively.
Alongside these two dynamic playmakers are a pair of all-stars for each team who may not be at 100 percent physically. Kyrie Irving has been battling a nagging knee issue throughout the post-season and was forced to miss two games in Cleveland’s series against the Atlanta Hawks. Meanwhile, Curry’s ‘Splash Brother’ Klay Thompson suffered a concussion in Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals, but has been cleared to play Thursday.
The similarities continue—each squad also boasts a player who enjoyed a breakout season in 2014-15. Draymond Green has become an invaluable piece for the Warriors – especially on the defensive end – as the versatile forward is capable of guarding any position on the floor. For the Cavs, Brampton Ont., native Tristan Thompson soared to new heights as a 24-year-old, with James even commenting that the big man should stay in Cleveland for his entire career. It is fitting that these two rising stars will be matched up against one another – at least to start games.
Finally, both teams took similar routes through the playoffs, sweeping their first-round opponents, winning their semifinal matchups in six games, and making quick work of their respective Conference Finals foes. With the exception of the odd game along the way, neither team has been truly tested. That’s about to change.
Marquee matchup: Stephen Curry vs. LeBron James
While James and Curry will not guard one another directly, whichever superstar has the better series will likely determine which team hoists the Larry O’Brien trophy.
Following his MVP season, Curry has come out for an encore in the playoffs. The former Davidson College star has averaged 29.2 points, 6.4 assists, 4.9 rebounds and 1.9 steals per outing through three rounds while maintaining a 44 percent clip from beyond the three-point line.
For James, it was business as usual in his first season back in Ohio. Even though the 25.3 points per game he registered was his worst scoring average since his rookie season, he posted the second-highest assist mark of his illustrious career, proving his dedication to getting his teammates involved. In the post-season, he has been other-worldly with a line of 27.6 points, 8.3 assists, 10.4 rebounds, 1.8 steals and 1.3 blocks.
Role player to watch, Golden State: Andrew Bogut
A big reason why Golden State topped the league in defensive efficiency during the regular season was because of big man Andrew Bogut lurking in the paint, making opposing teams think twice about driving to the basket. As the team’s starting centre, the Australian has only seen about 24 minutes of action each game so far in the playoffs and has been plagued by foul trouble, averaging four per contest. The Warriors need to keep Bogut on the court to anchor the defence against two of the best in the business at getting to the rim in James and Irving.
Role player to watch, Cleveland: Tristan Thompson
Over in the Cavaliers’ frontcourt, Thompson has opened eyes in his fourth year in the NBA, with many believing he has played himself into a max-contract offer in the off-season. The fourth overall pick in the 2011 draft has impressed with his energy and tenacity on the glass, pulling down 9.9 rebounds per game. Coming off the bench for the majority of the season, Thompson stepped into the starting lineup due to Kevin Love’s shoulder injury and and has run away with the job.
Season series:
Tied 1-1.
Warriors playoff stats leaders:
Points: Stephen Curry (29.3)
Assists: Stephen Curry (6.4)
Rebounds: Draymond Green (10.8)
Cavaliers playoff stats leaders:
Points: LeBron James (27.6)
Assists: LeBron James (8.3)
Rebounds: LeBron James (10.4)
Prediction:
Golden State Warriors in six