The Golden State Warriors stole headlines this off-season by signing former MVP forward Kevin Durant. Durant is one of the three best players in the NBA. He’s the league’s best scorer, a great shooter, a great free throw shooter, he can finish in the paint, and he’s a very underrated defender. Durant’s presence in Golden State with MVP point guard Stephen Curry, guard Klay Thompson, and forward Draymond Green will be instrumental, and will make the Warriors the team to beat in the Western Conference; however, the Cleveland Cavaliers are the team to beat in the NBA.
The Cleveland Cavaliers Are The Team To Beat In The NBA
Cleveland won the Championship, not Golden State
Despite the star power that the Warriors possess, they’re not the team to beat; the Cavaliers are. The Cavs have the Warriors’ number as well. No matter what excuse the Warriors will try to make for last year’s NBA Finals collapse, the Cavaliers beat them, straight up. They have that on them going into this season; they’re the champs, not Golden State. The Cavaliers also showed how lethal they can be when they’re healthy.
The Cavaliers showed what they can do when they’re healthy
When the Cavs met the Warriors in the finals two years ago, they had to play without Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love, due to season ending injuries; however, last year was different. Both Irving and Love were healthy during the Cavs’ playoff run, and they made the difference. Irving played at a superstar level offensively, going up against Stephen Curry, dropping 41 points in game five, and hitting the game winning three pointer in the final minute of game seven. Irving proved that he’s a superstar in this league, and Love proved that he was more than just a high-priced role player. Love was by no means a force to be reckoned with, but he showed that he can can hit the open jumper and hit the boards both offensively and defensively. Irving and Love were crucial to the Cavs championship run last year, and they’ll be key facets to their success this season. However, what separates the Cavs from the Warriors isn’t the talent or the star power; it’s their consistency.
Golden Uncertainty
Everyone knows what they’re going to get from the Cavaliers. They’re going to be a powerhouse team in both the Eastern Conference, and the entire NBA, but more importantly, they’re consistent and fundamentally sound. You know that Irving and Love will complement Lebron James and company nicely; you know that the Cavs will communicate well on both ends of of the floor, but can you say the same about this Warriors team? The answer is no. Last year, the Warriors roster were all on the same page. They fit in well and knew their roles; but with the addition of Durant, the Warriors have a bevy of question marks. One burning question is: who gets the ball at the end of the game? Curry? Durant? Thompson? Both Curry and Durant are adapt to having the ball in their hands with the game on the line, but one of them will have to take a back seat ride, and that player is probably going to be Durant. Curry is the point guard and the face of this Warriors team; he is always going to have the ball in his hands when it matters most, but Durant was that same type of player with the Thunder. With the game on the line, Durant would have the ball in his hands. The reality is that Curry will have the ball in his hands at the end of the game, and Durant’s ability to adjust to not taking that final shot will be interesting to watch. This Warriors team is unpredictable and reliant on their shooting ability, but the presence of James alone makes the Cavs the team to beat as well.
Lebron James, the world’s best player
People say Curry, Durant, or even Russell Westbrook is the NBA’s best player, but James is still the king of the NBA. He’s the best player in the world. There’s nothing he can’t do. There’s no player in the league who can carry a team on their shoulders like James. His two way ability overwhelms teams; and despite the rise of younger, more athletic players, no one is better than the king himself, James.
The Golden State Warriors have made themselves as Hollywood as you can get. With superstars Curry and Durant, star shooting guard Thompson, and versatile forward Green, the Warriors have the most star studded lineup in the NBA. But the Cleveland Cavaliers are still the team to beat. With James, Irving, Love and the NBA champion Cleveland Cavaliers still loaded with talent, they’re the team to beat.
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