The 2017 NBA Finals are upon us at long last. For the third consecutive season, the Golden State Warriors and Cleveland Cavaliers will face off in a battle of super-teams. Tension is mounting and the hype is as great as can be. Superstars will shine, emotions will rise, and the stakes will be higher than ever. With the series set to begin on Thursday night, here\u2019s our 2017 NBA Finals predictions roundtable.<\/p>\n
Harrison Marcus, senior editor<\/strong><\/a>:\u00a0The biggest X-factor will be Cleveland\u2019s defense, which has been far from respectable this season. Even in the Boston series, when their offense was clicking on all cylinders, the Cavs struggled at times to defend the Isaiah Thomas<\/a><\/strong>-less Celtics. Cleveland will need to improve its defense significantly in order to come away as back-to-back champions. Slight improvements here and there won\u2019t cut it; the Cavs need to take major strides. Forcing Stephen Curry<\/a><\/strong> and Klay Thompson<\/a><\/strong> out of rhythm early in the series will be key, as is the need to play physical against and get inside the heads of Draymond Green<\/a><\/strong> and Kevin Durant<\/a><\/strong>. If the Warriors are able to smoothly execute their offense, the Cavaliers have no chance. Disrupting Golden State\u2019s fluid offensive movement is easier said than done, but it will be the key to the series if Cleveland wants to repeat.<\/p>\n Ram Capoor, staff writer<\/strong><\/a>: Perimeter defense. Here\u2019s a look at how close these teams\u2019 shooting clips have been in the 2017 playoffs:<\/p>\n Warriors (per series): 50.2 FG%, 38.7 3FG%, 81.5 FT%<\/p>\n Cavaliers (per series): 50.5 FG%, 43.5 3FG%, 77.3 FT%<\/p>\n Both rosters are stacked with marksmen who can take aim from behind the arc and within the three-point line. There\u2019s not a whole lot of scope for improvement in terms of the shooting percentages, so the teams have to shift their focus towards the opposition, and trying to contain them. The first team somehow able to shut down the other on the perimeter will gain the upper hand in this series. This X-factor is more than just playing good defense; it\u2019s a mental scheme that can deter the confidence level of the opposition. When shots stop falling, particularly against elite teams, games can quickly slip away from a team \u2013 that goes for both Cleveland and Golden State.<\/p>\n Matthew Cardenas, associate editor<\/strong><\/a>:\u00a0Kevin Love<\/a><\/strong> is the X-factor. This is the best we have seen him in a Cavaliers uniform. His perimeter shot has been automatic the entire playoffs, especially in the Eastern Conference Finals. With the Finals now here, this is where Love needs to be at his best. It will be interesting to see how he matches up with Draymond Green. If Love is playing well, it will take a huge load off of LeBron James<\/a><\/strong> and Kyrie Irving<\/a><\/strong> on the offensive end. Love will also need to be active on the glass and help the Cavs get out in transition. With this series looking to be fast-paced, we might see a few long outlet passes from Love to James.<\/p>\n Dan Gilinsky, staff writer<\/strong><\/a>:\u00a0The Warriors and Cavaliers were the two best teams this season, in terms of offensive efficiency, due to their plethora of deep threats. It\u2019s going to be quite a battle on the perimeter, with the likes of Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, Kyrie Irving, and many others. With that said, I see this series coming down to rebounding. Both teams have equalizers up front in terms of the glass. Although the Cavs have not been an elite rebounding team, they\u2019ve controlled the glass in the playoffs with players like Tristan Thompson<\/a><\/strong> and Kevin Love. Golden State has been the second-best rebounding team in the playoffs, and their length and versatility are likely the reason for that. The matchup between Tristan Thompson and Draymond Green \u2013 and, at times, JaVale McGee<\/a><\/strong> \u2013 will be the X-factor. Extra possessions for these offenses are crucial in what should be a long series.<\/p>\n Lior Kozai, senior editor<\/strong><\/a>: The play of Stephen Curry. He is the engine that fuels the Warriors. When Curry dominates, the Warriors win. When he\u2019s their best player, they play their best basketball. Golden State lost last year for countless reasons, but Curry playing poorly was one of the most important ones. He shot just 40.3 percent from the field in the 2016 Finals, including a 6-for-19 performance in the deciding Game 7. Curry simply has to show up, and if he does, the Cavaliers may be in trouble. Cleveland’s perimeter defense will also play a role in this; J.R. Smith<\/a><\/strong> and Iman Shumpert<\/a><\/strong> need to be stellar in that regard. If Curry is at the absolute top of his game, this series may be shorter than most fans would like.<\/p>\n Harrison<\/strong>:\u00a0Golden State in seven. Unlike last season, the Warriors are peaking at the right time. Also unlike last season, the Warriors will be seeking revenge in the worst of ways. Last year, the Warriors felt untouchable. They were overconfident, especially once they were up 3-1. This year\u2019s sense of urgency, desperation, and the need to prove something should push the Warriors over the hump. Cleveland\u2019s comeback last season was fueled not by superior talent but by superior motivation and urgency. This year, Golden State has the advantage in both talent and motivation, which is a scary combination. Even though I\u2019m predicting the Warriors to win, I still expect LeBron James, Kyrie Irving, and company to put up quite a fight. We\u2019ve got a seven-game classic waiting for us once again.<\/p>\n Ram<\/strong>: The series will go all the way, but Cleveland will steal another Game 7 on the road to win consecutive titles.<\/p>\n The Warriors have not yet faced a team that was at full strength during these playoffs. They’ve swept a Jusuf Nurkic<\/a><\/strong>-less Portland, a Utah squad missing Rudy Gobert<\/a><\/strong>, and the Spurs minus Kawhi Leonard<\/a><\/strong>. To suddenly run into the freight train that is LeBron James, with his cavalry of teammates all pulling their weight, may be a little shock to them.<\/p>\n No player in the entire playoffs has come even remotely close to matching the numbers and the standard to which James has played. It will be the hardest task of his career thus far, but he has the tools and the willpower to at least attempt to deconstruct the Warriors. He\u2019s not alone, either. Kevin Love, Kyrie Irving, and the rest of the crew don\u2019t quite match up pound-for-pound to the strength of Golden State\u2019s roster, but they\u2019re the defending champions; look for them to act and play like it.<\/p>\n Matthew<\/strong>: Before the season started, I picked the Cavaliers to repeat. I guess that means I have to stick with it, right? I\u2019ll pick them to win another Game 7 at Oracle Arena. No other team in the league has a chance of beating the Warriors except the Cavs, and they know that, which I think gives them a confidence boost. The Cavs have not been tested much in these playoffs, but they are playing their best basketball on the offensive end. The ball movement has been excellent and everybody is staying engaged. There is work that needs to be done on the defensive end, though. Irving and James seem to be at their best when playing against the Warriors. If Cleveland\u2019s offense continues to flow and the defense improves, the Cavs will repeat.<\/p>\n Dan<\/strong>:\u00a0The odds will be stacked against the Cavs even more now, but they were last season. Cleveland\u2019s core has faced adversity before: Remember when people thought the Cavs were \u201cvulnerable\u201d in the East during the regular season? I just don\u2019t count out LeBron James on the big stage, and he still has Kevin Durant\u2019s number. Stephen Curry has been playing like an MVP in these playoffs, and Durant has been remarkably efficient. I just don\u2019t bank on Green shooting as well as he has in these playoffs in four out of seven games, and I\u2019d be concerned about Klay Thompson\u2019s recent inefficiency. I think J.R. Smith will continue to play solid defensively, and Kyle Korver<\/a><\/strong> will get going early on to ignite Cleveland\u2019s bench. Though Kevin Love will have trouble defensively on switches in the screen-and-roll, I think he plays much better this time around. Cavs in seven.<\/p>\n Lior<\/strong>: Cavs in seven. It\u2019s hard to see the Warriors losing another<\/em> Game 7 at home, but it\u2019s even harder to see them losing in less than that many games. Golden State has been the better team for most of the year, but it feels like it just can\u2019t be this easy. The Spurs were onto something when they dominated Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals \u2013 until Kawhi Leonard went down. Equipped with more talent than San Antonio but a similarly strong game plan, the Cavs have the tools to pull off another upset. The Warriors are<\/em> beatable, and Cleveland is the one team capable of beating them. The Warriors are peaking at the right time, but so are the Cavs. My brain says Golden State, but my gut feeling says Cleveland, and even though it might not work statistically in the Finals<\/a>, I still feel safe betting on\u00a0LeBron James. I’m not going to pick against him again, as so many of us did last year. Just like James did after his first Miami Heat season, Kevin Durant will have to wait a year to win that ever elusive championship.<\/p>\n Harrison<\/strong>:\u00a0Kevin Durant. It\u2019s been a long five-year wait for Durant to return to the Finals, and he will definitely make the most of this experience. I don\u2019t think Durant has to take on a much larger role than he has so far in order to win both the series and Finals MVP. I think he simply needs to continue to play within the natural flow of the offense as he has been, in addition to hitting clutch shots down the stretch when needed most. Stephen Curry has struggled in the Finals before, and while I don\u2019t think he will be dreadful this series, I don\u2019t expect him to play quite like his peak regular season self. The dark horse here is Draymond Green, but I believe Durant\u2019s stats will ultimately push him to the top in the minds of MVP voters.<\/p>\n Ram<\/strong>: LeBron James. Kyrie Irving will come close. Throughout the games, look for James to act as the motor of the Cavs. As a facilitator, scorer, and leader, it\u2019ll be his responsibility to make sure they stay focused and sharp against a merciless opposition. He may not provide fourth quarter fireworks (that baton will be handed to Irving), but in order for Cleveland to even have a chance, he\u2019ll need to man their steering wheel.<\/p>\n No slip-ups can be afforded. When James plays bad, his entire team plays bad. This series will be a yet another test on the grandest level of them all as to whether he can handle the pressure. My bet? He\u2019ll savor it.<\/p>\n Matthew<\/strong>: LeBron James will win the Finals MVP for the fourth time in his career. The only way the Cavs can beat the Warriors is if he is at the top of his game, and it does not seem like he is slowing down. James has put up some of the best numbers of his career against the Warriors. Although Kevin Durant will likely be the defender on him, James has had Durant\u2019s number since the 2012 Finals. James is ready to lead the Cavs to another championship, and that will motivate him to win the series and earn another Finals MVP.<\/p>\n Dan<\/strong>:\u00a0I see this being the King\u2019s court again. For whatever reason, Klay Thompson said that \u201chis feelings were hurt\u201d in last season\u2019s Finals. Let\u2019s just say that was a bad idea. James has played possibly the best basketball of his career in the postseason games since then. Back in 2015, in the first installation of Golden State-Cleveland, he actually could\u2019ve been the only Finals MVP on the losing team since Jerry West<\/a><\/strong> in the 1969 Finals. The Warriors won 73 games in last year\u2019s regular season, and the Cavs beat them three straight times. They added KD and are still very deep on the wings, but James is playing out of his mind right now. Irving and James have Golden State\u2019s number, and Cleveland\u2019s supporting cast is better than it was at this time last year. James is my pick for Finals MVP as he controls the game on both ends.<\/p>\n Lior<\/strong>:\u00a0LeBron James. Picking the Cavs didn\u2019t leave many other choices, did it? While the Skip Bayless-types will lament the play of Kyrie Irving \u2013 who will surely have to perform for Cleveland to win \u2013 the Cavs still live and die by James. If he leads his team to back-to-back titles again, this time in Cleveland, James will solidify his place as the second greatest NBA player of all time. He\u2019ll even make the number one spot a legitimate debate. A fourth Finals MVP would also put James ahead of every player in NBA history not named Michael Jordan<\/a><\/strong>. This series has the ultimate potential for James\u2019 legacy. \u201cThe ghost that played in Chicago\u201d better watch out.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Main Photo:<\/p>\nWhich team will win the NBA Finals, and in how many games?<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Who will be the 2017 NBA Finals MVP?<\/strong><\/h3>\n