NBA Finals: A Detailed Analysis Of Both Teams

The NBA finals are here. The King returned home and led Cleveland Cavaliers to the final. Against them is a new look Golden State Warriors led by arguably the best shooter in the league right now, Stephen Curry. For the first time in NBA history, both finalists are led by rookie coaches.

Let’s take a detailed look into each of the finalists.

Golden State Warriors

Number 1 seed in the Western Conference. Won the Pacific Division and have home court advantage for the entire playoffs after finishing the regular season with a personal best 67-15 record.

The Warriors make their first NBA finals appearance in 40 years. The last time they were in the finals, they won the title in 1975. Coach Kerr, in his rookie season as a coach, led the warriors to their best regular season finish in franchise history with a 67-15 record. It’s the first time they crossed 60 wins in a season.

Here are some positives for the Warriors, heading into the final.

1. Stephen Curry & Klay Thompson

The Warriors hold the Splash Brothers. Together, the 2 of them scored over 500 3-point field goals between themselves (Curry broke regular season and post season record for most 3-pointers in a single season). They scored more than 15 other teams. This gives the Warriors the long range shooting ability. Not only that, the two are very accurate shooters and solid defenders. Curry is also the offensive focal point of the team, leading them in points and assists.

2. Squad Depth

The Warriors have a strong squad. Their bench is reliable with the likes of Andre Iguodala, David Lee, Leandro Barbosa and Festus Ezeli. They have pulled their weight in the playoffs. While the Cavalier’s bench has been improving, the bench of the Warriors has been reliable all season and has performed well when inserted in the starting squad.

3. Home Court Advantage

Finishing with the best record this season, the Warriors have home court advantage for the entire playoffs. Their home Oracle Arena has been turned into a fortress. They enter the finals with a combined regular and post season record of 46-3. The Cavaliers have not won at Oracle Arena in quite a while. With regular sell outs, the atmosphere is electric for the warriors, who are energized by its Oakland fans.

4. Kerr

Coach Kerr, in his playing career, played under 2 of the best coaches in NBA, Phil Jackson and Greg Popovich. He has combined their coaching elements to create a fusion of their offensive and defensive plays. He has molded the warriors into an effective unit, which is why they are leaders in points per game and fewest points conceded per game. He has also effectively rotated his squad throughout the season, ensuring they are fresh for the playoffs.

Let’s talk about some downsides for the Warriors.

1. Klay Thomson

Thomson suffered a concussion in the western conference final, game 5. He is a big doubt for the start of the finals. If he were to not play, the Cavaliers can limit the warrior’s offense by concentrating their defense only on Stephen Curry.

2. LeBron James

LeBron James, ever since coming out of his mid-season break, has been phenomenal. He has led the Cavaliers effectively. They piped the Bulls to the Central Division and have swept the Boston Celtics and #1 Eastern Team, The Hawks. In such form, he is next to unstoppable and the Warriors’ defense will have a hard time holding him down.

3. Rotation

While the Warriors effectively managed their roster throughout the season, Kerr has not used most of his squad, depriving them of match sharpness. Only 9-10 players including the 1st Unit have really played for the Warriors.

Cleveland Cavaliers

Number 2 seed in the Eastern Conference. Won the Central Division.

It’s shocking how the arrival of one player changes a team’s fortune. The arrival of LeBron James, the King, back home changed the Cavaliers from a team participating in the draft lottery to be title contenders. Despite a mid-season wobble, the Cavaliers have rallied and are making their first finals appearance since 2007.

Here are a few plus points for the Cavs heading into the series.

1. The King

Having the best player in the NBA right now playing with you (possibly, the greatest ever) changes the fortunes of the team. His all-round performances on the front and back courts have led the Cavaliers to be dubbed as title contenders.

2. James’ Leadership

LeBron James, in his second stint with the Cavaliers, has taken more of a leading role. His skills have increased as well during his 4 years with the Miami Heat, but it is his leadership skills that have really been enhanced. He is now able to really pull his teammates’ spirits up; to up their game, to play for the team. This is evident in their end of season and post season performances.

3. Post Season Momentum

The Warriors enter the post season with a 12-3 record. That is really great. Cleveland enter the playoffs with a 12-2 record, including 2 playoff sweeps. They only dropped games against Chicago in the Eastern Conference Semi-finals. Even in that series, they were not particularly troubled.

4. The Bench

With injuries to Kevin Love and Irving, two members of the Cavalier’s trio are injured. The bench, coupled with LeBron’s leadership, have really stepped it up. Tristan Thomas has been the star performer when asked to step up.

5. Finals Experience

Some of the Cavalier players have played before in the NBA Finals. They know what is at stake. They know the pressure. With experience, they can handle it better. The same cannot be said for the Warriors, no player in their squad has played in the finals before. Some of them have even lifted the Larry O’Brien trophy before. Let’s discuss some downsides for the Cavaliers.

1. Injuries to Key Players

The Cavaliers lost Kevin Love to a dislocated shoulder in the first round of the playoffs against Boston. Kyrie Irving has been having a lot of back injuries and is not fully fit; he has not been at his best. A loss of two of the star trio members will undoubtedly be a weak point that the Golden State will really try to exploit.

2. Overall Away Record

Cavaliers have a 6-1 away record in the playoffs, but combined with their regular season away record, the Cavaliers are 28-20 away from home. With Warriors turning their home arena into a fortress, and having home court advantage for the playoffs, this is a large mountain for Cleveland to climb.

3. Over reliance on James

Alone, Smith has not been enough.

While James has been the focal point of the Cavalier offense, the injuries to the 1st Unit have increased the team’s reliance on him. While J.R. Smith has really taken some of the extra pressure off James’s shoulders, he alone is not sufficient. If the Warriors can shut down James, they can effectively shut down the Cavaliers.

4. The Warriors’ Offense

The Cavaliers face the team with the best offensive record in the regular season and post season. Warriors are capable of shooting from anywhere and are particularly effective from long range.

Personal Verdict: The Cavaliers cannot be counted out, but the Warriors are the team to beat. They should be able to take the series 4-2.