With Love to Cavs probable, that team has a ton of top level talent for the EC. Spurs are honna be the same as last year, which was the highest level of ball ive ever seen. Cavs v Spurs Spurs in 6
OKC and LA will still have great shots to win the West too though. Being dominant one year guarantees nothing the next. Like when LA2 went 15-1 in 2001 and then came an Horry shot and the worst officiated game in league history from being destroyed by Sacramento the next year. Cleveland should be a pretty safe bet in the East, but the West is too close to call right now tbh.
Spurs cant win b2b
the real question from the league is whether they will fix the officiating again for the Thunder, so that Durant doesn't bolt. Or is Durant leaving to go home to DC a more profitable move for the NBA.
OKC can't win period.
Cavs vs. Spurs is a near-lock IMO, if the Spurs are healthy, which is a concern now with Manu and Mills already banged up..
OKC is the only other team I can see in the Finals, with the Clippers as a darkhorse..no other team in the West has any chance, and in the East, the Bulls would need Rose to miraculously stay healthy and play like he did prior to his injury..
Barring any injuries, it should be Cavs vs Spurs, followed closely by Cavs vs Thunder.
OKC-Cavs
OKC in 6
They won the West just a few years ago. If it's not them, San Antonio has the other only real legit chance. LA has an outside chance, I don't see that team coming together with post season play that can win in a best of seven, especially with CP0 thinking it's at some JV exhibition game and he's playing cute ball.
Cavs-Spurs. Duncan goes up by 3-1 against LeBron in June tbh.
In the east its Cleveland 70% Chicago 30%
In the west i'd say Spurs 35% Thunder 35% Clippers 20% other 10%
the main reason i dont love the Love-Cavs trade is that Love absolutely can't play the 5... so it really limits LeBron's ability to play the 4, which is where he does a lot of damage.
I think the Spurs or the Thunder would beat the Cavs... i like the Clippers but they have nobody on their wings tbh
At anyone thinking the clippers are legit contenders, they are simply spoilers, they can ruin a season for OKC or SA but Finals material, no
I'd like to see the Cavs play a bit before anointing them... sure, Lebron alone can do a lot of lifting, but it's a new team, new teammates, new coach... will Lebron be the only guy that plays defense there?
Still early, tbh
I don't think we'll see anyone playing as small as the Heat did (for extended periods of time) for a while. As we saw these playoffs, KD absolutely can't play the 4. The Spurs do it some w/ Boris at the 5..., but haven't really done it for extended stretches after Tim/Tiago emerged.
Looks like the Cavs aren't going small. You're right Love can't play the 5 at all. He's probably only an inch taller than Lebron. Just thought about it
I'd say the Spurs probably have a better chance than that.... But three straight finals man? That'd be something else. You gotta think at some point these guys are gonna get tired. Happened to the Heat at 4. So maybe the Spurs at 3?
Tbh I probably like the Clippers over the Thunder at this point. The Thunder ain't winning jack till they drop Scott Brooks.
that's what i'm thinking as far as the spurs go, and fatigue aside, its tough to imagine that the growth of some of our young players can continue to offset the decline of some of the aging guys. although that perception can change if TP has a bounce back yearI don't think we'll see anyone playing as small as the Heat did (for extended periods of time) for a while. As we saw these playoffs, KD absolutely can't play the 4. The Spurs do it some w/ Boris at the 5..., but haven't really done it for extended stretches after Tim/Tiago emerged.
Looks like the Cavs aren't going small. You're right Love can't play the 5 at all. He's probably only an inch taller than Lebron. Just thought about it
I'd say the Spurs probably have a better chance than that.... But three straight finals man? That'd be something else. You gotta think at some point these guys are gonna get tired. Happened to the Heat at 4. So maybe the Spurs at 3?
Tbh I probably like the Clippers over the Thunder at this point. The Thunder ain't winning jack till they drop Scott Brooks.
Spurs 36%, OKC 33%, Cavs 31%
Nobody else has a chance.
I'll have to see what else CLE does to their roster before a full prediction. But they're undoubtedly the early favorite to come out of the East. I don't think they have much of a chance against any team out West tho....
I see the Thunder coming out of the West. I think they'll have HCA in a series against the Spurs and I'm not sure if the league wants to see the Spurs dismantle LeBron in the Finals again tbh. Hopefully, a combo of Brooks being terrible, injuries, and Westbrook going full alpha mode derails their chances again...
The Clippers' lack of a wing stopper will be their ultimate undoing next year tbh. I don't think they get to the Finals unless OKC and SA both get knocked out by other teams.
Dallas is interesting. If things come together during April/May then I'd say they have a legit shot of getting out of the West. They'll have to avoid the Spurs to do so tbh....
It's a 50/50 split between SA/OKC in the West this year imo. And that's with us at 100%, which is always a question mark.
We won't have that redemption factor going for us, which can't be understated, and OKC will likely be hungrier and I think they get HCA this season.
The Cavs, barring a serious injury, pretty much have the West wrapped up. Chicago is the only potential candidate, but even with Rose healthy I don't see them beating the Cavs in 7.
Final prediction: Spurs vs Cavs. Spurs in 6. Could easily be OKC in 6 though.
Kevin Durant will never win a NBA le
If it's called fair I will take the Spurs over OKC any day of the week. That's a big IF though.
this is the only surefire thing in this thread
Spurs and Cavs in the Finals
Spurs in 5.
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