2019 NBA Finals Preview: Golden State Warriors vs. Toronto Raptors

Four straight years, the Golden State gods have battled King James and the Cavalier kingdom for supremacy in the basketball realm. The Golden State gods have taken three out of four holy contests to establish themselves as a dynasty for the ages. Now with King James exiled into the bright lights of Los Angeles and the Cavalier kingdom broken beyond repair once again with his departure, it seemed like none would stand in the way of the Golden State gods and their quest for a 3-peat. But, a new worthy opponent has risen to the occasion. Free from the 3-year tyranny of King James, the Raptors, feral beasts of the North, thought to be extinct, are reborn from the ashes as the new Kings of the East with a new leader. He is aformer Westener who has brought the Golden State gods a worthy challenge when healthy. He is "the Klaw" and he's out for blood to exact revenge with the Golden State gods weakened. No Zaza this time to take out the imminent threat he brings to their reign. Will the reign end or are the Golden State gods using their weakened state as a ploy as they regain their beautifully enigmatic basketball play?

Hope you guy liked that literature above. Welcome in to the 2019 NBA Finals preview provided by yours truly! Finally, we get a fresh new matchup after four straight years of Cavs vs. Warriors in a battle for NBA supremacy. Although the Warriors are still here in the Finals, we get a new Eastern Conference challenger all the way from Canada. Guess you can say finally whoever inserts "World Champions" on their banner gets to justify it. Because this is more than just a Finals matchup. This is a battle of two North American countries in the United States and Canada. This year's matchup features the defending champion Golden State Warriors and the Toronto Raptors!

Golden State Warriors

Since you have to hear about this team for the fifth consecutive time on the blog, I recommend you skip this part. Was there ever a doubt that this team, someway, somehow will find a way to head to the NBA Finals? It's like I said before, the Golden State Warriors are the champs until they are dethroned. They'll have a chance to do something that no team has done since my childhood Lakers of Shaq and Kobe...3-peat. Though they won back-to-back titles and swept LeBron, banishing him to the depths of Hollywood, the Warriors continue to stay lock and loaded. This offseason, they reminded us of how unfair their organization and culture is compared to the 29 other teams that make up the NBA. They signed DeMarcus Cousins to a cheap 1-year deal and all of a sudden, their starting lineup is literally the Western All-Stars. However, they wouldn't insert him into the lineup until January, but nonetheless they still dominated with or without him.

Despite the invincibility the Warriors bring, there is some drama brewing inside the team. The biggest trigger is the looming free agency of Kevin Durant. It's pretty questionable why he would leave the Warriors when they are his best shot at winning multiple championships. But clearly, the rumors got bigger with him being linked to signing with the New York Knicks, Los Angeles Clippers, or Los Angeles Lakers (we're not getting him, be realistic). In fact, things got testy with Durant and Draymond as Green pointed that "they already won a championship without him." Well, he's not wrong. The Warriors signed KD in the first place was so that they have somebody to counter LeBron in the finals. Now that the threat of LeBron is no more at the moment, Durant no longer has any purpose. But, despite all that, they were able to settle their differences to finish strong in the regular season and stay locked in come playoff time. They had quite a test against the superstar-less Clippers in the first round, but Durant's monster performances that series helped propel the Warriors to victory in six games. The next round involved a Western Conference Final rematch against the Rockets. This is where things shifted a little bit. Durant sustained a calf injury in Game 5 and he's out indefinitely. There's something fishy about that injury and it could be worse than what the Warriors are revealing to the media. KD out. Boogie out. That should spell the end of the dynasty right? There's only one problem...the Warriors lineup roster that's currently out there consists of nearly the same roster that won 73 games three years ago, albeit aging. From Game 6 against Houston to all four games against Portland in the Conference Finals, we saw the resurgence of the Warriors' beautiful ball movement, spacing, and pacing. I'm talking the 2014-2016 Warriors pre-KD. And it's all powered by their home-grown core of the 2x MVP Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green. They also had big contributions from 2015 Finals MVP Andre Iguodala and Kevon Looney, who has been nothing short of magnificent as a 6th man this postseason. How quickly they forget.

Toronto Raptors

Relax Toronto. LeBron is no longer in the East to torment your souls year after year. The Raptors made headlines earlier this offseason in a surprising move to let this season's NBA Coach of the Year winner, Dwane Casey go after leading the Raptors to the #1 seed, only to get swept by King James in the 2nd round. In a follow up transaction, they promoted assistant coach, Nick Nurse as the next head coach. The Raptors were pretty much an unknown heading into this season as DeMar DeRozan and Kyle Lowry had to live in the agony of coming up short yet again. However, they received a gift from the San Antonio Spurs in the form of Kawhi Leonard (and Danny Green as extra). Masai Ujiri deserves Executive of the Year for pulling that trade. Yes, it came at the cost of DeRozan, but what they got in return was a superstar, a Finals MVP, a DPOY winner, and one of the best two-way players in the game today. Who wouldn't be ecstatic to get a big return like that?

The acquisition of Leonard has turned the Raptors from a running joke in the East to an instant title contender. While Kawhi gets all the headlines, we can't overlook a few other Raptor players that stepped up. Pascal Siakam made major strides this year with a 16.9 PPG and 6.9 RPG breakout season. This major increase in production has deemed him worthy to be nominated for this year's Most Improved Player award. He might've supplanted Kyle Lowry as the 2nd option on the team. Fred VanVleet and Norman Powell are major contributors off the bench, VanVleet especially when he's shooting hot. Ujiri and the Raptors front office made some mid-season moves to strengthen the team as well by trading for Marc Gasol and giving away long time starter Jonas Valanciunas. The Raptors had a lot of rationale in fielding a "win now" team. Kawhi is on a one-year rental and it's unknown if he wants to stay in Toronto long-term. But, he already built a legacy in Toronto in one year that surpasses what Vince Carter, Chris Bosh, and DeMar DeRozan did for the franchise in their tenure as Raptors. Come playoff time, he was an absolute animal on both ends of the floor. During the matchups against Orlando, Philly, and Milwaukee, he single-handedly carried the Raptors and put an end to their past playoff shortcomings. Nick Nurse is also doing a hell of a job as a first-year head coach, making all the necessary adjustments and placing his trust on his rotation. Heading into the finals for the first time in franchise history since their inception in 1995, the Raptors don't have just the city of Toronto behind them, but all of Canada as well.

Keys for the Dubs

Honestly, it'd be an added bonus if they get back Kevin Durant and DeMarcus Cousins at some point in this series. But so far, the 2-time defending champions are holding their own with their home-grown Big 3 of Curry, Thompson, and Green. Since KD went out, Curry has been on an absolute tear. The shooting woes in the last few games are glaring, but in big moments Curry delivers when needed. The team has shifted back to his chain of command and he's looking for a Finals MVP this time around. Draymond Green is back to being the all-around player he used to be from 2014-2016, setting the tone on both ends of the floor. He too is going to be key, but he's gonna have his hands against bigger players such as Marc Gasol, Serge Ibaka, and Pascal Siakam, especially since the Warriors are heavily reliant on their small-ball "death lineup." Klay Thompson, it's simple, when he heats up, it's an added bonus for the Warriors' offense. Like Curry, Klay has had some shooting slumps, but delivers in key moments on both the offensive and defensive side of the ball. The Splash Bros. will do work. Andre Iguodala is going to have the assignment in trying to contain Kawhi Leonard, he'll be an X-Factor as always. Like I said before, the Warriors are getting some big-time contribution from Kevon Looney off the bench. His youth and hustle on the boards could create some mismatch problems. The motto of this Warriors' dynasty has always been "Strength in Numbers." It's time to live up to that moniker again.

Keys for the Raps

The Raptors haven't been to a stage as big as the NBA Finals in their franchise history. However, they do have some players with some Finals experience. As mentioned, Kawhi Leonard is a former Finals MVP and this will be his third Finals appearance. Danny Green is in the same boat. Serge Ibaka has been there before in 2012 when the Heat eliminated his Thunder in five games. Patrick McCaw, despite not having any major role this postseason, has been on the Warriors' championship roster the past two years and could provide some valuable insight on how to beat them. The other Raptor players will definitely have some jitters despite having home court advantage. Kawhi Leonard has been a godsend for the Raptors this year. He's going to have to set the tone, but without the question the Warriors will gameplan for him defensively, so he's gonna need some outside help. Basically, it hinges on if anybody on the roster shows up this series. Kyle Lowry has to show up. VanVleet has to continue shooting the ball with confidence off the bench. Danny Green and Marc Gasol have had minimal contributions to the team so far this postseason. If any other option outside Kawhi steps up for Toronto, it could create a lot of problems for the Warriors. The Raptors have the size with Siakam, Ibaka, and Gasol to create mismatches against the Warriors' death lineup on the boards. With Durant and Cousins out, it's essential for the Raptors to come right out of the gate these first two games and give the back-to-back defending champs a worthy challenge.

Prediction

This was my pick for this year's NBA Finals since the start of the playoffs. I think Toronto has the personnel to match up well against Golden State. The Raptors' regular season sweep of the Warriors doesn't do a whole lot of justice in showing that as both teams were not at their current state at that time. Nonetheless, the Warriors didn't have a Finals matchup as intriguing as this since they faced a healthy Cavaliers team in 2016. This is especially since they don't have KD and Boogie to start this series. There's no question, the Raptors are going to give them a run for their money. Steve Kerr and Nick Nurse are going to have an epic chess match in coaching and game planning. But at the end of the day, you can't underestimate the heart of a champion. These Warriors are hungry to add on to the dynasty and become the first team to 3-peat in over a decade. Whether Durant and Cousins show up at all, the experience and championship mettle will be on display and look for them to give Oracle Arena one final sendoff with a championship celebration on the home floor.

Warriors in 6

Cavs-Dubs NBA Finals '18 Preview

And here...we...go again. Welcome in to the 2018 NBA Finals preview provided by yours truly. By now, you should know who these teams are considering they faced each other in the last three NBA Finals series. If not, the matchup features the Eastern Conference champion Cleveland Cavaliers lead by the best player on the planet LeBron James against the Western Conference and defending NBA champion Golden State Warriors lead by their Fantastic Four in Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, Kevin Durant, and Draymond Green. For three consecutive finals, this matchup has been the NBA's "cash cow" in terms of star power from both teams. Now, they'll duke it out once again for basketball supremacy for a fourth consecutive time. So if you're a believer in league parity, then this matchup might not be for you. Time to rehash from three straight NBA Finals Preview posts!

Golden State Warriors

The Warriors re-exerted their dominance in the NBA landscape last year by easily beating the Cavs in 5 games. Even by re-signing Kevin Durant and extending Steph Curry to a lucrative $200 million contract, someway, somehow, they managed to keep their loaded roster in tact with the exceptions of Nick Young, Jordan Bell, and Quinn Cook. But, this season proved that the Warriors weren't all invincible. Their star players each took turns being sidelined with injuries. Kevin Durant with the rib injury, Draymond Green with pectoral injuries, and Klay with the injured hand. But most notably, Stephen Curry was riddled with all kinds of injuries on his lower body, ranging from a rolled ankle to a sprained MCL. Outside of the injuries to the "Fantastic Four," this season made the Warriors look vulnerable. They weren't as good as the past three years on the defensive end in particular. Their title as "top team in the West" was handed over to the Houston Rockets. However, however, in the playoffs, Golden State started to regain some of their championship pedigree back dispatching both the Spurs and the Pelicans in five games in the first two rounds. They went the distance against Chris Paul, James Harden, and the top-seeded Rockets in the Conference Finals. Though the Warriors won in 7 games lead by their scoring trio of Durant, Curry, and Thompson, they could've easily won in five or six games if it weren't for a couple of both team and coaching blunders. One can ask "what if" had Chris Paul been healthy. The Warriors caught a break with his injury, but luck didn't hang on to them when Iguodala went down during the series.

Cleveland Cavaliers

Unlike the Warriors, the Cavs underwent an extreme makeover with their roster following last year's Finals loss. They made headlines when they traded Kyrie Irving to the Boston Celtics for Isaiah Thomas and Jae Crowder. The Cavs continued to retool their roster by adding Jeff Green, Derrick Rose, and Dwayne Wade in an effort to counter the Warriors' star power and depth. The problem was that it wasn't the year 2011. With the roster to begin the season, the Cavs looked old, slow, and out of sorts on both ends of the floor. As a result, they blew up the roster by midseason. I.T. along with Channing Frye was traded to the Lakers for Clarkson and Nance (still a great trade by Magic and Pelinka to get out of JC's contract). D-Wade got sent back to Miami. Crowder and D-Rose was dealt to the Jazz in a three-way trade with the Kings to get George Hill and Rodney Hood. The positive was that the Cavs got younger and more athletic, but the negative was that LeBron James now had a weaker supporting cast. That showed in the Cavs' road to the Finals, but through some otherwordly intervention, LeBron was able to mask most of the weaknesses on the Cavs' roster. The Cavs played the same three teams they faced last year in the Pacers, Raptors, and Celtics, ironically in the same playoff rounds. The only constant was that the Cavs swept the Raptors despite the Raptors being the best team in the East and having home court. Both the Pacers and the Celtics were much tougher tests that went the distance with the Cavs compared to last years incarnation of both teams. But, the Cavs still prevailed. As much as a lot of us dislike LeBron, we can't deny his greatness any further. He was in god mode throughout the postseason, putting up ridiculous numbers, playing almost 40+ minutes a game, and carrying a team that is mediocre at best without him. It was much more like LeBron vs. the Pacers, Raptors, and Celtics during Cleveland's road to the Finals.

Keys for the Dubs

Andre Iguodala's return is indefinite and Golden State really could use him on defense against LeBron James. Kevin Durant can help disrupt LeBron's game with his length, but it's not gonna be enough without legit help at the Small Forward position. So with Iggy out, the Warriors are gonna have to double up on their defense on LeBron. He is essentially the Cavs' engine on offense. We could possibly see KD, Draymond, and Klay exchange assignments on guarding arguably the best player in the world right now. The defense is not gonna be as stifling with Iggy out, but as Game 7 against the Rockets show, the Warriors still have a tendency to apply swarming ball pressure. On offense, it all starts with the Warriors' core four. Curry, KD, and Klay can still score at will. Durant, in particular, has to place trust on his teammates to make plays. When he struggled in mid-point of the Conference Finals, he was trying to play hero ball and it stops the Warriors' ball movement. No player on the Cavs can equal the scoring prowess of the trio. They have to push the tempo and constantly move the ball.

Keys for the Cavs

Let's face it. Outside of Kevin Love, LeBron James has no help. Love's status is still in question because of a concussion in Game 6 against the Celtics. LeBron can continue to play his game and put up big numbers, but that's not going to be enough. He has to find a way to get teammates involved. The Cavs do have J.R. Smith, Kyle Korver, George Hill, Jeff Green, and Jordan Clarkson as scorers/shooters, but they've been up-and-down throughout the regular season, let alone the postseason. They are going to be needed to give LeBron the support. Tristan Thompson and Larry Nance Jr. must out-rebound any Golden State player inside to give Cleveland all kinds of opportunity. They have the size, athleticism, and hustle factor to do that. Defensively, they're going to have to generate as many turnovers from the Warriors as they can. Golden State is still prone to make bone-headed decisions with the ball and the Cavs must capitalize on every opportunity given to them.

Prediction

After three straight previews, I think you guys can telegraph my prediction in these finals. The Warriors just have way too much depth and too many weapons. The only edge that the Cavs have is that their roster is younger and more athletic. And as long as they have LeBron, they have a chance. But, let's face it, he can't do it by himself against a star-studded Warriors squad and their deep rotation. Unless the rest of the Cavs somehow show up, I just don't see it. They'll give a little bit of a fight, but look for LeBron's epic postseason run to come to a screeching halt. And look for the Warriors to extend their NBA domination.

Warriors in 6

2017 NBA Finals Preview: Cavs-Dubs III

Three times a charm. Cavs, Warriors, the same teams, the champions of the last two years. Both have clinched their respective championships on the road against each other. Like the Lakers and Celtics before them, there's no love-lost between these two rivals. With the series tied, one of these teams will own the tie breaker. This is a star-studded rematch with high stakes on the line. This is your 2017 NBA Finals preview of the 3rd installment in this Finals trilogy between the Golden State Warriors and the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Cleveland Cavaliers

Winning the NBA title last year and coming back from a 3-1 finals deficit against a historic Warriors squad, the Cavaliers transformed the city of Cleveland from heartbreak to triumph. The Cavs will look to transform Cleveland into a city with high expectations of winning it all every year. In their first full season under Tyronn Lue, the Cavs finished once again as a 50+ win team. But, like last season, they had a couple of bumps on the road. Key role players sustained injuries that kept them out for the majority of the season until the playoffs started. And after the All-Star break, the Cavs really lapsed on the defensive end. They eventually lost out on the #1 seed to the Celtics. In the playoffs, the Cavs completely flipped the switch. A lot of analysts thought this year would be the Cavs' toughest road to the Finals, facing off against the likes of the Pacers, Raptors, and Celtics. The Cavs cruised by those teams even though the Pacers did offer a competitive series despite getting swept. The Cavs come in to the Finals at 12-1 and LeBron James is playing his best basketball in this postseason. And yes, considering he just passed Michael Jordan as the all-time leading scorer in the playoffs, the debate is open once again. Outside of LeBron, Kyrie Irving continues to be Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love has had the hot shooting hand throughout these playoffs, making the Cavs' Big 3 formidable heading into these finals.

Golden State Warriors

After a disappointing end to a historic 73-9 season, the Warriors made all kinds of headlines during this offseason by signing All-Star Kevin Durant from the Oklahoma City Thunder. Despite a terrible opening night showing against the Spurs, the Warriors and their fantastic four of Curry, KD, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green certainly didn't disappoint during the majority of the regular season. They shattered all kinds of scoring and offensive records. This team could've won 70 games again had Durant not gone down with the leg injury. Warriors fans exhaled jubilantly that KD was able to make a recovery. But during the stretch Durant's injury, Curry was able to regain his form as the back-to-back MVP. The high-powered scoring of Curry and KD carried over in the playoffs. They're 12-0 start is a feat that was not seen since the 2000-01 Lakers (I remember those days). Like the Cavs, the Warriors were supposed to have a tough road against the Blazers, Jazz, and Spurs. The Spurs had the formula of beating the Warriors with their size and length until Kawhi Leonard went down for them. Outside of Curry, KD, Thompson, and Green, players such as Javale McGee, Ian Clark, and Patrick McCaw are stepping up big time and contributing to the Warriors' dominance in this postseason.

Keys for the Cavs

The lack of size is one key weakness in this Warriors' squad. The Spurs provided that blueprint in 3 out of the 4 regular season games and in game 1 in the Western Conference Finals. The Cavs have Tristan Thompson. They have Kevin Love. And without further question, LeBron has shown countless times that he can be able to crash the boards. Rebounding is going to be the major key for the Cavs on both ends of the floor and they have the size to do it to slow down the juggernaut Warriors. Tristan Thompson has terrorized the Warriors in the last two finals with his relentless rebounding prowess. LeBron will do his thing. Kyrie Irving will do his thing. Kevin Love has been playing lights out in these playoffs as of late. They're going to need him to keep the train rolling. The Cavs may have found their defensive mojo against the Celtics and even though the Warriors are not the Celtics, the Cavs must put defensive pressure on the Warriors rather than the Warriors put the defensive pressure on them. After all, both teams like to run the floor and start fast on offense. Can J.R. Smith and Kyle Korver find the stroke? Will Deron Williams turn back the clock as "D-Will" and live up to being the playmaker that LeBron James desperately coveted throughout the regular season? Those players are going to be the X-factors for the defending champs.

Keys for the Dubs

Steph Curry and Kevin Durant have formed a formidable scoring duo as of late. Isn't that supposed to be expected from the MVPs of the last three seasons? While Steph and KD will get all the headlines, Warriors fans should be asking: "can the real Klay Thompson please stand up?" He's been relegated to the "Harrison Barnes role" for the Dubs and he hasn't had any impressive games during those postseason. Klay's gonna have to rekindle the role of being one half of the "Splash Bros." There's no question about his defensive capabilities, but if Klay gets going offensively, the Warriors are going to be like a well-oiled machine. Draymond Green, can this guy keep his emotions in check and just play ball? You can expect that Green is going to be amped up with this third consecutive battle with the Cavaliers, but he has to keep it under control and stay disciplined in order to not repeat the same mistakes as last year. Outside of Draymond's fiasco, turnovers also ultimately doomed the Warriors in blowing a 3-1 lead. They've kept the turnovers to a low level in these playoffs and they need to continue that in the finals. Javale McGee, Ian Clark, Patrick McCaw, Iguodala, Livingston; these guys are going to be the obvious X-factors. They've proven to have big moments to reinforce the Warriors' prowess. Perhaps Golden State has a secret weapon in interim coach, Mike Brown (I hate bringing this guy up as a Laker fan). Brown has coached LeBron for half a decade and he briefly coached Kyrie Irving in his 2nd year in the league with the Cavs. If there's anyone in the Warriors that has more intel on those two players, it's Mike Brown. I'm sure he's game planning with Steve Kerr to find unique ways to slow down both LeBron and Irving.

Prediction

At first, I just want to let these finals play out. The NBA got what they wanted and basketball fans will be rewarded with a star-studded matchup. But, I'm expecting this to be a really short series to cap off the dreadful NBA Playoffs this year. No disrespect to the defending champs, but the Warriors had the Cavs beaten and battered until Draymond's suspension and Bogut's injury. They lost a few key players, but they still have the roster depth and adding Kevin Durant to the mix, there's just too many weapons on this Warriors team. I'm giving the Cavs at least one game in these series. But a hungry KD in search for his first ring coupled with a squad that's hellbent on revenge and silencing all the blown 3-1 lead jokes, I predict that this is going to be like the 2014 NBA Finals all over again when the Spurs laid the smack down on the Heat in five games.

Warriors in 5