With the NCAA Tournament dwindling down to the final games of the season, it’s a good time to start talking about the NBA playoffs, which is about three weeks away. The Golden State Warriors have left almost every team they have played in the dust, trying to tie or even break the 1995-96 Chicago Bulls record of 72 wins.
Let’s not forget about the other team that is only four games back of the Warriors, the San Antonio Spurs, a team that never really gets the recognition it deserves, no matter how many NBA championships the Spurs win. They always seem to be lurking in the shadows and are always ready to make a deep run in the playoffs, and they are what team basketball is all about.
The Eastern Conference is the Cleveland Cavaliers’ to lose, even though they had a coaching change midway through the season. The conference doesn’t have a strong enough team to match up with the Cavaliers in a series. Now I’m going to make some bold predictions on what I expect to happen in the playoff this year.
1. The Golden State Warriors will break the 1995-96 Bulls record of 72 wins and run through the first two rounds of the playoff with ease, until they lose to the Spurs in the Western Conference Finals, ending their magical season.
I know the Warriors have dominated nearly all of the NBA, but I believe the Spurs, led by Kawhi Leonard, Lamarcus Aldridge and old faithfuls, Manu Ginobili, Tony Parker and Tim Duncan, will be too much for them in a series that is likely to go seven games. Oh yeah, and they have the best coach in the NBA, Gregg Popovich, so there’s the biggest advantage of all.
2. The Cleveland Cavaliers will sweep their way to the NBA Finals.
As much as I can’t stand Lebron James and the rest of the Cavaliers, there is one thing that’s true: They are in a really weak conference. The Bulls have fallen off the map in the East, as well as other teams that could’ve given the Cavaliers a scare. Yes, there’s a chance they slip up and lose unexpectedly, but I doubt it.
3. The Spurs will defeat the Cleveland Cavaliers in the NBA Finals to win their sixth NBA championship, and break Lebron’s heart once again.
The Spurs, who have only lost once in the finals under Popovich (against Miami in 2013), will be too much for Lebron and the Cavaliers, yet again, as role players off the bench, Aldridge’s down-low presence and Leonard’s scoring, will be the difference. Leonard will shut down Lebron, to force other members of the Cavaliers to beat them, and it won’t happen. Spurs in six games.
Enjoy watching Lebron lose in the finals again, Spurs fans.