When Ohio State and Michigan were dominating Big 10 football in the 1970s, the conference was often referred to as the “Big 2 and the Little 8.” That same feeling has taken hold over the past three years in the NBA, which is turning into the Big 2 and the Little 28.
The Cavaliers and Warriors are preparing to meet in a third straight finals, which has felt inevitable since training camp. After winning 67 regular-season games, Golden State tore through the Western Conference playoffs with three straight sweeps. Cleveland nearly matched that in the East, with its only loss coming in Game 3 of the conference finals on a last-second shot.
The lack of competitiveness doesn’t bother Kevin Durant, who is largely responsible for it. The former MVP, who joined a record-setting Warriors team in free agency last summer, said to fans last week, “If you don’t like it, don’t watch it.”
But people are watching it. ABC’s ratings are up 5% from a year ago, and ESPN’s online audience has grown by 24%. Just as fan interest spiked when the Celtics and Lakers were battling for supremacy in the 1980s and when Michael Jordan’s Bulls ruled the league in the 1990s, fans seem drawn to the idea of superteams.
Whether sustained dominance will remain good for the league is an interesting question, but we have another one: How long can this last? No teams have ever met in three straight finals before, but the Cavs and Warriors look like overwhelming favorites to do this again next year, and possibly a few years after that.
Golden State is built around four elite players who are all still in the prime of their careers. Stephen Curry (age 29) and Durant (28) are both expected to sign long-term deals this summer. Klay Thompson (27) is inked through 2018/19, and Draymond Green (27) is under contract through 2019/20. The Warriors may have to juggle some pieces around them, but the core of this team should remain together for at least five more seasons.
Cleveland’s fortunes have risen and fallen with LeBron James since he entered the league in 2003. Now 32, he may be having the best postseason of his career, averaging 32.5 points, 8.0 rebounds and 7.0 assists through 13 games. For all the talk about resting James, he appeared in 74 games and averaged a league-high 37.8 minutes per night. He doesn’t appear to be showing any effects of age, and with his physical conditioning he might be able to play five more years at an elite level.
If LeBron does slow down, the Cavs still have Kyrie Irving (25) and Kevin Love (28), who are both signed for two more seasons with player options in 2019/20.
Both teams are well positioned for the future, but obviously this can’t last forever. Considering their current rosters and their potential challengers in each conference, who do you believe misses the finals first, the Warriors or the Cavaliers?
Brighter future? Warriors.
Who would miss finals first? Warriors.
Only because better teams in the West thus better chance of another team overtaking them. I don’t see it happening anytime soon but I don’t see another contender coming out of the East either until Lebron gets old, which doesn’t appear to be happening.
I would agree as of now but this is a crap shoot because we don’t yet know what the cletics will do or if CP3 to San Antonio has any legs. The west as of now has the deeper conference but all it takes is one team which could be the celtics to upend the cave
Cavs. LeBron is one of the best players of all time but he is still human. Kyrie can be dominant but Kevin Love is unimpressive for a guy supposedly in his prime
I agree K Love is trash and I’m a T Wolves fan. LeBron has time left and players wanna play with him so clev will compete for a long time. GS is nasty and should be for a long time I think only thing that slow them down is the lack of a true center.
The would Cavs completely crumble without LeBron. Take KD or Steph out of the picture and the Warriors are still a title contender.
Both the Cavs and the Warriors are loaded. Tons of talent and both team should be good for a couple more years.
A team I like to come strong in the west is the Blazers if they can add a significant forward. Nice Center, nice back court, plus a forward and they would be in the conversation.
Utah will slip (Hayward gone) San Antonio will slip (getting old again lol) Houston and Oklahoma City are one man teams.
Boston somewhat similar to Portland.. they need to add a strong forward to go with that defensive toughness, scrappiness, and nice backcourt.
Do you mean no team has ever met in 4 straight finals? That paragraph is weird so you must be talking about next year.
Anyway I think the cavs will miss first. They are too top heavy. The Warriors could conceivably make the finals in a year where one of Curry or Durant are injured. I don’t see the Cavs doing it without Kyrie or without Lebron.
Eventually, one of those four are gonna get injured and then the streak will be in jeopardy, and the Cavs more vulnerable on that front.
What? The Cavs are top heavy? The warriors are decimating their depth more and more every year. What’s their bench going to look like next year? The Cavs depth is at the very least sustainable.
Sustainable is not a word I would use for the Cavs salary cap. I don’t care how many championships they win eventually Gilbert will let off the gas on the spending spree and without all those fantastic role player LeBron they will fall. As long as LeBron will be there they will be competitive but if he doesn’t have the role players we are talking about dropping to a 3/4/5 seed and not as deep of a playoff run
Exactly, the Cavs depth is SOLELY dependant on their teams willingness to consistently spend a wide margin over the luxury tax.
At least the Warriors draft some of their role players. Even though, honestly the end of their bench never really even sees much playing time…lol…Which, as a Bulls fan, makes me incredibly jealous, but I am happy for Steve Kerr.
Kerr has done an excellent job picking up right where Mark Jackson left off, and he has built upon that foundation and helped create a sustainable offensive and defensive juggernaut for the foreseeable future.
What the Warriors front office and coaching staff has created is truly one of the most impressive teams I have personally laid eyes on.
I hesitate for a moment, to say they are THE MOST impressive team only because of the 1995 Bulls with MJ, Pippen, Rodman, Harper, Kukoc, Longley, Kerr, and Weddington.
Would you take those 8 or Curry, Klay, KD, Draymond, Iggy, Pachulia, West, and McGee??
If only those two teams could actually play eachother….I’d love to see Pippen defending KD, and MJ up on Curry and Klay…But the most underrated, and possibly most entertaining match up would definitely be Draymond Green versus Dennis Rodman!! Even though Longley versus Pachulia might be a very close 2nd lol
The Warriors real depth stems from drafting players and development, rather than SOLELY adding to their roster by just picking up veterans year in and year out, like the Cavs…
From the past couple of seasons the Cavs have Kay Felder that they’ve drafted and solely developed…
The Warriors have drafted and solely developed McCaw, Clark, Looney, and MacAdoo…
If the Warriors can continue to keep on drafting quality role players, ALONG WITH adding cheaper veterans like the Cavs, then how is that not a more sustainable team??
Not to mention the sole fact that the Warriors core talent far surpasses the Cavs.
There is not a single GM alive that would take Kyrie, LeBron, Love, and Thompson over Curry, Durant, Thompson, and Draymond…
While he would never admit to it, not even Cleveland’s GM would decline that trade.
Also, just an FYI Cleveland’s current Team Salary is ~27 million more than the Warriors salary.
Cleveland is solely reliant upon LeBron. If he gets hurt, they are no longer title contenders. However, you take away any one player from the Warriors, and they are still the favorites for the title…Albeit Lebron getting hurt is about as likely as the Knicks getting a top 4-5 seed next season…
And for whatever it is worth, I’m not even a Warriors fan….
I don’t even know what you are saying. The Cavs without Lebron don’t stand a chance against the Warriors without Durant.
That’s what top heavy means. It has nothing to do with the 12th man. Of the two teams, which would win if they both lost their best player?
No top heavy means only the top of the roster is good
Finals sooo Boring please help LeBron Kawhi, Butler, George or Enything Else LeBron Need help to ein a Champion Chip Mr. Incredible Flopper of all time
I wanted to comment on what the Raptors should do and get feedback. Sign Lowry and trade DeRozan. The Raptors paid too much for him. He is not the you can count on me player like maybe Paul George. I would like to see Lowry work with someone else. Also I think their young players will surprize next year under the right coach. I don’t know that Casey is the guy but he should get a chance and be put on a short leash.
I think the Raptors should keep DeRozan and maybe trade Lowry. I watched DeRozan play my Wizards in Washington and that guy is electric. They should also just fire Casey right now. Come on, the Cavs are good, but you ar going to get swept? That’s pretty bad. What they could do is let Lowry walk, trade DeMarre Carroll, resign Iblocka, put Iblocka at the 3, put Poeltl at the 4 and use the cap space left from Lowry and Carrol (whatever wasn’t used on Ibaka) to pick up a Hill or Teague or Rose.
Assuming Curry and Durant resign it is the Warriors. They have been building their bench/reserves through the draft while the Cavs role players consist of aging vets. They also have a much better owner