Few things were more amazing than watching Steph Curry
light up the 2008 NCAA Tournament, where he torched every team he faced in
route to leading Davidson to the Elite Eight. There hasn't been a player as
exciting to watch in the tournament since. Enter 2015, and the same could be
said about the way he is carrying the Golden State Warriors, making them
relevant again.
On the other side, it’s a familiar foe. For the fifth
consecutive season, LeBron James has his team in the NBA Finals. This time
though, not as a villain, but as a hero leading his hometown Cavaliers again. If he
can do the unthinkable - beat Golden State - he would have to go down as the
greatest of all-time.
Two superstars (both born in Akron) on the biggest stage. For NBA fans, it doesn't get much better.
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| The young gun v. the vet |
With rookie head coaches, both teams are looking to bring long-awaited titles back home to
starving fans. For the Warriors, it hasn't been since 1975. As for the Cavs, we
all know the drought; they have never won a championship. And there may not be
a better opportunity. Yeah the Eastern Conference is weak, but who knows when
the next chance may come?
It’s crazy to think, but with each season players age,
and the further they go, the more the game takes a toll on the body. For
instance, in the past four seasons (2010-11 to 2013-14) the Miami Heat tallied
415 games (87 postseason), in which LeBron played in the majority. Add in
another 96 this year with the Cavs, and the number is over 500. He’s been in
the league since he was 18 years old (12 seasons) and played in the Olympics and
World Championships with Team USA. I understand James is a freak, and one of
the best to ever play the game, but I don’t know how many ‘great’ years are
left in the King’s tank. As a lifetime Ohioan, I’m hoping a while because
whatever is left of LeBron’s career might be the last shot Cleveland will have
in a long time, to bring the coveted title home.
The Warriors are definitely the deeper team and possess
more firepower. They’ve been dominant in just about every phase of the game,
regular and postseason, almost resembling a younger version of San Antonio. Without
hesitation, the favorites. But in sports, when does that ever matter? Sure they
have this season’s MVP, but the Cavs have the best player in the world, a
two-time champion and four-time MVP (in 5 seasons) himself. Add in a supporting
cast that he never had his first time around, and there is every right for Cavs
fans to be optimistic. There is no doubt this will be a daunting task for James
and company, quite possibly the toughest he's ever had to face. But with his ability to make guys better, and the way he has matured
since his time in Miami, anything can happen.
Everything suggests Warriors will reign when all said and done, but is there anything better then seeing an 'underdog' overcome the odds?
Yes, it is hard to beat a master Chef, but don’t be so
quick to sleep on the power of a King.
