Why the Cavs will win back-to-back NBA titles

The Cleveland Cavaliers are set to take on the Golden State Warriors in the NBA Finals for the third time in as many years. And for the third straight time, the wine and gold are considered underdogs even though they are the reigning champions. Despite that, the wine and gold will win back-to-back titles. Here’s my reasoning:

First and foremost, never count out LeBron James. He’s won three championships, but his greatest accomplishment could quite possibly be what he did in 2007. Although his team got swept by the San Antonio Spurs in the 2007 NBA Finals, No. 23 (somehow) took a starting lineup that consisted of Larry Hughes, Sasha Pavlovic, Drew Gooden, Zydrunas Ilgauskas, and himself to the Finals. It’s not a knock on his three championships, but it just shows just how good James truly is. His greatness can never be overlooked. And to think that some people are saying that he is currently playing his best basketball of his career is truly scary, in a good way.

He won’t be named the 2016-17 NBA MVP and was (somehow) not even named a Top 3 MVP candidate, but he could quite possibly be using that as a little motivation to prove yet again that he is not only the best player in the league, but the most valuable player in the league in this series against the Warriors. The Cavs will go as far as James will take them, and that’s why the wine and gold can never be counted out as long as The King is donning the wine and gold, even including when Cleveland has a 3-1 series deficit.

The second reason is Kyrie Irving. Uncle Drew can not only take over a game by himself, but he can even do so while allowing James to dominate as well. In Game 5 last June, when the Cavs were in a must-win situation, both Irving and James scored 41 points. No matter who the opponent is, that’s hard to top, especially with the scoring that came from the rest of the team as well. Like he did in the 2016 Finals and so far this postseason, No. 2 can score from inside or outside, while continuing to break the ankles and surprise his opponents with the way he moves the ball like a yo-yo in his hands.

Irving is playing his most efficient basketball in his career and it’s at just the right time. If he can continue this impressive play, it will only make the rest of the Cavs’ jobs that much easier. The matchup between Uncle Drew and Steph Curry can play a major role on who wins the 2017 NBA title, and if it’s anything like it was in 2016, the Cavs have the advantage.

In case you didn’t already think that the duo of James and Irving can lead the Cavs to back-to-back titles by themselves, Kevin Love is playing his best basketball as a Cavalier. What a perfect time for that, right? If you couldn’t tell already, the Big Three are arguably all playing the best they have since coming together in 2014. All three can dominate their opponent whether they are beyond the arc or inside the paint, which shows just how lethal they can be. If (and when) either of them have a mismatch, each of them are smart enough and good enough to take advantage of it.

Some may have argued that Tristan Thompson’s max contract extension was an overpay, but he does so much for the Cavs, both on and off the box score. He has been a key component of the Cavs’ success this season and he was one of the reasons why the wine and gold brought Cleveland their first major sports championship in 52 years in 2016.

Thompson’s match up against Javale McGee could be bigger in determining the final outcome of the series than many people realize. They are very similar in the way they play. The two don’t do too much outside of the paint offensively, but they bring plenty of energy to their respected teams. But, Thompson can take advantage of not only his rebounding ability, but the way he is able to switch on pick-and-rolls and guard the opposing team’s guards. He may not be recognized as much as the Big Three, but at times he makes people believe that the Cavs have a Big Four, especially with the way he has dominated this postseason. The big man has a chance to be a huge difference-maker against the Warriors. Whether it’s his energy, the way he is able to get rebounds on both ends of the court, or his ability to lockdown his opponent, Thompson is more important to this series than many think.

Outside of those four, everything JR Smith, Kyle Korver, Deron Williams, Iman Shumpert, Derrick Williams, and Channing Frye bring to the table will be needed. Chances are, at least one of those players will score in double digits in every game of the series. They not only all have that ability to do so, but if guys such as Smith, Korver, Shumpert, Williams, or Frye get hot from beyond the arc, they can carry the team on their shoulders at times, at least on the offensive side of the ball. Remember, even Dahntay Jones had key minutes in last year’s Finals. Think about that for a second. This go-round, the Cavs are deeper than they’ve ever been.

The Warriors may have had 73 wins last season and then proceeded to add a Top 3 player in the league in Kevin Durant during the offseason, but the Cavs have LeBron James. He makes everyone around him better and with the way his teammates have been playing lately, the Cavs can never be counted out. If you do, you may just regret it, just like last June.

Cleveland are the reigning champions, but they are underdogs in the NBA Finals. All the pressure is on Golden State, James and the Cavs might be in the Warriors’ heads, Durant has never been in this situation before as a favorite, and the wine and gold have nothing to lose. Almost everyone counted out the Cavs last season after trailing 3-1 in the series and the Warriors proceeded to blow it. Except it was more James and the Cavs taking it from them.

Some are counting out the wine and gold again. Those naysayers not only didn’t learn their lesson, but they’ve essentially counted out LeBron James. Counting out James is never a good idea.

James may never be able to silence all of his critics, but if his Cavs upset the Warriors for the second-consecutive year and win back-to-back titles, his critics will have a hard time hating on the once-in-a-generation player. He may just be a kid from Akron, Ohio, but No. 23 has been carrying the weight of the city of Cleveland since the moment he was drafted by the Cavaliers in 2003 and somehow, he has exceeded those incredible expectations that were placed on his shoulders. He has already proved his greatness, but his fourth NBA title will just cement it a little more.

Remember Cleveland: No matter what the final result of Cavs-Warriors III is, no one will ever be able to take away that special night on June 19, 2016. Whether the Cavs beat the Warriors and win back-to-back titles or lose to Golden State this series, the feelings, the emotion, the excitement, and most importantly the celebrations that took place in downtown Cleveland that special night last June and the days that followed will be remembered forever. Enjoy this moment, Cavs fans. It may be the third go-round in this Cavs-Warriors Finals matchup, but this one could be the best yet. Don’t take this Cavs team, especially LeBron James, for granted because they have a chance to cement themselves as one of the best teams in NBA history in the next couple weeks.