Silver doesn't take issue with NBA's 'competitive balance'

We call all talk about how the Cleveland Cavaliers and Golden State Warriors - the two teams meeting in The Finals for the third year in a row - are looking like they're on a whole other level than the rest of the league, but not everyone is on board with the supremacy.

Adam Silver doesn't agree that there's a problem with competitive balance, despite an obvious lack of competition in the 2017 playoffs. The commissioner appeared on "Mike & Mike" on Wednesday to discuss said balance - or lack thereof.

"I will say, and I heard Kevin Durant say something like this the other day, I think it's a little unfair to him to blame him for the lack of so-called 'competitive balance' at the moment in the league," Silver said. "I mean, he could have only impacted one team, had he stayed in Oklahoma City or gone somewhere else, there's no doubt that team would have been better, but it wouldn't have changed the fortunes for 27 other teams in the league."

Silver went on to reiterate the new collective bargaining agreement, which enhances the incentives for players who re-sign with their own teams, essentially avoiding another superteam scenario. He also emphasized this year's upcoming draft class and its impact on the future of the league.

"It's just hard for me to fathom how there becomes this perception that at the moment there are only two teams that are truly competitive in the league," Silver said. "I just don't believe it. And I think you're going to see these things have a way of working themselves out over time. I mean, Kawhi Leonard was the 15th pick in the draft, Isaiah Thomas was the 60th pick in the draft, Draymond Green was the 35th pick in the draft. And we have a great draft class coming up next year.

"When I hear people say that (Golden State and Cleveland) are now the two teams that are dynasties. Think back ... we had the Lakers and Celtics. Celtics have won 17 championships, Lakers 16. That's almost half of all championships won in the NBA by those two teams. Now these two teams are being called dynasties. One, you're in Cleveland right now, that franchise before last year had never won in the history of the NBA. Golden State hadn't won it in 40 years."

Never mind that this matchup is unprecedented, as it's the first time in NBA history that the two teams playing for the Larry O'Brien Trophy have met in three championships in a row, but The Finals also feature seven of the 2017 All-Stars - four starters and three reserves.