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Warriors' dominance, LeBron's brilliance reason enough to watch Finals

Thearon W. Henderson / Getty Images Sport / Getty

Here we go again.

The Cleveland Cavaliers and Golden State Warriors are back in the NBA Finals after overcoming 3-2 deficits in their respective conference finals and winning Game 7 on the road. And, for the first time in the four major North American professional sports, the same two teams will meet in the championship round four years in a row.

It's understandable if the excitement for Cavs-Warriors IV is dampened by its familiarity, not to mention it appears to be a complete mismatch on paper. LeBron James and Co. are shorter on firepower (where's Kyrie Irving when you need him) than the Cavs team that lasted only five games against Golden State last summer. Keeping pace with the high-octane Warriors offense seems far-fetched, especially after playing two seven-game series en route to The Finals.

The Warriors didn’t have as flawless a run through the West as last year, when they earned three sweeps and finished 16-1 in the playoffs. But in getting up off the canvas against the Rockets, Golden State only reaffirmed the inevitability of its dominance.

Consider: in Game 6, at home, the Warriors trailed by 17 points after one quarter, and by double-digits at the half. They won the game by 29 points, outscoring the Rockets 64-25 in the second half. They trailed by 11 after two quarters in Game 7, on the road, with head coach Steve Kerr calling the opening frame, “one of the worst quarters of basketball we’ve ever played.” Golden State won the game comfortably, by nine points.

Golden State's concentration of elite talent is unheard-of, and its margin for error is unprecedented. And it's why so few give Cleveland a chance, even with James, somehow, ratcheting up his game to another stratosphere.

The Warriors are plus-501 in the third quarter this season (plus-130 in the playoffs), while the Cavaliers are plus-5 in the third (minus-1 in the playoffs). No Cavs lead will be safe, as Golden State is capable of erasing double-digit deficits in minutes and ending games in a single quarter.

The pressure, as always, rests solely on the defending champions - anything short of a third title in four seasons would be a colossal disappointment. These are the stakes this group absorbed when they congregated in the Hamptons to recruit Kevin Durant to join a 73-win team.

Another championship would put these Warriors in the conversation of greatest four-year runs in league history, although the discussion will always involve the one-time salary cap spike which allowed them to land Durant.

If, somehow, the Warriors were to lose, questions would abound regarding the co-alpha dog pairing of Durant and Steph Curry and whether coach Steve Kerr can still motivate his troops after boatloads of regular-season success.

But make no mistake, the Warriors' eulogy would focus on James, as it'll take the series of a lifetime - and that may not even be enough - to overcome the odds.

James has a chance to cap what's shaping up as the best playoff resume in history. He's 3-5 in The Finals, a blemish critics love to cite, but his accomplishments in three seasons since returning to the Cavaliers are remarkable. He carried his team to within two wins of a championship despite not having Irving and Kevin Love in The Finals and with Matthew Dellavedova as his running mate. He then ended the city’s 52-year championship drought with a historic 3-1 comeback and an iconic block in Game 7, one of the most memorable Finals moments in league history. And, a year ago, he became the first player to average a triple-double (33.6 points, 12 rebounds, and 10 assists) in The Finals.

After the first 82-game season of his career and 18 more postseason contests - including a full 48 minutes in Game 7 against Boston - James can say with confidence he's emptied the proverbial tank to give Cleveland a chance at another ring.

There's also no hiding from James' pending free agency, and what part the outcome of this series will play in his decision. Would an against-all-odds win alleviate James of any obligation to stay in Cleveland, or give him the confidence he needs to remain with the Cavs? And would a loss necessarily lead James to part for greener pastures, conceivably in Philadelphia or Houston? A lopsided series would only shine more light on the gulf that ostensibly exists between the Cavs and a roster capable of winning another title against this Warriors juggernaut.

Add it all up, and there's plenty of reasons to appreciate Cavs-Warriors IV. There's a good chance the games might not provide much drama, but there's an abundance of greatness to witness and plenty at stake.

Alex Wong is an NBA freelance writer whose work has appeared in GQ, The New Yorker, Vice Sports, and Complex, among other publications.

(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)

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