NBA Finals 2015: Odds and Bold Predictions for Cavaliers vs. Warriors Series

One team hasn't been to the NBA Finals in 40 years, while the other has never won a title. This matchup between the Golden State Warriors and Cleveland Cavaliers exemplifies the changing of the guard in today's NBA. Even though LeBron James is still the best player in the universe, his Cavs are legitimate underdogs in the 2015 NBA Finals, according to Odds Shark.

The Cavaliers are 19-10 underdogs to bring home the hardware, while the Warriors are 5-12 favorites. Prior to the season, one would have expected those numbers to be reversed, but a 67-win campaign from the Dubs and injuries to Kevin Love and Kyrie Irving change the dynamic of this entire series.

The series gets underway Thursday, June 4 at Oracle Arena, so both teams will have ample time to rest up.

Any writer or analyst could go into how LeBron or Stephen Curry will play well in this series. But that just doesn't get us anywhere. Bold predictions are the foundation of every heated sports argument and enjoyable reading material, so that's exactly what we're going to get into here.

Tristan Thompson Will Go for a Double-Double Every Game

Dwight Howard put on a rebounding clinic against the Warriors during the conference finals, averaging 14.4 of them. Even though Andrew Bogut and Draymond Green are talented players, little suggests that Thompson won't be able to post similar numbers.

The Cavaliers big man is playing some of the best ball of his career since Kevin Love went down with his shoulder injury during the first round. He posted 11.8 points, 11.0 rebounds and 1.8 blocks on 64.3 percent shooting in the conference finals against the Atlanta Hawks, punishing their veteran front line every time out. Even his teammates couldn't slow him down during warm-ups.

Thompson is also heading into restricted free agency this offseason and has up to seven more games to solidify his status as a foundational, young big man who's worthy of a massive contract. He also has the full support of LeBron, according to Matt Moore of CBS Sports.

"Tristan should probably be a Cavalier for his whole career," James said after a light practice. "There's no reason why he shouldn't. This guy is 24 years old, he's played in 340-plus straight games, and he's gotten better every single season. It's almost like 'What more can you ask out of a guy?'"

The matchup of Tristan Thompson against Draymond Green will be a huge determinant on the outcome of this series. Don't expect Thompson to be slowed, regardless of who is on him. He is posting double-digit points and rebounds every game.

The Cavs Will Steal Game 1 at Oracle

The greatness of LeBron James is unquestionable, and it will be very interesting to watch him during this series in particular.

After coming back to Cleveland this past offseason, he now is on the verge of bringing home the city's first NBA championship. His playoff numbers of 27.6 points, 10.4 rebounds and 8.3 assists are otherworldly, and his ferocity should reach unparalleled levels with the possibility of going 2-4 in the NBA Finals looming over his legacy.

Ironically, LeBron has lost Game 1 in each of his last three trips to the Finals. There's no question that's in the back of his mind somewhere.

This is uncharted territory for the Warriors. No one on their roster has played in the Finals, and that will be apparent in the first game. For at least one night, seniority and experience will win out.

That being said, James will answer with a big triple-double in Game 1. His Cavs are peaking at the right time, and he knows the importance of getting off to a strong start in this series. Golden State is nearly unbeatable in The Bay (39-2 during the regular season), but in Game 1, James will play a trump card to kick off an unbelievable series. The Cavs' momentum from emphatically sweeping the Atlanta Hawks will be enough to conquer the first game.

Stephen Curry Will Break Danny Green's Record for Threes in a Finals Series

Having already set the record for threes made in a single postseason, the league MVP is not yet done.

Danny Green canned 27 threes for the San Antonio Spurs in the 2012-13 Finals. Curry just hit 27 in the Western Conference Finals. The difference?

It took Green seven games. Steph did it in five.

Slowing the MVP will be a monumental task for Cleveland, one that LeBron appropriately claimed was not possible:

You absolutely cannot stop Stephen Curry, especially when he is firing like he has been lately. Kyrie Irving has never been known for his defense. Now that he is hobbled by a knee injury, it becomes even more of a difficult task. Expect to see other guys take turns covering Curry, including Iman Shumpert and probably even James at some point.

Of course, Matthew Dellavedova will square off with Curry at some point. One can only hope that Delly doesn't mix it up with the MVP or go at his legs. However, if Steph gets hot, Delly is the perfect guy to go in and get under his skin. Not having Patrick Beverley was devastating to the Houston Rockets for this exact reason.

I expect Curry's hot shooting to carry right on over into the Finals. As we saw early on in his Davidson days during several NCAA tournaments, this is not a guy who shrinks under the spotlight. His father, Dell Curry, never shied away from it—and neither does his daughter, Riley (it must be genetic):

Curry breaking this record is contingent on the series going six or seven games, which it probably will. Golden State will wrap this up behind Curry's NBA Finals MVP performance, highlighted by a three-point barrage for the ages.

Follow Justin on Twitter @Hussington to discuss basketball and any other sports!