NBA Playoffs 2015: TV Schedule and Predictions for Cavaliers vs. Warriors Finals

Sorry, Atlanta Hawks and Houston Rockets. You did your best, but in the end there was nothing you could do to stop the inevitable Golden State Warriors-Cleveland Cavaliers NBA Finals matchup.

For the casual fan, this is nothing short of a dream matchup. With the league's best player, the league MVP, a supporting cast of all-stars and one of the best regular-season teams in history, there is something for everyone in this series.

With LeBron James and Stephen Curry both still on top of their games, this series has the potential to be the first part in a Miami Heat-San Antonio Spurs-style rivalry that could define the league for the next few years.

Neither franchise has won an NBA title since 1975—or in the Cavaliers' case, ever—so both will be desperate to bring home the championship this time around.

Here is the schedule for the NBA Finals and some predictions about the proceedings between the two teams.

Game 1	Thurs., June 4	Cleveland at Golden State	9 p.m. ET	ABC
Game 2	Sun., June 7	Cleveland at Golden State	8 p.m. ET	ABC
Game 3	Tues., June 9	Golden State at Cleveland	9 p.m. ET	ABC
Game 4	Thurs., June 11	Golden State at Cleveland	9 p.m. ET	ABC
Game 5*	Sun., June 14	Cleveland at Golden State	8 p.m. ET	ABC
Game 6*	Tues., June 16	Golden State at Cleveland	9 p.m ET	ABC
Game 7*	Fri., June 19	Cleveland at Golden State	9 p.m. ET	ABC

Klay Thompson will be seriously missed

Ben Margot/Associated Press

I’m sure none of you have forgotten this yet, but just in case, here is a little reminder of what Klay Thompson is capable of:

Since the second-round series against the Memphis Grizzlies, though, Thompson hasn’t quite looked the player he was during the regular season, averaging 17.8 points per game over the two series, while his partner in crime, Curry, has carried the team with huge numbers.

But after picking up a concussion in Game 5 against the Rockets, Thompson has been ruled out indefinitely, which will prove to be a huge loss for the Warriors regardless of how he has played on offense:

As he proved in the second quarter of Game 5, when he scored or assisted on 16-of-18 points, Thompson has the ability to get hot and change a game at any time, a factor that will be sorely missed.

He also brings a defensive presence to the team that would have been huge against a potent Cavaliers offense, especially as Kyrie Irving returns to full strength.

The Warriors have the base to succeed without Thompson—just as the Cavs have done without Kevin Love—but the longer he is out, the worse things look for Golden State. The series could turn based on the shooting guard's health, and that isn’t what you want to hear as a fan of the Warriors.

Stephen Curry outplays LeBron James

Noah Graham/Getty Images

While there are any number of other storylines surrounding the NBA Finals, one of the most prevalent is going to be the battle between the greatest player alive and the MVP.

Even though Stephen Curry deserved the league’s most prestigious award for the season he had, most would argue that he has a long way to go before passing LeBron James as the best player in the NBA.

But even though one series won’t elevate him to the same heights as James, it will go a long way toward Curry establishing himself even more comfortably as one of the league’s top five superstars.

Both players are hitting their strides just in time for the finals, with James nearly averaging a triple double against the Hawks, and Curry scoring 31.2 points per game against the Rockets:

If Thompson misses a significant amount of time with his concussion, Curry will have to do even more for the Warriors to be successful, and the point guard is up to the task.

James is the greatest player of this generation bar none, and he will still do everything in his power to lead the Cavaliers to victory. However, this season belongs to Curry, and no matter the outcome of the series, he will outplay the game’s greatest player.

The Warriors outlast the Cavaliers

Noah Graham/Getty Images

As weird as it is to say with how good the Warriors are, things are trending in the direction of the Cavaliers leading into this series.

Since losing Love against the Celtics, Cleveland has developed a new, arguably superior, lineup with Tristan Thompson at the 4, and that lineup went on a seven-game winning streak against the Bulls and the Hawks. The Warriors will also be without Klay Thompson for an unknown period of time and haven’t proved they can succeed without him.

But even with James playing at his highest level and a fast-recovering Irving, it won’t be enough to overcome the Warriors:

As one of the most dominant regular-season teams in history, Golden State came into the playoffs as a heavy favorite to claim the title and has lived up to the hype thus far. The Warriors have had an incredible postseason through the first three rounds and are on a similar run to the Cavaliers, only losing once in their last eight games.

Despite all the focus on how dominant the Warriors can be offensively, it is going to be their elite defense that makes the difference against Cleveland.

With Draymond Green leading the charge defensively, and Curry putting up video-game numbers on offense, the Warriors have the potential to run rampant over the Cavaliers, who have been feasting on the significantly weaker Eastern Conference so far.

The lack of Thompson will create an early-series advantage for Cleveland and James can win games all on his own, but in the end the Warriors will prove to be too much for the Cavaliers and win their first NBA title since 1975.