NBA Finals 2015: Cavaliers vs. Warriors Schedule, Series Odds and Key X-Factors
The long wait between the conference final round and the 2015 NBA Finals has yet to reach its halfway mark. But the rest is much-needed for the players and fans alike, with what's to come starting June 4.
There have been anticipated Finals matchups of similar degrees in recent years, but none have assumed as big a possibility for firsts. Head coaches are of the first-year variety, with Steve Kerr and David Blatt facing off to aim for a title in year No. 1. LeBron James is looking for his third ring but the Cleveland Cavaliers' first, while the Warriors are aiming to snap a 40-year championship drought.
Needless to say, winning four more games would mean everything to either franchise. Let's take a look at the schedule for all of the games, along with odds and a breakdown of the key X-factor players to watch for.
2015 NBA Finals Schedule
| 1 | Thu., June 4 | Cleveland at Golden State | 9 p.m. | ABC |
| 2 | Sun., June 7 | Cleveland at Golden State | 8 p.m. | ABC |
| 3 | Tue., June 9 | Golden State at Cleveland | 9 p.m. | ABC |
| 4 | Thu., June 11 | Golden State at Cleveland | 9 p.m. | ABC |
| 5* | Sun., June 14 | Cleveland at Golden State | 8 p.m. | ABC |
| 6* | Tue., June 16 | Golden State at Cleveland | 9 p.m. | ABC |
| 7* | Fri., June 19 | Cleveland at Golden State | 9 p.m. | ABC |
Odds to Win NBA Finals
| Golden State Warriors | 5-12 |
| Cleveland Cavaliers | 19-10 |
Odds courtesy of Odds Shark
NBA Finals X-Factors
Iman Shumpert
Iman Shumpert's lockdown defensive potential and athletic style of play always promised to be a catalyst for Cleveland's chances of a title run, from the moment the Cavs traded for him and J.R. Smith. He hasn't exactly been asked to dominate so far, but that will change in the Finals.
Shumpert will be tasked with slowing down both of Golden State's sharpshooting duo at times, but especially Klay Thompson. The Warriors shooting guard's numbers are down in the postseason, and he is questionable with a concussion, per Jimmy Durkin of the San Jose Mercury News, but the long layoff should help him return to health.
The Eastern Conference Finals presented a seismic challenge for Shumpert in defending Kyle Korver, and he did a magnificent job of limiting his looks. But Thompson presents more from the offensive end and has better shooters around him, meaning Shumpert will have to lock in and know where he is at all times.
The offensive end is rather simple for the former Knick—hit the wide-open looks that James' passing will inevitably produce. It's the defensive side of things that will truly make or break Shumpert's first NBA Finals.
Harrison Barnes
No Warriors player has benefited more from Kerr's arrival than Harrison Barnes, and that has continued to present itself in these playoffs. But he couldn't possibly face a tougher matchup in his NBA Finals debut.
Barnes' ability to play freely on the wing and occasionally chip in at the stretch 4 has been a game-changer for Golden State in the playoffs, but he'll be hard-pressed to continue that against one of the game's all-time greats. Zach Harper of CBS Sports explained how and why Barnes will be out of his element in the Finals:
"The only way you can expect Harrison Barnes to have a big series offensively is if the Cavs decide to have LeBron James go rover all over the court, or if Irving is assigned to defend him. It doesn't mean he can't be effective (he was a monster in Golden State's closeout win against Houston), it just means having to chase LeBron around and body him up is going to wear him down throughout this series.
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Barnes has come a long way since entering the NBA as an undeveloped youngster, but he's still turning 23 just days before the Finals. Solely matching up with James defensively could be too much to ask of him, but capable wing defender Andre Iguodala may not have the size to contain James.
However, Barnes could change all of that by playing out of his mind and finding a way to neutralize James.
The Bench
You don't get to the NBA Finals without bench players who are more than capable of stepping into a larger role. While the benches are awfully different on either side, both the Warriors and Cavs have a recipe for success in their second unit.
Injuries have somewhat decimated Cleveland's bench, but the immersion of Tristan Thompson in the starting lineup has been massive. Matthew Dellavedova burst onto the scene by relieving Kyrie Irving for most of the Eastern Conference Finals, while J.R. Smith has been able to maintain his second-unit role of shooting the lights out.
Golden State employs a much deeper bench, which is obvious considering former All-Star David Lee plays fewer than eight minutes per game in the playoffs. Huge play from Shaun Livingston, Iguodala, Festus Ezeli and the like have allowed the second unit to give players like Stephen Curry, Thompson and Draymond Green much-needed rest.
If the Cavs don't contain the Warriors' second unit, it will allow for Kerr to keep his stars rested and ready to blow games open late. But Golden State could just as easily allow players like Dellavedova and Smith to have a big impact, opening things up for Blatt and his banged-up stars.
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