NBA Finals Schedule 2017: Complete TV Coverage for Championship Series
Before complaining about a lackluster NBA postseason loaded with lopsided matchups, consider the end result. All those blowouts will yield an epic Finals rematch between the Golden State Warriors and Cleveland Cavaliers.
The playoffs have offered no parity, and the opening rounds have frequently felt like useless filler. While Golden State became the first team to enter the Finals undefeated since the NBA expanded the first round to a best-of-seven format, Cleveland lost just once in a game which LeBron James reportedly played while under the weather, at least according to teammate Richard Jefferson.
According to ESPN Stats & Info, both conference champions won by historic margins:
Fans, however, can't ask for a better closing chapter than the league's two titans settling the score with a rubber match.
After splitting their last two title clashes, LeBron James, Kyrie Irving, Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green meet again. This time, Kevin Durant joins the party for his second Finals appearance, the first a losing effort to James' Miami Heat five years ago.
Is every NBA postseason game an ultimate thrill ride of unforgettable moments? No, but the by-the-books preamble will all be worth it once the Cavs and Warriors spar for the Larry O'Brien Trophy.
2017 NBA Finals Schedule (All Games Televised on ABC)
Game 1: Cleveland at Golden State, Thursday, June 1 at 9 p.m. ET
Game 2: Cleveland at Golden State, Sunday, June 4 at 8 p.m. ET
Game 3: Golden State at Cleveland, Wednesday, June 7 at 9 p.m. ET
Game 4: Golden State at Cleveland, Friday, June 9 at 9 p.m. ET
*Game 5: Cleveland at Golden State, Monday, June 12 at 9 p.m. ET
*Game 6: Golden State at Cleveland, Thursday, June 15 at 9 p.m. ET
*Game 7: Cleveland at Golden State, Sunday, June 18 at 8 p.m. ET
*If necessary
Burning Question: Will Cleveland's Defensive Woes Resurface?
Before demolishing the Eastern Conference, Cleveland entered the postseason far from a juggernaut. Their 51 regular-season victories tied the Toronto Raptors, Los Angeles Clippers and Utah Jazz and trailed the top-seeded Boston Celtics.
In hindsight, complacency likely contributed to the Cavs settling for the second seed. Yet even the firmest believes of James and Co. "flipping the switch" had to wonder about their subpar defense.
Cleveland allowed 108.0 points per 100 possessions, finishing the season 22nd with the same mark as the Brooklyn Nets and Orlando Magic. Only the Los Angeles Lakers' defense performed worse than the defending champions after the All-Star break.
While those problems haven't vanished in the playoffs, they have diminished. The Cavaliers have allowed 103.2 points per game with a 104.6 defensive rating, substantial gains for an offense that has produced 116.8 points per bout and a 120.7 offensive rating.
Perhaps, as Fox Sports' Dieter Kurtenbach surmised, "Cleveland's much-maligned defense hasn't improved, it's just faced poor teams." As he elaborated, the Celtics pulled off a Game 3 upset partly because they had "no choice" but to move the ball more without Isaiah Thomas.
After facing ball-dominant stars in Paul George, DeMar DeRozan and Thomas, they now face an unselfish Warriors squad who led the league in assist percentage during the season. Also, an offense with two former MVP winners and three of the best shooters alive is hard for anyone to stop.
James understands the lofty task ahead. During the postgame press conference, per ESPN.com's Brian Windhorst, he deferred to speak in-depth about his upcoming opponent after securing his seventh-consecutive Finals appearance.
"It's too stressful, and I'm not stressed right now," James said. "I'm very happy about our accomplishment. Golden State, they've been the best team in our league for the last three years, and then they added an MVP. That's all I can give you right now, because I'm happy and I don't want to be stressed."
To Cleveland's credit, it has contained Curry better than most adversaries. After averaging 22.6 points with an underwhelming 40.3 field-goal percentage in last year's Finals, he went a combined 11-of-31 for 35 points in their two season encounters.
He has put on a show all postseason, recording 28.6 points per game with a 50-40-90 line and NBA-high net rating of plus-24.3. If Curry plays along those lines, the Warriors will win their second title in three years. Even if his backcourt mate stays cold.
Thompson has registered just 14.4 points per game this postseason. His 48.5 true shooting percentage, per Basketball-Reference.com, lingers far below his 59.2 season clip.
Erik Malinowski dived into those struggles for Bleacher Report, identifying a 14.3 field-goal percentage from three-to-10 feet as a major culprit. During the Western Conference Finals, the shooting guard did not express any concern.
"I feel like I'm playing well on both sides of the ball," Thompson told Malinowski last week. "Obviously, you want the shot to go in more frequently, but that's basketball. Due for a few big games or whatever. But you can't get caught up in percentages, especially when you're winning."
If Curry and Durant—who sports a 55.6 postseason field-goal percentage—keeps shooting this well, the Warriors can still confound Cleveland with a lukewarm Thompson. A Game 5 suspension defines last year's Finals for Green, but he also gave the Cavs fits with 16.5 points, 10.3 boards and 6.3 assists per game, highlighted by a spectacular Game 7.
Onlookers should know better than to count out James, especially with Irving and Love operating at optimal capacity. Given their defensive limitations, they're not going to hoist the title after another 93-89 victory.
Note: Advanced stats courtesy of NBA.com unless otherwise noted.
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