Cavaliers, Warriors Aren't Dynasties Yet, Says Adam Silver Ahead of NBA Finals

Even though the Cleveland Cavaliers and Golden State Warriors will meet in the NBA Finals for a third straight season beginning Thursday, NBA commissioner Adam Silver doesn't consider either franchise a dynasty yet.

During a Wednesday appearance on ESPN Radio's Mike & Mike (via ESPN.com), Silver laid out his argument for why the Cavs and Warriors have a long way to go before approaching dynastic territory:

"So, when I hear people say that these are now the two teams that are dynasties. You know, think back, you guys know the history. We have the Lakers and Celtics—the Celtics have won 17 championships, Lakers 16—that's almost half of all championships won in the NBA by those two teams. Now [the Cavs and Warriors] are being called dynasties. One [Cleveland] before last year had never won in the history of the NBA. Golden State hadn't won in 40 years."

If an individual player can be put in the dynasty category, LeBron James is the closest thing the NBA has to one. The four-time NBA MVP has played in the NBA Finals each of the last seven years and has won three titles. 

The Warriors have had the most successful three-year stretch in the regular season in NBA history with 207 wins. The 1995-98 Chicago Bulls held the previous mark with 203 wins, per ESPN Stats & Info. 

That Bulls team won three straight tiles, while the Warriors are going for their second in three years. 

There may never be a run of dominance like what the NBA used to see from teams like the Bulls, Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers. The Cavaliers and Warriors will eventually be defined by history and possibly as separate dynasties if they can keep this run of success going.