Cleveland and Golden State Rematch in NBA Finals?

Most of the prognosticators have the current National Basketball Association Champions Cleveland Cavs meeting the 2015 champions Golden State Warriors in the 2017 Finals.  I would tend to agree but I do not believe one of the teams will make the show in late spring, early summer.  It has to do with the depth of the Warriors and a belief that one or more of the “superstars” on the rosters in the Bay will be saddled with the tag DNP, injury. That is right sports fans, I am calling it right now, and for all those that have penciled in Golden State’s second NBA Title in three years, you will be out of luck.

Fact is, Golden State is banking on their big time high powered studs to be well and in great health come playoff time.  They have to be, as this current edition of Warriors have severe depth problems, a lack of a power inside game, and two players that would have the tag as less than dependable with regard to injuries.  Stephan Curry is one ankle injury (turn, dislocation, break) from being on the shelf for a significant amount of time. It is not like he has the best structural ankles in the league. Far from it.  And with Kevin Durant already taking his former team out of a possible title with his broken Jones bone, it is not out of the possibility that the other Jones bone on the other foot will suffer a breakage also.  These two are not the most sturdy players in the league and if Coach Steve Kerr has to use his front line players extra minutes (as of a lack of a bench) injuries do and will happen. Going from 28-32 minutes a game to 34-38 is a game changer.  Klay Thompson and Draymond Green, the other two stars, will need to stay injury free also.

Western Conference Pre-season Rankings

1. Golden State
2. San Antonio
3. Portland
4. Los Angeles Clippers
5. Memphis
6. Oklahoma City
7. Utah
8. Dallas
9. Houston
10. Sacramento
11. Minnesota
12. New Orleans
13. Phoenix
14. Los Angeles Lakers
15. Denver

Eastern Conference Pre-season Rankings

1.  Cleveland
2. Toronto
3. Boston
4. Charlotte
5. Miami
6. Milwaukee
7. Detroit
8. New York
9. Indiana
10. Washington
11. Orlando
12. Chicago
13. Brooklyn
14. Atlanta
15. Philadelphia

Western Conference Finals:  San Antonio vs Los Angeles Clippers

Eastern Conference Finals:  Cleveland vs Toronto

NBA Title:  San Antonio over Cleveland

MVP:  LeBron James

Playoffs MVP:  Kawhi Leonard

Scoring Champion:  James Harden

Fantasy Leader:  Russell Westbrook

Rookie of the Year:  Buddy Hield

Coach of the Year:  Greg Popovich

Top Five players in the world by rank:

1. Lebron James
2. Russell Westbrook
3. Stephan Curry
4. Kevin Durant
5. Kawhi Leonard

Feature photo:  (AP PHOTO/ERIC GAY)