All Set For A Rematch

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When the NBA Finals begin on Thursday night in Oakland, the Golden State Warriors will be trying to repeat as champions … by beating the Cleveland Cavaliers again. The Warriors won the title by taking out the Cavs in six games a year ago and now both have returned to compete for the crown.

The Warriors made it in a most unlikely style. Their 96-88 win on Monday night over the Oklahoma City Thunder capped a comeback from a 3-1 deficit in games in their best-of-seven series, a deficit almost no one foresaw. They’re only the 10th team in NBA history to overcome that dire circumstance.

“We survived by the skin of our teeth,” coach Steve Kerr said. “We were able to pull it out, and we’re moving on.”

Let’s not forget that these were the Warriors who opened the season with 24 straight victories to set one NBA record, and won 73 games in all to set another.

For Cleveland, a title is everything. The city hasn’t won a championship in a major sport since 1964. For LeBron James, this is his sixth consecutive appearance in the NBA Finals and he won two championships (both with the Miami Heat). Despite his accomplishments on the court, the failure (failure?) to win more titles continually gets laid at his feet.

Do the Warriors repeat? Does LeBron get a third title that validates his achievements? This is a big stage with big stars (LeBron, Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson). The fun starts Thursday night.
 
 
Post By: Larry Weisman, a longtime sportswriter for USA TODAY, blogs for Twistity.com. Follow him on Twitter @MrLarryWeisman