Golden State

I am very much impressed with the way Golden State has played in the first two games of the championship.  They play good defense,  look for open players, run and run and run and run, and can shoot from long range.  They have three players on the starting five who can shoot threes as good as any player in the league. Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, and Klay Thompson are deadly.  Who do you guard if you are Cleveland?  You prevent Curry from getting the ball and Durant will hurt you, or Thompson.

Cleveland did not play poorly last night. LeBron James is still the best player on planet Earth and he demonstrated his prowess last night.  Kevin Love continues to make a liar out of me. I thought he was overrated, but he has been an able shooter and a very good rebounder in the playoffs. Kyrie Irving makes shots that are worthy of standing ovations.  Last year I thought he was only a bit better than average. I do not think so anymore. Irving is a super star.

However, despite James, and Love, and Irving, the Cavaliers got shellacked last night.  And they got tired. This is not a knock on the conditioning of the Cavaliers.  It is to the credit of the Warriors who are perpetually in motion.  Every rebound starts a fast break. They often run after made baskets. And the offense is a motion offense.  It is exhausting to watch and it must be impossible to defend.

Last year I, incorrectly, predicted that the Warriors would definitely beat Cleveland in the championship series.  Yet, the Cavaliers came back from a 3-1 series deficit to defeat the Warriors. And they made Stephen Curry look only average.  So, I should not count the Cavaliers out after two losses at the Warriors' gym.  But gee, even if Curry and Thompson get cold, there is still Durant.

I think the only way Cleveland can prevail is if either Durant or Curry get injured during the series.  Otherwise I don't see it happening.    It is not just that the Warriors have excellent players. They have excellent players playing excellently. And last night despite shooting well, Curry had several turnovers, and the Warriors still won by close to twenty points. Quite a spectacle.  I think people will talk about the 2017 Warriors for years to come as maybe the best team ever.

The Warriors are currently three point favorites for Wednesday's game at Cleveland. I think you give away the points and count your shekels afterwards.  The over/under is 226. That seems low given last night's 235, but I kind of like the under on Wednesday.