I am one game too late to make any prediction credible, but I thought that GSW would sweep CLE this year, or at the very least, win in 5. No 1 reason is GSW is motivated because of last year.
No. 2 reason is KD.
It wasn't too many years ago that KD was regarded as Lebron's sucessor as the best player in the NBA. He's had some injuries. However, you take a 73 win team and add the 2nd best (open to argument) player in the league and you should have an unbeatable team. They didn't lose that much to get him. I think it was unsportsmanlike on KD's part but I'm in a minority.
CLE is only marginally better than they were last year, and that's based on their playoff run, not their mediocre season. For some reason, all those old, slow, no defense 3 pt vetrans aren't helping.
In all humility (since I'm a junior member here), your points about GSW are moot.
1) Kerr's coaching cred. 1 NBA championship. Years paying with MJ. Being on that Bulls team taught him.
2) Interesting how these lesser draft pics have become so important, although Curry is the only superstar and he was, what 5th in the first round ?
3) The fact that GSW blew a 3 game lead last year only deepens their desire to focus.
4) CLE is healthy now. They are going to lose, despite having possibly the best player ever.
I'm not a fan of either team (I'm Celtics fan), but I don't like to see non competitive basketball.
