On June 19th, 2016, history was made. The team with the best regular season record in NBA history lost in the NBA Finals at the hands of LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers. However, since that day, a lot has changed. Both teams have made moves in the offseason, with the most notable move being the Warriors acquiring superstar Kevin Durant, making them better than ever.
If the Warriors and Cavaliers square off in the NBA Finals in 2017, can LeBron James still pull off a victory against Durant and the Warriors? Let's find out.
We will be using WhatIfSport's NBA SimMatchup Basketball Tool, which allows us to simulate games between NBA teams. We will simulate a best of 7 series between the Warriors and Cavaliers. I have updated both teams' rosters to resemble their 2016-17 season rosters.
Note: This simulation is the outcome projected by the NBA SimMatchup Tool, not my predicted outcome.
Game 1 (Oracle Arena)
The first game takes place in the Warriors' home arena, Oracle. In this game, Kyrie Irving and LeBron James both put up 22 points, with Kevin Love scoring 19. LeBron and Love combine for 21 rebounds as well. However, this strong performance from the Cavaliers isn't enough to defeat the Warriors, as Stephen Curry scores 32 points off of 8 3-pointers. Also, Durant scores 23 points, grabs 10 rebounds, and puts up 7 assists in a strong first game. The Warriors win at home.
Warriors: 106
Cavaliers: 96
Game 2 (Oracle Arena)
In the second game, LeBron and the Cavaliers look to take revenge, as well as their first victory. Kyrie scores 28 points, and Kevin Love puts up 22 points and 8 rebounds. However, LeBron doesn't score as well as his teammates, scoring 16 points, but making up for that by putting up 13 assists. J.R. Smith also scores 15 for the Cavaliers. However, the Warriors once again play better. Kevin Durant has a legendary performance, scoring 46 points. Draymond Green has a triple-double with 14 points, 10 assists, and 12 rebounds. The Splash Brothers, Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson, both score 17 points. A monster performance from Durant gives the Warriors another victory.
Warriors: 124
Cavaliers: 103
Game 3 (Quicken Loans Arena)
In Game 3, LeBron needs a victory desperately. James scores 30 points, and picks up 10 rebounds. Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love also combine to score 35 points. However, Kevin Durant and Stephen Curry combine to score 50 points, with Durant also getting 13 rebounds and 7 assists. Klay Thompson also puts up 26 points, dominating Cleveland once again, and looking to sweep the Cavaliers and win the series.
Warriors: 123
Cavaliers: 102
Game 4 (Quicken Loans Arena)
The Cavaliers need a win here just to stay alive. LeBron delivers in this game, leading the Cavaliers with 26 points, 7 rebounds, and 7 assists. Kyrie puts up 25 points, and J.R. Smith puts up a strong 21 point performance. Tristan Thompson has a monster game, with 17 points and 17 rebounds, leading the Cavaliers on the boards. Stephen Curry hits 7 3-pointers and scores a total of 34 points. Kevin Durant has a triple-double with 10 rebounds, 10 assists, and 26 points. However, the Cavaliers prevail and finally win a game.
Cavaliers: 114
Warriors: 108
Game 5 (Oracle Arena)
The Warriors are looking to seal the deal, and the Cavaliers are looking to force a Game 6. LeBron James puts up 26 points, 10 rebounds, and 7 assists. Kevin Love also puts up 19 points and 10 rebounds, and Channing Frye scores 17 points. Irving and Smith combine to score 23 points as well. Kevin Durant, Stephen Curry, and Klay Thompson miss a significant amount of their attempted shots, put still manage to put up 25, 21, and 20 points respectively. Draymond Green triple-doubles with 12 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists. However, the Cavaliers shoot better, and their bench unit outplays the bench unit of the Warriors, allowing them to take this victory.
Cavaliers: 107
Warriors: 98
Game 6 (Quicken Loans Arena)
In Game 6, the Warriors look to close out and not repeat the same mistake from last season, and the Cavaliers look to force Game 7. LeBron and Kyrie both score 18 points, and Kevin Love puts up 15 points and 15 rebounds. J.R. Smith scores 17 points of his own. However, this strong performance isn't enough to take down the Warriors. The determined Klay Thompson leads all players in scoring with 28 points off of 5 3-pointers. Durant triple-doubles with 16 points, 11 assists, and 10 rebounds. Stephen Curry also puts up 18, to close out the series and bring home a championship to Golden State, sending LeBron James home.
Warriors: 89
Cavaliers: 83
Finals MVP: Kevin Durant (27.2 PPG, 9.6 RPG, 8.8 APG)
The Warriors do not disappoint their fans again, and this time, they take the victory. Kevin Durant's haters still hate him, but at least he won a championship and Finals MVP. LeBron goes home disappointed.(maybe he'll leave Cleveland again?) Russell Westbrook is jealous of Durant's ring, and Stephen A. Smith, who picked the Cavaliers to win this time, is wrong once again.
Once again, this is not my prediction, but a simulation brought to you by WhatIfSports's NBA SimMatchup Basketball Tool. Who knows, maybe next NBA Finals, LeBron pulls off the upset again.
I do not endorse, own, or claim to own the SimMatchup Tool by WhatIfSports. I am simply a user.
If the Warriors and Cavaliers square off in the NBA Finals in 2017, can LeBron James still pull off a victory against Durant and the Warriors? Let's find out.
We will be using WhatIfSport's NBA SimMatchup Basketball Tool, which allows us to simulate games between NBA teams. We will simulate a best of 7 series between the Warriors and Cavaliers. I have updated both teams' rosters to resemble their 2016-17 season rosters.
Note: This simulation is the outcome projected by the NBA SimMatchup Tool, not my predicted outcome.
Game 1 (Oracle Arena)
The first game takes place in the Warriors' home arena, Oracle. In this game, Kyrie Irving and LeBron James both put up 22 points, with Kevin Love scoring 19. LeBron and Love combine for 21 rebounds as well. However, this strong performance from the Cavaliers isn't enough to defeat the Warriors, as Stephen Curry scores 32 points off of 8 3-pointers. Also, Durant scores 23 points, grabs 10 rebounds, and puts up 7 assists in a strong first game. The Warriors win at home.
Warriors: 106
Cavaliers: 96
Game 2 (Oracle Arena)
In the second game, LeBron and the Cavaliers look to take revenge, as well as their first victory. Kyrie scores 28 points, and Kevin Love puts up 22 points and 8 rebounds. However, LeBron doesn't score as well as his teammates, scoring 16 points, but making up for that by putting up 13 assists. J.R. Smith also scores 15 for the Cavaliers. However, the Warriors once again play better. Kevin Durant has a legendary performance, scoring 46 points. Draymond Green has a triple-double with 14 points, 10 assists, and 12 rebounds. The Splash Brothers, Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson, both score 17 points. A monster performance from Durant gives the Warriors another victory.
Warriors: 124
Cavaliers: 103
Game 3 (Quicken Loans Arena)
In Game 3, LeBron needs a victory desperately. James scores 30 points, and picks up 10 rebounds. Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love also combine to score 35 points. However, Kevin Durant and Stephen Curry combine to score 50 points, with Durant also getting 13 rebounds and 7 assists. Klay Thompson also puts up 26 points, dominating Cleveland once again, and looking to sweep the Cavaliers and win the series.
Warriors: 123
Cavaliers: 102
Game 4 (Quicken Loans Arena)
The Cavaliers need a win here just to stay alive. LeBron delivers in this game, leading the Cavaliers with 26 points, 7 rebounds, and 7 assists. Kyrie puts up 25 points, and J.R. Smith puts up a strong 21 point performance. Tristan Thompson has a monster game, with 17 points and 17 rebounds, leading the Cavaliers on the boards. Stephen Curry hits 7 3-pointers and scores a total of 34 points. Kevin Durant has a triple-double with 10 rebounds, 10 assists, and 26 points. However, the Cavaliers prevail and finally win a game.
Cavaliers: 114
Warriors: 108
Game 5 (Oracle Arena)
The Warriors are looking to seal the deal, and the Cavaliers are looking to force a Game 6. LeBron James puts up 26 points, 10 rebounds, and 7 assists. Kevin Love also puts up 19 points and 10 rebounds, and Channing Frye scores 17 points. Irving and Smith combine to score 23 points as well. Kevin Durant, Stephen Curry, and Klay Thompson miss a significant amount of their attempted shots, put still manage to put up 25, 21, and 20 points respectively. Draymond Green triple-doubles with 12 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists. However, the Cavaliers shoot better, and their bench unit outplays the bench unit of the Warriors, allowing them to take this victory.
Cavaliers: 107
Warriors: 98
Game 6 (Quicken Loans Arena)
In Game 6, the Warriors look to close out and not repeat the same mistake from last season, and the Cavaliers look to force Game 7. LeBron and Kyrie both score 18 points, and Kevin Love puts up 15 points and 15 rebounds. J.R. Smith scores 17 points of his own. However, this strong performance isn't enough to take down the Warriors. The determined Klay Thompson leads all players in scoring with 28 points off of 5 3-pointers. Durant triple-doubles with 16 points, 11 assists, and 10 rebounds. Stephen Curry also puts up 18, to close out the series and bring home a championship to Golden State, sending LeBron James home.
Warriors: 89
Cavaliers: 83
Finals MVP: Kevin Durant (27.2 PPG, 9.6 RPG, 8.8 APG)
The Warriors do not disappoint their fans again, and this time, they take the victory. Kevin Durant's haters still hate him, but at least he won a championship and Finals MVP. LeBron goes home disappointed.(maybe he'll leave Cleveland again?) Russell Westbrook is jealous of Durant's ring, and Stephen A. Smith, who picked the Cavaliers to win this time, is wrong once again.
Once again, this is not my prediction, but a simulation brought to you by WhatIfSports's NBA SimMatchup Basketball Tool. Who knows, maybe next NBA Finals, LeBron pulls off the upset again.
I do not endorse, own, or claim to own the SimMatchup Tool by WhatIfSports. I am simply a user.
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