After the Golden State Warriors sweep of the Portland Trail Blazers and the Toronto Raptors victory over the Milwaukee Bucks in 6 games, the NBA Finals match-up is set. The Warriors are now the only team to reach the finals 5 straight times since the 1960 Boston Celtics led by Hall-of-Famer Bill Russell. The Raptors have finally reached the NBA Finals for the first time in franchise history led by two-way stud Kawhi Leonard. With the story-lines in place, multiple questions have to be answered to accurately predict the NBA championship.
When Will Kevin Durant Return?
Kevin Durant is the most skilled player currently in the NBA. Notice the exemption of the title “best player” as that would be Kawhi Leonard due to Leonard’s massive mental and defensive advantage. Nonetheless, Kevin Durant can and will make or break this series with his presence. While true that the Warriors swept the Trail Blazers in the Western Conference Finals, Portland had little to no deep playoff experience and the Blazers were simply out-skilled, even without Durant. The Raptors, however, will not be swept without the presence of Kevin Durant.
Currently, the injury status of Durant has been concealed by the Warriors organization and will likely not become public information until hours before game 1. Most sources believe that Durant will sit for at least game 1, however, there is uncertainty surrounding whether he will return at all for the NBA Finals.
Will Fred VanVleet Continue His Hot Streak?
Ever since the birth of VanVleet’s child Fred Jr. on May 20th, VanVleet has helped the Toronto Raptors win 3 straight games. During this stretch, he has shot 68% from the field and a whopping 82.3% from 3 point distance. Before this stretch, VanVleet struggled from the field going a mere 2/11 from the field in games 1-3 of the Eastern Conference Finals.(ESPN) Ultimately, if Fred VanVleet can continue this unprecedented shooting streak, then the Toronto Raptors may just edge out a few more games than anticipated.
Will The Addition of Demarcus Cousins Assist?
Recent news has suggested that there is a strong chance that Demarcus Cousins will return for game one after missing all but 2 of the Warriors 16 playoff games. While seemingly good news, the current starting center for the Warriors (Kevon Looney) has a real plus-minus nearly 1 greater than Cousins. So does this mean anything in the playoffs? This is yet to be determined because Cousins has only been to the playoffs once in his career. Thus, Cousins may not know what exactly it takes to win an NBA championship. However, Cousins has developed a consistent jumper for a big man which fits the Warriors ‘pace and space’ style.
Most NBA fans remember the days of the old Demarcus Cousins who averaged 25+ points a game and 10+ rebounds. Ever since the trade to the New Orleans Pelicans, Cousins has been plagued with injury likely due to his massive frame. Cousins has been criticized on his play since the injuries and his performance in the NBA Finals is his way of proving that he is still the same dominant player he was 3 years ago. Cousins and Durant’s injury are THE X-factors for the Warriors in the NBA Finals.
How Will Kyle Lowry Respond to The Narrative That He ‘Chokes’ In The Playoffs?
After Kyle Lowry’s long history of under-performing in the playoffs and his recent pointless performance against the Orlando Magic, Lowry has stepped up his game big time. In fact, Lowry scored 19.2 points, dished out 5.2 assists, and snagged 5.5 rebounds in the 6 game series vs the Milwaukee Bucks. (ESPN) Lowry’s big performance was one of the reasons the Raptors pulled off the upset against Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Bucks. Ultimately, Lowry’s performance defensively against Stephen Curry and his playmaking output are the keys to the Raptors winning against the Golden State Warriors.
My Prediction
Warriors in 6 games. Kawhi Leonard is widely regarded as the best player in the playoffs right now, however, both Kevin Durant and Steph Curry are more skilled offensively than anyone on the Toronto Raptors, including Kawhi. The Warriors have been the most dominant team in the NBA for years now and the Raptors simply don’t have the offensive firepower to keep up. While true that the Raptors match up well with the Warriors in that they have versatile defenders, the Raptors often take ill-advised mid-range shots that will turn into long rebounds and fastbreak points for the Warriors. Cousins, even with the injury, will still push Marc Gasol around in the paint which will force the Raptors to collapse the paint. This leaves some of the best shooters ever open for a three-point shot. I give the Raptors 2 games simply because of their immense depth and the impact of Kawhi Leonard’s ‘clutch gene’ and defense. Ultimately, the Warriors have too much experience and skill for the Raptors to keep up with.
“Fred VanVleet Game by Game Stats and Performance.” ESPN, ESPN Internet Ventures, 2019, www.espn.com/nba/player/gamelog/_/id/2991230/fred-vanvleet.
“Kyle Lowry Game by Game Stats and Performance.” ESPN, ESPN Internet Ventures, 2019, www.espn.com/nba/player/gamelog/_/id/3012/kyle-lowry.
