8. Third and final?
Those outside of Cleveland and the Bay Area are probably hoping this is the last installment of the Cavaliers and Warriors in the Finals. Enough is enough, right? Common logic suggests that this trend will break next season, but that’s far from a certainty at this point.
While Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant are slated to become free agents, both are expected to return to the Warriors. Star sixth man Andre Iguodala has also indicated he wants to return on a smaller contract. Meanwhile, youngsters Ian Clark and Patrick McCaw have stepped up big time this year and have nowhere to go but up. The Warriors have four star players in their prime and seem to be destined for a continuation of this dominating run out west for the next several years.
We can pretty much also draw the same conclusion regarding Cleveland back east. LeBron James has not slowed down one bit this season. There’s nothing that suggests he’s going to. At just 25 years old, some will conclude that Kyrie Irving has not yet hit his prime. With Kevin Love finally fitting in, this trio should be able to dominate the east’s landscape for the foreseeable future.
Sure teams like San Antonio, Houston, Utah, Washington and Boston will make it difficult for these two squads. But to say that this is the final installment of the Warriors and Cavaliers would be a major mistake. That’s the unfortunate reality for those who don’t root for either team.