Collision course

Golden State and Cleveland are making a habit of sweeping their opponents in the NBA playoffs this season with both teams looking like they’re headed for a third straight duel in the Finals. The Warriors blanked Portland and Utah in the West and now await the winner of the San Antonio-Houston series to victimize. Another series victory will put Golden State back in the Finals.

The Cavs broomed Indiana and Toronto in the East then will face the Boston-Washington survivor for a ticket to the Finals where they’re the defending champions. The Golden State-Cleveland duopoly started two seasons back when the Warriors beat the Cavs, 4-2, in the Finals. Last season, Cleveland took sweet revenge, coming back from a 1-3 series deficit to shock Golden State, 4-3, for the crown. Over the last six campaigns, three East and three West teams have won the Larry O’Brien trophy. LeBron James was the central figure in those three East title squads, twice with Miami and once with Cleveland. 

James is once more leading the charge for the Cavs. In the playoffs so far, he’s averaging 42.4 minutes – the most for any player on any team. The King is earning every cent of his $30.9 Million salary and making the most of every minute on the floor with phenomenal clips of 34.4 points, 9 rebounds and 7.1 assists. James is shooting 46.8 percent from beyond the arc, 59.2 percent from two-point distance and 72.8 percent from the line.

Three other Cavs are logging at least 30 minutes a game.  Kyrie Irving is averaging 23.8 points, 2.6 rebounds, 5.8 assists and 34.4 minutes. Tristan Thompson is averaging 7.8 points, 10.6 rebounds and 32.8 minutes while Kevin Love is norming 13.8 points, 9.1 rebounds and 31.3 minutes. Even as James is almost a permanent fixture on the court, coach Tyronn Lue has a platoon of other key players to rotate – J. R. Smith (6.4 points a game), Kyle Korver (7.8 points, hitting 48.5 percent from distance), Deron Williams (6.4 points, hitting 60 percent from distance), Channing Frye (8.8 points, hitting 55.2 percent from distance), Richard Jefferson, Iman Shumpert and Derrick Williams. Gone from last year’s title squad are Mo Williams, Matthew Dellavedova and Timotey Mozgov. Korver and Deron Williams were the key additions to the cast.

While Cavs general manager David Griffin paid tribute to Lue for his “vision, leadership and tactual acumen” in piloting Cleveland to the throne last year, nobody argues the fact that LeBron is the man in total command. Lue’s in the saddle only for as long as LeBron wants him. But who’s complaining? 

Golden State went through a substantial upgrade in the offseason, bringing in Kevin Durant, JaVale McGee and David West. Zaza Pachulia was another recruit. Struck out were Harrison Barnes, Mo Speights, Festus Ezeli, Andrew Bogut, Brandon Rush and Anderson Varejao. 

Believe it or not, the Warrior with the most playing time in the postseason isn’t Steph Curry or Klay Thompson or Durant. It’s Draymond Green who’s averaging 14.9 points, 9.1 rebounds, 7.3 assists, 2 steals, 2.6 blocked shots and 35.4 minutes in the playoffs. Curry is averaging 27.1 points, 5.3 rebounds, 6 assists and 34.4 minutes while Thompson is doing 16.1 points, 2.5 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 34.4 minutes. Durant is averaging 23.3 points, 8.2 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 32 minutes. Seven more Warriors are logging at least 10 minutes a game, showing more depth than the Cavs. Down the ladder are Pachulia, Andre Igoudala, Shaun Livingston, West, McGee, Ian Clark and Patrick McCaw.

Golden State’s handicap is head coach Steve Kerr will be unavailable for the rest of the playoffs to recover from back surgery. Lead assistant Mike Brown, who was fired twice by the Cavs and once by the Los Angeles Lakers in his coaching career, has taken over the Warriors’ reins. Brown took Cleveland to the Finals in 2006-07 but the Cavs failed to win a single game against San Antonio. Unlike in Cleveland where LeBron is on master control, no player has the same kind of forceful impact with Golden State so if Brown falters, the ship could be in troubled waters. Curry and Durant are incredible athletes but neither is in the same stratosphere as James.

The stats indicate that Golden State should be able to beat Cleveland in the Finals. The Warriors are No. 1 in offense (115.3), No. 2 in defense (98.8), No. 2 in rebounding (46.4), No. 1 in assists (27.4) and No. 1 in least turnovers (11.5). The Cavs are No. 2 in offense (114.5), No. 10 in defense (104.9), No. 10 in rebounding (41.4), No. 6 in assists (21.5) and No. 3 in least turnovers (13.3).