IN boxing, it?s a candidate Fight of the Year before the first punch could be thrown or landed.
The NBA Finals series promises to be a classic, epic battle for the ages, just like the 1975 Ali-Frazier Thrilla in Manila. It?s a bit odd though that the Cleveland Cavaliers, defending NBA champions, have been relegated as underdogs against the Golden State Warriors in the Finals series that starts on Friday (Manila time).
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Aren?t the two fiercely feuding NBA clubs evenly matched?
LeBron James could not offer a firm reply. The closest he could do was acknowledge the gigantic challenge posed by the All-Star-studded Warriors, packing a great wallop behind Kevin Durant, Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green.
James called the Golden State All-Star might ?beastly.? He was quick to add he likes their chances.
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?It?s probably up there; I mean it?s up there,? James admitted, adding Golden State was indeed a ?high-powered team.?
For the record, Golden State and Cleveland are 1-1 in the two times they had clashed in the regular season.
Golden State has been known to celebrate their sharpness with deadly 3-point gunners, led by the prodigious and fearless Stephen Curry.
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Hold it. Records however show Cleveland ranks first among play-off teams in offensive efficiency.
The NBA website (NBA.Com) notes ?no team has made more 3-pointers than Cleveland with a play-off average of 14.6 pts. a game.?
Golden State has a set of remarkable All-Stars to rely on. But, although Cleveland has its own pack of All-Star wonders, one less than Golden State, there?s only little said about the explosive Kyrie Irving and the quietly efficient Kevin Love.
Yes, both teams pack a big KO punch, but as there?s no such thing as a stoppage in NBA wars, it won?t be loose to suggest the Finals could be decided only after the seventh game.
