NBA Finals: Cleveland Cavaliers Have Unfinished Business

The Cleveland Cavaliers will return to the NBA Finals for the second time in as many seasons, and LeBron James will be playing in his sixth straight NBA Finals.

Champagne wasn’t flowing at the Air Canada Centre following the Cavs clinching Game 6 win against the Raptors Friday night.

Perhaps the Raptors are just bad hosts…because the Cavs couldn’t whip out the bubbly because there were no corks to pop. The team poured water bottles on each other instead, and appeared to be just as happy.

Perhaps it’s an omen…LeBron James and Kyrie Irving have celebrated an Eastern Conference Title before. If Cleveland wins four more games, there will be plenty of champagne to go around.

With that said, it’s not every day Cleveland wins a trophy, but the Cavs have won their second in as many seasons, and third since 2007. It took the franchise 37 years to reach its first finals, so any chance the franchise gets to hoist some hardware, a celebration is warranted.

– Kevin Love is very guarded around the press, but the word on the street is that he’s actually a pretty witty guy with a good sense of humor.

"Make due with what you've got!"

You’ve got to be, to plug chocolate milk at the podium after earning a berth in the NBA Finals.

– Take your pick, the Thunder or the Warriors. Both teams present a boatload of challenges.

I’m probably more worried about the Warriors, because I think the Cavs will struggle with Golden State’s pick and roll. The Thunder have been successful guarding this in the Western Finals because OKC switches on EVERYTHING. Steven Adams can guard Stephen Curry on the perimeter. Scary.

OKC has two of the biggest superstars in the NBA in Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook.

Either series would be entertaining, but talk about picking your poison. Yeesh.

–  James appeared to yell something Drake’s way during the the first half of last night’s game, and it appeared Drake took LBJ’s words personally, because his seat was empty after the interaction.

All appears to be well though, as Drake–the Ultimate Hanger On–was there to kiss LeBron’s butt as James entered the tunnel after the Cavs clinched.

– The Cavs have their big 3, but If there was an important player award outside of the Big 3, it would go to Channing Frye, who shot 63 freaking percent from 3-point range.

– Speaking of the ‘Big 3,’ talk about quieting the critics. James had 33. Irving dumped in 30. Kevin Love had 20 in the clincher.  Sure the Warriors and Thunder present problems, but Steve Kerr or Billy Donovan will have their own late nights thanks to Cleveland’s fabulous trio.

Cavs coach Tyronn Lue wanted his team to have a Game 7 mentality for last night’s contest because it was on the road, and the Cavs had played so poorly in The North during Games 3 and 4.

But when it mattered most, the Cavs’ superstars were excellent, poised, and never let the Raptors get truly comfortable.

– James is making his sixth straight trip to the NBA Finals. Only Bill Russell and some of his Celtic teammates can say the same.

Overall James has been to seven finals. He’s 2-5.

When stats like this pop up, one can’t help but think of Michael Jordan. Yeah, before he was a bloated, crying meme, MJ was (and still is) the greatest of all time. He didn’t go to six straight because he decided to play baseball for a couple of years, but Jordan went to six overall and won every single one of them. Just incredible.

This isn’t meant to slam James. That 2007 Cavs team might’ve been one of the worst Finals teams in NBA history. And look at what LeBron had to work with on last season’s decimated roster.

But when talking about greatness, Jordan’s dominance in winning THE series you have to win is unparalleled.

-Much is being said about the TSA and the long lines at airports for this holiday weekend…

But even the Eastern Conference championship trophy needs to pass a security check.

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– The NBA Finals tip June 2. If the Thunder win the West, the Cavs get home court and Game 1 will be in the The Land. If the Warriors win, Game 1 will be at Oracle. Four more to go…