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2017 NBA Finals: 5 reasons the Cleveland Cavaliers will beat the Golden State Warriors

By Nick Dudukovich

May 25, 2017; Boston, MA, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James (23) sticks his tongue out during a media timeout during the second quarter of game five of the Eastern conference finals of the NBA Playoffs against the Boston Celtics at the TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Greg M. Cooper-USA TODAY Sports
May 25, 2017; Boston, MA, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James (23) sticks his tongue out during a media timeout during the second quarter of game five of the Eastern conference finals of the NBA Playoffs against the Boston Celtics at the TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Greg M. Cooper-USA TODAY Sports /
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June 19, 2016; Oakland, CA, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Klay Thompson (11) controls the ball against Cleveland Cavaliers guard Kyrie Irving (2) in the second half in game seven of the NBA Finals at Oracle Arena. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports
June 19, 2016; Oakland, CA, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Klay Thompson (11) controls the ball against Cleveland Cavaliers guard Kyrie Irving (2) in the second half in game seven of the NBA Finals at Oracle Arena. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports /

Kyrie can play defense

Chances are, you heard or read someone call Kyrie Irving the best finisher in the NBA following his dominant 42-point effort against the Celtics in Game 4 of the conference semifinals.

But he’s got to do more than just score in the Finals, because the backcourt of Curry and Klay Thompson is one of the best in the game.

No one’s going to confuse Irving for a member of the NBA’s all-defensive team. Many times, Irving appears to treat defense as a rumor.

But that doesn’t mean he can’t man up.

The proof?

Look no further than lat season’s Finals.

CavsTheBlog.com’s Tom Pestak wrote:

"After being a total train wreck defensively for his entire career and certainly in the 2015-2016 regular season, Kyrie Irving, he of fly-paper screens, uninspired transition effort, and league-worst pick and roll synergy stats, that Kyrie Irving…is playing above average (sometimes bordering on good) defense in the NBA Finals."

If Irving can stick with Curry through screens and make life difficult for the two-time MVP, the Cavs chances to beat the Warriors should increase.

Irving will check Curry, while LeBron can guard defense. That leaves Draymond Green and Klay Thompson as the Warriors biggest threats. They’re great players, too, but I’d rather have Ty Lue devising a plan to keep Durant and Curry in check, rather than Green and Thompson.

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