Fansided

LeBron, Cavaliers will roll to NBA Finals

By Matt Verderame

Mar 22, 2017; Denver, CO, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James (23) reacts during the first half against the Denver Nuggets at Pepsi Center. Mandatory Credit: Chris Humphreys-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 22, 2017; Denver, CO, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James (23) reacts during the first half against the Denver Nuggets at Pepsi Center. Mandatory Credit: Chris Humphreys-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Cleveland Cavaliers are going to their third straight NBA Finals, even if nobody in major media outlets wants to admit it.

Cleveland currently sits behind the Boston Celtics in the standings. Yes, if the playoffs began today, the Cavaliers would be facing the specter of traveling to Boston for Games 1 and 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals. Cue the horror.

Only two seasons ago, the Atlanta Hawks made a run to the top seed in the East, and reached the conference finals with Al Horford as one of their top guns. Horford, who is now on the Celtics, watched as the Cavaliers dispatched the Hawks in a four-game sweep, home-court advantage be damned.

Despite all the breathless drivel coming from talking heads across the country, look for a very similar result to break out this spring. LeBron James is the best player on the planet. He’s surrounded by a tremendous cast including Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love. This is to say nothing of a championship pedigree that includes James making it to the previous six NBA Finals.

The point? Relax. Don’t be the guy at the water cooler who talks about how the Celtics, if you squint really hard, can match up with the Cavs. No, they can’t. Horford and Isaiah Thomas are excellent and Brad Stevens is an incredible coach, but that won’t be enough.

Hell, it won’t be enough to see Game 6.

Next: NBA: 2000s All-Decade First Team

Cleveland is going to march to the NBA Finals with less effort than most teams give in a practice. The Cavs only have one worry; who will they see in the Finals?