7 reasons we want Cavaliers vs. Thunder in 2016 NBA Finals
By John Buhler
4. First NBA Championship for either city.
One of the biggest criticisms that plagues the NBA is the overall lack of parity in the Association. Yes, there are usually only four to five teams that can realistically win an NBA Finals in any given year, but when was the last time two teams would be vying for their first ever championship on the hardwood?
Although Oklahoma City’s previous incarnation as the Seattle SuperSonics did win the 1979 NBA Championship, both the Thunder and the Cavaliers have never won an NBA Finals. Oklahoma City is still in its first decade with professional sports, but has had a championship caliber basketball team for roughly the last five years.
Cleveland has one of the most heartbreaking sports cultures of any metropolis in the United States. While Ohio State is a juggernaut on the gridiron in the Big 10, not since the 1964 Cleveland Browns has a professional team brought a championship to the shores of Lake Erie.
The Browns are still very much a laughing-stock in the NFL. The MLB’s Cleveland Indians had a great stretch in the mid-1990s to the mid-2000s, but were also unable to capture a World Series Championship. With James back home, Cleveland instantly becomes a title contender.
With teams like the Celtics, the Los Angeles Lakers, the Chicago Bulls, and the San Antonio Spurs winning the bulk of the NBA Championships to date, it will be a nice change of pace to see a new city bring home the Larry O’Brien Trophy for the first time as world champs. With a Cleveland/Oklahoma City 2016 NBA Finals, that is guaranteed to happen.
Next: 3. Russell Westbrook vs. Kyrie Irving.