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Cleveland Cavaliers: 5 steps to repeat as NBA Champions

By Jacob Yturri

Jun 22, 2016; Cleveland, OH, USA; A fan sits atop a tree in front of the LeBron James mural during the Cleveland Cavaliers NBA championship parade in downtown Cleveland. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports
Jun 22, 2016; Cleveland, OH, USA; A fan sits atop a tree in front of the LeBron James mural during the Cleveland Cavaliers NBA championship parade in downtown Cleveland. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports /
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May 30, 2016; Oakland, CA, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder head coach Billy Donovan (left) instructs forward Kevin Durant (35) during the fourth quarter of game seven of the Western conference finals of the NBA Playoffs against the Golden State Warriors at Oracle Arena. The Warriors defeated the Thunder 96-88. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
May 30, 2016; Oakland, CA, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder head coach Billy Donovan (left) instructs forward Kevin Durant (35) during the fourth quarter of game seven of the Western conference finals of the NBA Playoffs against the Golden State Warriors at Oracle Arena. The Warriors defeated the Thunder 96-88. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports /

Step 5: Think Different

The Warriors hauled in one of the best free agent players in half of decade when they signed Kevin Durant.

The immediate hot take is that the Cleveland Cavaliers will be destroyed by the Golden State Warriors in the next NBA Finals. This loss, of course, will come right after the Warriors go 82-0.

Somehow, at least one of those wild predictions isn’t happening.

The Cavaliers did not become a better team after the Warriors signed Durant. The Warriors, in a vacuum, did become an even better team after signing Durant. Yet, the NBA does not exist in a vacuum.

What this means is that for the Warriors to sign Durant, they gave up quite a lot. The team traded away Andrew Bogut and allowed Harrison Barnes to walk in free agency.

The Cavaliers cannot defeat the Warriors by trying to beat them at their own game. While everyone else in this league is trying to mimic Golden State, Cleveland needs to be happy with trailblazing its own path.

When looking at this year’s NBA Finals, it is easy to see that once Bogut was removed from the series due to an injury, the Cavaliers strung together three straight wins and became champions.

By signing Durant, the team got a tall, lanky player that is a decent defender and an amazing scorer. However, Golden State was already a team that was made up of players that are lanky and perimeter shooters.

Yes, Durant is an upgrade over Harrison Barnes, that is undisputable. But, should the Cavaliers be scared? No.

The same qualities that Cleveland used to defeat Golden State, tough defense and attacking the basket with a purpose, still work just fine.

It’s easy to expect the Cavaliers to make a huge move by trading away Kevin Love to acquire a player that gives them more cap flexibility, but that would be the wrong move.

Love is an excellent rebounder. He is scrappy and physical; two characteristics that do not describe the vast majority of Golden State’s roster.

The Cavaliers cannot defeat the Warriors by trying to beat them at their own game. While everyone else in this league is trying to mimic Golden State, Cleveland needs to be happy with trailblazing its own path.

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