NBA Finals 2017: 5 reasons the Cavaliers can repeat as champions

January 16, 2017; Oakland, CA, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James (23) shoots the basketball against Golden State Warriors forward Kevin Durant (35) during the first quarter at Oracle Arena. The Warriors defeated the Cavaliers 126-91. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports /

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May 25, 2017; Boston, MA, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James (23), guard Iman Shumpert (4), and teammates celebrate a score during the fourth 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 /

3. The Cavaliers are heavy, heavy underdogs

When do LeBron and the Cavaliers thrive? When their backs are against the wall, everyone counts them out and the pressure is on them to succeed. Down 3-1 to the Warriors last year, nobody thought they could come back and win. Well, they did. Two years ago, without Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love, many thought the Cavs would get swept. Well, they didn’t. They took two games against a 67-win team, with Matthew Dellevadova as their second-best player.

Keep picking against LeBron and the Cavaliers. You’re playing right into their hands. The more experts that keep saying “Warriors in whatever,” the more motivation for the Cavaliers. This is also when LeBron James plays his best brand of basketball. When the pressure is on, he doesn’t overthink the game, he just goes out and plays ball like he’s playing at St. Vincent St. Mary High School. That’s probably why he’s averaging 32.5 points, 8.0 rebounds, 7.0 assists per game while shooting 57 percent from the field and 42 percent from 3-point range.

The best thing that could have happened to Cleveland is Golden State’s addition of Kevin Durant. Now the Warriors are in a position of championship-or-complete bust. Even with the Cavaliers peaking, nobody thinks the Cavaliers will walk through these Finals to a championship. Las Vegas, media experts and NBA Twitter all think that the Warriors will win the series, most thinking it won’t be more than five games.

That’s exactly why the Cavaliers will repeat as champions. LeBron James, Kyrie Irving and the Cavaliers can just go out and play basketball. They don’t have to worry about bringing a championship to Cleveland or delivering as the favorite. Nobody expects them to win and they’re playing with house money. This might be the first time in LeBron’s career that he doesn’t have any pressure, so let’s see what he can do in these Finals against Golden State.

If past history is any indicator, the more people that pick the Warriors to win the series, the better chances that Cleveland will repeat as NBA Champions.

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