Six Keys in Order for Cleveland Cavaliers to Defeat Golden State Warriors in 2015 NBA Finals

4. Win the Battle in the Paint

After a season-ending left shoulder injury to Kevin Love during Game 4 of the first round against the Boston Celtics, all eyes were turned toward the play of Cavs power forward Tristan Thompson. Thompson continues to rise to the occasion, to put it lightly.

The power forward was an absolute monster and workhorse against the Bulls in Love’s absence, as Thompson averaged 9.3 points, 11.2 rebounds and 1.5 blocks in 37 minutes of action during the series. Against the Atlanta Hawks, he was even better against the likes of power forward Paul Millsap and center Al Horford. In four games against Atlanta, Thompson averaged 11.8 points, 11 rebounds and 1.8 blocks in 39.3 minutes per game.

Him and Cavs center Timofey Mozgov will have their hands full again, as Barnes (11.3 points and five rebounds per game during the postseason) and center Andrew Bogut (5.3 points, 8.6 rebounds and 1.9 blocks per game in the postseason) make up the frontcourt of a very solid defensive unit.

“We watch a lot of tape as a team and we know what they bring,” said Bogut on the upcoming matchup with the Cavs. “Mozgov and Thompson especially, get a lot of second chance points and (are) physical. We feel like we’re better prepared for that because we’ve played against three teams in the Western Conference who brought exactly that.”

Warriors backup center Festus Ezeli, who barely played at all in Golden State’s first two series against the New Orleans Pelicans and Memphis Grizzlies, was huge off the bench in five games against the Houston Rockets and could very well be an x-factor against the Cavs. Ezeli’s time on the court went way up, as the second-year center averaged 6.8 points, six rebounds and 0.8 blocks in 15.8 minutes per game in the Western Conference Finals.

Next: Solid Bench Production