8. AÂ Western Conference Hangover?
The consensus is that the team which emerges from the Western Conference for the NBA Finals will either be the Golden State Warriors or San Antonio Spurs. Given the strong likelihood of their meeting up in the conference finals, their equally dominant home-court advantages means that a long, bruising series between them is very likely.
Whoever wins that series will be favored over any team from the East, including the Cavaliers. That can give that team the feeling of the NBA Finals being anti-climactic, which can be dangerous against a team like the Cavs. This might allow Cleveland to steal a game on the road, which then puts the onus on the other team to regain that precious advantage.
The challenge of any seven-game series is to stay focused and have talented players work in conjunction with teammates coming off the bench. The Cavaliers have both in their arsenal of weapons, which makes them as dangerous as any team entering the postseason. Whether or not they can get through four playoff series depends on how well each of the above considerations turns out.
