For an unprecedented fourth consecutive season, the Cleveland Cavaliers and Golden State Warriors will meet in the NBA Finals. Both teams had quite a journey in reaching this point. Now, with their Game 1 matchup just days away (Thursday), both sides are beginning their preparatory work.
Prior to boarding the team flight to Oakland on Tuesday morning, Cavs head coach Tyronn Lue was asked how he plans on handling Golden State’s nature of switching on defense. Coach Lue noted that the Warriors imply this defensive strategy on every opportunity.
“You have to have very good one-on-one players, ball movement and sharp cuts to counter it,” coach Lue told Spencer Davies of Basketball Insiders.
Preparation is crucial in the playoffs, especially in the Finals. However, one can only prepare so much. The real test comes in the heat of battle.
“You’re always prepared, but you don’t actually know what a team’s gonna do until you actually play the game,” coach Lue noted.
The Warriors are listed as the favorites. In fact, the Cavs opened as a +650 underdog against Golden State in the series (the line may have moved by now). As a point of reference, the Cavs were roughly +360 underdogs against the San Antonio Spurs in the 2007 Finals and +180 dogs when they defeated the Warriors in the 2016 Finals.
Coach Lue tells Davies that the Cavs have grown as a unit, especially on defense. Lue says the team has turned the proverbial corner on that end of the floor.
Thursday’s Game 1 matchup is set to tip inside Oracle Arena at 9:00 p.m. EST with ABC having live broadcast coverage.
