Screen Capture courtesy of NBA/YouTube.
With a series tied at three each, Cleveland and Golden State are set to face off in an incredible Game 7. With the two best players in the NBA, Stephen Curry and LeBron James, it’s no doubt it’ll become one of the most watched Finals in NBA history.
While officiating and “rigged” have been the two words used often, I think this series could be summarized by the word inconsistency. I’m never one to blame the referees, they do a great job and perform one of the hardest careers on the planet, but each game has had a significantly different tone, persona, and vibe. While the fans, players, and coaching are some variables, i think it’s been the inconsistency of officiating that’s stood out strongest.
It’s not “bad” calls, but each game has been called drastically different, which trickles down to inconsistency on a team and more specifically, the players. A shining moment of this was in game four, when Kevin Love was called for an offensive foul on Varejao. It wasn’t the fact that it was called (although it was a flop), more the idea that the same thing could’ve happened on the other end without a whistle.
Another ulterior motive that is produced from this inconsistency is a player’s willingness to gamble the next time around. Knowing that they could get in foul trouble or worse, just get frustrated and lose their confidence in the game. Kevin Love’s drive was one of many iterations that have jumped “off the screen”.
Clearly, LeBron is still King James, and the Warriors after the Draymond Green suspension, don’t look the same. It’s been an incredible series despite the fact that every game has been decided by double-digit wins and is seemingly unpredictable.
The Warriors came in with fire, yet they’ve allowed Cleveland to come back and gain momentum. It’s been a tail of two teams not willing to give up, dictated by the ball club that starts out strongest. The winning team has been 5-1 after leading in the first quarter, a sign we should look out for in this pivotal game seven.
A series that’s been decided by an average of twenty-points per game is somehow tied 610-610 in points scored, leading to what should be an extremely enticing, entertaining, and historical Game 7.
Will it be LeBron James and Cleveland’s 54-year, 159-season, championship drought? Or will it be Golden State cementing themselves into NBA history, winning back to back titles, and accomplishing the greatest single season we’ve ever seen?
It all goes down on Father’s Day Sunday. An incredible bout, that’ll consume most any father’s Day.
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