One of several questions facing the Cleveland Cavaliers this offseason, will Kevin Love be with them for the 2015-2016 season?

In an alternate universe we would have seen the Cleveland Cavaliers walk away with the Larry O’Brien Trophy.  Kevin Love would not have gotten injured against the Boston Celtics in Round 1, Kyrie Irving would not have had a bum knee that needed surgery, and LeBron James would win his third ring and give Cleveland their first championship since the Cleveland Browns won the NFL Title in 1964.

In reality though those things did not happen, and Cleveland will need to wait another year for LeBron to get his first ring as a Cavalier.  Instead the Golden State Warriors won their first title since 1975 with a 4-2 series win.  The Warriors clinched the championship on Thursday with a 105-97 victory.  Andre Iguodala was named the Finals MVP.

I’m happy for them.  The Warriors are a hard on their luck franchise and it was great seeing Klay Thompson, a former Coug, win his first ring.  The ratings were the highest since the Finals in 2004, and you got the sense that you were truly watching the two best teams play each other.

The fans at Oracle Arena are some of the loudest in the NBA and it’ll be a shame to see the team move out of it to a new facility in San Francisco for the 2018-2019 NBA Season. 

LeBron James of the Cleveland Cavaliers had a heck of a performance, and he actually gained four of the 11 NBA Finals MVP votes.  He averaged two triple-doubles and had three games where he had 40+ points.  He led the Finals in points, rebounds, and assists.  However, one man a team does not make.  Cleveland looked exhausted and they ran several games with 7 man rotations.  It felt like a repeat of the 2014 Finals when the Miami Heat were so exhausted over making four straight Finals that the San Antonio Spurs easily dispatched them in five games.  Cleveland looked nothing like the juggernaut that started the 2015 playoffs.

Seth Curry, the reigning league MVP deserves this ring, and he had a heck of a great performance.  He had a 37 point Game 5 in a 104-91 victory that put Cleveland in a win or go home situation.  Curry proved that he is the best shooter in the game and he deserves this title.

The Cavaliers are favored to win the 2016 Title, but how intact will this core team be.  Will J.R. Smith stay, what about Kevin Love?  Will the Warriors add or drop anyone?

In the end though, a title drought ended, and a long suffering fanbase was elated.  Will it be Cleveland next year.  I’m predicting a Cavaliers/Clippers Finals for 2016.  Especially if Paul Pierce reunites with his old coach Doc Rivers for one last hurrah.

Congrats to the Warriors and stay classy everyone!