This year NBA Finals will feature two of the best players in the NBA today. In this article I will explain the strengths and weaknesses of each team and the X-factor for each team in this NBA Finals matchup. I will also give my prediction of who will win.

Strengths:

Cavaliers: The strength for the Cavs in this final is the same strength that has led the Cavs to the Finals: LeBron James. James has showed that he is the man for this team in the Cavs playoff rub. James has continued to win games not only without Love but a couple of games without Irving. He has made great players out of J.R. smith and Iman Shumpert, since their move to the Cavs. In this 2015 postseason LeBron is averaging absolutely ridiculous numbers, He’s averaging 27.6 points per game 10.4 boards per game and 8.3 assist per game. It’s not hard to say that he is the Cavs biggest strength no matter who is guarding him.

Warriors: The “Dubs” biggest strength, to nobody’s surprise, is their three point shooting. The splash combined with Draymond Green, Andre Iguidola and Harrison Barnes are absolutely deadly from behind the arc. They have set a playoff record with 173 three pointers made. And it’s not like they are just chucking up threes, they are hitting them with efficiency; shooting 38% from behind the arc, which is second among playoff teams. If the Warriors are able to hit their threes like have been all year and all postseason they should be able to come out with some key wins.

Weaknesses:

Cavs: The Cavs biggest weakness is health. The only healthy superstar left on this Cavs playoff team is LeBron. As we all know Love is has been out ever since the final game of their first series against the Celtics and irving is still battling a rough knee injury. Even though Irving is playing, he still will be beaten up at the worst time because he has to guard the MVP of the league, Steph Curry. The Cavs are also without their center Anderson Verajao who has been out since the early part of the season. With their two starting bigmen down Tristen Thomson and Timofey Mosgov have had to step up for this Cavs teams and they certainly did. It’s sad to say but if the Cavs have another starter go down in this series, they won;t win.

Warriors: The Warriors biggest weakness is their bigmen. This weakness would have really been brought out if Love was not hurt, because that would cause Harrison Barnes to match up with Love since Draymond Green will be guarding LeBron. But still their bigmen weaknesses were really shown in their series against the Grizzles and their series against the Pelicans. In their series against the Grizzles the Warriors were bullied in the paint and on the glass due to a lack of size. Gasol and Randolph absolutely had their way on offense and on the glass. Bogut also struggled heavily against Dwight Howard and Anthony Davis both defensively and offensively. The only good thing about this weakness is that the Cavs offense does not come from within, but Thomson and Mosgov are excellent offensive rebounders.

X-Factor:

Cavaliers: The Cavs X-factor for this series will be J.R. Smith. J.R. Smith has found a second wind in Cleveland. This postseason J.R. Smith has proved that he is a huge weapon for the Cavs he has absolutely went off from behind the arc. He has hit 36 out of 96 three pointers this postseason and has been the second scoring option for the Cavs when Iving hash’t been healthy. But in this series he is facing a huge obstacle going against Klay Thomson who is an excellent defender. Smith will not only have to try and score efficiently against Klay but he will also have to strap him up on defense.

Warriors: The Warriors X-factor is a combination of Draymond Green and Andre Iguidola. The reason why they are the joint X-factor is because they will have the task of guarding LeBron James. Nuff said

My prediction to win this series is the Cavs. i have the Cavs winning because of their consistent play across this postseason. This postseason the Cavs have lost only two games, both being to the bulls. And one of those loses were done by an impossible three point buzzer-beater on a well contested fade-away three pointer. The Cavs have showed each game that they can play as a team with and without Irving on the court. If Irving is able to play like the superstar he is I don’t think the Warriors will be able to stop the Cavs Offense especially with Thomson grabbing offensive rebound.

-Joseph E. Jr