ESPN/ABC analysts Jeff Van Gundy and Mark Jackson were asked for a scenario in which the Cleveland Cavaliers would have a legitimate chance of upsetting the Golden State Warriors in the NBA Finals.
Van Gundy made it clear on a media conference call Tuesday that he doesn’t really see such a scenario.
“I think (the Cavaliers) are going to have to be lights-out from the three-point line to have a chance to win a game,” Van Gundy said. “But this is the biggest difference that I remember between two teams heading into the Finals in my time in the NBA. I can’t think of a bigger gap from a team perspective.”
Later in the call, Van Gundy said: “It will be interesting to see how competitive LeBron James can make this Finals, but any game (the Cavaliers) get in this Finals would be a huge upset to me.”
Jackson seemed a bit less inclined to forecast a rout in the series.
“I’m not going to say (the Cavs have) zero percent chance; they have the best player in the world,” Jackson said. “If you are to have any chance of beating (Golden State) at all, you have to make sure that defensively you’re in one accord. (The Warriors) are clearly the favorite, without question, but the luxury of having the best player in the world -- in that situation, anything can happen.”
Van Gundy and Jackson will work the best-of-seven series on ABC beginning Thursday night, along with play-by-play voice Mike Breen and reporter/analyst Doris Burke.
“I don’t think it’s up to us to try to excite people (about the series),” Van Gundy said. “The games will either excite people (or not); the results will either excite people (or not). If James and the Cavaliers win Game 1, the interest is going to skyrocket because they’re going to have done what very few, except for them maybe, think they can do, which is win in Golden State. If they get blown out both (of the first two) games, it doesn’t matter what we say – people aren’t going to be as excited.
“If it’s a competitive series, it’s going to be great for the NBA because, one, obviously it’s the Finals and, two, it’s going to be an unexpected competitive series if it is truly competitive.”
* * *
LEADOFF LINKS
> If James could carry this Cleveland team to the NBA Finals, could he alone have done the same with any team in the East, including the Hawks? Read Steve Hummer's blog here.
> Georgia Tech finished 12th among the 15 ACC schools in the all-sports standings. See Ken Sugiura's report here.
> The retractable roof of Mercedes-Benz Stadium will be open for the next 10 days as part of what stadium officials call the final phase of work on the roof's automation. See story here.
