Who Is Going To The Championship NBA?
The NBA Finals are just around the corner, and everyone is wondering who will take home the title this year. Will it be the Golden State Warriors or the Cleveland Cavaliers? Who do you think is going to win it all?
The teams
The championship games will take place between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Miami Heat. These are two of the best teams in the NBA. They have both been to the Finals before, and they both have a lot of experience.
The Golden State Warriors
The Warriors are an American professional basketball team based in San Francisco. The Warriors compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league’s Western Conference Pacific Division. Founded in 1946 in Philadelphia, the Warriors relocated to the San Francisco Bay Area in 1962 and took the city’s name, before changing its geographic moniker to Golden State in 1971. They play their home games at the Chase Center.
The Warriors won the NBA Finals in 2015, 2017, and 2018 with three All-Star Game MVPs. Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green have been named NBA All-Stars five times apiece.Golden State has reached ten NBA Finals, winning six championships. This dynasty set league records by appearing five straight times (2016–2020), while their win streak of 16 consecutive playoff games is second only to the Los Angeles Lakers 33-game streak (1957–58). Curry and Thompson’s backcourt tandem is commonly referred to as the “Splash Brothers”.
With 1,861 wins through 2020, they are currently first on the league’s all-time wins list, one game ahead of the Lakers. They hold various other NBA records including best regular season record (73–9 in 2015–16), best single-season combined win–loss percentage with 67%, most combined regular season and playoff wins for a season with 103 (in 2016–17), most seasons with 50 or more wins with eleven (tied with Cavs, Rockets and Spurs), best single-season post-merger record with 73 wins, highest scoring average for a season at 118.9 points per 100 possessions (in 2016–17), most three-pointers made by a team in a season with 1,077 and most points scored per 100 possessions at 115.6 (in 2015–16). The Warriors’ six championships are tied for fourth all time with the Chicago Bulls; they have appeared more times than any other active NBA franchise except for those two teams as well as
the Lakers and Boston Celtics.[8] Five Warrior players have won the NBA Most Valuable Player Award while playing for Golden State: Wilt Chamberlain (1959–60), Rick Barry (1966–67), Curry (2014–15), Kevin Durant (2018–19) and Green (2020).
The Houston Rockets
The Houston Rockets are an American professional basketball team based in Houston, Texas. The Rockets compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league’s Western Conference Southwest Division. The team plays its home games at the Toyota Center, located in downtown Houston. The Rockets have won two NBA championships and four Western Conference titles. The team was established as the San Diego Rockets, an expansion team originally based in San Diego, in 1967. In 1971, the Rockets moved to Houston.
The Rockets won only 15 games in their debut season as a franchise in 1967. In the 1968 NBA draft, the Rockets, picking first overall, selected power forward Elvin Hayes, who would lead the team to its first playoff appearance in his rookie year. The Rockets did not finish a season with a winning record until the 1976–77 season when they traded for center Moses Malone. Malone went on to win the NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP) award twice and led Houston to the conference finals in his first year with the team. He also led the Rockets to the NBA Finals in 1981 where they were defeated by Eastern Conference champion Boston Celtics; he would be named MVP of that series despite not winning due to his dominant individual performance.[5] In 1984, general manager Steve Patterson succeeded founder Robert Breitbard and brought aboard Hall of Fame head coach Bill Fitch for a rebuilding effort.[6][7] The addition of center Ralph Sampson through what seemed like an impossible draft-day trade with Golden State helped push them back into relevance.[8] They finished 41–41 during this campaign—the first time since their inaugural year that they had reached .500 or better—and won their first division title since 1981.[9]
During Pat Riley’s second year as head coach, playing alongside All-Star center Hakeem Olajuwon, Scottie Pippen led them to an 55-27 record during which they advanced all the way to Conference Finals where they lost against eventual champion Chicago Bulls 4–2.[10] After another playoff appearance and another first round exit under Fitch’s successor Rudy Tomjanovich,[11][12] Olajuwon was traded to Toronto for a package centered around veteran power forward Otis Thorpe prior to the start of 1995–96 season;[13] Thorpe would be joined by Clyde Drexler before long as part of another blockbuster trade which sent Otis Thorpe to Portland for star guard Clyde Drexler just days before the trade deadline during that very same season.[14][15] Under new head coach Del Harris,[16] guided by new All-Star forward Charles Barkley,[17][18][19][20] and with several key role players acquired via trades and free agency including Sam Cassell,[21] Mario Elie,[22][23][24] Eddie Johnson[25][26], Carl Herrera[27], Matt Maloney[28], Robert Horry[29], Brent Price[30], and Rod Strickland,[31][32He led them back into title contention becoming one of only two teams that were able to defeat Michael Jordan’s 72-win Bulls during that regular season en route to a 58-24 third place finish behind those very same Chicago Bulls and Seattle SuperSonics.[33]”
The Toronto Raptors
The Toronto Raptors are a Canadian professional basketball team based in Toronto, Ontario. The Raptors compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league’s Eastern Conference Atlantic Division. The team was established in 1995, along with the Vancouver Grizzlies, as part of the NBA’s expansion into Canada. When the Grizzlies relocated to Memphis, Tennessee to become the Memphis Grizzlies in 2001, the Raptors became the only Canadian-based team in the NBA. They originally played their home games at SKYC Uptown Ballroom.
The players
The championship is a best-of-seven series between the two remaining teams in the NBA playoffs that follows a 2-2-1-1-1 format. The team with the better regular-season record hosts Games 1, 2, 5, and 7; the other team hosts Games 3, 4, and 6.
Stephen Curry
Stephen Curry is an American professional basketball player for the Golden State Warriors of the National Basketball Association (NBA). A six-time NBA All-Star, he has been named the NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP) twice and won three NBA championships with the Warriors. Many players and analysts have called him the greatest shooter in NBA history. He is credited with revolutionizing the game of basketball by inspiring teams to frequently use the three-point shot.
James Harden
James Edward Harden Jr. (born August 26, 1989) is an American professional basketball player for the Houston Rockets of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for Arizona State, where he was named a consensus All-American and Pac-12 Player of the Year in 2009. Harden was selected with the third overall pick in the 2009 NBA draft by Oklahoma City. In 2012, he was named NBA Sixth Man of the Year with the Thunder and helped lead them to the NBA Finals, where they lost to Miami in five games.
Harden was traded to Houston before the 2012–13 season began. During his first season with Houston, he became one of only two players in NBA history (the other being Jerry West) to score 2,000 points, assist on 1,000 points and grab 500 rebounds in a season. He also led the Rockets to their first playoff appearance since 2009. In 2015–16, he became only the fifth player ever (and first since Michael Jordan in 1988–89) to average at least 29 points, six rebounds and seven assists per game for an entire season and repeated as Western Conference Player of the Month three times. He helped lead the Rockets to the 2016 Western Conference Finals against Golden State Warriors where they were defeated in five games.
In 2017–18, Harden led the NBA in scoring for a second straight year with 30.4 points per game and also became only one of three players ever to average at least 10 assists per game while scoring 30 or more points per game over an entire season (joining Oscar Robertson and Russell Westbrook). The following year, he averaged 36.1 points per game, setting a new career high en route to being unanimously selected as league MVP as well as leading Houston back to the Western Conference Finals where they lost again to Golden State in six games despite his triple-double average of 32.8 points / 10 assists / 7 rebounds during that series
Kawhi Leonard
Kawhi Anthony Leonard (/kəˈwaɪ/ kə-WY; born June 29, 1991) is an American professional basketball player for the Toronto Raptors of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Leonard played two seasons of college basketball for the San Diego State Aztecs, and was named a consensus second-team All-American as a sophomore. He was selected by the Indiana Pacers with the 15th overall pick in the 2011 NBA draft, but was traded to the San Antonio Spurs on draft night.
During his seven seasons with the Spurs, Leonard became one of the best players in the NBA, being named to three NBA All-Star teams and two All-NBA teams. He was also named the NBA Defensive Player of the Year in 2015 and 2016.(From: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kawhi_Leonard)
The match-ups
The NBA season is coming to an end and we will soon find out who is going to the championship. The match-ups are:
Golden State Warriors vs. Houston Rockets
The two best teams in the NBA will be facing off in the Western Conference Finals, with a trip to the NBA Finals on the line. The Golden State Warriors are coming off a tough series win against the New Orleans Pelicans, while the Houston Rockets cruised to a victory against the Utah Jazz. This will be a matchup of two very different styles, as the Warriors rely on their strong defense and deep bench to get victories, while the Rockets lean heavily on their superstar backcourt of James Harden and Chris Paul. Who will come out on top in this highly anticipated series?
Toronto Raptors vs. Golden State Warriors
The Golden State Warriors are set to take on the Toronto Raptors in the 2019 NBA Finals. The Warriors are looking to repeat as champions, while the Raptors are looking to win their first-ever NBA championship.
The Warriors are led by superstar Stephen Curry, who is averaging 27.3 points, 5.3 assists and 5.2 rebounds per game in the playoffs. The Raptors are led by All-Star Kawhi Leonard, who is averaging 31.2 points, 7.8 rebounds and 3.8 assists per game in the playoffs.
The Warriors are the favorites to win the series, but the Raptors have been impressive in the playoffs and will not be an easy team to beat.
Houston Rockets vs. Toronto Raptors
It’s the two best teams in the NBA. It’s James Harden vs. Kawhi Leonard. It’s Mike D’Antoni vs. Nick Nurse. It’s the small ball Rockets against the big men Raptors. It’s Texas vs. Canada. It’s “The Beard” against “The Klaw”. It’s Red Nation against We The North. It’s an epic NBA Finals matchup that we all wanted, and it starts on Thursday night in Toronto
The predictions
Many people are wondering who is going to the championship this year in the NBA. There are a lot of teams that have a chance but only a few that can really take it all the way. These are the teams that have the best chance to make it to the finals and win it all.
Golden State Warriors vs. Houston Rockets
The two best teams in the NBA will face off in the Western Conference Finals, with a trip to the NBA Finals on the line. The Golden State Warriors have been the better team all season long, but the Houston Rockets have been great as well. Who will win this matchup?
There is no doubt that the Warriors are the better team. They have won three of the last four NBA championships, and they have some of the best players in the world. Stephen Curry is a two-time MVP, and Kevin Durant is one of the best scorers in NBA history. The Warriors also have good role players like Klay Thompson and Draymond Green. It is hard to bet against a team like this.
The Rockets have been great this season, but they have never won an NBA championship. James Harden is a great player, but he has never gotten over the hump in the playoffs. Chris Paul is one of the best point guards ever, but he has also struggled in the playoffs. The Rockets also don’t have much depth outside of their top two stars.
In the end, I think Golden State will win this series in six games. Houston might be able to steal one or two games at home, but Golden State is just too good. I think Curry and Durant will both be too much for Houston to handle, and I think the Warriors will ultimately come out on top.
Toronto Raptors vs. Golden State Warriors
The Toronto Raptors are currently the second seed in the Eastern Conference, and the Golden State Warriors are the first seed in the Western Conference. These two teams are predicted to meet in the NBA Finals.
The Raptors have one of the best records in the NBA, and they have beaten some tough teams this season. They have a solid team, and they are led by All-Star forward Kawhi Leonard. The Warriors have been to the NBA Finals five times in the last six years, and they are looking to win their third straight championship. They are led by All-Star guard Stephen Curry.
These two teams met in the Finals last year, and the Warriors won in six games. The Raptors will be looking to take revenge this year, but it will be tough against a Warriors team that is looking to three-peat.
Houston Rockets vs. Toronto Raptors
The much-anticipated Houston Rockets vs. Toronto Raptors matchup in the NBA Championship is finally here. Who will come out on top?
The Rockets are led by MVP candidate James Harden, who is averaging a league-best 36.1 points per game. He’s supported by a strong team that includes All-Stars Chris Paul and Russell Westbrook. The Raptors, on the other hand, are led by superstar Kawhi Leonard. They also have a deep team that includes All-Star Kyle Lowry and solid role players like Pascal Siakam and Marc Gasol.
In terms of head-to-head matchups, the two teams are evenly matched. They both have strong offenses and defenses, and they both have All-Star caliber players. The series is likely to come down to which team can make more shots and get stops when it matters most.
Based on these factors, it’s impossible to say who will win the series with 100% certainty. However, the Rockets appear to have a slight edge over the Raptors. They have more experience playing together as a unit, and they have homecourt advantage in the series. With that said, the Raptors are a very tough opponent and they shouldn’t be taken lightly.
