Well, the Cavaliers and Warriors Might Meet Again Next Year, too

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/fancy-stats/wp/2017/05/26/the-cavaliers-will-face-the-warriors-in-the-2017-nba-finals-and-2018-and-2019/?utm_term=.dfd5236a0982

Nearing midnight on Friday, May 25, the world found out the Cleveland Cavaliers would indeed be advancing to the NBA Finals, posting a dominant 33-point final score disparity. The Cleveland and Golden State squads met the past two years in the Finals, with this year’s matchup marking the third time these teams have met on the NBA’s highest podium in the 2017 NBA Finals. This third consecutive meeting of the Cavs and Warriors is the first time the same two NBA teams have met three years in a row. Does anybody smell that? The likelihood of the Warriors and Cavaliers meeting again in 2018, even 2019?

The possibility of this matchup repeating in coming consecutive NBA Finals is highlighted by the wins shared per 48 minutes, a measure estimating the wins contributed by individual players, for Warriors and Cavaliers players. Warriors hoopers averaged 0.194 wins shares per player alongside the 0.190 per player produced by the Cavaliers. The next highest wins shares were posted by the Houston Rockets, at a comparatively underwhelming 0.116 per player. The higher wins shares per 48 minutes are per players, the likelihood of teams with those players matriculating into later rounds of NBA playoffs is higher. The future meetings of Cavaliers and Warriors in coming NBA Finals may not be a far-off possibility, after all.

How entertaining will these NBA Finals matchups be this year? Although no metrics indicate the watchability of games, viewers can assume this series will be throughly enjoyable, unlike each of the past two meetings. The first meeting of these two teams in 2015 showcased a lackluster effort by the Cleveland Cavaliers, with the exception of effort showed by unlikely hero Matthew Dellavedova. The Cavaliers, including captain Lebron James, overall did not offer a competitive matchup to the league leading Golden State Warriors. In Cleveland’s defense, the first three games were somewhat exciting, but overall watchability of the entire series was far from optimal.

Last year’s NBA Finals Games 1 through 4 were not at all fun to watch, with the Cavaliers appearing to wish the Finals were over before they started. Game 5 was a thriller, with no viewers but Cavaliers fans thinking Cleveland could come back from its deficit, let alone capture the NBA Finals trophy just three games later. The comeback from a 3-1 deficit was the first time it happened in NBA history. Let’s hope for an equally exciting NBA Finals this year.