With each sitting at 8-0 in the playoffs, and already through to their respective conference finals, a third straight meeting between the Cleveland Cavaliers and Golden State Warriors in the NBA Finals is looking ever more likely.
But with how easy the two teams have made things look, a conversation has arisen over whether their dominance is actually bad for the game of basketball. Kobe Bryant, who would know a thing or two about dominance, being a member of the three-peat Lakers back at the turn of the millennium, disagreed recently, saying it "makes no sense" to think that's bad for the game.
As for the people actually involved, Cavaliers head coach Tyronn Lue, who was Kobe's teammate on one those championship Lakers teams, agrees that the Cavs' and Warriors' dominance is not bad for basketball. Speaking Thursday, Lue didn't understand the complaint, saying, "I don't see why it would be a problem," in regards to a third-straight meeting between the Cavs and the Warriors in the Finals.
He also likened the rivalry to the 1980s matchups between the Celtics and Lakers. Via ESPN:
"Is it a problem? I don't think so," Lue said Wednesday, with Cleveland holding its first practice since sweeping Toronto on Sunday to advance to the conference finals for the third straight year. "I think a lot of people wanted to see Boston and the Lakers back in the day. I think nowadays, a lot of people want to see Golden State-Cavs. And it's not a problem. Right now, it's two of the teams playing some of the best basketball right now.
"So two of the teams that have been in back-to-back Finals -- so, why not? Why not want to see it again?" Lue said. "I don't see why it would be a problem. I think last year had some of the best ratings, I think, in NBA history. I think now with them adding [Kevin] Durant and the way they're playing, the way we're playing, it can be even higher."
Well, yeah. Tyronn Lue coaches the Cavaliers. Of course he doesn't think it's bad that his team is closing in on a third straight Finals appearance.
