As sure as the crack of dawn, today’s set of National Basketball Association games are certain to attract no small measure of attention. And as sure as the fall of dusk, the most anticipated match will be that of the Warriors and the Cavaliers, protagonists in the last three Finals series and seemingly on a collision course to do battle for the Larry O’Brien Trophy yet anew. Never mind that the league docket still has a full six-tenths of the regular season on tap, and that others now appear to be more able to pose a challenge to the usual favorites.
Not that conventional wisdom is wrong to keep the spotlight focused on the Warriors and Cavaliers. For all the strides the likes of the Celtics, Raptors, Rockets, and Spurs have made, the reigning conference championships are right to be given the benefit of the doubt. After all, they do have All-World notables continuing to spearhead their cause; LeBron James isn’t holding an active streak of seven consecutive Finals appearances for nothing, and the Warriors boast of historically outstanding offensive and defensive ratings.
Today, though, the Warriors and Cavaliers will not be parading the rosters they constructed precisely for deep playoff runs. Steph Curry is fast recovering from an ankle injury he sustained last month, but hasn’t yet secured medical clearance to play. Meanwhile, Isaiah Thomas is close to returning to the court, even burning rubber with G-League affiliates to get back to shape, but no cigar. Nonetheless, there is enough star power to merit eyeballs on Christmas Day.
In any case, all and sundry are right. Today’s set-to will make no difference in June, but the Warriors and Cavaliers will most definitely view it with a deep sense of urgency. They love to win; more importantly, they hate to lose, and most especially to their rivals. Which is why they can’t wait to play Grinch, and why pro hoops habitués purse their lips in anticipation of the presents they bring.
Anthony L. Cuaycong has been writing Courtside since BusinessWorld introduced a Sports section in 1994. He is the Senior Vice-President and General Manager of Basic Energy Corp.
