If Cleveland comes back and wins the series, what will the narrative be?

[PhoSita]

There will be a hard-driving "LeBron is now the greatest ever" contingent.

[BitterJim]

I don't think the cavs have much of a chance with game 7 in golden state they will be getting every call. But I think it would put a huge asterisk on last year's title. I already believe Cleveland would have beat them without injuries.

Yup, just look at games 1 and 2 (pre-Love injury)

It's pretty clear from those two games that a fully healthy Cavs team is miles ahead of the Warriors

[Moranis]

I think the initial narrative will be a hodgepodge of different things but centered around 2 major themes:

1. The greatness of LeBron: how he brought a championship to Cleveland, 3 rings, and revisiting 2015.  It's clear now he would have won in 2015 if not for the Irving and Love injuries, and he still took the Warriors to 6 games by himself last year.

2. One of the greatest seasons ever, filled with records, upsets, and the unpredictable which shows the diversity/balance in the league.  We had 2 teams challenging for 70 wins, with 1 setting the all time record, yet neither won the championship.  Only 9 teams ever came back when down 3-1 before these playoffs, now we have 2 more in back-to-back series.  No team has ever come back 3-1 to win, then lose the next series when up 3-1, blah, blah, blah.

Not that I necessarily agree or disagree with 1 or 2, but I can just picture all the ABC and ESPN analysts talking about those things now following a Cleveland victory in Game 7.

As for Green and Bogut, I don't think they're big enough stars to be part of the narrative.  Even if they were, the narrative is rarely centered around the losers.  In '11 I think the narrative was more about Dirk, Cuban, and Co. rather than the superstar-laden Heat not delivering a championship.  Only hardcore C's fans think the loss in 2010 was because of Perk's injury.  Nobody really cares that Karl Malone was injured in '04 or how the Lakers were imploding, everybody just talks about the Pistons victory and their team defense.  In '05 the narrative wasn't Sheed not guarding Horry on the inbounds play, it was more how great Duncan and friends were, back where they belong.  Sure there will be some talk around some of the many what-ifs by hardcore fans and some talking heads as they try to fill up a 1/2 hour or an hour tv show or podcast, but the main narrative will be on LeBron's greatness and how awesome the NBA is in general and how any team can win.

historically you are correct, you remember the winners not the losers, but initially there is a lot of talk on the losers especially if it is an upset, shock, etc.

[bdm860]

There will be a hard-driving "LeBron is now the greatest ever" contingent.

3 FINALS MVP AWARDS SKIP!!!  THAT'S MORE THAN BIRD, KOBE, KAREEM!  THAT TIES HIM WITH MAGIC, SHAQ, AND DUNCAN, CAN HE CATCH JORDAN!? YES I THINK HE CAN!  6 STRAIGHT FINALS!  WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT GREATEST OF ALL TIME, YOU HAVE TO TALK ABOUT LEBRON!!!

I can hear Stephen A. Smith now.

[Lucky17]

In a word: nauseating.

[tarheelsxxiii]

Fortunately, it ain't happening. So no need for hypotheticals.

[bdm860]

I think the initial narrative will be a hodgepodge of different things but centered around 2 major themes:

1. The greatness of LeBron: how he brought a championship to Cleveland, 3 rings, and revisiting 2015.  It's clear now he would have won in 2015 if not for the Irving and Love injuries, and he still took the Warriors to 6 games by himself last year.

2. One of the greatest seasons ever, filled with records, upsets, and the unpredictable which shows the diversity/balance in the league.  We had 2 teams challenging for 70 wins, with 1 setting the all time record, yet neither won the championship.  Only 9 teams ever came back when down 3-1 before these playoffs, now we have 2 more in back-to-back series.  No team has ever come back 3-1 to win, then lose the next series when up 3-1, blah, blah, blah.

Not that I necessarily agree or disagree with 1 or 2, but I can just picture all the ABC and ESPN analysts talking about those things now following a Cleveland victory in Game 7.

As for Green and Bogut, I don't think they're big enough stars to be part of the narrative.  Even if they were, the narrative is rarely centered around the losers.  In '11 I think the narrative was more about Dirk, Cuban, and Co. rather than the superstar-laden Heat not delivering a championship.  Only hardcore C's fans think the loss in 2010 was because of Perk's injury.  Nobody really cares that Karl Malone was injured in '04 or how the Lakers were imploding, everybody just talks about the Pistons victory and their team defense.  In '05 the narrative wasn't Sheed not guarding Horry on the inbounds play, it was more how great Duncan and friends were, back where they belong.  Sure there will be some talk around some of the many what-ifs by hardcore fans and some talking heads as they try to fill up a 1/2 hour or an hour tv show or podcast, but the main narrative will be on LeBron's greatness and how awesome the NBA is in general and how any team can win.

historically you are correct, you remember the winners not the losers, but initially there is a lot of talk on the losers especially if it is an upset, shock, etc.

Sure, I think there's more talk initially of the losers and all the what-ifs, but that's only because you have these 30, 60, 90 minute programs that have to talk about something.  The majority of the talk immediately following championships still focuses on the winners though.

The majority of the post game coverage will focus on the LeBron and the Cavs, the next day the the leading segment on SportsCenter and the front page of USA Today and every website that covers sports will have a story front and center about LeBron and the Cavs, a week later LeBron will be on the cover of Sports Illustrated, etc.  I'm sure there will be other articles and coverage on the Warriors, and the talking heads will debate about 73, Curry, Green, etc. but that's not what's going to drive the narrative, it will be more of a side story.

[acieEarl]

Green suspension without a doubt for me.

Second me on this. No way Lebron scores 40 with Green on him. Maybe Irving has his game but Lebron could do what ever he wanted out there without Green on the court. NBA's way of just extending the series to make more money. Green's tech was a joke.

[celticsclay]

I don't think the cavs have much of a chance with game 7 in golden state they will be getting every call. But I think it would put a huge asterisk on last year's title. I already believe Cleveland would have beat them without injuries.

Lol. Cleveland is way healthier and is down 3-2? How is Cleveland better than them. Love makes them worse.

[celticsclay]

i hope this thread is rendered pointless in 12 hours.

[LarBrd33]

If Draymond stopped whacking people in the nuts he wouldn't have been in that situation.

If Lebron manages to win the next two, the draymond thing will be a footnote.  They might bring it up immediately afterwards, but the larger story will be the incredible comeback, lebron bringing a title to Cleveland, and lebron defeating a seemingly unbeatable foe.  It will be part of Lebrons legacy.

Kinda like the 2009 and 2010 Celtics being footnotes in Kobe's career retrospective.  The overwhelming narrative is that Kobe won two titles.  The reality is that pau gasol carried Kobe to two titles - one in 2009 because kg was hurt and one in 2010 because perk was hurt. 

But I wouldn't worry about it too much.  I have a hard time imagining golden state choking these last two games.

[Rosco917]

IMO the suspension of Green was huge. He was really missed in game 5. It's just another example of the way the NBA takes care of the LaBabies image. Always trying to keep him from pouting, and directly in the forefront of the league.

The NBA has decided that it's product needs the face of a certain star to be viable in the world of Sports.

IMO LaBron's name should never be mentioned in the same sentence as Mike, Magic, Bird, and Kobe.   

[Ed Hollison]

"The return of hero ball"

If it happens (boy I hope not), the Cavs will have done it with 96 minutes of Kyrie Irving and Lebron James 1-on-1s. The narrative will be that with all the rule changes and the shift in style towards team play in the league, you can still win a championship by having the best players and little else.

[PhoSita]

"The return of hero ball"

If it happens (boy I hope not), the Cavs will have done it with 96 minutes of Kyrie Irving and Lebron James 1-on-1s. The narrative will be that with all the rule changes and the shift in style towards team play in the league, you can still win a championship by having the best players and little else.

Yes, this is my fear as well.

I'd rather have a league of teams trying to copy the Warriors / Spurs model, as opposed to teams trying to copy the Cavs / Thunder model.

[Ed Hollison]

"The return of hero ball"

If it happens (boy I hope not), the Cavs will have done it with 96 minutes of Kyrie Irving and Lebron James 1-on-1s. The narrative will be that with all the rule changes and the shift in style towards team play in the league, you can still win a championship by having the best players and little else.

Yes, this is my fear as well.

I'd rather have a league of teams trying to copy the Warriors / Spurs model, as opposed to teams trying to copy the Cavs / Thunder model.

Right. The strategy for teams looking to build a winner will turn from "Build a deep and talented team that shares the ball, spreads the floor and plays relentless defense" to "Win the draft lottery three times in four years and have the best player in the league be from your city."