The Warriors are currently up 3-0 on the Cleveland Cavaliers in the NBA Finals. This is an indisputable fact. What could be theoretically disputed, at least according to one Cavs player, is how the team would have fared this year if Kyrie Irving were still with the team.
An unnamed Cavs veteran told Jason Lloyd of The Athletic Cleveland that he believes the Cavs would currently be up 3-0 on the Warriors in this year’s Finals with Irving.
From Lloyd:
16. The frustrating part within the locker room is the belief by a number of Cavs players that the Warriors are vulnerable. Whether it was the absence of Andre Iguodala or the contentment of winning a championship last year, something seems different about this Golden State team.
17. The Rockets pushed them to seven games in the conference finals and even held a 3-2 lead entering Game 6. The Cavs are “this close” to holding a 2-1 lead in this series. And as one veteran lamented after the loss Wednesday, “We’d be up 3-0 if Kyrie was still here. I have no doubt. Do you?”
18. Therein is the frustrating part. The Warriors might indeed be vulnerable, but the Cavs are one key piece from being able to do anything about it.
With Irving in the 2017 Finals, the Cavs still trailed the Warriors 3-0 after three games. It could be that the unnamed player thinks the Cavs’ revamped supporting cast plus Irving would make the difference, but his opinion would be an unusual one, as the team’s supporting players have repeatedly been lambasted as not doing enough to support LeBron James throughout this year’s playoffs.