OAKLAND, CALIF.—Last season’s Eastern and Western Conference champions will meet again when the Cleveland Cavaliers and Golden State Warriors play in Game 1 of the NBA final here at Oracle Arena Thursday night. James nearly did so, lifting Cleveland to a 2-1 series lead only to have the Warriors clinch the championship with three straight victories. The most obvious difference for the Warriors is evidenced by their championship ring-adorned fingers. The coach that led the Cavaliers last year, David Blatt, was fired at midseason and replaced by lead assistant Tyronn Lue. And despite minimal changes to the roster, the Warriors have still seen exponential growth, plainly demonstrated by the team’s NBA-record 73 wins this season.

Source: thestar June 02, 2016 00:22 UTC