Author Archives: Kenny Roda

KENNY’S KEY TO A CAVS CHAMPIONSHIP WIN IN GAME 7

SURVIVE THE WAVE – The wave of emotion and energy the Warriors will get from, and play with, because of their home crowd in the 1^st quarter is going to be HUGE. The Cavs must be able to handle it, not be overwhelmed by it and keep the game close early on. Once they do that, it becomes just another basketball game on the road. Then you settle in and do what you’ve done that last 2 games!

THE “J’ WILL SHOW THE WAY – If LeBron’s jumper is falling, the Warriors are in big trouble! If LBJ is hitting that “J” from mid-range and a few from 3-point country, Golden State cannot guard him. That in turn will open up drives to the basket for “The King”, as well as set up his teammates for plenty of open shots. To say that LeBron James jumper is the key to the Cavaliers winning the NBA Championship may sound crazy, but it just may come down to that, because the Warriors are going to give him that shot early on to see if he can make it. If he shows he can, goodnight Golden State and hello World Championship! If not, the Warriors defense will settle in and may be tough to score on.

PHYSICAL and MENTAL TOUGHNESS –  These 2 things have really played a major part in each team winning their 3 games in this series. Whichever teams comes out and throws the first punch, plays aggressive for 48 minutes at both ends of the floor and can handle the pressure, the ups and downs, the bad calls and bad officiating better mentally, will have a decided edge in this winner take all Game 7!

VALUE THE BASKETBALL – Don’t turn it over. It’s real simple. If you at least get a shot at the hoop on offense good things can happen. If you turn it over, you miss a chance at scoring, and you give Golden State a chance to get easy baskets at the other end. The team that takes better care of the ball will be in great shape to win this game.

THE BIG 2 and WHO? – You know what you’re going to get from LeBron. Unless his foot injury is more serious than they’re letting on, we pretty much have a good idea of what to expect from Kyrie. But who will be that 3^rd scorer the Cavs need to win a Title? Will Kevin Love break out of his series long slump and put points on the board and grab some rebounds? Will JR Smith provide that scoring punch from long distance? Will Tristan Thompson step up big again like he did in the Game 6 win with another double/double? One of those guys or someone else we’re not expecting has to help out James and Irving in the scoring department to help Cleveland bring home its first ever Larry O’Brien trophy and NBA Championship.

DEFENSE – We all know defense wins championships. Tonight will be no different. Whichever team can communicate on “D”, be more physical on “D” and play it for all 24 seconds of the shot clock and for all 48 minutes of the game, will win!

There are other keys I could talk about, like “Ball Movement” on offense for the Cavs, but you already know how important that is from my previous posts or podcasts. But the ones I have mentioned above to me are the most important tonight. If the Cavs can do most, if not all of the keys listed, then they will win an NBA Title and bring the city of Cleveland something they’ve been waiting for since 1964…A World Championship!

If that happens then it will give new meaning to the phrase “O.I.C.” – Only In Cleveland! Because “Only In Cleveland” will a team have done something no other NBA team has been able to do in the history of the game, come back from a 3-1 deficit in the NBA Finals and win the NBA Championship! 

MY PREDICTION – Get you champagne ready, prepare for a parade in downtown Cleveland, as I like MVP LeBron James and the Cavs to defeat Steph Curry and the Warriors 104-97 in Game 7 and complete the greatest comeback in NBA history!