This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2016, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Five things guaranteed to happen in the 2016 NBA Finals …
1 • The Splash Brothers will be entertaining and effective.
Golden State guards Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson performed wonderfully in the biggest moments of the Western Conference finals vs. Oklahoma City, and the Warriors will need more from them in this year's rematch with Cleveland.
Their ability to make shots under pressure carried Golden State past the Thunder in the fourth quarters, notably Thompson in Game 6 on the road and Curry in Game 7 at home. Jazz swingman Gordon Hayward once was the best player for a USA Basketball U19 team that included Curry and Thompson. OK, that was Seth Curry, Steph's younger brother, but it was the real Klay Thompson, then a Washington State player.
And how about Thompson being taken after BYU's Jimmer Fredette and just one spot ahead of the Jazz's Alec Burks, after working out for the Jazz in their final pre-draft session of 2011? He has come a long way in the NBA.
2 • The Jazz will remember two tough losses to Golden State.
Seeing the Warriors on this stage is another reminder of how close the Jazz came to making the playoffs — which should be agonizing, not comforting.
Other would-be wins also got away from the Jazz late in the season, but the moment that resonates with me came March 30 when Thompson missed a tying 3-point attempt, only to have Shaun Livingston rebound the ball and give Thompson another chance from the left corner. That shot forced overtime, after the Warriors never led in the fourth quarter, and they went on to a 103-96 victory that helped them compile a 73-9 record.
Exactly four months earlier, Rodney Hood could have beaten Golden State, but he missed a 3-pointer and would later say fans "crucified" him for his failure.
The Jazz will have better memories of the Cavaliers. They put together one of their most complete efforts of the season to beat Cleveland 94-85 in March behind Hood's 28 points.
3 • Andrew Bogut will have a diminished role for Golden State.
In becoming only the third former University of Utah player to win an NBA title, Bogut played a total of three minutes in the last three games of the 2015 Finals as Warriors coach Steve Kerr created a small lineup. So his playing time will be an interesting element of this series, after fluctuating during the playoffs.
Bogut helped the Warriors advance to the Finals, producing 15 points and 14 rebounds in Game 5 vs. Oklahoma City after playing only 11 minutes in Game 4. He's hoping to match ex-Ute star Arnie Ferrin's two titles with the Minneapolis Lakers; Michael Doleac won a championship with Miami.
4 • Two former Jazzmen will win an NBA title.
Derek Fisher is the only ex-Jazz player who started for an NBA championship team, winning twice with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2009 and '10. He'll retain that distinction. Cleveland's Richard Jefferson is the only former Jazzman who's a rotation regular in this series, although Mo Williams is with the Cavs and Brandon Rush and Ian Clark play for Golden State.
Jefferson, who will turn 36 this month, symbolized the Jazz's 2013-14 season, when they awkwardly were stuck somewhere between full-scale rebuilding and moderately trying to win under coach Tyrone Corbin. Jefferson had come to the Jazz via the Warriors' salary dump that enabled them to acquire Andre Iguodala in a three-team trade, a key move for Golden State.
The Jazz also accepted Rush, who returned to the Warriors after scoring a total of 79 points in Utah. Rush won a title with the Warriors last June, joining Bobby Hansen (Chicago), Greg Foster (Lakers), Tony Massenburg (San Antonio), Shandon Anderson (Miami), Jacque Vaughn (San Antonio), Fisher (Lakers) and DeShawn Stevenson (Dallas) as ex-Jazzmen with titles.
5 • Cleveland will win in six games.
When I say I'm cheering for Cleveland, I mean the city. Cleveland fans deserve a championship after not celebrating any titles in football, basketball or baseball since the Browns' 1964 NFL championship, in the pre-Super Bowl era.
And it would be especially meaningful if LeBron James delivered a hometown championship, overcoming Golden State's greatness, as he makes a sixth straight appearance in the Finals. With improved health, Cleveland is better equipped to battle the Warriors this year, and Golden State is just vulnerable enough to make an upset possible.
This is Cleveland's time, after 52 years. And then it will be the Chicago Cubs' turn in October, winning their first World Series in 108 years. That's not asking too much for the sake of good stories, is it?
Twitter: @tribkurt