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The 2016 NBA Finals begin Thursday night in a highly anticipated rematch between the Golden State Warriors and Cleveland Cavaliers.
Last year's Finals were memorable, though they perhaps didn't live up to their full potential. With Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love injured, LeBron James carried a battered Cavs' squared to a 2-1 series lead, posting superhuman performances along the way. However, in Game 4, the Warriors found their groove and never looked back, winning three straight games to seal their first championship since 1975.
This year, the Cavs are healthy and a little bit deeper while the Warriors bring back largely the same cast. Both teams took different paths to the Finals, with the Cavaliers cruising through a weak East while the Warriors had to fight for their lives after going down 3-1 to the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Suffice to say, expectations are high for this rematch. Here's how the BI Sports staff thinks it will play out: