Bear Territory Tuesday: Breaking down the NBA potential of Cal power forward David Kravish

     With the NBA Draft happening a week from Thursday, I thought it would be appropriate to break down the NBA potential of Cal power forward David Kravish this week. Before I dive into his strengths and weaknesses, I will first give you his season averages from his senior season: 11.3 points, 7.0 rebounds, 1.2 assists, .4 steals, 1.5 blocks, and 1.5 turnovers per game. He shot 47.8% from the field, 28.6% from three-point range, and 72.6% from the foul line. His overall efficiency via the NBA's efficiency formula was +13.9090, which is ok, but not great.

     Strengths: David Kravish is an intriguing NBA prospect because of his size, length, and ability to play well on both ends of the floor. At 6'10, 240 lbs, while also sporting a solid wingspan that measured 7'0 in his freshman year, David Kravish has a solid NBA build. He definitely has the size and length to handle NBA bigs.

     As for his offensive abilities, during his time at Cal he showed nice touch around the basket, scoring a lot of his points on jump hooks. He also developed a nice fade away jump shot and used his length to shoot the ball over taller defenders. Unlike his former teammate Richard Solomon, who currently plays for the Oklahoma City Blue of the D-League, Kravish is a finesse player in the paint, using the glass and crafty moves to score as opposed to muscling his way in for a thunderous slam.

      During his time at Cal, he added more and more weapons to his repertoire and became a very skilled big man with the capability to knock down an open three on occasion as well as a mid-range jump shot. He also became a solid free throw shooter, shooting 72.6% from the foul line this past season, making opponents pay for fouling him inside. Kravish's offensive versatility makes him a legitimate NBA prospect.

     In addition to having an array of moves and touch on the block, David Kravish runs the floor very well in transition and is good at finishing plays on the fast break due to his length and mobility. He is very capable of catching lobs in transition when given the space and has also proven capable of playing in a more uptempo offense.

     On the defensive end, David Kravish is an intriguing prospect because of his shot blocking ability as well as his ability to grab rebounds. He is the number one shot blocker in the history of Cal with 219 blocks, while averaging 2.1 blocks per game in his junior season and 1.5 blocks per game in his senior season. As for his rebounding numbers this past season, he averaged 7.0 rebounds and 5.2 defensive rebounds per game.

     His rebounding numbers are decent, but his shot blocking numbers are outstanding. If there is anything that makes him stand out from other power forwards in this draft, it is his shot blocking ability. To give you a sense of how his shot blocking stacks up, here are some shot blocking numbers from some first round prospects: Louisville power forward Montrezl Harrell averaged 1.2 blocks per game, Arkansas power forward Bobby Portis averaged 1.4 blocks per game, UCLA power forward Kevon Looney averaged .9 blocks per game, and Wisconsin 7'1 center Frank Kaminsky averaged 1.5 blocks per game. Judging by the those numbers, it is clear that David Kravish is a very good shot blocker in comparison to other players in this draft.

     What you might be wondering is why his shot blocking numbers dropped from his junior season to his senior season. In my opinion, it had to do with him being forced to play away from the basket a lot more due to the system and needs of the team, as opposed to it being a sign of regression. David Kravish exhibited the same knack for blocking shots that he did during his junior season. Don't let the numbers fool you into thinking otherwise.

     Weaknesses: Probably the biggest weakness for David Kravish is his lack of strength or at least his lack of willingness to use his strength. Compared to other NBA power forward prospects in this draft, his height, weight, and length are actually on par or better. He definitely isn't undersized or too light. But for whatever reason, almost to a fault, he has the tendency to make a finesse move inside as opposed to using his strength.

     In essence, he shied away from contact a lot and didn't get to the foul line. His field goal percentage of 47.8% wasn't very good and I think it largely had to do with him trying to avoid contact in the paint by taking tougher shots. If he had more of a willingness to finish through contact and go up stronger, his field goal percentage would have been better and he would have grabbed more offensive rebounds.

     During his career at Cal, he averaged only 1.6 free throw attempts per game and only improved slightly to 1.9 free throw attempts per game in his senior season. If he wants to have success in the NBA, he'll have to do a much better job of getting to the line and finishing through contact. Especially since he is actually a pretty solid foul shooter.

     In addition to not being willing to finish through contact, David Kravish wasn't the most consistent player this past season. In the Pac-12 opener against Washington, he had a very solid game, scoring 21 points and grabbing 10 rebounds. In that game, he looked like a legitimate first round talent, dominating inside and scoring in a wide variety of ways. The same can be said of his game on the road against Stanford, in which he had 23 points, 12 rebounds, and 1 block; his game in New York against Texas in which he had 19 points and 5 rebounds; and his game against Washington State in the Pac-12 tournament in which he had 25 points, 8 rebounds, and 3 blocks.

     But amid those gems, he also had some poor performances. At home against Eastern Washington, he had 3 points, 5 rebounds, and 1 block;  on the road against Washington State, he had 4 points and 1 rebound; on the road against USC, he had 8 points and 7 rebounds; and on the road against Utah, he had 4 points and 4 rebounds.

     It's hard to explain the inconsistency, but there is one interesting commonality I noticed in these eight games. In the four sample games in which he played really well, he averaged only 2.5 fouls per game. In the four sample games in which he really struggled, he averaged 4.25 fouls per game. What does this mean? It means he has had an issue with getting into foul trouble. During his senior season, he averaged 3.2 fouls per game and 4.3 fouls per 40 minutes. In his junior season, he averaged 2.7 fouls per game and 3.3 fouls per 40 minutes.

     While he does a good job of blocking shots, he hasn't done a very good job of staying out of foul trouble, which has clearly affected his performance. When he stays out of foul trouble, his play has ranged from solid to very good. When he gets into foul trouble, his play has ranged from ok to very poor. While it is true for all basketball players that the fewer fouls they commit, the better they play, this seems to be especially true for David Kravish.

     A key question to answer is why does he have an issue with getting into foul trouble? I think it has to do with him sometimes gambling on defense to block a shot and also not always being tough down on the block. It's clear from his offensive numbers that he shies away from contact, so it stands to reason that the same can be said for him on defense. A lot of those fouls were fouls that he could erase with more toughness and discipline down on the block.

     Lastly, it's not clear how much upside David Kravish has. While I would say he has certainly improved over his four years at Cal, he didn't have a breakout season during his senior year like he would have hoped. With Richard Solomon gone, David Kravish had a real chance to shine and put up some big numbers, but he wasn't able to do so with regularity. It's hard to say how much better he will get, which could scare some teams away from picking him up.

Overall conclusion: David Kravish is an interesting prospect because of the combination of skills and abilities that he has. He has good size, length, and mobility for an NBA big, good offensive skills, and a knack for blocking shots as well as grabbing rebounds on defense. If he is able to toughen up inside and learn to handle some contact in the paint, he could become a solid role player in the NBA. The tools and pieces are definitely there.

---Ben Parker: follow me on twitter @nba_lord for NBA and Cal basketball news 

Daily Dunks: 6/15-6/21

(Credit: Andy Melton. Click here for source)

     Here is my Daily Dunks page for June 15, 2015 through June 21, 2015. Throughout the week this page will be updated with news, rumors, and scores from across the NBA until a new Daily Dunks page is created for the following week. 

     Monday's NBA Daily Dunks: 

#1. The 2015 NBA Draft early withdrawal deadline was Monday at 5:00 PM ET (Click here for an updated list on who withdrew). 

#2. Report: If the Knicks cannot get Karl-Anthony Towns, Jahlil Okafor, or D'Angelo Russell, odds they trade the #4 overall pick are good (Click here for details). 

#3. The Hornets are unlikely to keep Matt Barnes (Click here for details). 

#4. Arkansas shooting guard Michael Qualls, an NBA hopeful, has torn his ACL and will be out six months (Click here for details). 

#5. The Nets are shopping Mason Plumlee in hopes of trading up in the NBA Draft (Click here for details). 

#6. A source close to the 76ers says Joel Embiid won't need surgery on his left foot (Click here for details). 

#7. DeMarre Carroll could command a 4 year, $50M deal in free agency (Click here for details). 

#8. Adrian Griffin has left the Bulls to join the Magic as their lead assistant coach (Click here for details). 

#9. If the Knicks trade down, Murray state point guard Cameron Payne is a player who they would target (Click here for details). 

#10. Game 6 of the NBA Finals is Tuesday at 9:00 PM EST on ABC. 

#11. The Nuggets hired Mike Malone as head coach (Click here for details). 

#12. The Hornets traded Lance Stephenson to the Clippers for Matt Barnes and Spencer Hawes (Click here for details). 

Tuesday's NBA Daily Dunks: 

#1. The NBA Summer League schedule for Las Vegas has been released (Click here to view it). 

#2. The Bucks had some guys workout for them (Click here for details). 

#3. Report: Jimmy Butler wants a short-term deal and is interested in signing an offer sheet with the Lakers (Click here for details). 

#4. The Clippers will unveil a new logo and uniforms later this week (Click here for details). 

#5. Cavaliers shooting guard J.R. Smith is likely to decline his $6.4M option this summer (Click here for details). 

#6. Despite likely opting in to the final year of his contract with the Pelicans, Eric Gordon is looking at some possible deals (Click here for details). 

#7. James Borrego is leaving the Magic to take an assistant coaching job with the Spurs (Click here for details). 

#8. Youssou Ndoye is willing to sign overseas as a draft-stash guy (Click here for details). 

#9. Warriors small forward Andre Iguodala won the NBA Finals MVP (Click here for details). 

#10. Cavaliers small forward LeBron James is the first player in NBA Finals history to lead BOTH teams in points, rebounds, and assists for the entire series (h/t @SportsCenter). 

Tuesday's NBA Finals Results: 

Warriors 105 Cavaliers 97: Final. Warriors win their first NBA championship in 40 years, winning the NBA Finals 4-2!!! Congrats to the Warriors!!!!  

Tuesday's WNBA Results: 

Fever 90 Dream 79. Shock 88 Stars 61. Sun 79 Storm 58. Lynx 67 Sparks 52. Lynx forward Maya Moore had 22 points, 4 rebounds, and 4 assists. 

Wednesday's NBA Daily Dunks: 

#1. Gerald Henderson has exercised his player option to play with the Hornets for next season (Click here for details). 

#2. Danny Granger has exercised his player option to play with the Suns for next season (Click here for details). 

#3. The Clippers unveiled a new logo (Click here to see it). 

#4. The Bulls have officially hired Jim Boylen as associate head coach (Click here for details). 

#5. The 2015 NBA Finals drew the highest ratings since the Jordan era (Click here for details). 

#6. Eric Gordon has exercised his option to stay with the Pelicans (Click here for details). 

#7. Report: The Nuggets want to trade Ty Lawson to the Kings for the #6 pick (Click here for details). 

#8. Dirk Nowitzki says "We would love to have LaMarcus Aldridge in Dallas" (Click here for details). 

#9. The Warriors and David Lee are working together on a trade (Click here for details). 

#10. Karl-Anthony Towns will visit the Timberwolves on Friday (Click here for details). 

Thursday's NBA Daily Dunks: 

#1. Jeff Green has opted in to the final year of his contract with the Grizzlies (Click here for details). 

#2. Mitch Kupchak says the Lakers may look to trade the #2 overall pick (Click here for details). 

#3. D'Angelo Russell had a workout with the Knicks recently (Click here for details). 

#4. The Hawks reached a buyout with Danny Ferry. He is no longer the team's GM. Wes Wilcox will take over as GM and Mike Budenholzer is now team president (Click here for details).  

#5. Marc Stein reports that Shawn Marion will is retiring (Click here for details). 

#6. Garrett Temple exercised his $1.1M optbion to remain with the Wizards for the 2015-16 season (Click here for details). 

#7. Tristan Thompson's agent says his client wants max money or very close to max money (Click here for details). 

#8. The Clippers are "exploring" going after Paul Pierce if he opts out of his deal with the Wizards (Click here for details). 

#9. D'Angelo Russell "killed it" in a workout with the 76ers (Click here for details). 

#10. According to a report, Marc Gasol is "expected" to stay with the Grizzlies (Click here for details).  

Friday's NBA Daily Dunks: 

#1. Murray State point guard Cameron Payne, a potential lottery pick, fractured his finger. It's nothing serious (Click here for details). 

#2. The Warriors had their championship parade today (Click here for footage). 

#3. David Blatt thinks he'll be back with the Cavaliers (Click here for details). 

#4. Knicks president Phil Jackson thinks he should have won executive of the year (Click here for details). 

#5. Andre Iguodala thought LeBron James would win Finals MVP (Click here for details). 

#6. Report: The 76ers are leaning towards drafting Kristaps Porzingis at #3 overall (Click here for details). 

#7. New Clippers guard Lance Stephenson insists he is a good teammate (Click here for details). 

#8. Allen Iverson thinks he can be an executive because he is a "basketball genius" (Click here for details). 

#9. The Lakers are unlikely to pick up Jordan Hill's $9M option (Click here for details). 

#10. Mo Williams is "more than interested" in a return to Cleveland (Click here for details). 

Friday's WNBA Final Scores: 

Shock 86 Mystics 82. Fever 80 Liberty 63. Dream 74 Sky 73. Lynx 74 Stars 59. Sun 90 Mercury 78 (2OT). Sun center Kelsey Bone had 27 points, 14 rebounds, and 2 blocks. Fever guard Maggie Lucas had 23 points on 5-8 shooting from three-point range .

Saturday's NBA Daily Dunks: 

#1. Eduardo Najera is joining the Mavericks' scouting staff after previously coaching their D-League team Texas Legends (Click here for details). 

#2. Report: Amar'e Stoudemire is open to signing with the Suns or Knicks in free agency (Click here for details). 

#3. 76ers CEO Scott O'Neil expects to get a recovery timetable for Joel Embiid within a couple of weeks (Click here for details). 

#4. Paul Pierce is expected to opt-out of his contract and choose between either the Wizards or Clippers (Click here for details). 

#5. Kings GM Vlade Divac is very protective of the #6 pick in Thursday's NBA Draft. He is unlikely to deal it  (Click here for details). 

#6. The Heat plan to offer Goran Dragic a 5 year, $80M deal (Click here for details). 

#7. Khris Middleton is expected to re-sign with the Bucks and not be a free agent for very long (Click here for details). 

#8. The Lakers don't expect to workout Karl-Anthony Towns, who likely is going #1 overall to the Timberwolves (Click here for details). 

#9. The Spurs may a free to a "wink-wink" deal with Tim Duncan to save cap space (Click here for details). 

#10. Greg Oden has worked out for the Hornets and will work out for the Mavericks (Click here for details). 

Saturday's WNBA Results: 

Mystics 87 Fever 75. Sky 95 Stars 87 (OT). Sky forward Elena Delle Donne had 26 points and 10 rebounds. 

Sunday's NBA Daily Dunks: 

#1. Rumor: The Pistons may trade the #8 overall pick in the draft (Click here for details). 

#2. Likely #1 overall pick Karl-Anthony Towns has only worked out for the Timberwolves (Click here for details). 

#3. The Nuggets are open to trading the #7 and #57 pick (Click here for details). 

#4. Rumor: D'Angelo Russell doesn't want to play for the 76ers (Click here for details). 

#5. Ed Davis hopes to remain with the Lakers (Click here for details). 

#6. Report: There is mutual interest between the Lakers and Dwyane Wade (Click here for details). 

#7. Trail Blazers shooting guard Arron Afflalo is expected to opt out of his $7.75M contract (Click here for details). 

#8. The Nuggets may be looking to move Ty Lawson (Click here for details). 

#9. Nike commemorated LeBron James' return to Cleveland with a full-page "Plain Dealer" ad (Click here to see the ad). 

#10. The Celtics and Lakers are looking to trade their late first round picks (Click here for details). 

Sunday's WNBA Final Scores: 

Liberty 73 Dream 64. Sun 76 Sparks 68. Shock 86 Lynx 78. Mercury 84 Storm 72.  Liberty guard Brittany Boyd had 18 points.

---Ben Parker: follow me on twitter @nba_lord and like my Facebook page NBA Lord Nation for NBA news 

Win or lose, LeBron James should win the NBA Finals MVP award

     When was the last time a player won the NBA Finals MVP award while playing on the losing team? The answer is 1969 when Jerry West of the Los Angeles Lakers took home the award after seeing his team lose in seven games to the Boston Celtics. While it is rare to give the NBA Finals MVP to a player on the losing team, I think the 2015 NBA Finals should be one of those rare times should the Cleveland Cavaliers lose the series to the Golden State Warriors.

      The NBA Finals MVP award should go to the player who has made the biggest impact on the series, played the best, and done the most to help his team win the title. Since LeBron James has by far made the biggest impact on the series, played the best, and done more to help his team than anyone else in the series, he should win the NBA Finals MVP award. It's that simple.

     If we were going off the numbers alone, this wouldn't even be a contest. Through five games in the NBA Finals, LeBron James has averaged 36.6 points, 12.4 rebounds, and 8.8 assists. The player on the Warriors with the most comparable stats has been Stephen Curry, who has averaged 26.2 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 5.8 assists. But those 26 points per game have been fairly quiet in comparison to LeBron's 36 points, so even though his scoring has been solid, he hasn't appeared to make the same type of impact with his scoring that LeBron has.

     As for the player who everybody is saying should win the MVP award for the Warriors, Andre Iguodala, he has averaged 14.6 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 3.8 assists. Those numbers are a fraction of what LeBron James is putting up, so clearly there has to be more to why he is getting MVP consideration than what we see on the stat sheet. The reason why Iguodala has been getting MVP consideration is for his defense and energy, but if you consider that his primary responsibility has been to prevent LeBron James from having big games, it's hard to say that he has done his job as well as everybody wants to believe. LeBron James has had his way with everybody on the Warriors and nobody on that team has been able to stop him, so with that being established, it's hard to argue a case for Iguodala.

     I think that what really needs to be understood is that regardless of which team wins the series, LeBron James has been the most valuable player hands down. He has played the best of anybody while also simultaneously having to work harder than anybody. Stephen Curry and Andre Iguodala have been able to rely on other teammates to step up for them and take the pressure off of their shoulders, making their workload lighter.

     But as for LeBron James, he has had to carry his entire team on his back and exert way more energy than anybody else playing in this series. In addition to having to exert more energy and have more responsibility, he has had to produce at levels that nobody else on the Warriors could even conceive of doing. If you put Stephen Curry, Andre Iguodala, or Klay Thompson on the Cavaliers, none of those guys could be doing what LeBron James is doing even if they tried.

     The bottom line is when you consider all that should be taken into an account for winning an NBA Finals MVP award, LeBron James is clearly the one who should be getting the award regardless of what happens in the series. He has played the best, done more to help his team win, exerted way more energy, and single-handedly made this series compelling.

     The fate of this entire series revolves around LeBron James and whether or not he can continue to produce at such an elite level against a vastly superior team. No player on the Warriors has even come close to making this type of an impact on the series, which is why giving the NBA Finals MVP to a player on the Warriors would make a mockery of the award and require us to change its name from the "NBA Finals MVP" to "Best player on the winning team".

---Ben Parker: follow me on twitter @nba_lord for NBA news 

Wednesday Windmill: LeBron James is making the Warriors look like a bunch of jump-shooting sissies

                                             (Credit: Keith Allison. Click here for source). 
    
     LeBron James is putting on one of the greatest NBA Finals performances we have ever seen. He is averaging 41.0 points, 12.0 rebounds, and 8.3 assists for the first three games of the NBA Finals and as a result has his Cleveland Cavaliers leading the Golden State Warriors 2-1. LeBron James is playing so well that he is single-handled exposing a Golden State Warriors team that cruised to 67 wins and an NBA Finals appearance. He is taking on the best team in basketball and making them look like a bunch of jump-shooting sissies.

     Does that sound harsh? Well, it's the truth. The Cavaliers are winning this series because LeBron James wants this series more than anybody else on the floor and it is rubbing off on his teammates. Matthew Dellavedova is diving on the floor for loose balls like he needs them to feed his family, Tristan Thompson is grabbing every rebound in sight, and Timofey Mozgov is attacking the rim like it owes him money.

     As for the Warriors, they look timid and reserved. They aren't playing aggressive basketball and they appear to be waiting for the NBA commissioner to stop the game and hand them the Larry O'Brien trophy. Steve Kerr seems to know this and is trying his best, but so far, his team isn't responding. Rather than being patient, waiting for a good shot opportunity, and aggressively attacking the basket, the Warriors instead have elected to settle for contested jump shots early in the shot clock, expecting shots to magically fall for them as if basketballs just magically find their way through the hoop.

     To the Warriors' defense, everything has gone that easily for them so far or at least so it has seemed. The Memphis Grizzlies gave them a nice punch in the mouth for the first three games of their second round series, but the Grizzlies fell apart due to injuries and an inability to hit shots. The Cavaliers on the other hand are doing everything the Grizzlies tried to do with the addition of having LeBron James playing like a man possessed.

     What has been somewhat surprising to me in this series is that nobody on the Warriors has been able to do an adequate job defending LeBron James. This is a team that prides itself on defense and having quality defenders like Andre Iguodala, Draymond Green, and Harrison Barnes, but so far, none of those guys have been able to defend LeBron James even remotely well. LeBron James has his way with all of them whenever he so chooses. All he does is back them down in the paint, drive past them on the baseline for a thundering slam, or lull them to sleep before making a play for somebody else.

     I don't blame any team for having a hard time containing LeBron James, but the Warriors simply don't appear to be working hard enough. If the Warriors are working hard enough, then they are not going to win this series because their lack of defense on LeBron James is pathetic. LeBron James is backing down Warriors defenders like he is Shaquille O'Neal when in reality he is built like Karl Malone. Karl Malone was a physically imposing player, but he wasn't anything as imposing as Shaquille O'Neal.

      One would think that Draymond Green, who prides himself on defending all five positions, wouldn't let LeBron James dominate him like this, but so far, there is nothing that Draymond Green appears to be able to do. All that Draymond Green can do is hope for some other lazy teammate of his to pick up the slack and make a play for him, but in Game 3 we saw that even Andrew Bogut is afraid to challenge LeBron James at the rim.

     Probably the most embarrassing thing for the Warriors in all of this is that Kyrie Irving is done for the series. With Kyrie Irving out, there is no reason to believe that the Cavaliers have anything higher than a 15% chance of winning. Keep in mind that I'm saying this as someone who picked the Cavaliers to upset the Warriors in six games. The Cavaliers are doing everything I thought they would do in this series: Defend on the perimeter, hit shots, and control the paint. But what has surprised me is that they've been able to make enough shots without Kyrie Irving, who is their number-two scoring option behind LeBron James.

     I definitely want to give the Cavaliers a tremendous amount of credit for how they have played in this series so far. They have played with a tremendous amount of heart, fire, and determination. LeBron James has been playing out of his mind and inspiring his teammates like Blake Griffin inspires soldiers in Kia commercials.

     But all the same, the Warriors' struggles have been very disappointing. Stephen Curry has disappeared and nobody on his team has been there to pick up the slack or make any sort of effort to make things hard on LeBron James. With the way things are going right now, I have to pick the Cavaliers to win this series in six games. They don't appear to need Kyrie Irving in the way that I thought they would need him and the Warriors simply don't appear capable of answering the bell.

---Ben Parker: follow me on twitter @nba_lord 

Bear Territory Tuesday: A quick reaction to Cal's Pac-12 schedule windows

     On Monday, the Pac-12 schedule windows for the 2015-16 California Golden Bears men's basketball team were released.

Via CalBears.com:

As part of the conference’s 18-game schedule, each school will face seven league opponents twice and four opponents once throughout the regular season. Cal will not play UCLA and USC on the road and will not host Washington and Washington State at home during the 2015-16 league slate.

Home/Away Designations and Date WindowsDec. 30-Jan. 3: Colorado and Utah
Jan. 6-10: at Oregon and Oregon State
Jan. 13-17: at Stanford
Jan. 20-24: Arizona State and Arizona
Jan. 27-31: at Colorado and Utah
Feb. 3-7: Stanford
Feb. 10-14: Oregon and Oregon State
Feb. 17-21: at Washington and Washington State
Feb. 24-28: UCLA and USC
March 2-6: at Arizona and Arizona State

     What has not yet been decided is when exactly Cal will play each of these games, but we do know the order, the locations, and the amount of times they will play each team. At first glance, the first thing that jumps out at me are the dates with Arizona. Cal has developed a rivalry with Arizona as of late, ending their perfect season during the 2013-14 season and stealing Ivan Rabb away from them a couple of months ago. It is good to know that the Wildcats will be making a trip to Berkeley this upcoming season so that we can have another "Gold Out Haas".

     Secondly, it's nice to know that there won't be an L.A. road trip. Cal really got waxed in Southern California last season for reasons that I still don't understand. It was bizarre to see them struggle the way that they did, so I for one am happy that we will only be playing UCLA and USC at home.

     Third, I think it's very interesting that Cal will face Utah right out of the gate. Utah came out of nowhere to become a top 10 team last season and Cal is now trying to do the same thing this upcoming season. I think it'll be fascinating to see how Utah handles Cal surpassing them in terms of hype and expectations. Utah will want to send a message and Cal at the same time will want to prove that they belong and avenge the loss they had to Utah last season. In addition, while it'll be fun to also get a second crack at Utah on the road, the Colorado-Utah road trip will be a real test for Cal, especially after having just played Arizona at home.

     Lastly, what stands out to me is the fact that none of these games stand out to me! What I mean by that is that there is no Pac-12 opponent who Cal should fear. The Arizona games will be fun because of the recent history that Cal has with them and the fact that Cal should be able to go toe-to-toe with them all season. But as far as there begin an opponent who Cal should feel inferior to, there is none and that is amazing considering where this team was just 12 months ago.

---Ben Parker: follow me on twitter @nba_lord for NBA and Cal basketball news 

Daily Dunks: 6/8-6/14

                                                    (Credit: Andy Melton. Click here for source)

Here is my Daily Dunks page for June 8, 2015 through June 14, 2015. Throughout the week this page will be updated with all the latest news and scores from the NBA until a new Daily Dunks page is created for the following week.

Monday's NBA Daily Dunks: 

#1. LeBron James gave all his teammates brand new Apple Watches before the NBA Finals (Click here for details).

#2. The Knicks are interested in trading down for Murray State guard Cameron Payne (Click here for details).

#3. Allen Iverson says he wasn't drunk during his "practice" rant (Click here for details).

#4. LaMarcus Aldridge has been spotted in Boston (Click here for details).

#5. Report: It's a "long shot" that Kevin Love ends up in Boston (Click here for details).

#6. The NBA says Andre Iguodala fouled LeBron James at the end of Game 2. The NBA also says LeBron James traveled (Click here for details).

#7. Melvin Hunt will likely stay put in Denver and permanently take over as the Nuggets' head coach (Click here for details).

#8. The 76ers will unveil new uniforms on June 18 (Click here for details).

#9. D'Angelo Russell has worked out for the Lakers (Click here for details).

#10. Arnie Kander will no longer continue as the Pistons' physical therapist effective June 30 (Click here for details).

Tuesday's NBA Daily Dunks: 

#1. Maurice Cheeks has emerged as a candidate to join Billy Donovan's staff on the Thunder (Click here for details).

#2. Thunder point guard Russell Westbrook is on the cover of NBA Live 16 (Click here for details).

#3. Karl-Anthony Towns declined a private workout invite from the Lakers (Click here for details).

#4. The Mavericks are reportedly the front runner to sign LaMarcus Aldridge if he decides to leave Portland (Click here for details).

#5. Jazz center Rudy Gobert will work with Dirk Nowitzki's shooting coach this summer (Click here for details).

#6. At the moment, Flip Saunders plans to continue on as the Timberwolves' head coach. He is also the team's president of basketball operations (Click here for details).

#7. Trail Blazers assistant coach David Vanterpool has interviewed for the Nuggets' head coaching job (Click here for details).

#8. The Bucks plan to match whatever offer sheet Khris Middleton signs in free agency (Click here for details).

#9. Robert Horry criticized Charles Barkley's work ethic recently (Click here for details).

#10. Rick Pitino has inked an extension worth more than $60M with Louisville through 2026 (Click here for details).

Tuesday's NBA Finals Results: 

Cavaliers 96 Warriors 91: Final. Cavaliers lead the series 2-1. Cavaliers small forward LeBron James had 40 points, 12 rebounds, and 8 assists.

Tuesday's WNBA Results: 

Liberty 86 Fever 79. Shock 68 Storm 45. Liberty forward Tina Charles had 21 points.

Wednesday's NBA Daily Dunks: 

#1. Cavaliers guard Matthew Dellavedova was released from the hospital after experiencing dehydration and cramping. He will play in Game 4 (Click here for details).

#2. Cavaliers guard Iman Shumpert (shoulder) will play in Game 4 (Click here for details).

#3. Warriors forward Draymond Green (back spasms) also will play in Game 4 of the NBA Finals (Click here for details).

#4. Warriors point guard Stephen Curry thinks he has found a weakness in the Cavaliers (Click here for details).

#5. Suns president of basketball operations Lon Babby is stepping down from that role and moving to the role of senior advisor (Click here for details).

#6. Andrei Kirilenko says odds are "80 percent" he retires this summer (Click here for details).

#7. The NBA and Nike have agreed on an 8-year partnership which will commence in the 2017-18 season (Click here for details).

#8. Rockets center Dwight Howard is getting sued for not paying child support (Click here for details).

#9. Kings GM Pete D'Alessandro is leaving the organization to take a front office job with the Nuggets (Click here for details).

#10. The Celtics want to trade a couple of their later first round picks for a higher first round pick (Click here for details).

Thursday's NBA Daily Dunks: 

#1. The Bucks traded forward Ersan Illyasova to the Pistons for forwards Caron Butler and Shawne Williams (Click here for details).

#2. Former NBA coach Dick Motta has been honored with the Chuck Daly Lifetime Achievement Award (Click here for details).

#3. Report: There is "No doubt" the Timberwolves will draft Karl-Anthony Towns with the #1 overall pick (Click here for details).

#4. Frank Kaminsky will meet with the Knicks before the NBA Draft (Click here for details).

#5. Thabo Sefolosha have a court date set for next Tuesday in regards to their NYPD incident (Click here for details).

#6. Report: The Mavericks won't give Monta Ellis a raise if he opts out of his contract (Click here for details).

#7. Report: The Lakers want to take Jahlil Okafor with the #2 overall pick (Click here for details).

#8. The Spurs have given the Bulls permission to speak to Jim Boylen about their lead assistant coaching role (Click here for details).

#9. Pelicans shooting guard Eric Gordon plans to exercise his $15.5M player option for next season (Click here for details).

#10. The Warriors went with a small-ball lineup in Game 4 of the NBA Finals and it worked (Click here for details).

Thursday's NBA Finals Results: 

Warriors 103 Cavaliers 82: Final. Series is tied 2-2. Warriors small forward Andre Iguodala had 22 points and 8 rebounds.

Thursday's WNBA Results: 

Sun 67 Sky 65. Liberty 68 Mercury 57. Dream 72 Stars 69. Lynx 94 Storm 70.

Dream forward Angel McCoughtry had 21 points, 8 rebounds, and 4 steals.

Liberty forward Tina Charles had 19 points and 11 rebounds.

Lynx forward Tricia Liston had 15 points off the bench on 4-7 shooting from three.

Sun guard Alex Bentley had 16 points.

Friday's NBA Daily Dunks: 

#1. The Rockets will pick up forward Kostas Papanikolaou's $4.8M option (Click here for details).

#2. Caron Butler believes the Bucks will waive him (Click here for details).

#3. Pete D'Alessandro's new position with the Nuggets is Senior Vice President of Team and Business Operations (Click here for details).

#4. Some players on the Cavaliers think they need to deepen their rotation (Click here for details).

#5. Hawks strength and conditioning coach Jeff Watkinson is joining the Jazz as an assistant coach (Click here for details).

#6. The Bucks will target Tyson Chandler and Brook Lopez in free agency (Click here for details).

#7. Report: The Jazz will actively pursue Paul Millsap in free agency (Click here for details).

#8. Warriors center Andrew Bogut says LeBron James jumped into the camera man whose camera cut LeBron James' head (Click here for details).

#9. Stephen Curry's wife has some fun with Cavaliers fans, saying they aren't loud enough (Click here for details).

#10. Robert Horry says he left the Lakers "with so much hatred for that team" (Click here for details).

Friday's WNBA Final Scores: 

Dream 64 Mystics 61. Fever 77 Mercury 74. Dream forward Angel McCoughtry had 21 points and 6 rebounds. Fever forward Tamika Catchings had 27 points and 13 rebounds.

Saturday's NBA Daily Dunks: 

#1. Hornets owner Michael Jordan says he wants to win a title as an owner (Click here for details).

#2. Wisconsin center Frank Kaminsky and other players will workout for the Pacers on Sunday (Click here for details).

#3. The Clippers hope to acquire a draft pick (Click here for details).

#4. Texas power forward Jonathan Holmes is canceling workouts with some teams (Click here for details).

#5. Report: The 76ers won't let Karl-Anthony Towns, Jahlil Okafor, or D'Angelo Russell fall to the Knicks (Click here for details).

#6. The Lakers may draft Latvian center Kristaps Porzingis at #2 overall (Click here for details).

#7. Spurs assistant coach Jim Boylen is joining the Bulls as an associate head coach (Click here for details).

#8. Hornets center Al Jefferson exercised his player option and will return to the team next season (Click here for details).

#9. Michael Jordan says he is sure he can beat any of the Hornets players in one-on-one (Click here for details).

#10. J.R. Smith's brother Chris Smith is exploring several summer league options (Click here for details).

Sunday's NBA Daily Dunks: 

#1. 76ers center Joel Embiid's injured left foot is experiencing some setbacks (Click here for details).

#2. Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak says Kobe Bryant won't factor into who they draft at #2 overall (Click here for details).

#3. Bulls assistant coach Adrian Griffin will likely join Scott Skiles' staff on the Magic (Click here for details).

#4. LeBron James wants the NBAPA to address the position of cameramen after his fall in Game 4 (Click here for details).

#5. Trevor Mbakwe will join the Trail Blazers for summer league (Click here for details).

#6. Jerome Hill has withdrawn from the 2015 NBA Draft (Click here for details).

#7. Cavaliers small forward LeBron James on wining the NBA Finals: "I feel confident, because I'm the best player in the world." (Click here for source).

#8. LeBron James on losing in Game 5: "It was just one game, and we have the opportunity on Tuesday to force a Game 7". (Click here for source).

#9. Cavaliers head coach David Blatt on limiting Timofey Mozgov's minutes in Game 5: "It was the way we needed to play tonight to give ourselves a chance to win." (Click here for source).

#10. NBA commissioner Adam Silver does not expect a lockout in 2017 (Click here for details).

Sunday's NBA Finals Results: 
Warriors 104 Cavaliers 91. Warriors lead the series 3-2. Warriors point guard Stephen Curry had 37 points, 7 rebounds, and 4 assists. Cavaliers small forward LeBron James had 40 points, 14 rebounds, and 11 assists.
Sunday's WNBA Scores: 
Mystics 74 Liberty 59. Storm 60 Sparks 54. Shock 73 Stars 62. Mercury 81 Lynx 66. Sun 82. Dream 64. Sky 98 Fever 72. Sky forward Elena Delle Donne had 24 points and 9 rebounds.



---Ben Parker: follow me on twitter @nba_lord for NBA news 

2015 NBA Finals Preview: Golden State Warriors vs. Cleveland Cavaliers

     The Golden State Warriors and Cleveland Cavaliers are the last two teams standing in the NBA playoffs after dominating their respective conferences. The Warriors only lost three games during the first three rounds of the NBA playoffs and the Cavaliers only lost twice. The combined playoff record of these two teams (24-5) is the best of any two teams meeting in the NBA Finals since 1991.
   
     But while both teams have been really dominant up to this point, the Warriors are still heavily favored by many to win the title due to the competition they faced in the Western Conference, their depth, and the fact that they have Stephen Curry, the NBA's MVP. The Warriors' 67-15 regular season record alone is impressive, but when you consider that they finished with that record against a really competitive Western Conference, it seems insane and almost unbelievable.

     The Warriors have achieved this level of success due to more than just hitting three-point shots. They've defended well all season and gotten good production from their role players as well as their starters. Beating the Warriors isn't as simple as preventing Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson from going off, which in and of itself is no easy task. Beating the Warriors involves scoring the basketball to prevent them from getting out in transition, playing good defense on the perimeter, and withstanding inevitable runs that the Warriors are sure to go on.

     The Warriors have it all. They have great perimeter shooting courtesy of Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson; they have great defense on the perimeter courtesy of Andre Iguodala, Harrison Barnes, and Draymond Green; they have great post defense and rebounding courtesy of Andrew Bogut and Festus Ezeli; and they move the ball really well. There is nothing that they can't do and what's scary is that they are really confident and fearless.

     As for the Cavaliers, they have achieved their success due to having LeBron James, who is the best basketball player in the world. With the body frame of Karl Malone and the skills of John Stockton, LeBron James is the ultimate basketball player. All the things the Warriors do as a team can be done by LeBron James. He can score the ball from anywhere on the floor, pass the ball, rebound the ball, and defend both in the post and on the perimeter. He is so versatile that he can play all five positions on the floors with ease. It's simply amazing to witness.

     In addition to having King James, the Cavaliers also have Kyrie Irving, who is one the league's best point guards. Irving has been dealing with some knee tendinitis and a foot problem that is expected to require surgery at the end of the season. He isn't too healthy at the moment, but thankfully for the Cavaliers, he has gotten more than a week off to rest up. Assuming he is able to be decently productive, he'll be a key weapon to help LeBron James win Cleveland its first NBA championship.

     In addition to Kyrie Irving, LeBron James has some great role players around him in J.R. Smith, Iman Shumpert, Matthew Dellavedova, Timofey Mozgov, and Tristan Thompson. Smith and Dellavedova are both fantastic perimeter shooters and Shumpert is a fantastic perimeter defender. As for Mozgov and Thompson, both of those guys can really do damage in the paint, especially Thompson, who routinely grabs more than 10 rebounds in a game to go along with a block or two. Thompson is a player who can control the paint and prevent teams from having an easy time scoring inside.

     With the strengths of these two teams outlined, here are some of their weaknesses. The biggest weakness for the Warriors is probably the fact that the game comes too easy for them and they sometimes get careless with the basketball. Getting careless with the basketball includes taking bad shots as well as making errant passes. The Warriors sometimes just give away possessions because they are accustomed to having all their shots go in and having everything go their way.

     In addition, the Warriors still live by the three and die by the three. I don't care how many times people tell you that the Warriors are a defensive team; they are a team that relies on making three-point shots. They averaged 27.0 three-point shot attempts per game in the regular season, which was fourth among all teams in the NBA and in the playoffs, they averaged 30.3 three-point shot attempts per game, more than any other playoff team. So yeah, when somebody tries to sound more smart and intelligent than you by saying that the Warriors aren't a three-point shooting team, run these numbers by them and see what they say.

     If the Warriors are making threes, there isn't much anybody can do. But if they aren't, they suddenly become very vulnerable. The Warriors in truth are a three-point shooting team that plays really good defense and gets out in transition. But when they are forced to play a half court set, they have a much harder time making perimeter shots and that is when they can go cold.

     If there is anything the Cavaliers should try to focus on, it's forcing the Warriors to play in the half court a lot. If the Cavaliers can make shots and thus prevent the Warriors from getting out in transition, they should like their chances of winning because they have some great perimeter defenders in LeBron James and Iman Shumpert.

     As for the Cavaliers, their biggest weakness is that they rely heavily on LeBron James. While it is true that Iman Shumpert, J.R. Smith, and others have been very good for them, those players all feed off of LeBron James in ways that other Warriors players don't necessarily feed off of Stephen Curry. Don't get me wrong, the Warriors' offense totally runs through Stephen Curry and he is crucial to getting others on his team going. But thankfully for Curry, he has better players around him who aren't as reliant on him creating for them.

     As for LeBron James, whether or not the players around him play well largely depends on how he plays and how he leads. The reason why J.R. Smith and Iman Shumpert have had a renaissance in Cleveland is because they have a new sense of confidence playing alongside LeBron James. When LeBron James is building you up, you have to feel confident that you can do anything on a basketball court that is asked of you.

     While it is a strength of LeBron James that he is able to build up his teammates like this, it is a weakness in the team that they are so reliant on one player to run the show. In addition, the Cavaliers have had some injuries. I mentioned Kyrie Irving, but Kevin Love is also out for the series as is Anderson Varejao, two guys who the Cavaliers would love to have playing in the paint. The Cavaliers aren't as healthy as the Warriors are at the moment which is definitely a weakness that they also need to overcome.

     When it comes to picking a winner, I am picking the Cavaliers to win the NBA Finals in six games even though I come from the Bay Area and have grown up watching the Warriors. My job as an NBA blogger and analyst isn't to make predictions based on any sort of hometown bias. It is to make predictions based on what I have observed and what I think the data presented before me indicates.

     When I look at both of these teams and consider how things have transpired in the NBA playoffs up until this point, I have to pick the Cavaliers. The reason I'm picking the Cavaliers has a lot to do with the fact that I believe LeBron James has what it takes to take-over this series and dominate in ways that Stephen Curry cannot. As I stated earlier, LeBron James can do it all and I expect him to do it all when his team needs him to in this series.

      In addition, I also think LeBron's supporting cast is underrated. He has great three point shooters around him, guys who can defend on the perimeter, and guys in the post who can control the paint. Lastly, I think the Warriors are a lot more vulnerable than people realize. They were given a good scare by the Memphis Grizzlies and didn't exactly blow the Rockets off the floor despite winning the series in five games. The Grizzlies outlined the blueprint to beat the Warriors and I think the Cavaliers have what it takes to carry out that blueprint in the way that the Grizzlies intended to.

      If you want to beat the Warriors, you need to do three things: Make shots to stop them from getting in transition, control the paint, and play sound defense on the perimeter. I'm confident that the Cavaliers will do all three of those things well enough to win the series and it largely will be because of LeBron James, the best basketball player in the world.

(Note: The NBA Finals starts Thursday at 9:00 PM ET on ABC)

---Ben Parker: follow me on twitter @nba_lord and like my NBA Facebook page NBA Lord Nation