Thankfully, LeBron even telling his stans to gtfoh with this "betting odds" trash
LeBron James: Odds mean little heading into Finals matchup vs. Warriors
play
LeBron James tells reporters he's not paying attention to the Warriors being favored to win the NBA title over the Cavaliers and says Cleveland is better built to win a championship this season than last season. (0:41)
INDEPENDENCE, Ohio -- It didn't take long after the Golden State Warriors beat the Oklahoma City Thunder in the Western Conference finals for various sports books to dub the Warriors the significant title favorites over the Cleveland Cavaliers in the NBA Finals.
Dave McMenaminESPN Staff Writer
Close
- Cavs and NBA writer for ESPN.com
- Covered the Lakers and NBA for ESPNLosAngeles.com from 2009-14 and the NBA for NBA.com from 2005-09
- Syracuse University graduate
According to the Westgate Las Vegas SuperBook, Golden State is a 5.5-point favorite to win Thursday's Game 1 (9 p.m. ET, ABC) and approximately a 2-to-1 favorite to capture the championship.
The odds mean little to LeBron James, however.
"Not my concern," James said Tuesday, speaking to the media for the first time since the Cavs' Finals rematch with Golden State was set. "I don't get involved in all of that -- underdog, overdog, whatever the case may be. It's stupidity."
James was confident in the Cavs' chances compared to last June when Cleveland lost Games 4, 5 and 6 and the series after being up 2-1, but he framed that confidence as nothing that warrants special attention.
"We're better built to start the Finals than we were last year," James said. "Doesn't matter who it's against. I mean, that's not a headline. It's obvious."
Instead of getting home-court advantage in the Finals, which they would have had if the Thunder had won, the Cavs will fly to California on Tuesday for the start of the series later this week against the team with the greatest regular season-record in league history (73-9).
"It didn't matter," James said. "Like Coach [Tyronn] Lue said, we're just waiting on the winner. We're fortunate to be here and we look forward to the challenge. It's an unbelievable team that we're going against. Hats off."
Kevin [Love] and Kyrie [Irving] are both healthy, the addition of Channing Frye, we're a completely different team than we were last year."
And based on Irving's response when asked about the Warriors' 34-point drubbing of his team in Cleveland on Jan. 22, the Cavs believe they are a completely different team than they were several months ago, too.
"In January?" Irving said Tuesday. "I don't remember it."
Irving said that the memory of going out with a fractured kneecap in Game 1 of last year's Finals isn't giving him any extra motivation for him this time around.
"No, the Finals are the Finals," Irving said. "Just happy that we're back here again."
James was similarly pleased to be back with a roster that is fully intact, calling it the "biggest difference for our team."
"We have another year under our belt and more chemistry, but health-wise, you know we're healthy and we're excited about the opportunity," James said.
The anticipation was palpable for a team that's waited 12 months and a city that's waited 52 years to have a chance to be crowned champions.
"I think everyone here -- everyone in the world -- knows this is what the game wanted to see," Irving said. "No. 1 and No. 1 in the Eastern Conference and Western Conference, respectively. This is what it's about, right here: top-level basketball, a lot of great players on one court at one time and two great teams just competing."
LeBron: These Cavs 'better built' for Warriors
Even LeBron called it stupidity
Get sonned by your idol brehs
Im not crusading against LeBron....I like LeBron and think at worst he's #2 in the L.
Im crusading against the people who are bringing up all sorts of excuses for him before any excuses are even needed
Preemptive excuses?
LeBron has to win a ring. If he loses, oh well...he can still get back there next year & his stans are gonna have to deal with all theing that will be going on like every other Stanbase has.
If he wins,and it's gonna look great on his resume beating the GOAT regular season team with the MVP, DPOY, and COY on the sideline
is there a difference between a reason and an excuse?
LeBron fans never listen to LeBron. It's weirdThankfully, LeBron even telling his stans to gtfoh with this "betting odds" trash
LeBron James: Odds mean little heading into Finals matchup vs. Warriors
play
LeBron James tells reporters he's not paying attention to the Warriors being favored to win the NBA title over the Cavaliers and says Cleveland is better built to win a championship this season than last season. (0:41)
INDEPENDENCE, Ohio -- It didn't take long after the Golden State Warriors beat the Oklahoma City Thunder in the Western Conference finals for various sports books to dub the Warriors the significant title favorites over the Cleveland Cavaliers in the NBA Finals.
Dave McMenaminESPN Staff Writer
Close
- Cavs and NBA writer for ESPN.com
- Covered the Lakers and NBA for ESPNLosAngeles.com from 2009-14 and the NBA for NBA.com from 2005-09
- Syracuse University graduate
According to the Westgate Las Vegas SuperBook, Golden State is a 5.5-point favorite to win Thursday's Game 1 (9 p.m. ET, ABC) and approximately a 2-to-1 favorite to capture the championship.
The odds mean little to LeBron James, however.
"Not my concern," James said Tuesday, speaking to the media for the first time since the Cavs' Finals rematch with Golden State was set. "I don't get involved in all of that -- underdog, overdog, whatever the case may be. It's stupidity."
James was confident in the Cavs' chances compared to last June when Cleveland lost Games 4, 5 and 6 and the series after being up 2-1, but he framed that confidence as nothing that warrants special attention.
"We're better built to start the Finals than we were last year," James said. "Doesn't matter who it's against. I mean, that's not a headline. It's obvious."
Instead of getting home-court advantage in the Finals, which they would have had if the Thunder had won, the Cavs will fly to California on Tuesday for the start of the series later this week against the team with the greatest regular season-record in league history (73-9).
"It didn't matter," James said. "Like Coach [Tyronn] Lue said, we're just waiting on the winner. We're fortunate to be here and we look forward to the challenge. It's an unbelievable team that we're going against. Hats off."
Kevin [Love] and Kyrie [Irving] are both healthy, the addition of Channing Frye, we're a completely different team than we were last year."
And based on Irving's response when asked about the Warriors' 34-point drubbing of his team in Cleveland on Jan. 22, the Cavs believe they are a completely different team than they were several months ago, too.
"In January?" Irving said Tuesday. "I don't remember it."
Irving said that the memory of going out with a fractured kneecap in Game 1 of last year's Finals isn't giving him any extra motivation for him this time around.
"No, the Finals are the Finals," Irving said. "Just happy that we're back here again."
James was similarly pleased to be back with a roster that is fully intact, calling it the "biggest difference for our team."
"We have another year under our belt and more chemistry, but health-wise, you know we're healthy and we're excited about the opportunity," James said.
The anticipation was palpable for a team that's waited 12 months and a city that's waited 52 years to have a chance to be crowned champions.
"I think everyone here -- everyone in the world -- knows this is what the game wanted to see," Irving said. "No. 1 and No. 1 in the Eastern Conference and Western Conference, respectively. This is what it's about, right here: top-level basketball, a lot of great players on one court at one time and two great teams just competing."
LeBron: These Cavs 'better built' for Warriors
Even LeBron called it stupidity
Get sonned by your idol brehs
Everybody talks shyt about how the Cavs are going to lose and have no chance, and then if they lose they're going to shyt on LeBron about how he's 2 of 7 and should have won a title.
Bron can't be an underdog on this site. Especially to Kobe fans in here. I'm talking to you @Newzz. You carrying on in here is a repeat conversation. I bet you're purposely favoring the Cavs again so you can go on your Bron failed angle when they likely will fall short.
I wrote this on my FB two days ago.
Its all one big set up so they can say Bron fell short again in a series where they KNOW the team he happens to play on aren't the favorites.
It's all an excuse for them to say he underperformed.
Dudes in here are lames
You need permission from pops?I been done sonning you breh....my OG @SkiHatDaGawd don't like me beefing with lames. Sorry
You just compared a boxing match vs a best out of 7 games team sport.
