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Robert Flom: Warriors in 6. It is tempting to pick Warriors in 5, but LeBron and his team are good enough to pick up a couple wins. However, Golden State is an awful match-up for the Cavs: their big men aren't good enough to dominate the glass if they go big, their 2nd and 3rd best players are minuses defensively, and they are relying on JR Smith. I think the Warriors play Kyrie and Love off the floor, and this reverts back to a finals similar to last year, with a comparable result.
Lucas aka the Chief: Warriors in 6.
Taylor Smith: Warriors in 7. I would love for the Cavs to win this series, but I don't think this matchup works in their favor. LeBron serves as a panacea to an extent, but I expect the Warriors to try and endlessly exploit both Kevin Love and Kyrie Irving defensively. Cleveland being rested may help them initially, but I think the Warriors have too much firepower and too smart a coaching staff to lose this series.
Erik Olsgaard: The Warriors in 6. Although the Thunder exposed two chinks in the Warriors' armor--the well-known offensive rebounding issue and the lesser known shutting down Draymond to ruin their offensive flow issue--I don't think Cleveland realizes it, and they put LeBron on Curry or Thompson. Also, Cleveland hasn't faced Western Conference defense yet, and they are in for a rude awakening if they think they'll keep getting all those open looks.
Thomas Wood: Warriors in 6. Because I hate them and the NBA lives to make me feel pain and crushing disappointment.
Kenneth Armstrong: Cavs in 7: If the Cleveland bigs get switched onto Curry and Thompson too often, I will be wrong. But I don't imagine Klay can save the Warriors against a more poised LeBron led team. Love must outplay Green, Barnes, or Bogut - and I think he will.
Matt Heller: Dubs in 5. The lesson from the OKC series--you can make Golden State look mortal if your bigs are hyper-athletic Space Jam monsters. Unfortunately that doesn't describe the Cavs' frontcourt.
Rohan Ramnarain: If we learned anything, it's to try and avoid speaking in total absolutes. No one is UNSTOPPABLE, there isn't always NOTHING YOU CAN DO ABOUT IT. That kind of thinking went out the window as the 73 win team got blown out on the road and had to start scapegoating injuries. None of that this time. You'll see a Cavs team break history in six games, because LeBron is the second greatest player of all time.
Boltsfan21: Cavs in 6. Because no matter what I really think, I'm not yet ready to face the depressing prospect of Draymond and Bogut winning back-to-back titles and wresting the mantle of greatest team ever from Jordan's Bulls.
Niels Pineda: Man, I guess denial isn't only a river in Africa? If the Warriors were playing like they did prior to Game 5, I would have said Cavs in 6. But now, they are back at it just killing the game. I hate it, but I also don't like being wrong, so I'll say what I'm sure a lot of people are: Dubs in 6.
Shapan Debnath: LeBron is still the best player in basketball, and the Cavs are healthy this time around. But whatever Kyrie/Love bring on offense, they take away on defense. And after OKC, the Warriors will be relieved to be facing that defense. Warriors in 6.
Caden Kinard: Warriors in 7. Opposed to the Thunder v. Warriors series, where whichever team had the best player won, this series between the Cavaliers and Warriors comes down to the third best players on each team, Draymond Green and Kevin Love. Both players are constantly tormented by the media and fans, and whichever player throws up their arms in frustration and complains to the refs more, loses the series and faces an offseason of scrutiny. Green is faster, stronger, a smarter basketball player and only gives up one inch on his standing reach compared to Love. Cavs only chance happens if Love morphs into the shooter David Blatt always wanted him to be.
Jonathan Hu: Cavs in 7. Draymond gets suspended (finally) for at least 1 game in this series for his style of play, Cavs shoot well from 3.
Jul Jessup: I look forward to finally seeing what we should've seen last year--a healthy Finals matchup between these two teams. This year, the Cavs should have a chip on their shoulder because they have a lot to prove, IMO--but whatever LBJ & Co. bring, I don't think it'll be enough to stop the Warriors. As is the case with all evil, the Dubs have only become stronger. Turns out, being on the brink of elimination against OKC has done them more good than I hoped it would. Warriors in 5. :(
Adithya: The NBA: Game 7 of Warriors-Thunder got record ratings for an NBA game on cable. Last year's Finals got an 11.6 rating, the highest since 2001. With a rematch of that series, we're almost guaranteed for the best ratings since Jordan. It's a great time to be an NBA fan (or to be joining the league's legal department).
Ten of us picked the Warriors, four picked the Cavaliers, and one completely copped out (glares at Adithya). Now that the staff has had their say, who do you think will win?