Ask away one simple question and the response will garner a very distinct answer – would one rather watch five games of a Los Angeles Sparks-Minnesota Lynx WNBA Finals or seven games of a Golden State Warriors-Cleveland Cavaliers NBA Finals.
The response is very succinct in the sense to go with the former. Not meant as any disrespect to LeBron James, Stephen Curry, or Kevin Durant, but there simply is something unique about Sparks-Lynx that simply is not there with the Cavs and Dubs.
For those that know, on the NBA side, the 2018 NBA Finals will once again feature the Warriors and Cavaliers. After months and months and months of speculation among pundits that this year would be different, it turns out we are getting Part IV of Golden State and Cleveland.
Not that there probably will not be intriguing storylines of that Finals. After all, it is how the NBA was in the 1980s with the Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers seemingly always in position to face each other to win championships. It added on to the rivalry between Larry Bird and Magic Johnson.
But there is added sizzle and spice on the WNBA side to the Sparks-Lynx rivalry than there is with the Warriors and Cavs.
Firstly – did anyone see the #WNBAAllDay contest between the two teams? If ratings and attendance were any indication, lots of people did and they were treated to another unforgettable game between the two teams that are, right now, the class of the W.
Sparks-Lynx has developed into a full blown rivalry that has this generation of WNBA fans constantly debating which team is better. Rivalries also need some bad blood, and Candace Parker had no problems providing said bad blood when she ripped the WNBA a new one for scheduling Lynx vs. Sparks for #WNBAAllDay.
Her premise – that the NBA would not schedule Cleveland vs. Golden State in Cleveland for its opening tip-off so the Cavs could see KD, Steph, and co. get their rings and have another banner raised to the rafters of Oracle Arena in their honor.
The result – the Chelsea Gray game-winning shot at the buzzer which pushed Los Angeles to victory over Minnesota. The Lynx were visibly frustrated about losing to the Sparks in front of their home fans in their return to Target Center, so they have followed up that with a blowout at home over the Dallas Wings and a close win on the road at the New York Liberty.
That bad blood spilled onto the court at many moments during the game. Minnesota and Los Angeles know there is a good chance they will meet up in the WNBA Finals again this season, and that competitive fire to be the W’s best has morphed into a rivalry which is oozing with bad blood.
Also, if we do get Part III of Sparks-Lynx, it is almost certain that series will once again go five as the last two WNBA Finals have. The two teams are that evenly matched, they have lots of veteran talent, and two coaches in Brian Agler and Cheryl Reeve who know each other’s teams like the back of their hands.
With Warriors and Cavs that is not a guarantee. After all, last year’s NBA Finals only went five. Also, a lot of what made Cavs-Warriors a must-see Finals is gone now because LeBron James crossed off the one item on his career wish list that was missing – a championship in Cleveland.
He and his Cavaliers won that title in 2016 after coming from behind down in that series 3 games to 1 after a regular season where Golden State won 73 games.
Also – is this year’s Warriors-Cavaliers NBA Finals really Dubs-Cavs? Or is it simply the Golden State Warriors taking on LeBron James, Kevin Love, and the rest of a Cleveland roster that looks like – at times – like a G-League franchise?
With all of the roster cuts that were made in the WNBA just prior to the season tipping off two weeks ago, much of the conversation pertained to should the WNBA have its own G-League and should there be more teams. If the WNBA had its own G-League, one probably will not see anyone from the Sparks or Lynx in that G-League because both teams exude world-class talent.
It is ironic that both the WNBA and NBA are at points in their respective histories where there appear to be two superteams prevailing over the rest of the field. But while there is now collective shrugging at the thought of another Dubs-Cavs NBA Finals, the Sparks-Lynx rivalry on the W has us saying what Terrell Owens said best…
Getcha’ popcorn ready.
By: Akiem Bailum (@AkiemBailum on Twitter, Instagram)
