With the NBA season tipping off in T-minus five days and counting, the speculations and the predictions have already began. 

Can the Golden State Warriors repeat ? Will Lebron ever bring home a ring to Cleveland and will Tim Duncan, Manu Ginóbili and Tony Parker ever retire?

The Cleveland Cavaliers are the odds-on favourites to take home the NBA title next season, according to odds listed by the Westgate Las Vegas SuperBook.

The Eastern Conference champions fell short of bagging the 2015 Larry O’Brien trophy against the Golden State Warriors last season. After losing key starters Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love to injuries, the job was left for LeBron James to finish. Ultimately, Stephen Curry and the GSW crew took over the series, winning the championship in six games.

Now fast forward to a brand new season, with a healthier Irving and I’m guessing a more focused Kevin Love (after inking a five year, 110 million dollar contract). It now seems that he aims to “fit in” to the Cavs’ long term future. Additionally, with the re-signing of Iman Shumpert, J.R. Smith and Matthew Dellavedova along with their new veteran additions Mo Williams and Richard Jefferson the Cavs look poised to take it all this season. 

If we were to go by what history has taught us over the past five years then LeBron should in fact be taking home the spoils to Cleveland in the second season of the Cavs ‘big three’ era. This being similar to what happened while Bron was in Miami. After losing to the Dallas Mavericks in 2011, they came back to win two straight rings. 

The question now is, will history repeat itself? ABSOLUTELY NOT!

LeBron James had an anti-inflammatory injection in his back last week, Cavaliers general manager David Griffin told ESPN.com, and it could keep him out for the remainder of the preseason.

James has been dealing with a sore back (maybe from single handedly carrying his Cavs during the NBA Finals) , but the injection was mostly performed out of caution and to take advantage of the downtime before the start of the season.

The concern is not, was not and will never be Lebron’s readiness but will forever be that of his supporting cast. The spotlight will mainly being on Kevin Love and the others – can they step up the plate? Can the role players even find their roles? 

The chemistry of the Golden State Warriors and The San Antonio Spurs teams far surpasses that of the Cavs and that is why they will never win unless everybody finds themselves on the same page. 

It’s pretty simple: Lebron’s ego/greatness (whichever side you take), Kyrie’s raw talent, K. Love’s emotions, David Blatt’s coaching philosophy and the role players and their many roles MUST meet on the same page or at least in the same book if the Larry O’Brien Trophy will ever find itself a new home in Cleveland.