For the first time in NBA history, the Golden State Warriors and Cleveland Cavaliers will meet in the Finals for the fourth consecutive season.

Both teams were taken to the brink of elimination as they trailed their respective conference finals series 3-2 but managed to each secure back-to-back wins to advance yet again.

They faced a much stiffer test this time around compared to last year where they were a combined 24-1 en route to the Finals.

It's no surprise that the Warriors have once again made it this far but there was certainly some doubt about Cleveland's chances of joining them once more.

They endured a season filled with turmoil which saw them overhaul their roster at the trade deadline by offloading six players and acquiring four.

They face two Game 7's along the way as they were involved in a gruelling first-round series with the Indiana Pacers and a difficult Eastern Conference Finals against the Boston Celtics.

Thanks to the brilliance of LeBron James, they managed to survive every test and the world's best player is now gearing up for his eighth straight Finals appearance.

But the Cavs' chances of winning their second title are extremely slim as the Dubs are the heavy favourites to repeat.

Underdogs

Many believe that the Cavaliers will struggle to even win one game and that includes ESPN and ABC analyst, Jeff Van Gundy.

"Any game they get in these Finals would be a huge upset to me," Van Gundy said on a media conference call with reporters on Tuesday.

LeBron hasn't been swept in the playoffs since 2007 when Cleveland was beaten comprehensively in the Finals by the San Antonio Spurs.

But despite the possibility of going 3-6 on the NBA's biggest stage, Van Gundy doesn't think it'll diminish the King's achievements as he still believes he's on course for the best career in league history.

"I think LeBron James is on his way to carving out the best career ever in the NBA," he said. "I think right now, in terms of who had the best career, it's Kareem Abdul-Jabbar."

If the four-time MVP manages to pull out a miracle and will his team past the star-studded Warriors, it'll evoke comparisons to Michael Jordan once again and stir up the old debate of who the greatest player of all time is.

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