For a fourth consecutive year the Cleveland Cavaliers and Golden State Warriors will go head-to-head in the NBA Finals.

Game 1 goes tonight at 8:30pm ET and can been seen across the TSN Network and TSN GO. 

Here are some interesting stats and numbers you need to know for the epic clash. Stats are courtsey of TSN's Kevin Gibson. 

 

 

Making History

The Cavs and Warriors will make history in the four major North America sports (NBA, NHL, NFL, MLB) by becoming the first teams to meet in the championship series for a fourth straight year. 

2015-18 (4) - Warriors vs. Cavaliers (NBA)
1954-56 (3) - Canadiens vs. Red Wings (NHL)
1952-54 (3) - Lions vs. Browns (NFL)
1921-23 (3) - Giants vs. Yankees (MLB)

Furthermore, Golden State are the second biggest NBA Finals favourites (-1000) over the past 30 years. 

 

Major Favourites

Year  Favourite  Opponent Odds
2001 Lakers 76ers -2000
2018 Warriors Cavaliers  -1000
1996 Bulls  Sonics -950
2000 Lakers Pacers -800
1999 Spurs Knicks -800
2002 Lakers Nets -750

Bold = Winner 

 

The King

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For the eighth straight year and the ninth time overall, LeBron James will play in the NBA Finals. He will become the sixth player in the NBA history to accomplish the feat as the other five were members of Boston Celtics dynasty during the Bill Russell era in the 1960s.

Despite being the Finals so often, James holds a 3-5 record and has been the underdog in terms of betting odds in seven of nine appearances in the championship series. The 33-year-old has scored 612 points over the first three rounds of playoff action this spring, the most any player has accumulated before the NBA Finals. 

LeBron James (2018) - 612
Hakeem Olajuwon (1995) - 594
Michael Jordan (1989) - 591
Michael Jordan (1990) - 587
Kevin Durant (2014) - 563

By averaging at least 30 points in each series this postseason, James is now the third player to reach the impressive mark since the playoffs expanded to 16 playoffs teams in 1984, according to Elias Sports Bureau. James joins Allen Iverson (2001) and Michael Jordan, who did it for the Bulls in back-to-back seasons in 1992 and 1993. 

More LeBron Numbers

55.4 - The amount of points James has either scored or assisted on per game in this playoff run, the most in his 15-year career entering the NBA Finals. He second most was last season with 50.5.

1,798 - The amount of touches this postseason for LeBron which is the most for any player, according to Second Spectrum. 

34 - The Akron native is averaging 34 points this playoffs which ties him with Jordan (1992) for the highest point average entering the NBA Finals over the past 50 years. Jerry West holds the all-time record by averaging 46.3 points in 1965, according to Elias Sports Bureau. 

Game 1 - James has failed to score 30 points in any of the Game 1s this postseason and has also shot under 50 per cent each time. He has averaged 26.3 points per game in Game 1s over his entire career. In the NBA Finals, James has averaged 25.8 points over eight Game 1s on 45 per cent shooting. He's averaged 28.1 points in Games 2 through 7 in his NBA Finals career. 

101 - Thursday's game will be the 101st for James this season, surpassing the 2010-11 season for most games the future hall of famer has played in a single campaign. 

Warriors' Odds and Ends

- Warriors are 14-1 in Game 1s over the past four campaigns.

- Despite numerous accomplishments in his career, point guard Stephen Curry has yet to win a NBA Finals MVP. If he misses out again this year, he'll become the first player to win multiple regular season MVP awards and make four trips to the NBA Finals without winning any Finals MVPs.

- Curry has shot 43 per cent over his career in the Finals, the lowest out of any playoff series. 

- Kevin Durant can become the first player in NBA history to win the NBA Finals MVP in each of his first two seasons with a team. He can also become the sixth player to win back-to-back Finals MVPs, joining James, Kobe Bryant, Shaquille O'Neal, Jordan and 
Hakeem Olajuwon.

- According to Second Spectrum, over the past three NBA Finals, Warriors veteran Andre Iguodala has matched up defensively with James 673 times. The second most is Harrison Barnes, who now plays with the Dallas Mavericks, at 184. Iguodala will not play Game 1 and is questionable for the rest of the series with a leg injury. 

- The third quarter has been the best quarter for the Warriors by far this postseason. 

First Quarter - +1
Second Quarter - +9
Third Quarter - +130
Fourth Quarter - +10