Love remains in the protocol ahead of the NBA Finals, with no word as to when he will be cleared. Cleveland has reason to be cautious with Love, given his history of concussions. But any chance Cleveland has to win rests on the Cavaliers' ability to keep up with Golden State's scoring. To do that, Cleveland needs Love healthy and playing well. His status will be closely monitored by everyone leading up to Game 1 and beyond.
2. When will Andre Iguodala be available?
The Warriors looked like a completely different team without Iguodala for the final four games of the Western Conference finals, as he sat out with a bone bruise in his knee. This was mocked by some, but Iguodala is a smart, savvy player who fits perfectly with the team's four All-Stars to form one of the greatest lineups ever.
Without him, the Warriors struggled to find a usable fifth player and barely survived Houston - and then only thanks to some individual brilliance by their stars, as well as the Rockets missing a stunning 27 3s in a row, and 29 of their final 30.
Iguodala's status remains up in the air, and it seems unlikely he'll play in the first couple games of the NBA Finals. It should be noted, as NBA.com's John Schuhmann pointed out, that Golden State was plus-60 in 141 minutes Iguodala played against the Cavaliers in last year's Finals. In the 99 minutes he sat? The Cavaliers were plus-26.
3. Which version of George Hill will show up?
Hill's up-and-down play during the playoffs has become a microcosm for what has led to Cleveland's wild swings in the postseason. The Cavaliers look like a great team when Hill is engaged, as he's the only quality two-way player on the roster besides James.
When he's not? The Cavaliers look like a lottery team, despite James's brilliance. Without Hill serving as an effective shot creator and floor spacer, there is an even bigger burden placed on James - as well as players like Jordan Clarkson getting far more of the ball than they should.
Simply put, Cleveland needs the good version of Hill to have any hope of making this a series.
4. Which version of the Warriors will show up?
Even with Iguodala sidelined, Golden State has a preponderance of talent. That's especially true if Love remains out.
This puts the Warriors in a familiar position. How have they usually responded? By seeming not to care about the game in which they are playing, regardless of the opponent or the time of year. That's why Golden State had bafflingly bad performances in the first halves of both Games 6 and 7 of the Western Conference finals - with only their talent allowing them to escape in the end.
Will that carry over to the NBA Finals, giving James and Cleveland a chance? Or will this finally be the time Golden State puts the hammer down and takes care of business?
5. Can Cleveland make enough 3s to keep this competitive?
For all of its flaws, Cleveland can generally be governed by one thing: If the Cavaliers are making 3s, they have a chance to be competitive. If they aren't, they don't.
That will be especially true in this series against Golden State's firepower. J.R. Smith, Kyle Korver, Jeff Green, Hill and Love will all have to be burying shots for Cleveland to keep up.
If they don't, the Cavaliers will be heading home quickly.
