The seemingly overmatched Cleveland Cavaliers are about to take on the Golden State Warriors in the N.B.A. finals. You aren’t experiencing déjà vu. You’re not stuck in an inescapable time loop. They’re really running it back again, for the fourth season in a row. Even Professor Moriarty and Sherlock Holmes didn’t face off as much.
But the cast of characters is very different on Cleveland’s side. LeBron is still LeBron — perhaps even better than before. But instead of Kyrie Irving, it’s George Hill, Jeff Green and Jordan Clarkson. And injuries will play a role: It’s uncertain what Kevin Love’s status will be as he goes through the league’s concussion protocol.