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Curry’s Warriors beat LeBron’s Cavaliers in defensive battle on Christmas Day

The Warriors had their own troubles making shots but persevered. What if Kyrie Irving didn’t get injured?

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That’s not going to fly against an opponent like the Warriors. Mark Jackson had more odd comments about a member of the Warriors on Friday, adding to a laundry list of weird things he’s sad about the team since being fired.

Even the Warriors fans were feeling a little feisty.

Golden State led 45-42 at the half. He was referring to Curry’s idol status in which kids growing up on the game are trying to emulate his game when they shouldn’t be.

How ugly? Start with this: Both teams finished with season-low point totals. Still, anyone who paid attention to the past six months of chatter on this topic expected to hear at least some preening once these two teams finally met. Instead, they took the more-reasoned route. Cleveland moves on to play Saturday night at Portland. They barely won the game but at the same time cemented their ownership of the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Both shots came against a small closing lineup for Cleveland that utilized Love and James as the two bigs with Iman Shumpert, Smith and Dellavedova on the perimeter.

“When the shot’s not falling, you can only control how you play on the defensive end”. Green racked up 22 points, a season-high 15 rebounds and seven assists, putting away the Cavaliers with two free throws with 8.2 seconds left after having helped contain the threat of LeBron James.

The Warriors won despite shooting 41 percent from the field, committing more turnovers and getting out-rebounded. Think the Warriors are in the Cavs’ heads?

Have the Dubs haters run out of reasons to pull down the Warriors’ success? The Cavs’ efforts at getting Love going were even less successful. “Like the best player in the league usually is also physically opposing – 6-6 plus, scowl on his face, menacing”.

On the first one, Curry used a high screen from Green to get James switched onto him. But despite their struggles, the Dubs still managed to eek out a win in what was probably the most anticipated game on the National Basketball Association schedule this year, thanks in large part to a monster performance from Draymond Green. David Blatt countered by pulling his center, leaving nothing but Love’s pantomime defense between the Warriors’ and the basket. “He did a great job of impacting the game every time he was out there”.

In the final quarter of the game, the Cavilers made a final push to try and beat the Warriors.

Afterward, James pronounced himself impressed.

James rocked Andre Iguodala with an elbow to the jaw – no call. James was gracious in defeat – personally congratulating all the Warriors after the final buzzer – but he’s clearly frustrated.

“We’re a really good team”.

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While doubt loomed over the Cavs in defeat, confidence surged through the Warriors in victory. Those percentages of 38.5, 20 and 44.4, respectively, fall short of his 2015-16 season averages of 49.1, 25.7 and 71.9, respectively. With Irving not all the way recovered from a broken left kneecap suffered in last June’s Finals, James again had to shoulder the offensive load. Typically, fans start to trickle out during the fourth quarter, but not Friday. He looked utterly calm stepping up and delivering when the Warriors needed someone to be assertive.

LeBron James drives to the basket next to Brandon Rush and Andrew Bogut