The Warriors cruised to a 110-77 victory to take their series lead to 2-0, and Neymar visited the locker room after the game to congratulate the players.
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Livingston played almost 27 minutes in the opener of the rematch with his former Cleveland team and made 8 of 10 shots on the way to a postseason career-best 20 points.
Green was the heart of the Warriors on all ends of the floor.
“Stop it”, Green said, smiling. “(I) just got to do a better job of protecting the ball”.
Keys to the game: The Cavaliers might have a Big Three in James, Irving and Kevin Love, but they’re going to need some help.
Cleveland Cavaliers guard Kyrie Irving, center left, shoots against Golden State Warriors guard Shaun Livingston during the first half of Game 2 of basketball’s NBA Finals in Oakland, Calif., Sunday, June 5, 2016.
Cleveland turned to its bench, which included aggressive defenders that gave the Warriors fits.
LeBron James finished with 19 points, nine assists and eight rebounds but it was far from enough for the Cavs, who return home for Game Three on Wednesday.
“I don’t know the study of what my win-loss percentage is based on if I make it or not, but there is a little bit of me that’s like, dang, I missed it”, Curry said before Game 1.
The Warriors are now three wins away from their second straight championship, while the Cavaliers hope not to fall too bar behind as they search for the first championship in franchise history in their third ever attempt. He was placed in the National Basketball Association concussion protocol and is questionable for Game 3, which is scheduled for Wednesday in Cleveland.
Van Gundy is right: Curry averaged 30 points a game on 50% shooting in the regular season and 25 points a game on 44% shooting in the playoffs.
While the Cavaliers struggle to find any matchup that can work, and find the additional help they were supposed to have this year, even before Kevin Love went down with a concussion in Game 3, there’s an odd cruelty to Green’s prominence in this series.
“Steph can do so much by himself out there that when he goes out we really use each other”, Green said.
J.R. Smith and Kyrie Irving are shooting a combined 3 for 13 for the Cavs.
His first-quarter steal also moved James past John Stockton (338) at fourth place for career postseason steals. “The one step-back one, that’s when I kind of lost my mind watching him impact the game on the offensive end the way he did”. Photos of Ali showed on the main scoreboard ahead of the national anthem.
He also beat the Cavaliers as a driver, passer, rebounder, and as the hustle and energy player.
He has hit six or more three-pointers six times this postseason, including the aforementioned Game 6 against the Thunder where he dropped in 11 three-pointers. He didn’t shoot well in that game, but the Warriors got the victory. Sure, the Cavs have the playmakers missing at this time past year in Kevin Love and Kyrie Irving. “I just gutted it out”, he said.
“The guys are not discouraged”, Cleveland Coach Tyronn Lue said. “I’m not surprised because we’ve been such a great home team all year”, Thompson said.
Through two games, Cleveland just hasn’t measured up.
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Both teams had difficulties in taking care of the ball, Warriors committed 20 turnovers all throughout the game, while the Cavs had 17.
