No, the reigning NBA Finals MVP is not likely to repeat. “He struggled the first three, but tonight he was our guy”.
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It’s been a physical game, with the referees letting both sides play and the tension has been palpable. Teams have fallen behind 3-1 in the NBA Finals 33 times, and not one of the previous 32 won the title.
After staring elimination in the face for Games 5, 6 and 7 of the Thunder series, it’s hard for the Warriors, up 2-1, to characterize Game 4 against Cleveland as a must-win game.
Anderson Varejao was a fan favorite in Cleveland for years thanks to his hustle and grit. “They probably won’t have ever seemed as excited before as when we get to Monday”. Of the Cavs’ 42 points in the third and fourth quarters, Irving and James had 36. Varejao started the season with the Cavaliers, but was traded when in February. “We made some mistakes and he made us pay for them”.
Thompson made four 3-pointers and Curry knocked down three as the pair combined for 19 of Golden State’s 29 points in the period.
“He’s a very good player, very talented player”, said center Tristan Thompson, who played arguably the best pick-and-roll perimeter defense against Curry. Together they scored 63 points.
Off the mark in the first three games, the Splash Brothers found the pool in the third quarter. F Richard Jefferson, who provided such a boost in Game 3, scored just 3 points in 25 minutes. The Larry O’Brien Trophy will be flying cross-country to Oakland on Saturday, and Golden State will have a chance to mussy it up with joyous fingerprints and champagne baths on Monday night. Irving played with a wrap on his right thumb after hurting it in the first quarter.
Kevin Love will suit up for the Cleveland Cavaliers, though we’re still unsure of his role.
The Warriors set an NBA Finals record with 17 3-pointers.
The Warriors were led by their deadly three point shooting combo of Curry and Klay Thompson.
The game has been tense and back-and-forth all half following three straight blowouts.
Coach Steve Kerr wasn’t surprised by Curry’s comeback. McAdoo and Varejao had key contributions in Game 4 during important stretches, and Ezeli did likewise in Games 1 and 2.
The question now is whether the Warriors will have their top rebounder for Game 5. Golden State’s three wins have been by 59 points.
The point guard was terrific, but Curry and Thompson and their teammates were just better.
It must have been a point of emphasis after Game 3.
This is shaping up to be what looks like an even better series than past year, and if the Cavs can come together and tie the series up, things will get interesting as Golden State heads home for Game 5.
With Kevin Love back in action, the Cavs have the option of returning to their usual starting line-up.
“It’s going to get chippy”, Thompson said. It’s a tough chess move, and I don’t envy Lue in having to make this decision.
Either Cleveland does something no team has done, or Golden State will repeat and be poised to become a dynasty.
All of this has put the Warriors in position to clinch an National Basketball Association championship at home for the first time in franchise history and given them a shot at back-to-back crowns for the first time since the franchise’s initial two seasons in Philadelphia (1947-48).
It’s unknown if he’s back in Cleveland’s starting lineup.
Jefferson has not been told if he’ll start in Game 4, and James wouldn’t offer any preference on the lineup.
He could come off the bench. He’s been a reserve 82 times in his career, and his teams were 24-58 in those games.
It remains to be seen what role Love will play in, or how effective he’ll be in his minutes on Friday.
He actually felt that pain a few times. That is part of what led to the Cavaliers’ fatigue.
“He had 46 that night”, Kerr said.
“He’s been huge these past two games”, Warriors power forward Draymond Green said of Barnes. The team announced Love’s status about an hour before tip-off, shortly after he went through pregame drills.
Cavaliers: Love came off the bench for the first time since 2010 with Minnesota.
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Love entered concussion protocol after he got dizzy during the second half of Game 2. You’ve got, you know, everybody in your ear, you’ve got friends, you’ve got family who want to come to the game and want to discuss everything. He and James made it back to the finals last season before losing to Golden State in six games.
