His work Friday in an 89-83 win over the Cavaliers – a rematch of the NBA Finals – was profoundly persuasive.
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Whether his game on Friday was actually “horrible” or just maybe a less-than-stellar display than his usual is a matter of opinion, but James’s harsh self-critique should not come as a surprise considering he recently declared himself “the best player in the world” in an interview with Sports Illustrated.
For Green, a surefire first-time All-Star and strong All-NBA candidate, it was another strong performance in a season full of them. “And when we do, I think that’s trouble”.
Both teams struggled with their shots. The tripleheader, which also averaged a 2.3 overnight rating, matched 2013 as the highest-rated Christmas Day tripleheader ever on ESPN. His team held Steph Curry and Klay Thompson to a combined 37 points, including only two-made three pointers. “When we play like that defensively, we’re going to be a very tough team to beat”. “That’s what we did tonight”. They brought the best record in the Eastern Conference into the Christmas tie in part because they had not lost for 31 games in a row when holding opponents to 96 points or fewer.
Anyone who tuned in to see Curry and Thompson light up the scoreboard, not to mention a healthy Cavs squad with Kevin Love and Kyrie Irving alongside James, had to be pretty bummed. With 8 seconds left in the game, the camera focused on Green standing at the foul line, getting ready for his second free throw.
At least past year, even without Love and Irving, plus Iman Shumpert playing with one arm, the Cavs had a tactical advantage in that it took the Warriors the better part of four games to figure out how to play them.
Green also played superb defense on Love.
Most of those shots were well contested and of a high degree of difficulty. Two feet from the rim or 25, it mattered not at all.
Stephen Curry, who pushed his way through a bruised calf injury to score 19 points on sub-par 6-of-15 shooting (with just one three-point field goal), did admit he felt a “heightened atmosphere” to the proceedings. James was gracious in defeat – personally congratulating all the Warriors after the final buzzer – but he’s clearly frustrated. With the attitude that we appreciated because like a Michael Jordan or Shaquille O’Neal, or Kobe Bryant, you know, just a cutthroat nature. I can’t even do it. “Having the record (start) is great but we want to do a lot more”. They did it with defense and Curry as the closer in a playofflike atmosphere.
It was like the playoffs started five months early.
“I love how much our guys compete”, Warriors interim head coach Luke Walton said.
It’s nice to see that the multi-millionaires who can afford courtside tickets to the biggest game of the National Basketball Association regular season aren’t so mature as to not call a grown man a crybaby.
Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry was named the Associated Press 2015 Male Athlete of the Year on Saturday. As he and his Golden State team continue to dominate, these acknowledgements and accolades will keep piling up.
There is no denying the fact that he has played a great role in taking his side to the finals. With Cleveland down 85-80 James drove the lane and rose to the hoop. The play looked clean, but official Scott Foster blew his whistle.
Said Green: “We measure ourselves off us”.
Normally, Warriors highlights are all about offense.
Golden State doesn’t have to play handsome basketball.
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There was a reason they didn’t have it: too much hero ball.
