After some incredibly unpredictable battles to start this series off, it’s developing a pattern: the Cavs will fight hard, LeBron will do the unthinkable, but the Warriors will have too much firepower and will win going away.
For the second game in a row, the Warriors pulled away in the fourth quarter of a previously tight game, winning this one, 104-91.
The first quarter was an ugly affair, with Draymond Green the best Warrior and LeBron (of course) the best Cav. The second quarter saw JR Smith play his only good period of the Finals to keep Cleveland close. Still, Curry’s 15 first-half points helped the Warriors lead, 51-50.
As LeBron went into superhuman mode in the third quarter, it felt like maybe the Cavs could steal a game like they did in Game 2, but he simply got no backup. Timofey Mozgov barely played as David Blatt tried to out-small Steve Kerr. Matthew Dellavedova looked every bit the journeyman he once was seen as. JR re-disappeared. I don’t have the time or space to list all of the statistical anomalies 1-5 man LeBron James posted, but Twitter was filled with them.
And while the Cavs struggled to mount a TEAM effort in the end of the third quarter and the entire fourth, the Warriors looked every bit the NBA’s best team. Andre Iguodala continued his unlikely push for MVP with flying plays and key threes. Klay Thompson hit a huge shot. Draymond Green did Draymond Green things. Harrison Barnes had people @ messaging us like crazy about Slamadamonth.
And, oh yeah, Stephen Curry went nuts. Treating Dellavedova the way Allen Iverson once treated Tyronn Lue, Steph was at his swashbuckling best in the decisive fourth quarter, scoring 17 points on all manner of crazy shots to finish with a sick line of 37 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists and 2 steals.
To my untrained eyes, the Warriors seemed the far more confident team at yesterday’s practice session and pre-game, but it’s obviously a mistake to EVER question LeBron’s confidence. But watching it unfold in person, I don’t know if psychology had much to do with it. As has been evident since before the series started, and doubly so since Kyrie Irving got hurt…as long as the Warriors do what they’re capable of, they are the better team.
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