Tuesday night in Cleveland, the Cavaliers beat the Golden State Warriors 96-91 to take a 2-1 NBA Finals lead. In the win, LeBron James finished with a ridiculous 40 points, 12 rebounds, eight assists, two blocks and four steals. Here’s the NBA Finals game 3 “mini-movie” summarizing what went down:
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Matthew Dellavedova stepping up for Cavs in NBA Finals
Matthew Dellavedova stepping up for Cavs in NBA Finals
Here’s the Northeast Ohio Media Group reporting on Cleveland Cavaliers guard Matthew Dellavedova, whose role has greatly increased due to Kyrie Irving’s playoff-ending injury. The Cavs won Game 3 last night in Cleveland and lead the Warriors 2-1 in the NBA Finals:
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Matthew Dellavedova is one fearless, hard-nosed son of a gun. The mark he has made in these Finals has been nothing short of amazing. The Cavaliers’ backup point guard has completely overshadowed the league’s MVP, Stephen Curry, and it hasn’t even been close.
Dellavedova is doing it with a relentless drive and determination that’s overpowering the long-range marksmen. The second-year player went for a postseason career-high of 20 points in a Game 3 win over the Golden State Warriors to put the Cavaliers up 2-1 in the series…
J.R. Smith and Brendan Haywood were on the bench marveling at what Dellavedova was doing out there last night. While Dellavedova was locking down his man defensively, stepping in and hitting a 25-footer, knocking down clutch free throws, throwing alley-oops to LeBron James in transition and diving for loose balls, the two agreed during the game that this guy’s story needed to be told in detail…
Dellavedova isn’t the fastest, the quickest, the most athletic, but he’s getting the job done and giving the Warriors fits in the process.
Cavs take 2-1 NBA Finals lead
LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers have taken a 2-1 NBA Finals lead vs the Golden State Warriors. Here’s CSN Bay Area reporting on last night’s Game 3 in Cleveland:
Unlike Game 2, this game could not be hung on Stephen Curry but on the support staff. Unlike Game 2, this wasn’t a triumph of the Cleveland defense because it gave up 36 points in the fourth quarter of a game it had seemingly salted away.
But exactly like Game 2, James made the game revolve around him – this time, going 14-for-34 with 12 rebounds and eight assists in 46 minutes. Exactly like Game 2, the Cavs seemingly got the game by the thorax only to let it wriggle away in a desperate fourth quarter. Exactly like Game 2, the Warriors could not elevate their 3-point game from liability to weapon.
And exactly like Game 2, it did not occur to the Warriors that desperation was called for until it ended up being too late again. Not by a lot, but by enough.
“We’ve had times throughout season where we were out of sync and just gutted it out,” Andre Iguodala said, trying to softpedal the problem. “We just haven’t been able to find our own rhythm yet. It’s weird but not weird that we’ve started slow but gotten into our flow eventually. I think they’re a great team, very underrated, and they’re just taking it to us right now.”
Cavs win Game 2 in OT, tie Finals
Cavs win Game 2 in OT, tie series
Here’s the San Francisco Chronicle reporting on 2015 NBA Finals Game 2, which the Cavs won in overtime to tie the series 1-1:
Klay Thompson did everything he could to go bucket for bucket with LeBron James, but the King proved he wasn’t quite ready to yield his crown Sunday night in Oakland.
With a surrounding cast absent All-Stars Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love, James did a little bit of everything: recording a triple-double and willing Cleveland to a series-tying, 95-93 overtime victory in Game 2 of the NBA Finals at Oracle Arena.
“Geez, you’d be hard-pressed to find a guy anywhere, anytime … (who) can give you the kind of all-around performance and all-around leadership that LeBron does for his group,” Cleveland head coach David Blatt said.
Thompson finished with a team-high 34 points, but he was outdueled by James, who had 39 points, 16 rebounds, 11 assists and a free throw that gave the Cavaliers a 95-93 lead with 4.4 seconds on the clock to clinch a historic game. It was the first time in NBA history that the first two games of the Finals went into overtime.
Cavs Big Three down to one
Cavs Big Three down to one
Here’s CSN Bay Area reporting on the Warriors vs Cavaliers NBA Finals:
The Big Three was down to The Big Two after Kevin Love sustained a dislocated shoulder in the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs.
And with Kyrie Irving’s undergoing playoff-ending surgery Saturday to repair a fractured kneecap, now the Cleveland Cavaliers must carry on in the NBA Finals against the Warriors with just one of their marquee players available.
LeBron James tried to do it all even with Irving playing 44 minutes on Thursday in the opener. James scored 44 points, grabbed eight rebounds and dished out six assists in the Cavs’ 108-100 overtime loss to the Warriors in Game 1 at Oracle Arena.
How will his approach be different in Game 2 on Sunday night without the team’s All-Star point guard?
“Well, if I get more aggressive than 36 shots,” quipped James, who actually attempted 38 shots and made 18 on Thursday night. “I might have about 58 of them things tomorrow night. I don’t know how much more aggressive you want me to get at this point.”
Matthew Dellavedova now has huge role in NBA Finals
Matthew Dellavedova now has huge role in NBA Finals
The Golden State Warriors lead the Cleveland Cavaliers 1-0 in the 2015 NBA Finals. Game 2 is Sunday night in Oakland. Here’s the San Francisco Chronicle reporting on the Cavs’ guard situation:
Kyrie Irving’s series-ending fractured kneecap instantly vaulted Dellavedova into a prominent role. He’s expected to step into the starting lineup at point guard, no easy chore given his Warriors counterpart at the position: Stephen Curry, the league MVP.
Not surprisingly, Dellavedova’s teammates took turns expressing their faith in him before Saturday’s practice at Oracle Arena.
“Delly does a great job of keeping the train on the tracks,” guard Iman Shumpert said. “He’s one of those guys who’s going to scratch and claw until we win.”
Cleveland did win twice with Dellavedova starting in the Eastern Conference finals against Atlanta. He collected 11 points, six rebounds and four assists in Game 2 (a 94-82 victory for the Cavs), and then he had 17 points, three rebounds and two assists in Game 3 (a 114-111 overtime win for the Cavs).
Video: 2015 NBA Finals Game 1 mini-movie
The Golden State Warriors beat the Cleveland Cavaliers 108-100 in overtime to take a 1-0 NBA Finals lead. Enjoy this “mini-movie” video showcasing the action:
Kyrie Irving injury update: fractured kneecap
Kyrie Irving injury update: out 3-4 months with fractured left kneecap
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The Cleveland Cavaliers injury hits keep coming, and the latest is a huge blow that should spell the end to their championship hopes this season as they face the Golden State Warriors in the 2015 NBA Finals. The Warriors lead the series 1-0.
Cavs guard Kyrie Irving left last night’s NBA Finals game one in the overtime period with a left knee injury. He received an MRI today at Stanford Sports Medicine Clinic, which revealed a fractured left kneecap.
He will have surgery to repair the knee in the coming days at the Cleveland Clinic in Cleveland by Cavaliers head team physician Dr. Richard Parker.
His recovery time is projected to be three to four months and his status will be updated as appropriate.
This leaves LeBron James in the Finals without Irving or injured forward Kevin Love.
Former Knicks J.R. Smith and Iman Shumpert now key NBA Finals players
Former Knicks J.R. Smith and Iman Shumpert now key NBA Finals players
Here’s the New York Daily News reporting on a pair of former Knicks who are now key members of the Eastern Conference champion Cleveland Cavaliers:
LeBron James and Stephen Curry — league MVPs, past and present — obviously will dominate much of the discussion when the NBA Finals finally commence between the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Golden State Warriors on Thursday night at Oracle Arena.
But the local flavor is undeniable, as well, as former Knicks J.R. Smith and Iman Shumpert are riding shotgun alongside James in search of a championship barely five months after Phil Jackson dumped them for almost no return in January.
“It’s a dream come true, to be in the Finals and be in this situation,” Smith said before Cleveland’s practice on Wednesday. “Going from the worst team to the best team, or one of the best teams, it’s unbelievable. It’s hard to put into words.
“But we talk about it often. We just hope we make the best of the situation…You have to take advantage of it.” …
Shumpert, who figures to draw the primary assignment of guarding Curry with All-Star point guard Kyrie Irving nursing multiple injuries, added that he feels “blessed” for the opportunity to play “on the big stage” of the Finals.
Warriors do not back down from challenges
Warriors do not back down from challenges
The Cavaliers vs Warriors NBA Finals begin tonight with Game 1 at Golden State. Here’s the Bay Area News Group reporting:
The Warriors don’t back down from any challenge. [Draymond] Green won’t let them. Whether he’s barking encouragement to his teammates or setting an example of resilience and defiance, the Warriors are game.
That belief is the foundation of a defense that has shined for the better part of this postseason. The Warriors conquered the brutal Western Conference during the regular season. They corralled the exceptional talent of Anthony Davis. They survived the physicality of Zach Randolph (Michigan State) and Marc Gasol. They contained the explosiveness of James Harden and Dwight Howard.
Now the only thing between the Warriors and the NBA title is King James, who is motivated to cap his storybook return to Cleveland with the franchise’s first title.
The Warriors have the better team. They should win this series. If they don’t, the most likely reason will be that LeBron’s greatness negated the Warriors’ superior depth and advantage at multiple positions. So the Warriors need to keep James in check.