Warriors top Cavs, stay perfect at home

LeBron James is 31 years old and in decline. Defensively, the Cavs and Warriors were good, but on offense both teams were sloppy. That’s why they’re so self-critical, even after a big win, and why it’s hard to doubt them when they maintain that the best is yet to come for this team. “That’s why they play at a very high level”.

Beyond that, there was recognition that it was only Irving’s third game back and he remains on a preplanned minute restriction, incrementally extending his run from 17 to 20 to 26 minutes through those three games, respectively.

Put a postseason-type matchup in the National Basketball Association regular season and you get a postseason-type game.

“When our defense shows up, we’re in pretty good shape to win games”, said Curry, who made one 3-pointer for a season low.

The Houston Rockets had their best defensive performance of the season in a victory over the San Antonio Spurs on Friday night.

Cleveland set out to slow down the game and force the Warriors into a wrestling match.

Do YOU want to write for GiveMeSport? This sure looked like a Finals preview, and if these two teams end up facing each other again in June, please give us seven games.

The Warriors met the Cavs’ physical defense with their own hard-nosed play. Think the Warriors are in the Cavs’ heads? Shumpert in particular struggled, finishing 0-6 from the field. Their 32 field goals also represented a season-low. The Cavs’ efforts at getting Love going were even less successful.

The Blazers have had trouble against everybody and they present the Cavaliers with an opportunity to get right after a high-pressure game. C Timofey Mozgov had zero points on 0-for-5 shooting. “Our players are great about staying present and staying in the moment and taking the next game ahead of them”, Warriors interim coach Luke Walton told reporters.

America’s favorite toddler, Riley Curry, stole the postseason previous year, as she entertained everyone at Stephen Curry’s post-game press conferences. Typically, fans start to trickle out during the fourth quarter, but not Friday. But as in the Finals, LeBron’s devolution to hero ball played into the Warriors’ plans. The brief flash James showed in the fourth quarter was the exception, not the rule.

Noah Graham/NBAE/Getty Images Steph Curry goes in for a lay up as the Warriors improve to 28-1. Whether from fatigue, frustration or general disengagement from his team, James looked like he was out of answers.

It was Diaw who finally ended the drought when he made a layup with less than a minute remaining. James was gracious in defeat – personallycongratulating all the Warriors after the final buzzer – but he’s clearly frustrated. Matthew Dellavedova clutching and grabbing Curry as they sprinted down court – no call. G Leandro Barbosa left the game with a sprained left shoulder. Still, in the end, this was Draymond’s game.

Heat 94, Pelicans 88: MIAMI – Chris Bosh had 30 points and 10 rebounds, Dwyane Wade added 19 points and Miami improved to an NBA-best 10-2 on Christmas Day. He responded, with a certain lyrical flare, “If ifs were fifths, we’d all be drunk right now”.

Instead, the Warriors weren’t in the mood for receiving. He missed all four free throws, and a basket by LaMarcus Aldridge got the Spurs to 86-81.

The fact of the matter is, for all the “Warrior Paranoia” sentiment suggesting Golden State has been dictating the Cavs’ mindset through its unprecedented success to start the season, the Cavs now know that all that matters is focusing on themselves.