Cavaliers want what Warriors have

Despite the Cavilers outscoring the Warriors 23 to 17, they only held the lead once as the half ended with Golden State up 45-42.

Golden State Warriors’ Stephen Curry leaves the court after… “We just showed our versatility in trying to win in different ways”.

Curry won the league MVP last season when he helped the Warriors topple LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers in the NBA Finals and then led Golden State to a record 24 straight wins to open this season.

Not all teams can do it, but those who can aggressively play the Warriors enough to slow them down, turning the game into halfcourt drag, are having more success lately than we’re used to seeing. “We wanted to play this game a certain way in this gym against this particular team”. With the attitude that we appreciated because like a Michael Jordan or Shaquille O’Neal, or Kobe Bryant, you know, just a cutthroat nature. The Golden State Warriors are now 28-1 after winning the National Basketball Association finals rematch against the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Perhaps Love was referring to the other regular season meeting between these teams next month in Cleveland, but a rematch of last year’s Finals next June wouldn’t disappoint either.

The Cavs played shorthanded in the Finals, without Irving and power forward Kevin Love, injured earlier in the playoffs.

“It was one of those nights”, Love said. Not making just five 3-pointers. Smith was 4 for 8, while the rest of the team hit just one in 22 attempts.

Though he finished with a game high 25 points, LeBron only added two assists compared to four turnovers, shot just 38% from the field, and missed two key free throws with a minute and a half remaining. Golden State had its lowest offensive total of the season but found a way to stay ahead on the scoreboard in another way.

“We want more”, Curry said. Kevin Durant had 29 points, nine rebounds and seven assists for Oklahoma City, and Russell Westbrook added 26 points, eight assists and seven rebounds. He is not much of a rim protector because 6-foot-10 seems to be a bit of a stretch.

As the Warriors exposed the limitations of Cleveland’s supporting cast, James once again tried to shoulder the entire load himself. Irving, who only came back this week from knee surgery for an injury he suffered in this arena in Game 1 of the Finals, showed flashes of brilliance, including a spectacular drive and scoop layup over Green midway through the fourth quarter.

Curry scored on layups in consecutive possessions to give the Warriors an 85-80 lead with 57.6 seconds left and finish with 19 points.

“The thing I would say about Steph, what makes him who he is, is that nobody has to challenge him to get to the next level because he does it on his own”, coach Steve Kerr said.