NBA Wrap: Warriors triumph in NBA Finals rematch

Turning up the defensive intensity much like they did in last season’s NBA Finals and getting two key late hoops by star guard Stephen Curry, the Golden State Warriors outlasted the Cleveland Cavaliers 89-83 in a Christmas Day rematch of the championship series Friday.

Even on a night when all those long-range shots weren’t falling like usual, the defending National Basketball Association champion Golden State Warriors showed they are quite comfortable grinding out a victory.

The Blazers have had trouble against everybody and they present the Cavaliers with an opportunity to get right after a high-pressure game.

“We don’t believe you can make a statement with one game”, said interim head coach Luke Walton.

With those two struggling, the Warriors built a 10-point lead midway through the fourth quarter after a jumper by Thompson and a layup by Green. The Cavs’ 31.6 field goal percentage is the lowest since January 2012, when the Antawn Jamison/Samardo Samuels/Semih Erden/Luke Harangody Cavs shot 30.3 percent.

Though the Cavaliers came into Oakland with a fully healthy squad (which is the opposite of what they had in last year’s Finals), much of their strategy wasn’t about maximizing their own weapons, but instead trying to neutralize those of Golden State. Still, to lose a winnable game at the end in which the Cavs played the style they wanted thanks to missed free throws and defensive breakdowns is a tough pill to swallow.

It was just a six-point victory, but what the Warriors exhibited was dominance. In his 38 minutes and 33 seconds on the court on Friday, he shot just 10 of 26 from the paint, one of five from beyond the arc and missed more than half of his free throw attempts, sinking just four of nine.

Golden State Warriors’ Stephen Curry leaves the court after… G Leandro Barbosa left the game with a sprained left shoulder.

They wouldn’t say it publicly, but they relished the thought of taking down one of the elite teams. Hardly. When asked about a play where Andre Iguodala got tangled up on the floor with Dellavedova in the first half and seemed to get in an extra shot as the Aussie was getting up, the backup point guard stared at this reporter and said, “I don’t know what you’re talking about”.

“Steph Curry’s great. Steph Curry’s the MVP”, Jackson said on the ESPN telecast, per For the Win.

“It’s alright, I just needed a little tape adjustment in the first quarter, was able to just get through it, with two days off, a couple practices to hopefully get back to 100 percent.”

“I’m kind of mad at Scott for calling that foul”, Green said in jest, “because I would have been on the highlights with that if he didn’t call it. It may still make the highlight reel”. And they’re about to get back to full strength.

Butler was well supported by center Pau Gasol, who recorded a double-double that consisted of 21 points and 13 rebounds.

Miami’s Chris Bosh had 30 points and 10 rebounds to lead the Heat to a 94-88 overtime win against New Orleans.

The average audience for the Oklahoma City Thunder-Chicago Bulls game on ABC also was up from past year, averaging almost 6 million viewers. Green ended the game with a total of 22 points, 15 rebounds and seven assists.

Anthony Davis was the Pelicans’ top player with 29 points and 15 rebounds.

The Heat (17-11) have won seven straight Christmas games.