Curry’s Warriors beat LeBron’s Cavaliers in defensive battle on Christmas Day

Love posted a double-double with 10 points and 18 rebounds, including 15 on the defensive end, but the balanced scoring was not enough to overcome 22 points from forward Draymond Green, as well as 19 and 18 from Steph Curry and Klay Thompson, respectively. The defending champions maintained their edge on Cleveland by limiting the Cavs to 32-percent shooting.

89 – While both teams played excellent defense in Friday’s NBA Finals rematch, the Cavs outperformed even their own grandest wishes, holding the Warriors to only 89 points, their season low by an impressive six points.

Despite having a full complement of players, the Cleveland Cavaliers’ NBA Finals rematch with the Golden State Warriors did not go according to plan.

Forward Kevin Love contributed 10 points and 18 rebounds for the Cavaliers, who were playing the opener of a four-game Western swing. The Warriors didn’t even play otherworldly defense, as the Cavaliers attempted more open shots than their opponents (37 to 31 uncontested field goals).

The manoeuvre was somewhat akin to a failed attempt at an AFL speccy and was on the same player – whose legs Dellavedova dove at in the second quarter as he scrapped for a loose ball – something Dellavedova did late last season that then earned the ire of Hawks star Al Horford.

Jimmy Butler scored 23 points, and Pau Gasol had 21 points and 13 rebounds for the Bulls, who had lost their previous three. He also collected nine rebounds and seven assists.

The Heat (17-11) have won seven straight Christmas games. There was a brief moment in the fourth quarter, following back-to-back slashes to the rim, when it looked as if James might be able to dragthe lifeless remainder of the Cavs’ roster to victory.

Dellavedova added he wasn’t too perturbed by boos from Warriors’ fans who took issue with his close-checking of Curry in last year’s Finals.

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. Curry was relatively quiet, missing nine of his 15 shots and finishing with 19 points, seven rebounds and seven assists. He returned halfway through the second quarter but was clearly hobbled. He briefly retreated to the locker room with a calf injury, although he still managed 10 points at the half.

Clippers 94, Lakers 84: LOS ANGELES – Chris Paul scored 23 points as the Los Angeles Clippers ended a three-game skid. This is now the third loss (counting prior losses to the Milwaukee Bucks and Detroit Pistons) in which free throw shooting may have cost the Cavs the game, and everyone from Cleveland to Oakland will be bemoaning James’ 1-of-4 effort from the line in the fourth quarter, which included a missed pair that could have made it a two-point game with only a few minutes remaining.

The first one: Just look at the score. But the finishing touches were nowhere to be found, as he hit just four of 15 shots and had just two assists in 25 minutes. But he missed a contested jumper on New Orleans’ final possession of regulation, and the Heat took control in the extra session. “If our defense shows up, we’re in pretty good shape to win games”. Livingston played well covering for Curry early and scored 16 points off of the Golden State bench. “They’re obviously are number one in the league for a reason”. Miami outrebounded the Pelicans 57-45.