The Cavaliers beat the Golden State Warriors to force a Game 7!

The Cleveland Cavaliers forced a Game 7, becoming the third team to ever do so when being down 3-1. It was a great game, but many thought it was over after the first quarter, when it finished 31-11 in the Cavs’ favor. The Warriors offense was not flowing, and they were missing wide open shots. Harrison Barnes finished with 0 points, going 0 for 8 from the field. It was hard to watch him play, as he missed countless uncontested shots that we know he is capable of knocking down. Draymond Green did not have nearly the impact many thought he would have. He had 8 points, 10 rebounds, and 6 assists, but he did not look like someone who was just suspended and wanted to play better. He is usually a huge part of the Warriors’ offense, but in Game 6, he was not involved, taking only 7 shots. With Bogut out, many thought Ezeli needed to step up, but he was outplayed by Tristan Thompson many times, who had an unbelievable game, finishing with 15 points and 16 rebounds. He caught many lobs from LeBron and hyped up the crowd many times. Klay Thompson did have 25 points, but he did not shoot well, going 3 for 10 from three. He showed flashes of brilliance in the third quarter, going for 15 points, but he did not continue this in the fourth. Klay must play better in order for the Warriors to win Game 7.

Stephen Curry had an extremely interesting game. It began like Game 5, where he had a slow start. He finished the first quarter with only three points. In the second quarter, he got going, hitting 3 threes, and Golden State began to climb back into the game. Then, Curry began to get into foul trouble, but, in the third quarter, Steve Kerr elected to keep Curry in the game with four fouls. This proved to be a wise decision, as he did not pick up another foul until the fourth. With 4:42 left in the game, the lead was down to 11, and it was prime opportunity for Curry and the Warriors to come back. Curry went for a steal, but LeBron tripped over him, and this made the referee call a foul on Curry. He was now fouled out, and could not play anymore. Curry, who thought these calls were unfair, threw his mouthguard, accidentally hitting a fan. Warriors fans must hope that Curry is fired up after being ejected and leads them to a Game 7 victory.

The Cavaliers, on the other hand, were brilliant. LeBron James played like what he is: a four time MVP and a 2 time NBA Champion. He had another 41 point game, to go along with 11 assists and 8 rebounds. He also had three blocks. He was dominant on the floor, and led his team to a victory. Kyrie Irving also had a great game, adding 23 points.

There are many things to look forward to in Game 7. First, can Stephen Curry bounce back after his ejection? Second, will we see LeBron James continue his form, as he scored 41 points in the last two games? Can Draymond Green play better, after his miserable showing in Game 6? These are all questions that will be answered in Game 7.

One more game.

Kyrie and Lebron’s 41 points apiece – Kyrie Irving and LeBron James were both unstoppable. First, there was Irving. He had six assists to go along with his 41, and he shot an astounding 17 of 24 from the field, and 5 for 7 from beyond the arc. Golden State could not handle his and LeBron’s many jumpers and shots down the stretch. Irving had 18 first half points, and finished with 11 in the third and 12 in the fourth. He closed the game out for the Cavs, and he was exceptional on defense as well. It is not easy to hold the 2 time MVP Curry to 25 points, but Irving did. LeBron James also had an exceptional game. He had 41 points, 16 rebounds and 7 assists while shooting 16 for 30 from the field and 4 for 8 from three-point range. Without Draymond in the paint to contest his shots, LeBron attacked the rim, having 25 first half points. He was great in the third, hitting 11 points and 4 of 5 from the field. LeBron also added 3 assists and 3 blocks. It was a great game for Irving and LeBron, as they became the first two teammates to score 40+ points in a Finals game.

How Draymond affected the game – Draymond Green was suspended for Game 5, after swiping at Lebron James’ groin in the last game. During Game 5, he was next door at the A’s game. His absence may have been one of the main reasons the Warriors lost this game. So how did he affect Game 5? Draymond runs both the Warriors’ offense and defense. He had the most passes per game in the whole NBA, so you can tell he gets the ball a lot. In Game 5, the offense was not flowing smoothly, and it is possible this was because Green was not there. On the defensive end, it was much worse. Steve Kerr, Warriors’ Head Coach, was seen many times telling his defense what to do, as this is usually Draymond’s job. His presence in the pain was gone, and Irving and LeBron found it much easier to attack the rim. We will see how Draymond Green’s return affects Game 6.

Klay’s big night – Game 5 was won by the Cavaliers, but this should not take away how great Klay Thompson was. He finished with 37 points, shooting 11-20 from the field, and 6-11 from three. These are outstanding numbers, and he made many threes in the second quarter, when he went completely berserk. The Cavs’ were caught many times trying to go under screens, leaving Klay to knock down threes. He is a great shooter, and the Cavs must be aware of this and try to make him shoot harder shots.

Curry’s big numbers yet average game – When looking at the box score, it may seem as though Curry had a great game. Many in the NBA would love to have 25 points, 7 rebounds, and 4 assists. But it was still not a great night for him. He, along with his team, missed a huge amount of uncontested jumpers. Harrison Barnes had three wide open looks with no one in front of him, and he could not connect. Curry had a few threes where the defense just watched him shoot, and it did not fall. He finished 5 of 15 from three, and 8 for 21 from the field. The Warriors missed their final 14 threes. There should be little doubt that Stephen Curry will be better in Game 6.

The Cavs’ big problem – Bench scoring. Through the first four games, the Warriors nearly doubled the amount of bench points that the Cavs scored. People like Barbosa and Livingston have won games for the Warriors, but no one on the Cavs’ bench has. They must be able to help Irving and LeBron if they would like to force a Game 7 back in Oracle Arena.

Why the ball is still in the Warriors’ court – It is still a 3-2 lead for the Warriors. They have only lost two games in a row once all season. Although Bogut will not be playing, they can still play their “death” lineup. Draymond will be back, and his leadership on the offensive and defensive end could lead them to victory. Klay has been playing extremely well, and it is not unlike Curry to bounce back after an average game. Game 6 will be an extremely interesting matchup.