Lakers Reach Deal With Timofey Mozgov

The Lakers have made their first splash in the 2016 free agency period. They have reached a principle agreement to Cleveland Cavaliers center, Timofey Mozgov. Details of the contract is a 4-year, $64 million deal. The contract cannot be signed until July 5, the official date when players can sign with teams.

I haven't given much thought in Mozgov being a backup plan for the Lakers' need in my Free Agency Outlook to go along the lines of my list of possible options the Lakers need to add at the center position. My fellow Lakers fans expecting a serious run at KD or DeRozan will probably lose their minds at giving Mozgov a possible $16 million per year. Again, the Lakers have to take a realistic approach and focus on surrounding the young core with quality veterans. Whiteside or Horford may be the sexier pickup, but Mozgov is not too bad either. Plus, with the cap space the Lakers have, they have to overpay some guys to get on the cap floor, but that doesn't mean I'm saying Mozgov is worth $64 million for 4 years. Could the Lakers get him for a lower deal? Absolutely. But, he fills a need and is an above average starting-caliber center. We haven't heard from him in this year's finals because he was injured. Compared to last year, he put up solid performances for the Cavs. When healthy, he provides some decent rim protection and he can be effective in "PNR" situations and expect Luke Walton to put him in many of those situations as the system is put in place. Hey, he can't be worse than Roy Hibbert or Robert Sacre (shudders). 

Lakers 2016 Free Agency Outlook: A Methodical Approach

Alright Laker Nation, welcome in to the 1st ever free agency outlook on this blog. I've done this kind of post three times in the past, covering the Raiders and the NFL free agency period. I figured a Lakers and NBA free agency outlook is overdue here and I got a hand of keeping track of the negotiation periods and the start of free agency. 

In contrast to my three previous "Outlook" posts, this will be my most methodical post of any posts before a free agency period starts. Let's face it, we keep buying into the hype that a "superstar" player on the unrestricted free agency list will be in a Laker uniform. And year after year, we come up empty and we have to settle for "leftover" free agents since quality free agents already passed by and sign with teams while the Lakers wait out on a superstar's decision. In my Season in Review post for the 2015-16 season, I voiced out that the Lakers should not wait out on a star player's decision and go after quality players and veterans that could help the young core develop and grow.

Trade D'Lo for Cousins?

The problem that persisted over time with the Lakers and their failure to attract top-tier free agents is that they're clinging onto the past. Jim Buss and Mitch Kupchak pitch in to the idea that because the Lakers have a rich history with 16 championships and because it's L.A./Hollywood, the top-tier free agents should sign with them. That's not going to fly. Nowadays, star players to teams are more about "what can you do for me now" not "what have you done in the past." And players want to go to teams that are in position to contend for a title now. So, it's time to stop thinking an established NBA superstar is going to come to the Lakers. Kevin Durant is not coming and the Lakers' FO shouldn't even dare to attempt to trade D'Angelo Russell for DeMarcus Cousins.

Okay, they want to build a contender while developing the young core of Russell, Randle, Clarkson, and Ingram. But, trying to do both is impossible. In hindsight, the Lakers have to be realistic in their free agency approach and build around their young core that possesses promising potential under new head coach Luke Walton. With the NBA setting the salary cap at $94 million for the incoming 2016-17 NBA Season, the Lakers sit atop with the most cap space out of all 30 teams with $60+ million to spend in the free agency period.

Obviously, the Lakers need help in every position in this offseason. I've listed out what I believe are the Lakers' priorities heading into the free agency period: 1) Starting-caliber Center 2) Backup Veteran Small Forward 3) Backup Veteran Guard.

Whiteside to the West Side?

Since the departure of Dwight Howard and Pau Gasol, the Lakers have lacked a true rim protector at the Center position. One of the most talked-about free agents at the Center position that the Lakers have been linked to is Hassan Whiteside of the Miami Heat. Whiteside revitalized his NBA career with the Heat and worked his way up to All-Defensive 2nd team honors and being the NBA's leader in blocks for the 2015-16 season. Whiteside can bring an immediate defensive presence in the paint for the Lakers. 

Of course Whiteside is not the "be all end all" option. There are several backup options that the Lakers have available, particularly Al Horford, Bismack Biyombo, Ian Mahinmi, and Joakim Noah. Horford may not provide the inside presence that Whiteside has, but he makes up for the ability to stretch the floor because of his 3-point shot. Joakim Noah could have a similar role to what Andrew Bogut has with the Warriors given that Luke Walton wants to bring over elements of the Warriors' brand of basketball except with more versatility, hustle, and athleticism. 

How about luring Jeff Green to the purple and gold side of the Staples Center Hallway?

We are excited about what Brandon Ingram can bring to the table at the Small Forward ("3") position for the Lakers. The problem is he doesn't have much help to back him up at the 3 position. If you think Nick Young is capable to back up Ingram? I beg to differ. Given the tension between Young and Russell in a phone recording incident and that D'Angelo is too valuable of a piece of the future to trade, it should be a no brainer that Nick Young has to go and I'll discuss a trade scenario that involves Nick Young shortly. 

Furthermore, this discussion will subtract Kevin Durant and LeBron James off the equation since they are the top-tier FAs at the 3. The players that are on the Lakers' radar for the 3 spot are Harrison Barnes and Nicolas Batum. Even though Walton is familiar with Barnes during his tenure with Golden State, Barnes' woeful shooting in this years' finals will likely serve as precaution to not give him a max deal. Batum has a couple more years left in him as a starter. If the plan is to have Ingram come off the bench, then it's understandable for the Lakers to go after either of them, preferably Batum.

However, if the plan is to immediately insert Ingram into the starting lineup at the 3 position, I threw out a wild card unrestricted free agent into the mix on who the Lakers could get to back up Ingram. Enter Jeff Green. Albeit inconsistent, Green can be the all-around player who can come off the bench for the Lakers in terms of providing scoring, rebounding, and defense. He'll give the Lakers more versatility, given he can play both the small forward (3) and power forward (4) spot. 

Nick Young to the Brooklyn Nets in exchange for Jarrett Jack? Hmmm...

We now move onto a trade scenario that I made up that involves shipping Nick Young out of LA using ESPN's NBA Trade Machine. A possible trade that I came up with involves the Brooklyn Nets as a possible trade partner. The Nets are shopping around Jack before Thursday and if they couldn't find a trade partner, they'll most likely waive his contract. The benefits of acquiring Jack is that the Lakers are going to get a proven backup point guard. Jack has bounced around the league, backing up the likes of Chris Paul, Stephen Curry, and Kyrie Irving. He'd be the perfect complement backing up D'Angelo Russell in terms of scoring and playmaking ability and he will provide veteran leadership that the Lakers desperately need. However, there is a risk in acquiring Jack. He's coming off from an ACL injury and he's getting older, turning 33 years old at the start of the season.

The Lakers can choose to be risk-averse and not trade for an older player (although, I still prefer if Nick Young is traded to another team). There are other, younger options for a backup guard in the open market. D.J. Augustin and Norris Cole are my personal preferences for the Lakers to sign in free agency to fill a backup guard spot. Augustin can provide scoring and playmaking off the bench. Cole can also provide some decent scoring and provide some much-needed defense on the perimeter. And considering that the Lakers are in a conference facing the likes Paul, Curry, Westbrook, and Lillard, they could use Cole's services on the defensive end. 

Other Thoughts/Re-Sign Priorities

"Mo Buckets" in the Purple and Gold?

Considering Luke Walton has ties to the Warriors and wants to install elements of Warriors' basketball, players like Harrison Barnes and Festus Ezeli have been rumored to follow Luke to LA. Barnes is considered provided that the Lakers have explored every option at the 3 position and I would like them to shelve aspirations of adding Ezeli as an emergency option. However, if there's one player I would want the Lakers to pry away from the Warriors, it'd have to be Marreese Speights aka "Mo Buckets." Speights would provide a "stretch 5 (Center)." His addition will allow the Lakers and Walton to exploit some mismatches offensively.

Jordan Clarkson is a MUST re-sign.

In terms of re-signing players from last season's roster, Jordan Clarkson has got to be the "no brainer" for the Lakers to re-sign. Through two seasons, Clarkson has proved that the Lakers made a 2nd round steal by trading for him after he was drafted by the Washington Wizards. He may not be All-Star material, but he's an integral piece to the Lakers' renaissance post-Kobe era along with Russell, Ingram, and Randle. The priority to re-sign Clarkson should be sky high for the Lakers. Another possible free agent that the Lakers should consider re-signing is Tarik Black. Even though Black is still raw, there's no question he brings hustle and energy to the Lakers and he could show significant development by playing under Luke Walton. Obviously, Black is a better option as a backup Center than Robert Sacre.

Roster Projection/Conclusion

After making my case on how the Lakers should approach free agency and how they should address their roster needs, this is how I'm projecting what their starting lineup and rotation would look like:

PG: Russell/Jack (or Augustin or Cole)/Clarkson/Williams 

SG: Clarkson/Williams/Russell/Brown

SF: Ingram/Green (or Batum)/Brown

PF: Randle/Nance, Jr./Speights?/Green/Black

C: Whiteside (or Horford or Noah or Biyombo or Mahinmi)/Black/Speights?/Zubac

Versatility, a good mixture of youth and experience with quality veteran players surrounding our young, promising core is what I'm seeing with how this roster looks on paper. This Laker team may not be a championship-level team with this roster, but if the young core makes significant progress and players gel faster than expected, they could make a surprise playoff push down the stretch as a 6th-8th seed in the West. 

July should usher in a new chapter in Lakers history. As usual like what I did with my "Raiders Offseason Activity Posts," I will constantly update a single post on the Lakers' offseason transactions and give my reaction. Mitch Kupchak and Jim Buss, it's time to set a realistic path and field together a competitive roster with quality players surrounding the young core of the future. No more wasting time on waiting for a superstar's decision. No more. I'll see you guys later.

2016 NBA Free Agents

Lakers 2016 NBA Draft Recap

Alright Laker Nation, the Lakers have wrapped up their draft night, assuming they're not going to make a trade for another draft pick (which is unlikely). I'm going to make this post short and sweet and give my thoughts on the Lakers' two pick in 2016 NBA Draft. Here are the picks and then I'll provide my thoughts:

Round 1 Pick 2: Brandon Ingram, SF, Duke

Highlights:

Round 2 Pick 32: Ivica Zubac, C, Croatia

Highlights:

Comments

There were no other options to consider on the 2nd pick in the first round, the Lakers had to take Brandon Ingram after the 76ers got Ben Simmons. I made a little joke that if the Lakers selected somebody outside of Ingram with the 2nd pick, I was going to go down to El Segundo and choke someone in the Lakers F.O. (front office). I'm satisfied they stuck with the script of Simmons, then Ingram, then every prospect for himself for every other team. The Lakers are getting a high ceiling prospect with superstar potential in Ingram. I did a Simmons vs. Ingram comparison myself and Ingram has clear-cut advantages in scoring and defensive capabilities because of his length and wingspan (a la Kevin Durant). I think his passing and court vision is solid, surely not up to par with Ben Simmons, but it's still decent. He could be the next K.D. A lot of skeptics are saying he's too skinny, but obviously with a little strength and conditioning, he could bulk up easily. Ingram and Russell on the same court has potential to be a legit scoring duo.

When the Lakers took Ivica Zubac in the 2nd round, I heard that most teams had him on radar as late bloomer in the 1st round at best. If that was the case, I thought to myself this guy could be a possible steal. Of course him being an international prospect is going to throw off the casual fan. I am that casual fan, but this is what I'll tell you about Zubac, his game reminds me of Pau Gasol. Zubac has a good low post game; that's what drew the Gasol comparisons when I saw his highlights. I would say he's a better finisher than Pau in the paint (subject to change once he faces NBA competition). Defensively, he's got a good recovery once he gets beat because he continues to stay on his man (again, subject to change once faces NBA competition). With a little more development and refinery of his game inside the post, he could turn out to be a good rim protector and a quality backup Center.

Overall, the Luke Walton era is off to a solid start. The Lakers addressed the draft the right way, taking the 2nd best prospect after Ben Simmons and filling a need at the Center position (in my opinion). I give Mitch Kupchak and even Jim Buss credit for staying firm and doing the right thing in selecting Ingram. Well, next stop is the free agency period in July. I'll see you guys for that.

Grade: A

Cavaliers Make History in Game 7; Come Back from 3-1 Deficit, Deliver First Title to Cleveland Since 1964

Welcome in to the full recap post of game 7 of the 2016 NBA Finals where the Cleveland Cavaliers send shockwaves all over the basketball world. They upset the Golden State Warriors, who had a historical season in the regular season with 73 wins, 93-89, delivering a pro sports title to the city of Cleveland for the first time since 1964.

You can't ask for anything else from a game 7 for the championship. It was a closely contested game throughout. Each team responded with a run of their own, making clutch shots and defensive plays. But in the end, the Cavs came out on top and break the hearts of Oracle Arena and the Bay Area as a whole. But you can't be mad at the effort both teams put out despite a low scoring game. It was down to the wire, both teams in a deadlock, but the Cavs willed themselves mentally and pulled it out. Overall, hats off to them.

GSW

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Draymond Green, 32 points, 15 rebounds, 9 assists, 11-15 shooting. You can make the argument that if the Warriors won, Draymond Green would've been the Finals MVP. To be completely honest, he was the only player who showed up for the Warriors today in this decisive game 7. He was almost near-perfect from beyond the arc, finishing 6-8 from that distance. Green reminded everyone why he was the Warriors' do-it-all player today. Despite the losing effort, it was a great bounce-back game given he was suspended game 5 and had an off game in game 6.

(-)

Turnovers, shot selections, and missed shots down the stretch. Every Warriors possession during the final stretch of the 4th quarter was the bad representation of Warriors basketball. There were a couple of bad turnovers committed by Curry, ill-advised three pointers by the Splash Bros. There were a few offensive plays where they had good looks (the Warriors team as a whole), but they just couldn't hit those shots.

The Splash Bros. Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson, they needed to come out firing, but they didn't. 6-19 shooting for Curry, 6-17 shooting for Thompson. Give credit where credit is due. The Cavs played tight defense against them in the long-run of the game. They finished a combine 6-24 overall from beyond the arc, which is definitely not good for two players who have proven they can make shots from deep.

Harrison Barnes, 10 points, 3-10 shooting. Nothing new to talk about Barnes here. The first 4 games, he put up solid numbers and had an efficient field goal percentage, but he slumped in the next 3 and game 7 was no different.

Anderson Varejao. You have to feel sorry for Varejao after this game. He got traded from Cleveland to Portland, got his contract bought out, signed with Golden State and decided to not return to Cleveland to get a ring and that ring just eluded him again.

CLE

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LeBron James, 27 points, 11 rebounds, 11 assists, 9-24 shooting. There is absolutely no way you can't be happy for LeBron right now. He finally delivered that elusive championship that the city of Cleveland was thirsting for since forever. As a Laker fan, as a guy who is pro-Kobe, I already admit that LeBron was better after delivering Miami back-to-back titles to cap off his back-to-back MVP seasons. This championship has gotta be the sweetest for LeBron. He put the Cavaliers on his back in the last two games. His performance wasn't as sensational as his last two, but all-around he did just enough. He made a couple of clutch jumpers and a couple of clutch defensive plays to give Cleveland all kinds of chances to continue to be within striking distance and take the lead. Well-deserved recognition for the Finals MVP and future Hall of Famer in the making

Kyrie Irving, 26 points, 10-23 shooting. Kyrie Irving is a bad man offensively. He didn't have a good shooting night this game, but down the stretch, when it mattered the most, he showed up big time. The 3-pointer he made in the final seconds of the 4th quarter has gotta be the shot that he remembers the most in the finals. No matter how good of a defense the Warriors played dating back to game 3, he just countered them with better offense on tough shots. The scary part is that his best years are still ahead of him. Offensively, he's going to be a dangerous player going forward.

Kevin Love, 9 points, 14 rebounds. Let's show some "love" for Kevin Love this game. Okay, that was a bad pun. As much of a non-factor he was throughout these finals, he came up big for the Cavaliers in the game of his life tonight. The points do not show, but he hustled and grabbed some crucial rebounds to give the Cavs extra possessions needed to win this game.

(-)

Turnovers. Early turnovers in the game hindered the Cavs' offense from fully taking off. I think that's the only negative I can pinpoint for the champions. So, it's not too major.

Conclusion

For the city of Cleveland, the nightmare is over. Over 50 years of heartbreak and suffering are finally put to rest with this championship. You gotta give it to Cleveland sports fans. Despite all the debris (garbage) they had to put up with on all of their professional sports teams, they're loyal and they've never stopped believing that one day, one of their teams will break the drought. They deserve this moment and they won't have to cry tears of defeat anymore, they can cry tears of joy that their Cavaliers delivered a title to the city. For the Golden State Warriors, this is going to leave a sour taste in the mouths for the players. After delivering a historic season, they choked away a 3-1 series lead and become the first victim in NBA history to give up that lead in the Finals. But Warriors fans have nothing to be ashamed of. No one thought that any team in this day and age would break the 1995-96 Chicago Bulls' record of 72-10, but the Warriors did exactly that putting up 73 wins. Don't feel bad Warriors fans. It goes to remind everyone that capping off a historical season does not always have a storybook ending. To the city of Cleveland, you have the spotlight, enjoy your long-overdue championship that you will remember for a long time. Thank you guys for following my coverage of the 2016 NBA Finals. Until next season.

Congrats Cleveland Cavaliers 2016 NBA Champions!

2016 NBA Finals: Game 7: Cleveland Cavaliers @ Golden State Warriors Q-by-Q Reaction

Q4:

CLE 93 GSW 89

Cleveland rejoice! After so many tragedies in the history of Cleveland sports: "the Shot," "the Drive," "the Fumble," "the Decision." You can put all of those nightmares to rest. What a finish! What a clutch shot by Kyrie Irving to put the Cavaliers up by 3. The Cavs become the first team to come back from a 3-1 deficit in the NBA Finals. A reverse of fortunes for Cleveland against a very good Warriors team that had a historical season. The Warriors cooled off in the worst time possible and it costed them and this will be a story here in the Bay Area on how the Warriors choked away a magical season. Stay tuned for the full recap.


Q3:

CLE 75 GSW 76

Talk about two teams not going down without a fight. Kyrie Irving came alive for the Cavs and as sensational as he was this quarter, it looked like Cleveland was going to run away. However, the Warriors came battling back from a large, but surmountable deficit to take the one point lead. Game 7, down to the wire heading into the 4th quarter, for the NBA Championship. It doesn't get any better than this as both teams are fighting fire with fire, countering every run that both teams are putting together to have the edge.

Q2:

CLE 42 GSW 49

It's the Draymond Green show this quarter! Green leads all scorers for the Warriors with 21 points and he is hot from beyond the arc, giving Golden State the huge advantage over Cleveland. The Cavs have responded through every run the Warriors have given them, but down the stretch, the Warriors' tenacious defense is overwhelming them, leading to turnovers and missed shots. Onto the halftime report.

Q1:

CLE 23 GSW 22

The jitters are there in this magnitude of the finals that is game 7. Both teams are playing a little tight than the last two games. The Cavaliers, there were more jitters on them to start as they were pressured by the Warriors' defense and committed a series of turnovers to put them down. The Warriors are off to a good start from beyond the arc and looked like they were gonna run away, but the Cavs kept grinding it out. Kevin Love, non-existent this series, is starting to come alive and he's turning into the X-factor early on for Cleveland, sustaining crucial 2nd chance opportunities.

Game 7 Halftime Post

CLE 42 GSW 49

Welcome in to the halftime post of game 7 of the 2016 NBA Finals between the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Golden State Warriors where the Dubs have a 42-49 lead at the half.

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GSW: Draymond Green, 22 points, 8-10 shooting. Suspended game 5, was a non-factor for game 6, but he is rekindling his performances like in game 2. As their emotional leader, Green's putting the team on his back right now and needed every single three pointer he was hitting. Perfect from beyond the arc.

CLE: Kevin Love, 5 points, 7 rebounds. Even if it's just for a little while, Kevin Love showed up in the first quarter. He's giving the Cavs all kinds of 2nd chance opportunities with his hustle and his fight for offensive boards. He's finally showed up.

CLE: LeBron James, 12 points, 8 rebounds, 2 blocks, 5-11 shooting. The early turnovers hurt the King, but he has recovered well from a shaky start. Not only is he starting to be more assertive as Tyronn Lue said about him prior to the 2nd quarter, but he's doing defensively as well, once again denying Curry an easy deuce in particular.

(-)

GSW: Harrison Barnes, 3 points, 1-5 shooting. That first shot must've felt good for Harrison Barnes, but since then, he's struggling. He's had some quality looks to get himself going, but he continues to struggle and is looming as Golden State's scapegoat.

CLE: Turnovers. 8 turnovers for the Cavaliers. The Warriors' defense is finally figuring out this Cavs' offense out after they got smothered by the duo of Kyrie Irving and LeBron James.

Bottom Line

CLE: The Cavs offense has to be more aggressive and they have to take care of the ball better. Their 3 point shot so far has been pitiful and they need to get to the basket more. They have to play better defense also and generate some excessive turnovers like they have the last two games.

GSW: The Splash Brothers have to get going in order for the defending champions to pull away. If Draymond Green stays hot, keep feeding him the ball. They also have to keep up with their intensity on defense and make the Cavs work for every offensive possession.

Cavs Force Game 7 Behind LeBron James' 41 Points

Welcome in to the full recap post of game 6 of the 2016 NBA Finals where the Cleveland Cavaliers have done the unthinkable in a long time, forcing a game 7 in the NBA Finals after being down 3-1 in these series. LeBron James poured in 41 points once again as the Cavs beat the Warriors 100-113.

How the tables have turned for both teams. The Cavs were struggling the first two games and have turned it around in game 3. The Warriors were up 3-1 in these series and now, they are being roughed up as they've failed to close it out twice in a row. From Game 5 on out, the Cavaliers were facing elimination and they've turned it on in desperation mode and they've outplayed the Warriors big time three out of four games.

GSW

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Stephen Curry, 30 points, 8-20 shooting. To me, the reigning MVP is at a limbo between being the positive and being the negative for the Warriors. Offensively, Curry got off to a decent start to ignite the Warriors offense as they try to climb back from a 20 point hole. As long as Curry was hitting shots, the Warriors had a chance. Defensively, he wasn't doing great as he fouled out after going for a steal on LeBron in the 4th. I can agree that there were questionable calls on some of Curry's fouls, but Curry has to know he's too valuable to take any further gambles with 5 fouls on his belt.

Klay Thompson, 25 points, 9-21 shooting. Klay started off cold early in the game as he couldn't find his shot. I said in my halftime post the Klay had to heat up if the Warriors want to continue to be within striking distance of the Cavs' lead and in the 2nd half, he did just that. Despite the losing effort, the Warriors needed Klay to get going to make this game as close as possible.

(-)

Harrison Barnes, 0 points, 0-8 shooting. Ever want to know why Warriors fans groan about Barnes? Because in a series of games, he'll play good, then in another series, he'll disappear and be a non-factor. I finally gave him credit back in game 4 because he put up solid numbers in the first four games of this series. Then, these next two, he starts to play horribly. It's a 180 turnaround for Barnes right now.

Turnovers. Turnovers have been the Warriors' achilles heel throughout their historic season. 14 turnovers this game and it was a primary reason why the Warriors were down early in a big lead.

CLE

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LeBron James, 41 points, 11 assists, 16-27 shooting. Since the Cavs were in elimination mode, LeBron James has been nothing short of sensational. Great players know that when you have a 40+ point game in the last game, you repeat the same effort again in the next game and LeBron has shown that with another 41 point game performance. When LeBron is aggressive and he has his jump shot going, he is virtually unstoppable. He's got it done defensively, racking up 3 steals and 4 blocks to add to his 41 point game. There's no question that LeBron has been in these kinds of games when his team is down in a series and he has proven he can turn it on in an instant when his team is on the verge of elimination.

Kyrie Irving, 23 points, 7-18 shooting. Kyrie didn't have an encore from his 41 points in game 5, but still, he had an efficient game and his good start in the first quarter was one of the primary reasons the Cavs were able to put the Dubs in a 20 point hole.

Tristan Thompson, 15 points, 16 rebounds, 6-6 shooting. Big ups for Tristan Thompson and the way he came out this game and brought the energy in the Quicken Loans Arena. He was all out hustle, cleaning the boards and grabbing every pass for an easy dunk whether it was on an fast break in transition or off an alley-oop dunk on brilliant offensive execution.

(-)

Kevin Love, 7 points, 1-3 shooting, 3 fouls. Kevin Love is that one member of the group who doesn't do anything, but still the whole team gets an A in spite of him. 

Conclusion

Wow, for the first time in my coverage of the NBA Finals on my blog, a series is going all the way as I have predicted. In 2013, I had the Heat in 6, it went full 7 games with Miami on top. 2014, I had the Spurs in 7, it went 5 games with San Antonio on top. 2015, I had the Warriors in 7, it went 6 games with Golden State on top. This year, I predicted a 7-game series and it actually goes all the way to 7 games. Now that I got that out of the way, this is a new series now. Throw away the 2-0 lead, the 3-1 lead, both these teams are tied up and it's coming down to just one, decisive game. Who has most of the pressure? In my opinion, the Warriors have the most pressure. They've won 73 regular season games, they came back from a 3-1 deficit against the Thunder, they've had a chance to put the Cavs away in game 5 and game 6, but they failed to do that. Win or lose, the Warriors can either have the greatest season by any sports franchise of all time or have the biggest disappointment and choke job of all time. The pressure is on for this team, especially since the final game of the NBA season is on their home floor. The Cavs, do they believe? Yes, they believe and so does the city of Cleveland. They've rattled the Warriors in these last two games, they're confident that they could win on the Dubs' home floor, and they're confident they can become the first team in NBA history to climb out of a 3-1 deficit and win the championship. It will be interesting to see what history will unfold in game 7 in Oakland. I'll see you guys for that game.

2016 NBA Finals: Game 6: Golden State Warriors @ Cleveland Cavaliers Q-by-Q Reaction

Q4:

GSW 100 CLE 113

LeBron James has reminded the basketball world of his greatness. Two back-to-back 41 point games and the Cavs have new life as they try to be the first team in NBA history to come back from 3-1 deficit in the NBA Finals. The Warriors have made it as close to as many as 8 points, but Cleveland has responded with each run Golden State had in them. The stage is set for an epic game 7.


Q3:

GSW 71 CLE 80

This has been a recurring theme in this game so far. The Cavs are putting the clamps on the Warriors and looked like they have all the momentum in the world. However, slowly, but surely, the Warriors keep grinding and they quietly creep back into the game. Klay Thompson has started to heat up for the Warriors as I predicted in the halftime post. As long as the Splash Bros have good games, the Warriors are in this game no matter how much the Cavs push behind LeBron and Irving.

Q2:

GSW 43 CLE 59

Despite the 20 point lead by the Cavs, you never count the Warriors out. The Warriors got it going in this quarter, jumpstarted by Steph Curry. At one point, the Warriors cut it to as many as 8, but the Cavs respond nicely with a run of their own. Unsung heroes are showing up for the Cavs though. Dahntay Jones being one example. Onto the halftime report.


Q1:

GSW 11 CLE 31

Man, was that game 5 victory for the Cleveland Cavaliers huge? This tremendous start is similar to the start they had in game 3. This time, everybody on the Cavs roster is getting involved and hitting shots and it all starts with LeBron James and Kyrie Irving immediately following up from their game 5 performance right off the bat. Their making the Warriors stagnant right now, but Golden State is also beating themselves too with turnovers, missed shots, and early foul trouble, which is why they're down by 20 to start.

Game 6 Halftime Post

GSW 43 CLE 59

Welcome in to the halftime post of game 6 of the 2016 NBA Finals between the  Golden State Warriors and the Cleveland Cavaliers where the Cavs have a 43-59 lead at the half.

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CLE: Kyrie Irving, 20 points, 6-12 shooting. Kyrie stays hot and continues to have these hot starts while shooting efficiently from the field. If there's any reason that the Cavs are back in these series and could be the first team to come back from a 3-1 deficit in the finals, Kyrie Irving is the reason.

CLE: Tristan Thompson, 11 points, 10 rebounds. Tristan Thompson brings a lot of energy for the Cavs obviously. In another elimination game, he's showing up big, cleaning up the boards and running off to the races for a couple of easy dunks to ignite the Cleveland crowd.

GSW: Stephen Curry, 18 points, 4-9 shooting. Great players have to carry their teams when they're down. Despite the early foul trouble, Curry is off to decent start and helped ignited the run the Warriors had in the 2nd quarter to cut the deficit.

(-)

GSW: Harrison Barnes, 0 points, 0-6 shooting. The first four games these, Harrison Barnes was playing some solid basketball. He's quickly turning from hero to scapegoat and he's slumping bad in the worst case possible for the Dubs.

CLE: Kevin Love, 1 points, 3 fouls. Let's not talk about Kevin Love for the Cavs. He's non-existent.

CLE: J.R. Smith, 3 points, 1-4 shooting. Smith is relying on his 3 point shot too much this game. He has to go back to attacking the basket to put more pressure on the Warriors' defense.

Bottom Line

GSW: The Warriors have to take better care of the ball and have their deep roster to step up and find their game. Klay Thompson has to heat up for the 2nd half.

CLE: Keep running the offense through LeBron James and Kyrie Irving. They have continue to be physical upfront defensively to force a decisive game 7.

LeBron, Irving Power Cavs Past Warriors in Game 5

Welcome in to the full recap post of game 5 of the 2016 NBA Finals where the Cleveland Cavaliers' season is extended for another game. They successfully prevent the Warriors from winning the 'chip on their home floor in a 112-97 victory behind virtuoso performances from LeBron James and Kyrie Irving.

If you're on the Cavs' side, this was a game they needed to extend this series to another game and once again, shift the series back to Cleveland. The Warriors were riding all the momentum up 3-1 despite Draymond Green's suspension, they wanted to try and cut the hearts out of the Cavaliers for that, but they did too much and the absence of Green was indeed felt. The sensational performances from LeBron and Kyrie this game were evident to how valuable Draymond Green is. Behind their two stars, the Cavs were just running laps around the Warriors' interior defense and it's one of the key reasons we're going to a game 6 in Cleveland.

GSW

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Klay Thompson, 37 points, 11-20 shooting. In a losing effort, Thompson was on an otherworldly level this game. For the most part of this game, he was putting the Dubs behind his back. The 2nd quarter was evident as he showed his unlimited range from beyond the arc much to the delight of the Oracle crowd. Defensively, I saw him work hard defending against Kyrie Irving. As much as good of a defense Klay played against Kyrie, Kyrie just edged him out with better offense. He played his heart out this game.

Andre Iguodala, 15 points, 11 rebounds, 6-13 shooting. When called upon into the starting lineup, Andre Iguodala delivers some solid numbers when coming into the starter's role. Like I said in the halftime post, in the midst of Green's suspension, Iguodala filled in admirably, doing his job on both ends of the floor and he finished with a solid game tonight.

(-)

Harrison Barnes, 5 points, 2-14 shooting. It was a tough night for Harrison Barnes. Just when I give him credit for putting up solid, consistent performances in this series so far, he starts to stunk it up in a potential championship clincher. The Warriors got him more involved in the 2nd half; he had a lot of good looks from beyond the arc; Barnes was not hitting them tonight.

Supporting Cast. Draymond Green's absence not only placed a ripple effect on the Warriors' defense, but it also placed a ripple effect on the rest of the Dubs' supporting cast. The bench, despite outscoring the Cavs' bench by a lot was a non-factor and they were simply "frozen" by the Cavs' defense and the slashing prowess of both LeBron and Irving.

CLE

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Kyrie Irving, 41 points, 17-24 shooting. To sum it up, "Uncle Drew" was clearly unguardable this game. Like I said, Klay Thompson worked to defend Kyrie, but Kyrie still knocked shots down. Guarded by Steph Curry? Same result. It didn't matter who was guarding Kyrie Irving, he was finding ways to get it done and ensure that a game 6 happens back in Cleveland. 41 points, 71% shooting from the field, those are astonishing numbers put up by Irving.

LeBron James, 41 points, 11 rebounds, 7 assists, 16-30 shooting. This guy ultimately took advantage of Draymond Green's average. This game that LeBron had took us back to circa 2012-2013 when James was still with the Miami Heat. His jumpshot that he developed during his Miami tenure was back in this game and he was hitting them all game long while playing his normal game in going to the basket and attacking the rim. LeBron definitely turned back the clock with this performance.

(-)

Kevin Love, 2 points, 1-5 shooting. Was there any reason to put Love back into the starting lineup for this elimination game? A complete non-factor this game.

Conclusion

The City of Cleveland can rejoice that the series is coming back to the "Land." This was a tremendous "go for broke" game that the Cavaliers needed and they got the job done in front of a very hostile Oracle crowd. You could tell that on the eve of Draymond Green's suspension, Warriors fans were going to come in hot, especially at LeBron and LeBron, as a great player, did what great players did and that's quiet down the crowd with a sensational performance. Kyrie Irving followed suit as well and turned in a clinic with his offensive arsenal over a good Warriors defense. For the Warriors, it was not the outcome they hoped for. They'll need to win it all again in Cleveland. They've done it before last year, but for sure, the Cavs will be well-prepared to ensure that this series goes a full seven games. They don't want their home crowd to suffer an encore of heartbreak. I'll see you guys for game 6 on Thursday.

2016 NBA Finals: Game 5: Cleveland Cavaliers @ Golden State Warriors Q-by-Q Reaction

Q4:

CLE 112 GSW 97

A big win for the Cavs as their championship aspirations are still alive. Sensational performances from LeBron James and Kyrie Irving as both scored over 40 points to help power Cleveland and ensure that a game 6 happens in Cleveland. The Warriors tried scratching and clawing to somehow pull off a remarkable game without Draymond Green in order to clinch a championship, but they got exploited big time without their all-around player. The Cavs live to fight another day. Stay tuned for the full recap.

Q3:

CLE 93 GSW 84

LeBron James, Kyrie Irving, they're putting the Cavaliers on their backs during the 3rd quarter. As they continued to stay hot, the Cavs managed to add on to their lead and it looked like they were going to run away heading into the 4th quarter. The Warriors still made this a surmountable lead though despite a rough quarter as they couldn't buy a bucket or let alone turn the ball over. The question is do they have one more run left in them to clinch back-to-back titles heading into the 4th quarter?

Q2:

CLE 61 GSW 61

In these kinds of games, the stars shine the brightest. Wow, what a quarter. Klay Thompson was on another planet with the deep three pointers and LeBron James continues to exploit Draymond Green's absence and letting Oracle crowd add more fuel to the fire to his sensational performance. Like I said, this game is going to be a fight to the finish line. Onto the halftime report.

Q1:

CLE 29 GSW 32

You can say that this game is a lot more chippy in the wake of the Draymond Green suspension. The Oracle crowd is fired up and the Warriors are playing with more fuel to the fire. The Cavs are not going down quietly and they're taking full advantage of Green's absence. LeBron got off to an aggressive start, finding his shot early and attacking the basket at will. Curry quickly got to double figures once again. The forecast of this game is that this might be a fight to the finish.

Game 5 Halftime Post

CLE 61 GSW 61

Welcome in to the halftime post of game 5 of the 2016 NBA Finals between the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Golden State Warriors where it is all tied up at 61.

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GSW: Klay Thompson, 26 points, 8-12 shooting, 6 three pointers. Two straight games that Klay Thomspon is showing up big and in a potential championship-clinching game, he is putting the Warriors behind his back. Just like Curry, his range is unbelievable and it showed in the 2nd quarter. Whatever good defense the Cavs put on Thompson beyond the arc, he's absolutely killing them with better offense

CLE: LeBron James, 25 points, 9 rebounds, 10-17 shooting. Great players find ways to put their teams on their back. With Draymond Green gone, LeBron is having a field day against the Warriors' semi-vulnerable defense, being aggressive to the basket and trusting his jumpshot more.

CLE: Kyrie Irving, 18 points, 8-10 shooting. Kyrie continues to show up after finding his groove in game 3. The Cavs will need to rely on him too to break the deadlock.

GSW: Andre Iguodala, 10 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists, 4-8 shooting. Last year's Finals MVP is getting another opportunity to start in the finals and he's gone off to a good start. He's filled in admirably in Draymond Green's absence on both the offensive and defensive sides of the ball.

(-)

CLE: Turnovers. 11 turnovers for the Cavaliers. This Warriors defense shouldn't be too scrappy without Draymond's presence, but Cleveland continues to foil under pressure when the Warriors start trapping. They have to take better care of the ball if they want to send this series back to Cleveland.

GSW: Harrison Barnes, 3 points. Before his 3-pointer at the half, Barnes has been held in check. He's played well in these finals so far and he is the Warriors' X-factor besides their deep bench. The Warriors need to give him more open opportunities to get going offensively.

Bottom Line

CLE: Continue to run the offense through LeBron and Irving. Like I said, James is having a field day without Draymond Green in the lineup and he has to stay aggressive for the series to shift back to Cleveland.

GSW: Ride Klay Thompson while he's hot. He's on pace to break Ray Allen's records for most 3-pointers in a single game in the NBA Finals. Hopefully, the other Splash Brother (Steph Curry) gets his shot involved more. The rest of the team has to answer to the challenge and put the Cavs away for good.

Splash Bros Arrive as Dubs Take 3-1 Lead Over Cavs in Game 4 Win

Welcome in to the full recap post of game 4 of the 2016 NBA Finals where the Golden State Warriors come up with a big bounce back win against the Cleveland Cavaliers, securing a 108-97 win in Cleveland to take a commanding 3-1 lead as the series shifts back to Oakland.

The first time in these finals that these games went down to the wire. The Warriors and Cavs were pretty much neck-and-neck with each other, offensively and defensively. The Cavs had some momentum going to tie this series up, but the arrival of Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson helped swung the momentum in the Dubs' favor and like I said in the 4th quarter post, champions find ways to win on the road. They get blown out by 30 in game 3 and they come back and respond in game 4 to take a 3-1 lead.

CLE

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Kyrie Irving, 34 points, 14-28 shooting. In game 3, Kyrie was absolutely in the zone. No matter how good the Dubs defended him in that game, "Uncle Drew" just made them look silly with some flashy, razzle-dazzle offensive moves. He was hot again in this game and single-handedly kept this Cavs team afloat for the most part of the game until the 4th quarter. It'll be interesting to see if he replicates the same success on the road, especially since the Cavs are facing elimination.

(-)

2nd half adjustments. The Cavs kept up the intensity for a whole 48 minutes in game 3 and they never looked back. It was a whole different story and a tale of two halves. The Cavs were lackluster offensively and defensively. They couldn't make any shots in the 4th quarter. They were having a tough time running their offense when the Warriors tightened up their defense. They didn't have the urge to finish their defense, box out, and securing rebounds and they allowed the Splash Bros to get their game going.

LeBron James, 25 points, 7 turnovers. LeBron may have padded his stats for a near triple-double, but he accounted for a majority of the Cavs' turnovers. It's another example of LeBron looking to be passive and defer to his teammates to make a play on offense. That's been the constant criticism of "the King" throughout his career in the finals.

GSW

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Stephen Curry, 38 points, 11-25 shooting. The MVP has finally arrived. Curry got off to a much-needed quick start in the 1st quarter. He slumped down for a majority of the 2nd quarter, field goal-wise, but he was sensational in the 2nd half. This was the game Curry needed as he was a non-factor for the first three games.

Klay Thompson, 25 points, 7-14 shooting. I'd say this is Klay Thompson's 2nd best game in the Warriors two finals appearances. He has been a disappointment in both, but this was also a much-needed game for the other Splash brother. When Klay started to find rhythm in his 3-point shot, that pretty much allowed Curry to follow suit. Thompson played a solid game.

Harrison Barnes, 14 points, 5-11 shooting. It's a crime that Harrison Barnes has been playing well so far in these finals and I'm not putting him on here on the positives for the Warriors. Kudos to Barnes for stepping his game up and an awesome clutch 3-pointer he made in the 4th quarter to put the Warriors up nine and help seal the game away.

Draymond Green, 9 points, 12 rebounds, 3 blocks. Green may have not gotten it done offensively this game, but he did what he does best defensively. He protected the paint very well and helped disrupt the Cavs' stagnant offense in the 2nd half.

(-)

The Bigs. In all honesty, I couldn't think of any negatives for the Warriors after this game. So I threw out the regular rotation of bigs in Andrew Bogut and Festus Ezeli as they were non-factors this game. I just had to throw something out there.

Conclusion

The Golden State Warriors are now just one away from capping off their historical 73 win season and capturing back-to-back NBA titles in Steve Kerr's first two years as head coach. They got the Cavs right where they want them and they'll look to close in front of their home crowd at the "Roaracle." The Cleveland Cavaliers are on the clock. The team has been given a pass last year since they weren't at full strength. One loss away and those conversations of being healthy will be put to rest. Clearly, the Cavs have more to lose in the next game and they'll need to rekindle the intensity they had in game 3 and transfer that in a hostile crowd to get the series back to Cleveland for a game 6. I'll see you guys for game 5 on Monday.

2016 NBA Finals: Game 4 Golden State Warriors @ Cleveland Cavaliers Q-by-Q Reaction

Q4:

GSW 108 CLE 97

Champions find ways to win on the road, especially when they got blown out in the last game. The Warriors showed championship grit in the 2nd half as Curry came alive and helped spark the team to this victory. But the overall defense and the competitiveness of Draymond Green were also factors. It's a tough loss for the Cavs and Kyrie Irving, who's found the touch the last two games. The city of Cleveland is just one loss away from yet another heartbreaking chapter in their sports culture and lore. Stay tuned for the full recap.

Q3:

GSW 79 CLE 77

It is safe to say that the Splash Bros have arrived in this quarter and in the 2016 NBA Finals. Both Curry and Thompson finally get on that 20 point mark to give the Warriors' offense a spark. Anderson Varejao, the former Cav, is getting some quality minutes and he has given the Dubs some 2nd chance opportunities for them to get back in the game and claim the lead. Kyrie Irving continues to shine for the Cavs though. He's carrying the team on his back with his 27 point performance as the Cavs are still within striking distance.


Q2:

GSW 50 CLE 55

Another 1st half ends with Golden State hanging around against the Cavs. Kyrie Irving is having another efficient game, but the rebounding of the Cavs have stepped up since the series shifted to Cleveland. There's still a lot of game to go. Onto the halftime report.

Q1:

GSW 29 CLE 28

Last game, the Cavaliers opened up the flood gates offensively over the Warriors. This start for the Warriors is the kind of bounceback performance they needed. Both teams are neck and neck. Steph Curry got to an early groove to jumpstart the Dubs. Tristan Thompson's rebounding is giving the Cavs a lot of 2nd chance opportunities. Close game to start, but more beneficial for the Warriors as they didn't get anything going in the first quarter in game 3.

Game 4 Halftime Post

GSW 50 CLE 55

Welcome in to the halftime post of game 4 of the 2016 NBA Finals between the  Golden State Warriors and the  Cleveland Cavaliers where the Cavs have a 50-55 lead at the half.

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CLE: Kyrie Irving, 16 points, 6-10 shooting. In game 3, Kyrie Irving got off to an explosive start, helping the Cavs open up a lead as many as 20 points. Kyrie is having one of those efficient games again and has played much better since the finals returned to Cleveland.

CLE: Offensive Rebounding. Tristan Thompson accounted for 5 of those offensive rebounds. The Cavs are doing it again, outhustling the Warriors in that category and they're one of the reasons why Cleveland has a 5 point lead.

GSW: Draymond Green, 8 points, 8 rebounds, 2 blocks. Draymond has been quiet since his 28 point performance back in game 2, but he's still performing well all-around, especially crashing the boards on the defensive end.


(-)

GSW: Steph Curry shooting slump. Curry got off to a quick start in the first quarter, but 4-10 from the field is not going to cut it for the reigning MVP. He hasn't gotten off in these finals at all and the Cavs' defense are doing a good job making sure he doesn't go off.

CLE: LeBron James, 7 points. He played with a lot of energy in game 3, but he's been quiet and accounted for all 4 of the Cavs' turnovers. In spite of that, the Cavs are still leading and LeBron just has to be more aggressive at the 2nd half.

Bottom Line

GSW: Will the real Steph Curry please stand up? Warriors fans are anxious for the MVP to erupt. They have to continue to keep pace at this deficit and try to play with a little more intensity at the 2nd half.

CLE: Keep running the offense through Kyrie Irving and he'll do the work. A more aggressive LeBron James will take this Cavs team to another level like in Game 3.

2016 NBA Finals Game 3 Coverage on Blog Cancelled

Hey guys, it is with deep regret to inform you that I will not be covering Game 3 of the 2016 NBA finals today. I'm currently battling a fever and a stomach flu that I caught yesterday. I'll see you guys for Game 4 instead.

- MechG

Warriors Hammer Cavs in Game 2 Behind Draymond Green's 28 Points

Welcome in to the full recap post of game 2 of the 2016 NBA Finals where the Warriors dominate the Cavaliers emphatically, beating them 77-110 to take an early, commanding 2-0 lead.

Prior to the finals, this was the most talked about rematch on how the Warriors can match up against a healthy Cleveland Cavaliers team. The first two games are writing a new narrative, that this sequel is starting to transform into a no contest. The Warriors put their stamp early in this series and they're absolutely demoralizing this Cavs team so far in this series.

CLE

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Richard Jefferson, 12 points, 4-6 shooting. The Cavaliers needed somebody behind their supporting cast to step up. Like I said in the halftime post, Jefferson took full on advantage of his minutes and turned in a solid game both offensively and defensively. The rest of the Cavs' supporting cast could take a page in how to step their game up and get involved.

(-)

Turnovers. Despite the Cavs tightening up the defense and creating 20 turnovers for the Warriors, the Cavs started to play a little more sloppy as early as the 2nd half. They committed three less turnovers than the Warriors, but their turnovers gave the Warriors' more opportunity to score. Leandro Barbosa scoring 4 quick points was an example. It was a combination of the Cavs doing too much to get LeBron the ball and LeBron doing too much, which is why he accounted for 7 of the Cavaliers' turnovers.

Offensive execution. I noticed there was a lot of inconsistencies for the Cavs' offense. They fed to Kyrie Irving the ball to get him going early on, then they abandoned that to give LeBron the ball to get this offense going. The offensive execution was just erratic overall like the Cavs had no idea on who to lean on to put shots up and score. Simply put, the offense was not aggressive enough this game and bad execution lead to a lot of poor turnovers.

GSW

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Draymond Green, 28 points, 11-20 shooting. May I repeat that Draymond Green went off this game? He did! He was having a field day out there against Cleveland's defense. Clearly the Cavs' attention is to try and double both Splash Bros so that either of them don't go off for 30 or more points. But they clearly forget that the Dubs' third wheel in Draymond Green can do it all. The Cavs left him open from beyond the arc and Green burned them big time. He is a big reason why the Dubs were able to pull off another decisive victory over the Cavs.

Andrew Bogut, 5 blocks. Like I said in the halftime post, Andrew Bogut was a defensive presence early on in the 1st quarter and he was helping on defense at the right time. He threw one big block party during that 1st quarter and it was a perfect answer for the Cavs' tightened up defense before the Warriors blew it open in the 2nd half.

Bench. Livingston didn't need to drop another 20, but the Warriors' bench continued to show up for the team, outscoring the Cavs' bench 40-30. Once Andre Iguodala got inserted into the lineup early on, the Warriors' intensity surged offensively and defensively and they never looked back. Barbosa had another solid game. The "Brazilian Blur" continues to turn back the clock in these first two games. The bench continues its fine performance in the finals.

(-)

????? Aside from the 20 turnovers, I can't think of any other negatives for the Warriors right now. With a complete performance like this game, I don't think negatives matter here.

Conclusion

Just what exactly is wrong with the Cleveland Cavaliers in this series? A championship is at stake and they are just being outmatched by the Warriors despite having their entire roster intact. I'll stick to my prediction that Golden State will win in 7 games as I think Cleveland can pull of some wins now that the series is shifting to Cleveland. However, with the way these finals started, it's becoming a laughable rematch. They just have no answer for the Warriors right now. I think after the series with the Thunder, the Warriors started to realize they have to return to playing with a lot of intensity and energy. They are outplaying and outcoaching the Cavs right now in terms of hustle, energy, effort, and sense of urgency. Perhaps the scenery shift is what the Cavs need to get their game going and get back in this series. They'll be playing with a lot of desperation in front of their home crowd. However, there's something different about this Warriors team and they'll look to impose their "killer instinct" on this series even further on the road. We'll see what happens. I'll see you guys on Wednesday for game 3.

2016 NBA Finals: Game 2: Cleveland Cavaliers @ Golden State Warriors Q-by-Q Reaction

Q4:

CLE 77 GSW 110

In summary of this game as a whole, a dominating performance by the Warriors, a demoralizing performance by the Cavaliers. Like I said before, you don't know which of players on the Warriors' roster is going to step up. They are playing at a different level and the first two games put the stamp on how much of a mismatch the Warriors are for the Cavs, despite Cleveland having all their players healthy. Stay tuned for the full recap.

Q3:

CLE 62 GSW 82

It was a sloppy quarter to start for both teams, but the Warriors start to keep churning away from the Cavaliers. Draymond Green continues stay hot, accounting for 28 of the Warriors' points and Klay Thompson started heating up this quarter. The Cavs are just having a tough time matching up with this deep Warriors squad, despite all the adjustments defensively and now, they are starting to turn the ball over as the Warriors' defense put the pressure on them.

Q2:

CLE 44 GSW 52

You just never know who's going to come up huge for the Warriors. Draymond Green, despite going cold late in this quarter went off and helped the Warriors' lead balloon to as many as 15. Despite the notion that the Warriors were going to run away, the Cavs came storming back to cut the lead to a more manageable deficit and it started with LeBron James getting to the hoop more often and attacking. Onto the halftime report.

Q1:

CLE 21 GSW 19

A great, defensive quarter for both teams. The Cavs made the necessary adjustments to tighten up their defense and it's working out for them, generating 5 turnovers from the Warriors' bench this quarter. On the Warriors' side, Andrew Bogut got the block party going on early, recording 4 blocks on the Cavs. It's a good struggle so far, but both teams know, they have to do more and execute better offensively.

Game 2 Halftime Post

CLE 44 GSW 52

Welcome in to the halftime post of game 1 of the 2016 NBA Finals between the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Golden State Warriors where the Warriors have a 44-52 lead at the half.

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GSW: Draymond Green, 17 points, 7-13 shooting. The last few minutes in the 2nd quarter wasn't a good finish for Green as he went cold, but he's the biggest reason why the Warriors ignited in the 2nd quarter. The Cavs left him wide open beyond the arc and dared him to beat them and Green made their defense pay by hitting those shots.

GSW: Andrew Bogut, 2 points, 4 blocks. The first quarter was good exhibition defensively for Andrew Bogut. He's just being there as the help defense at the right time and timing the blocks for the Warriors to play their game of run and shoot.

CLE: Richard Jefferson, 7 points. Jefferson is my under-the-radar positive for the Cavs. He took advantage of the early minutes Tyronn Lue is giving him and he has made timely shots for the Cavs to start a run or quiet the Oracle crowd. Not to mention, he's doing his job defensively, helping at the right time to create turnovers on this Warriors squad.

CLE: LeBron James, 14 points, 6 rebounds, 7 assists. James' late surge in the 2nd quarter grants a positive. The Cavs are going to need LeBron to be more aggressive in attacking the basket.

(-)

GSW: Turnovers. Give credit to the Cavs' defense. They made the necessary adjustments by doubling at the right time and they've created 9 turnovers for the Warriors. The Warriors have to make the right adjustments to take better care of the ball.

CLE: The rest of the Big 3. Kevin Love, 5 points, Kyrie Irving, 4 points. The Cavs got Irving the ball early on to start the game, but they've abandoned that completely. Kyrie has been the 2nd anchor for LeBron and the Cavs have to find a way to get him involved like they did early on in the first quarter.

Bottom Line

CLE: The Cavs have to continue to match the Warriors intensity defensively. They've done a nice job with the turnovers generated. Offensively, they just need to get LeBron to keep attacking and find ways to get Kevin Love, Kyrie Irving, and the rest of the team more involved.

GSW: The Warriors need to stay the course with their gameplan, but turnovers are once again haunting them from running away this game. They have to take better care of the ball and keep the intensity on offense and defense.

Warriors' Depth Shows in Decisive Game 1 Victory Over Cavs

Welcome in to the full recap post of game 1 of the 2016 NBA Finals where the defending champion, Golden State Warriors, started to defend their title on the right foot, defeating the Cleveland Cavaliers 89-104 behind a stellar performance from the Golden State bench.

When the Warriors won the championship last year, the whole narrative was that they beat a depleted Cavs team. Everybody wanted to see what they can do against a healthy Cavaliers team this time around in this rematch. It didn't matter. The Splash Bros of Curry and Thompson did not beat the Cavs, even though they made timely buckets to seal the deal. The bench play of the Warriors was the difference maker and it made the team a whole different cat against a full-strength Cavs team.

CLE

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Kyrie Irving, 26 points, 7-22 shooting. The shooting percentage will say otherwise for Kyrie Irving's performance. But out of all the Cavs players, he got to the free throw line the most. He did a great job dropping contact from an aggressive Warriors' defense and slowing the game down a little by going to the free throw line to help the Cavs narrow the deficit down. The 3rd quarter was evident that he started to take over scoring-wise.

LeBron James, 23 points, 12 rebounds, 9 assists, 9-21 shooting. LeBron is going to always have these stats as long as he's on the floor. It's no surprise that he was just one assist shy of a triple-double. When LeBron is scoring on the inside, chances are he's going to win using his "freight train" size and power. LeBron put up typical LeBron stats, nothing much to be said.

(-)

Supporting Cast. It was a problem in last year's finals and it has become a problem this game for the Cavaliers. With the exception of Tristan Thompson, J.R. Smith was a non-factor this game. Frye, Shumpert, Jefferson, Dellavedova, they were all nowhere to be found this game. The Cavs may have finally gotten their Big 3 healthy and intact, but the rest of the team has to find a way to get involved and help out because they got outscored big time by the Warriors' supporting cast.

GSW

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Shaun Livingston, 20 points, 8-10 shooting. First off, I'll give a lot of credit to the Warriors' bench as a whole. As I said in my preview, they're going to be one of the keys for the Dubs' chances at a repeat. Leandro Barbosa was in double figures, Andre Iguodala, last year's Finals MVP was in double figures and doing it on both sides of the ball. Obviously, big kudos to Livingston for going off this game. The size and versatility he brings will give the Cavs all kinds of fits if he continues to have games like tonight. He's played well throughout the playoffs and you can't help but commend Livingston for coming this far since his devastating knee injury a few years back.

Defense. "Intense" is probably the most overused word to describe a defense that executed to perfection in a game. The Warriors' defense was in hibernation throughout the playoffs. But this game, they raised the intensity, generating 15 turnovers from the Cavaliers and holding them to under 100 points. Keep in mind the Cavs, were the hottest offense in the playoffs coming into these finals and the Warriors' stoned them with double teams, hustle plays, and throwing their bodies out there to draw charges or alter the Cavs' shot.

(-)

Splash Bros. This is probably the first time in a long time that Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson were held to under 20 points. It was a complete off game for both, but how the rest of the team played erased some of those deficiencies and eased the pressure of them doing too much. They should get going next game since a performance like this from the whole team comes "once in a blue moon."

Conclusion

Game 1 reminded us of how deep the Warriors team is. Curry and Thompson having underwhelming performances and the team still getting a double-digit victory speaks volumes about the depth for the defending champions. The Cavs managed to keep this game competitive, but they just had to execute better and it was obvious their offense was stagnant early on. It's going to be a long series for Cleveland if the rest of the team fails to show up like in this game. Next game should give them plenty of time to make adjustments and they've been very good at responding to a loss in the postseason. We'll see what kind of adjustments both teams make as Game 2 is usually a 180 degree turnaround for both teams. I'll see you guys on Sunday for the next game.

2016 NBA Finals: Game 1: Cleveland Cavaliers @ Golden State Warriors Q-by-Q Reaction

Q4:

CLE 89 GSW 104

What a complete team effort from the Warriors to take game 1 of finals. The Warriors' bench came alive in the 4th quarter and closed the book on the Cavs. The Cavs fought hard, made the necessary adjustments in the 2nd half to cut the deficit, but the Dubs were just too good offensively and defensively to draw first blood. Stay tuned for the full recap.

Q3:

CLE 68 GSW 74

Whew, what a quarter! Both teams exchanged buckets during the final stretch of the third quarter. It looks like the Cavs did their due diligence in making adjustments during the half. They started to tighten up on defense and the execution was a lot better on offense. Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love were aggressive during to bring the Cavs back from an early 14 point deficit. It's been a good game 1 of this rematch so far with the Warriors having a six point advantage.

Q2:

CLE 43 GSW 52

The bench play of Golden State is stepping up big time this game. Leandro Barbosa is hitting shots, Shaun Livingston is hitting shots and the Warriors are looking unstoppable right now. The Cavs, aside from LeBron James, are having a tough time to figure out the Warriors as the defensive of the Dubs is putting the pressure on Cleveland, despite a small nine point advantage. Onto the halftime report.

Q1:

CLE 24 GSW 28

Good pace on both sides of the ball for both teams. to start at the first quarter. The Cavs drew first blood with a 3-point bucket by Kevin Love and the Warriors have responded. It's a game of runs as every time the Warriors seem they have the upper hand, the Cavs manage to respond to keep within striking distance. Early on the Warriors implemented some intimidation on the Cavs defensively, forcing two 24 shot clock violations, but the Cavs recovered well to trim the deficit at four points. We are seeing a good chess match between the coaches, Steve Kerr and Tyronn Lue in terms of adjustments to each team's personnel on the floor.

Game 1 Halftime Post

CLE 43 GSW 52

Welcome in to the halftime post of game 1 of the 2016 NBA Finals between the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Golden State Warriors where the Warriors have a 43-52 at the half.

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CLE: LeBron James, 11 points, 9 rebounds, 4-9 shooting. It will be a given that LeBron will be a positive for the Cavs given his all-around ability. LeBron will have his way inside the paint and the Cavs were able to feed LeBron early. That, and he's on pace for a double-double.

GSW: Harrison Barnes, 9 points, 4-6 shooting. This has gotta be confidence booster for Harrison Barnes so far. He has been an inconsistent player all season long, but he's finding his shot and stepping up when the Cavs are assigning their defense to guard the Splash Bros.

GSW: Bench. This is the sole reason why the Warriors' roster is so deep. When their bench plays well, everything opens up for the team. Leandro Barbosa, the Brazilian Blur chipped in with 7 points, Shaun Livingston with 6 points, Iggy and Ezeli each with 2 points. They make Golden State a really different team when players step up and get their game going.

GSW: Defense. Despite a small advantage, it was a defensive clinic for the Dubs. As mentioned, the Warriors have generated two 24 shot clock violations on the Cavs in the 1st quarter and Andre Iguodala is swiping the ball from the Cavs' hands left and right. They're doing a great job on when to double and they're adjusting the Cavs' shot.

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CLE: J.R. Smith, 0 points, 0-1 shooting. It's a bad sign for the Cavs when J.R. Smith is a non-factor for the first half. The Cavs need to find a way to get him going and give him high percentage looks in the three point game.

Bottom Line

CLE: It's no surprise that the Big 3 of the Cavs are in double figures. That means the supporting cast of the group has to step up and be the unsung hero for the team to steal Game 1.

GSW: Everything is clicking right now on all phases from the Warriors. They have to keep up the defensive intensity in the 2nd half and Steve Kerr has to keep outsmarting Tyronn Lue in terms of in-game adjustments.