2019 NBA Finals Preview: Golden State Warriors vs. Toronto Raptors

Four straight years, the Golden State gods have battled King James and the Cavalier kingdom for supremacy in the basketball realm. The Golden State gods have taken three out of four holy contests to establish themselves as a dynasty for the ages. Now with King James exiled into the bright lights of Los Angeles and the Cavalier kingdom broken beyond repair once again with his departure, it seemed like none would stand in the way of the Golden State gods and their quest for a 3-peat. But, a new worthy opponent has risen to the occasion. Free from the 3-year tyranny of King James, the Raptors, feral beasts of the North, thought to be extinct, are reborn from the ashes as the new Kings of the East with a new leader. He is aformer Westener who has brought the Golden State gods a worthy challenge when healthy. He is "the Klaw" and he's out for blood to exact revenge with the Golden State gods weakened. No Zaza this time to take out the imminent threat he brings to their reign. Will the reign end or are the Golden State gods using their weakened state as a ploy as they regain their beautifully enigmatic basketball play?

Hope you guy liked that literature above. Welcome in to the 2019 NBA Finals preview provided by yours truly! Finally, we get a fresh new matchup after four straight years of Cavs vs. Warriors in a battle for NBA supremacy. Although the Warriors are still here in the Finals, we get a new Eastern Conference challenger all the way from Canada. Guess you can say finally whoever inserts "World Champions" on their banner gets to justify it. Because this is more than just a Finals matchup. This is a battle of two North American countries in the United States and Canada. This year's matchup features the defending champion Golden State Warriors and the Toronto Raptors!

Golden State Warriors

Since you have to hear about this team for the fifth consecutive time on the blog, I recommend you skip this part. Was there ever a doubt that this team, someway, somehow will find a way to head to the NBA Finals? It's like I said before, the Golden State Warriors are the champs until they are dethroned. They'll have a chance to do something that no team has done since my childhood Lakers of Shaq and Kobe...3-peat. Though they won back-to-back titles and swept LeBron, banishing him to the depths of Hollywood, the Warriors continue to stay lock and loaded. This offseason, they reminded us of how unfair their organization and culture is compared to the 29 other teams that make up the NBA. They signed DeMarcus Cousins to a cheap 1-year deal and all of a sudden, their starting lineup is literally the Western All-Stars. However, they wouldn't insert him into the lineup until January, but nonetheless they still dominated with or without him.

Despite the invincibility the Warriors bring, there is some drama brewing inside the team. The biggest trigger is the looming free agency of Kevin Durant. It's pretty questionable why he would leave the Warriors when they are his best shot at winning multiple championships. But clearly, the rumors got bigger with him being linked to signing with the New York Knicks, Los Angeles Clippers, or Los Angeles Lakers (we're not getting him, be realistic). In fact, things got testy with Durant and Draymond as Green pointed that "they already won a championship without him." Well, he's not wrong. The Warriors signed KD in the first place was so that they have somebody to counter LeBron in the finals. Now that the threat of LeBron is no more at the moment, Durant no longer has any purpose. But, despite all that, they were able to settle their differences to finish strong in the regular season and stay locked in come playoff time. They had quite a test against the superstar-less Clippers in the first round, but Durant's monster performances that series helped propel the Warriors to victory in six games. The next round involved a Western Conference Final rematch against the Rockets. This is where things shifted a little bit. Durant sustained a calf injury in Game 5 and he's out indefinitely. There's something fishy about that injury and it could be worse than what the Warriors are revealing to the media. KD out. Boogie out. That should spell the end of the dynasty right? There's only one problem...the Warriors lineup roster that's currently out there consists of nearly the same roster that won 73 games three years ago, albeit aging. From Game 6 against Houston to all four games against Portland in the Conference Finals, we saw the resurgence of the Warriors' beautiful ball movement, spacing, and pacing. I'm talking the 2014-2016 Warriors pre-KD. And it's all powered by their home-grown core of the 2x MVP Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green. They also had big contributions from 2015 Finals MVP Andre Iguodala and Kevon Looney, who has been nothing short of magnificent as a 6th man this postseason. How quickly they forget.

Toronto Raptors

Relax Toronto. LeBron is no longer in the East to torment your souls year after year. The Raptors made headlines earlier this offseason in a surprising move to let this season's NBA Coach of the Year winner, Dwane Casey go after leading the Raptors to the #1 seed, only to get swept by King James in the 2nd round. In a follow up transaction, they promoted assistant coach, Nick Nurse as the next head coach. The Raptors were pretty much an unknown heading into this season as DeMar DeRozan and Kyle Lowry had to live in the agony of coming up short yet again. However, they received a gift from the San Antonio Spurs in the form of Kawhi Leonard (and Danny Green as extra). Masai Ujiri deserves Executive of the Year for pulling that trade. Yes, it came at the cost of DeRozan, but what they got in return was a superstar, a Finals MVP, a DPOY winner, and one of the best two-way players in the game today. Who wouldn't be ecstatic to get a big return like that?

The acquisition of Leonard has turned the Raptors from a running joke in the East to an instant title contender. While Kawhi gets all the headlines, we can't overlook a few other Raptor players that stepped up. Pascal Siakam made major strides this year with a 16.9 PPG and 6.9 RPG breakout season. This major increase in production has deemed him worthy to be nominated for this year's Most Improved Player award. He might've supplanted Kyle Lowry as the 2nd option on the team. Fred VanVleet and Norman Powell are major contributors off the bench, VanVleet especially when he's shooting hot. Ujiri and the Raptors front office made some mid-season moves to strengthen the team as well by trading for Marc Gasol and giving away long time starter Jonas Valanciunas. The Raptors had a lot of rationale in fielding a "win now" team. Kawhi is on a one-year rental and it's unknown if he wants to stay in Toronto long-term. But, he already built a legacy in Toronto in one year that surpasses what Vince Carter, Chris Bosh, and DeMar DeRozan did for the franchise in their tenure as Raptors. Come playoff time, he was an absolute animal on both ends of the floor. During the matchups against Orlando, Philly, and Milwaukee, he single-handedly carried the Raptors and put an end to their past playoff shortcomings. Nick Nurse is also doing a hell of a job as a first-year head coach, making all the necessary adjustments and placing his trust on his rotation. Heading into the finals for the first time in franchise history since their inception in 1995, the Raptors don't have just the city of Toronto behind them, but all of Canada as well.

Keys for the Dubs

Honestly, it'd be an added bonus if they get back Kevin Durant and DeMarcus Cousins at some point in this series. But so far, the 2-time defending champions are holding their own with their home-grown Big 3 of Curry, Thompson, and Green. Since KD went out, Curry has been on an absolute tear. The shooting woes in the last few games are glaring, but in big moments Curry delivers when needed. The team has shifted back to his chain of command and he's looking for a Finals MVP this time around. Draymond Green is back to being the all-around player he used to be from 2014-2016, setting the tone on both ends of the floor. He too is going to be key, but he's gonna have his hands against bigger players such as Marc Gasol, Serge Ibaka, and Pascal Siakam, especially since the Warriors are heavily reliant on their small-ball "death lineup." Klay Thompson, it's simple, when he heats up, it's an added bonus for the Warriors' offense. Like Curry, Klay has had some shooting slumps, but delivers in key moments on both the offensive and defensive side of the ball. The Splash Bros. will do work. Andre Iguodala is going to have the assignment in trying to contain Kawhi Leonard, he'll be an X-Factor as always. Like I said before, the Warriors are getting some big-time contribution from Kevon Looney off the bench. His youth and hustle on the boards could create some mismatch problems. The motto of this Warriors' dynasty has always been "Strength in Numbers." It's time to live up to that moniker again.

Keys for the Raps

The Raptors haven't been to a stage as big as the NBA Finals in their franchise history. However, they do have some players with some Finals experience. As mentioned, Kawhi Leonard is a former Finals MVP and this will be his third Finals appearance. Danny Green is in the same boat. Serge Ibaka has been there before in 2012 when the Heat eliminated his Thunder in five games. Patrick McCaw, despite not having any major role this postseason, has been on the Warriors' championship roster the past two years and could provide some valuable insight on how to beat them. The other Raptor players will definitely have some jitters despite having home court advantage. Kawhi Leonard has been a godsend for the Raptors this year. He's going to have to set the tone, but without the question the Warriors will gameplan for him defensively, so he's gonna need some outside help. Basically, it hinges on if anybody on the roster shows up this series. Kyle Lowry has to show up. VanVleet has to continue shooting the ball with confidence off the bench. Danny Green and Marc Gasol have had minimal contributions to the team so far this postseason. If any other option outside Kawhi steps up for Toronto, it could create a lot of problems for the Warriors. The Raptors have the size with Siakam, Ibaka, and Gasol to create mismatches against the Warriors' death lineup on the boards. With Durant and Cousins out, it's essential for the Raptors to come right out of the gate these first two games and give the back-to-back defending champs a worthy challenge.

Prediction

This was my pick for this year's NBA Finals since the start of the playoffs. I think Toronto has the personnel to match up well against Golden State. The Raptors' regular season sweep of the Warriors doesn't do a whole lot of justice in showing that as both teams were not at their current state at that time. Nonetheless, the Warriors didn't have a Finals matchup as intriguing as this since they faced a healthy Cavaliers team in 2016. This is especially since they don't have KD and Boogie to start this series. There's no question, the Raptors are going to give them a run for their money. Steve Kerr and Nick Nurse are going to have an epic chess match in coaching and game planning. But at the end of the day, you can't underestimate the heart of a champion. These Warriors are hungry to add on to the dynasty and become the first team to 3-peat in over a decade. Whether Durant and Cousins show up at all, the experience and championship mettle will be on display and look for them to give Oracle Arena one final sendoff with a championship celebration on the home floor.

Warriors in 6

Cavs-Dubs NBA Finals '18 Preview

And here...we...go again. Welcome in to the 2018 NBA Finals preview provided by yours truly. By now, you should know who these teams are considering they faced each other in the last three NBA Finals series. If not, the matchup features the Eastern Conference champion Cleveland Cavaliers lead by the best player on the planet LeBron James against the Western Conference and defending NBA champion Golden State Warriors lead by their Fantastic Four in Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, Kevin Durant, and Draymond Green. For three consecutive finals, this matchup has been the NBA's "cash cow" in terms of star power from both teams. Now, they'll duke it out once again for basketball supremacy for a fourth consecutive time. So if you're a believer in league parity, then this matchup might not be for you. Time to rehash from three straight NBA Finals Preview posts!

Golden State Warriors

The Warriors re-exerted their dominance in the NBA landscape last year by easily beating the Cavs in 5 games. Even by re-signing Kevin Durant and extending Steph Curry to a lucrative $200 million contract, someway, somehow, they managed to keep their loaded roster in tact with the exceptions of Nick Young, Jordan Bell, and Quinn Cook. But, this season proved that the Warriors weren't all invincible. Their star players each took turns being sidelined with injuries. Kevin Durant with the rib injury, Draymond Green with pectoral injuries, and Klay with the injured hand. But most notably, Stephen Curry was riddled with all kinds of injuries on his lower body, ranging from a rolled ankle to a sprained MCL. Outside of the injuries to the "Fantastic Four," this season made the Warriors look vulnerable. They weren't as good as the past three years on the defensive end in particular. Their title as "top team in the West" was handed over to the Houston Rockets. However, however, in the playoffs, Golden State started to regain some of their championship pedigree back dispatching both the Spurs and the Pelicans in five games in the first two rounds. They went the distance against Chris Paul, James Harden, and the top-seeded Rockets in the Conference Finals. Though the Warriors won in 7 games lead by their scoring trio of Durant, Curry, and Thompson, they could've easily won in five or six games if it weren't for a couple of both team and coaching blunders. One can ask "what if" had Chris Paul been healthy. The Warriors caught a break with his injury, but luck didn't hang on to them when Iguodala went down during the series.

Cleveland Cavaliers

Unlike the Warriors, the Cavs underwent an extreme makeover with their roster following last year's Finals loss. They made headlines when they traded Kyrie Irving to the Boston Celtics for Isaiah Thomas and Jae Crowder. The Cavs continued to retool their roster by adding Jeff Green, Derrick Rose, and Dwayne Wade in an effort to counter the Warriors' star power and depth. The problem was that it wasn't the year 2011. With the roster to begin the season, the Cavs looked old, slow, and out of sorts on both ends of the floor. As a result, they blew up the roster by midseason. I.T. along with Channing Frye was traded to the Lakers for Clarkson and Nance (still a great trade by Magic and Pelinka to get out of JC's contract). D-Wade got sent back to Miami. Crowder and D-Rose was dealt to the Jazz in a three-way trade with the Kings to get George Hill and Rodney Hood. The positive was that the Cavs got younger and more athletic, but the negative was that LeBron James now had a weaker supporting cast. That showed in the Cavs' road to the Finals, but through some otherwordly intervention, LeBron was able to mask most of the weaknesses on the Cavs' roster. The Cavs played the same three teams they faced last year in the Pacers, Raptors, and Celtics, ironically in the same playoff rounds. The only constant was that the Cavs swept the Raptors despite the Raptors being the best team in the East and having home court. Both the Pacers and the Celtics were much tougher tests that went the distance with the Cavs compared to last years incarnation of both teams. But, the Cavs still prevailed. As much as a lot of us dislike LeBron, we can't deny his greatness any further. He was in god mode throughout the postseason, putting up ridiculous numbers, playing almost 40+ minutes a game, and carrying a team that is mediocre at best without him. It was much more like LeBron vs. the Pacers, Raptors, and Celtics during Cleveland's road to the Finals.

Keys for the Dubs

Andre Iguodala's return is indefinite and Golden State really could use him on defense against LeBron James. Kevin Durant can help disrupt LeBron's game with his length, but it's not gonna be enough without legit help at the Small Forward position. So with Iggy out, the Warriors are gonna have to double up on their defense on LeBron. He is essentially the Cavs' engine on offense. We could possibly see KD, Draymond, and Klay exchange assignments on guarding arguably the best player in the world right now. The defense is not gonna be as stifling with Iggy out, but as Game 7 against the Rockets show, the Warriors still have a tendency to apply swarming ball pressure. On offense, it all starts with the Warriors' core four. Curry, KD, and Klay can still score at will. Durant, in particular, has to place trust on his teammates to make plays. When he struggled in mid-point of the Conference Finals, he was trying to play hero ball and it stops the Warriors' ball movement. No player on the Cavs can equal the scoring prowess of the trio. They have to push the tempo and constantly move the ball.

Keys for the Cavs

Let's face it. Outside of Kevin Love, LeBron James has no help. Love's status is still in question because of a concussion in Game 6 against the Celtics. LeBron can continue to play his game and put up big numbers, but that's not going to be enough. He has to find a way to get teammates involved. The Cavs do have J.R. Smith, Kyle Korver, George Hill, Jeff Green, and Jordan Clarkson as scorers/shooters, but they've been up-and-down throughout the regular season, let alone the postseason. They are going to be needed to give LeBron the support. Tristan Thompson and Larry Nance Jr. must out-rebound any Golden State player inside to give Cleveland all kinds of opportunity. They have the size, athleticism, and hustle factor to do that. Defensively, they're going to have to generate as many turnovers from the Warriors as they can. Golden State is still prone to make bone-headed decisions with the ball and the Cavs must capitalize on every opportunity given to them.

Prediction

After three straight previews, I think you guys can telegraph my prediction in these finals. The Warriors just have way too much depth and too many weapons. The only edge that the Cavs have is that their roster is younger and more athletic. And as long as they have LeBron, they have a chance. But, let's face it, he can't do it by himself against a star-studded Warriors squad and their deep rotation. Unless the rest of the Cavs somehow show up, I just don't see it. They'll give a little bit of a fight, but look for LeBron's epic postseason run to come to a screeching halt. And look for the Warriors to extend their NBA domination.

Warriors in 6

2017 NBA Finals Preview: Cavs-Dubs III

Three times a charm. Cavs, Warriors, the same teams, the champions of the last two years. Both have clinched their respective championships on the road against each other. Like the Lakers and Celtics before them, there's no love-lost between these two rivals. With the series tied, one of these teams will own the tie breaker. This is a star-studded rematch with high stakes on the line. This is your 2017 NBA Finals preview of the 3rd installment in this Finals trilogy between the Golden State Warriors and the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Cleveland Cavaliers

Winning the NBA title last year and coming back from a 3-1 finals deficit against a historic Warriors squad, the Cavaliers transformed the city of Cleveland from heartbreak to triumph. The Cavs will look to transform Cleveland into a city with high expectations of winning it all every year. In their first full season under Tyronn Lue, the Cavs finished once again as a 50+ win team. But, like last season, they had a couple of bumps on the road. Key role players sustained injuries that kept them out for the majority of the season until the playoffs started. And after the All-Star break, the Cavs really lapsed on the defensive end. They eventually lost out on the #1 seed to the Celtics. In the playoffs, the Cavs completely flipped the switch. A lot of analysts thought this year would be the Cavs' toughest road to the Finals, facing off against the likes of the Pacers, Raptors, and Celtics. The Cavs cruised by those teams even though the Pacers did offer a competitive series despite getting swept. The Cavs come in to the Finals at 12-1 and LeBron James is playing his best basketball in this postseason. And yes, considering he just passed Michael Jordan as the all-time leading scorer in the playoffs, the debate is open once again. Outside of LeBron, Kyrie Irving continues to be Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love has had the hot shooting hand throughout these playoffs, making the Cavs' Big 3 formidable heading into these finals.

Golden State Warriors

After a disappointing end to a historic 73-9 season, the Warriors made all kinds of headlines during this offseason by signing All-Star Kevin Durant from the Oklahoma City Thunder. Despite a terrible opening night showing against the Spurs, the Warriors and their fantastic four of Curry, KD, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green certainly didn't disappoint during the majority of the regular season. They shattered all kinds of scoring and offensive records. This team could've won 70 games again had Durant not gone down with the leg injury. Warriors fans exhaled jubilantly that KD was able to make a recovery. But during the stretch Durant's injury, Curry was able to regain his form as the back-to-back MVP. The high-powered scoring of Curry and KD carried over in the playoffs. They're 12-0 start is a feat that was not seen since the 2000-01 Lakers (I remember those days). Like the Cavs, the Warriors were supposed to have a tough road against the Blazers, Jazz, and Spurs. The Spurs had the formula of beating the Warriors with their size and length until Kawhi Leonard went down for them. Outside of Curry, KD, Thompson, and Green, players such as Javale McGee, Ian Clark, and Patrick McCaw are stepping up big time and contributing to the Warriors' dominance in this postseason.

Keys for the Cavs

The lack of size is one key weakness in this Warriors' squad. The Spurs provided that blueprint in 3 out of the 4 regular season games and in game 1 in the Western Conference Finals. The Cavs have Tristan Thompson. They have Kevin Love. And without further question, LeBron has shown countless times that he can be able to crash the boards. Rebounding is going to be the major key for the Cavs on both ends of the floor and they have the size to do it to slow down the juggernaut Warriors. Tristan Thompson has terrorized the Warriors in the last two finals with his relentless rebounding prowess. LeBron will do his thing. Kyrie Irving will do his thing. Kevin Love has been playing lights out in these playoffs as of late. They're going to need him to keep the train rolling. The Cavs may have found their defensive mojo against the Celtics and even though the Warriors are not the Celtics, the Cavs must put defensive pressure on the Warriors rather than the Warriors put the defensive pressure on them. After all, both teams like to run the floor and start fast on offense. Can J.R. Smith and Kyle Korver find the stroke? Will Deron Williams turn back the clock as "D-Will" and live up to being the playmaker that LeBron James desperately coveted throughout the regular season? Those players are going to be the X-factors for the defending champs.

Keys for the Dubs

Steph Curry and Kevin Durant have formed a formidable scoring duo as of late. Isn't that supposed to be expected from the MVPs of the last three seasons? While Steph and KD will get all the headlines, Warriors fans should be asking: "can the real Klay Thompson please stand up?" He's been relegated to the "Harrison Barnes role" for the Dubs and he hasn't had any impressive games during those postseason. Klay's gonna have to rekindle the role of being one half of the "Splash Bros." There's no question about his defensive capabilities, but if Klay gets going offensively, the Warriors are going to be like a well-oiled machine. Draymond Green, can this guy keep his emotions in check and just play ball? You can expect that Green is going to be amped up with this third consecutive battle with the Cavaliers, but he has to keep it under control and stay disciplined in order to not repeat the same mistakes as last year. Outside of Draymond's fiasco, turnovers also ultimately doomed the Warriors in blowing a 3-1 lead. They've kept the turnovers to a low level in these playoffs and they need to continue that in the finals. Javale McGee, Ian Clark, Patrick McCaw, Iguodala, Livingston; these guys are going to be the obvious X-factors. They've proven to have big moments to reinforce the Warriors' prowess. Perhaps Golden State has a secret weapon in interim coach, Mike Brown (I hate bringing this guy up as a Laker fan). Brown has coached LeBron for half a decade and he briefly coached Kyrie Irving in his 2nd year in the league with the Cavs. If there's anyone in the Warriors that has more intel on those two players, it's Mike Brown. I'm sure he's game planning with Steve Kerr to find unique ways to slow down both LeBron and Irving.

Prediction

At first, I just want to let these finals play out. The NBA got what they wanted and basketball fans will be rewarded with a star-studded matchup. But, I'm expecting this to be a really short series to cap off the dreadful NBA Playoffs this year. No disrespect to the defending champs, but the Warriors had the Cavs beaten and battered until Draymond's suspension and Bogut's injury. They lost a few key players, but they still have the roster depth and adding Kevin Durant to the mix, there's just too many weapons on this Warriors team. I'm giving the Cavs at least one game in these series. But a hungry KD in search for his first ring coupled with a squad that's hellbent on revenge and silencing all the blown 3-1 lead jokes, I predict that this is going to be like the 2014 NBA Finals all over again when the Spurs laid the smack down on the Heat in five games.

Warriors in 5

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.

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.

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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.

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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.

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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.