No team has ever come back from a 3-0 series lead in the playoffs in NBA history. Will the Cleveland Cavaliers be the team to do it? If so, they are going to start authoring that kind of a miracle this Friday at home, where the Golden State Warriors are looking to bring out the broom.
The Warriors can taste their next Championship thanks to the embarrassment of riches they call a team. Kevin Durant was simply sensational in Game 3, dropping a playoff career-high of 43 points on 15-for-23 shooting from the field. He also had 13 boards and seven assists. With Steph Curry and Klay Thompson not shooting well, Durant put the Warriors on his back and carried them to a win. After hitting nine treys in Game 2, Curry went just 1-for-10 from behind the arc and finished with only 11 points. Thompson, meanwhile, had 10 points on 4-for-11 shooting. Curry and Thompson can’t be this cold for so long, and paired with Cleveland’s poor defense, the two should be able to recover their touch soon. Through three games in the Finals, the Warriors are shooting 53.4 percent from the field and 37.8 percent from the 3-point region.
The Warriors enter Game 4 with a 4-2 ATS in their last six road games.
Even with LeBron James notching a triple-double, Cleveland once again fell short of scoring a win in the Finals on Wednesday. James collected 33 points on 13-for-28 shots from the field, 10 rebounds, 11 assists, two steals, and two blocks in 47 minutes on the court. James tweaked his ankle late in the first half but said he’s going to play in Game 4, as a Cavs team without James is surely going to be “barbecued” beyond recognition by Golden State. As always, James need his supporting cast to step up. Love was able to put up 20 points in Game 3, but 15 of those came in the first half. One positive for the Cavs is the coming alive of Rodney Hood, who had 15 points off the bench in 26 minutes. Expect Tyronn Lue to give Hood ample minutes again this Friday, but he should also let Kyle Korver play more minutes after the sharpshooter logged in only 11 minutes on Wednesday.
The Cavs are 5-5 ATS in their last 10 road games.
Writer’s Prediction:
Golden State wins, 116-108, reeling in their first back-to-back Championship and sixth all-time. See you in Houston next year, LeBron.
