Cavs alive and well
Triple-double by James huge in tying series
OAKLAND, Calif. — LeBron James tried to warn everybody. Anybody.
Don’t write off the Cavaliers yet. He’s still on the team, after all.
Sure enough, the Cavaliers stunned the Warriors 95-93 in overtime Sunday, evening the NBA Finals at one game each.
James didn’t shoot well but had 39 points, 16 rebounds and 11 assists in 50 minutes. He made 11 of 34 shots.
Matthew Dellavedova, a starter only because of Kyrie Irving’s injury, had the decisive points, making two free throws with 10.1 seconds left in overtime after getting fouled while grabbing an offensive rebound.
It was the first time that Games 1 and 2 of the NBA Finals went to overtime.
It was also new life for the Cavs, left for dead by seemingly everybody except themselves after losing Irving in Game 1 because of a fractured kneecap.
Stephen Curry had a miserable game, making only 5 of 23 shots and setting a Finals record for most missed 3-point shots. He was 2-for-13 behind the arc.
With the Warriors down one in the final seconds of overtime, Curry shot an air ball from 19 feet. James made only one of two free throws at the other end with 4.4 seconds left, but Curry was charged with a turnover after failing to get the ball to Klay Thompson near midcourt.
Strange stuff happened to the Warriors most of the night.
Curry missed 10 of his first 11 3-point attempts, and Golden State was 8for-35 behind the arc (22.9 percent).
The Cavs took an 83-72 lead on James’ 3-pointer with 3:14 left in the fourth quarter. He followed it with some exaggerated clapping as he went to the bench after a Warriors timeout.
It seemed like the game was over.
Even the normally raucous Warriors crowd was silent.
But Andre Iguodala and Curry each made 3-pointers, Harrison Barnes converted a three-point play the old way — getting fouled on a dunk — and the Warriors were back in business on Curry’s layup with 7.2 seconds remaining in regulation.
James missed on a drive to the basket, Tristan Thompson couldn’t convert a tip-in and the game went to overtime.