Cavs ignore last year’s comeback after another 0-2 hole

OAKLAND » LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers are headed home in a familiar spot after the first two games of the NBA Finals.

Rather than reach back to last year’s championship comeback for a confidence boost, James’ focus is on figuring out what Cleveland must do to change its fortunes against a Warriors team that is fresher and far more dangerous this year, thanks to the addition of CLEVELAND » The first two games of the NBA Finals are the mostwatched since Michael Jordan’s final championship in 1998.

Despite two lopsided outcomes, Golden State’s two home wins over Cleveland averaged 19.6 million viewers, according

Kevin Durant.

“They’re a different team,” James said following to numbers released Monday by the Nielsen company.

That’s an increase of 5 percent from the 18.6 million average in 2016.

The Warriors’ 132-113 victory on Sunday drew an average of 20.1 million viewers, up 13 percent from Game 2 last year

a 132-113 loss in Game 2 on Sunday night that put Cleveland in an 0-2 hole. and the most for a Game 2 since Chicago and Utah met in 1998. The telecast peaked with 23.1 million viewers.

This is the first time two teams have met three straight times in the NBA Finals.

That’s been quite evident through two games. Durant leads all players with 71 points the first two games — six more than the player he replaced in the lineup, Harrison Barnes, scored in seven games a year ago.

Durant’s scoring has taken pressure off Stephen Curry and allowed the Warriors to withstand Cleveland runs so well that they haven’t trailed after the first quarter in either game.

A healthy Curry followed up a 28-point Game 1 with his first postseason tripledouble on Sunday with 32 points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds. He looks more like a two-time MVP than the hobbled player he was in last year’s Finals.

Klay Thompson shook off a shooting slump to score 22 points and the Warriors pulled away late for another lopsided win.

“They play well at home,” Cavs coach Tyronn Lue said. “They won their first two games like they’re supposed to. Coming to a tough environment, we knew it was going to be tough, but they won the first two games. We get a chance to go home now to our home crowd where we play well, also.”