GOLDEN STANDARD!
Warriors win 3rd NBA crown as LeBron speculation begins:
CLEVELAND — The debate over the Golden State Warriors’ place in NBA history can officially begin. As for the speculation regarding LeBron James’ future, well that really started last summer.
And now it will intensify following an uninspiring performance in what could very well be LeBron’s last game with the Cavs.
The Warriors are again the NBA’s best team, perhaps one of the greatest ever, after they outclassed LeBron and the Cleveland Cavaliers, 108-85, to complete the four-game series sweep. Game 4 was over by halftime.
Golden State, which has won eight of its last nine NBA Finals games against the Cavs, is a back-to-back champion for the first time in franchise history and has captured the title in three of the last four years. “It’s so hard to do this,” Klay Thompson said. “To do this three out of four years is incredible.”
This is as close to a dynasty as we have in North American pro sports. And there may be more titles in their future. Assuming Kevin Durant re-signs and the rest of the All-Star core — Stephen Curry, Draymond Green and Thompson — remain healthy, the Warriors will enter the 201819 season as the favorite to three-peat.
Where LeBron enters next season will likely be determined within the next six weeks. There is a growing belief that James has played his final game with the Cavs on Friday. Barely played that is.
The self-proclaimed King, who revealed he was playing with an injured right hand, is now 3-6 in nine trips to the Finals. In his ninth Finals he went out with a whimper and not a bang. His passive play was shocking and in the decisive third quarter it was if James was saying “do you see what I have to work with?” LeBron finished with 23 points, eight assists, and seven rebounds and was mostly a wallflower in the second half. As the Warriors, leading 61-52 at halftime, extended their lead to 21 in the third quarter James produced just four free throws. Maybe the strain of playing in all 104 games while carrying Cleveland to the NBA Finals got the best of him. And it’s no secret that Golden State is the superior team with more overall talent and depth. “The bottom line is we had more talent,” said Warriors coach Steve Kerr. “And talent wins in this league.” But James didn’t go down swinging and that’s a disappointing ending to a remarkable four-year run in Cleveland which included some of his finest performances in this postseason. But in an elimination game, LeBron had just six field goals and four fouls by
the end of the third quarter. Hence, the smattering of boos.
James confirmed that he “said he pretty much played the last three games with a broken hand” after punching a white board following Game 1. In Game 3, James posted a triple-double. On Friday, he appeared more emotionally spent as opposed to being physically limited.
The Cavs began the fourth quarter with the world’s best player on the bench. His only secondhalf field goal came with 5:40 remaining in the season and the Cavs trailing by 28. LeBron was removed for good with 4:03 left and after slapping hands with the Warriors, he took a seat as the crowd chanted “M-V-P.” The run certainly feels like it is over. “I hope he stays,” Tyronn Lue said. The Warriors are another story. Curry, who was dreadful in Game 3, answered with a classic Steph Curry performance in the clincher. Curry scored 37 points on 12-of-27 shooting including 7 of 15 on 3-pointers.
Durant, who was named Finals Most Valuable Player for the second straight year, validated the honor by producing a LeBron-like triple-double: 20 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists. He becomes the 11th player in league history to win the Finals MVP award multiple times.
Durant is expected to opt out of his contract but he’s already said publicly that he plans to re-sign with Golden State. James’ free agent plans are more complicated. He can either opt into his contract for next season or become an unrestricted free agent. With the draft in less than two weeks and free agency beginning on July 1st, the Cavs’ front office will be under pressure to make a move or moves that would enhance their chances of keeping the league’s best player in his hometown. “I have no idea at this point,” LeBron said of returning to Cleveland. “I don’t have an answer for you as far as that.” Game 4 didn’t help either side. The summer of LeBron has started. And this Golden State run isn’t ending any time soon.