Warriors on fast forward
Cavs face uphill battle in slowing offensive machine
CLEVELAND — The possibilities seem endless for the Warriors.
A 150-point game even out of reach.
“I mean, we could have gotten at least 140 the other night if we only had about 10 to 15 turnovers,” All-Star guard Klay Thompson said.
Dominating like no team ever has in the postseason, the Warriors look capable of anything — except another NBA Finals collapse.
They take a 2-0 lead over the Cavaliers into Wednesday’s Game 3, just as they did last year. The Warriors actually had a higher victory margin through two games in the 2016 finals, but they didn’t have Kevin Durant or a fully healthy Stephen Curry then.
They do now and are playing much better basketball than this time last year.
“As a team, I think so,” Thompson said. “We’re moving the ball great, we’re shooting the ball at a high clip and our defense has been unbelievable.”
Somehow, the Cavaliers have to change all that.
They did last year, coming home after losing the first two by a combined 48 points and beginning the turnaround with a 120-90 rout in Game 3. The opponent and situation are the same, yet things feel different.
“That’s last year and I don’t even know the feeling anymore,” LeBron James said. “So I’m just mentally strengthening my mind and getting focused on what (Wednesday is) going to bring. I look forward to it.”
The Warriors committed 20 turnovers in Game 2 but simply shook that off with a isn’t finals-record 18 3-pointers in a 132-113 romp. It was the second time in the postseason they committed at least 20 turnovers, but they scored at least 120 points in both games.
They are averaging nearly 119 points and winning by a record 16.9 points per game in the postseason, and they’ve picked up the pace lately. The Warriors have scored 126 per game on nearly 52 percent shooting over the last five games.
“We’re playing amazing basketball right now, the best we probably played throughout the year,” center Zaza Pachulia said.
The Warriors have been punishing the Cavaliers in transition, and the way they have blown open the first two games by scoring in bunches hasn’t just taken a physical toll.
“When you’re making the run, you definitely feel the other team looking for answers and being deflated as the game goes on,” Durant said.
A year after winning 73 games to set the NBA’s regular-season record, the Warriors can make more history if they sweep the Cavaliers to complete the league’s first undefeated postseason. They embraced the chase last year but said Tuesday that they’re not thinking at all about 16-0.
“Game 3 has been rough for us historically, and especially in this building,” Curry said. “So we need to really just lock in and give every effort we have.”