Warriors up 3-2 on Cavs
OAKLAND, CALIF. — The Golden State Warriors are a win away from ending one long championship drought and extending another.
Stephen Curry made seven 3-pointers and scored 37 points, and the Warriors withstood another brilliant performance from LeBron James to outlast the Cleveland Cavaliers 104-91 on Sunday night for a 3-2 lead in the NBA Finals.
With a sellout crowd rocking and roaring in their golden-yellow shirts, the newly minted MVP and his teammates took control of the game — and possibly the series — in the final minutes. Curry connected inside and out—sometimes way out—to help the Warriors pull away.
“He took over the game down the stretch,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said.
The Warriors will try to win their first title since 1975 on Tuesday night in Cleveland, which hasn’t won a major sports championship in 51 years. Game 7, if necessary, would be in Oakland on Friday night.
James carried Cleveland as far as he could. The four-time MVP had 40 points, 14 rebounds and 11 assists, slowing down the pace the way only he can. James made 15 of 34 shots in 44 minutes.
It was James’ second tripledouble of this series. But the depleted Cavs, without starters Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love, tired again late with a rotation that has gone just seven or eight deep.
“He has the ball in his hands a lot. Stick with the program. Don’t get discouraged if he makes shots. He’s going to,” Curry said of James. “Over the course of 48 minutes, we hope we wear him down to make it very tough on him.”
Draymond Green had 16 points and nine rebounds, Andre Iguodala added 14 points, eight rebounds and seven assists, and Leandro Barbosa scored 13 points in reserve for the deep and talented Warriors.
Tristan Thompson tallied 19 points and 10 rebounds, and J.R. Smith scored all 14 of his points in the first half for Cleveland, which shot 39.5 per cent.
Under the current 2-2-1-1-1 schedule format, the winner of Game 5 in a 2-2 series has won the title 12 of 14 times.
But nobody can feel too comfortable after this one.
There were 20 lead changes and 10 ties in a game that featured nearly as many bruises as baskets — but few big men — and the league’s two biggest attractions trading thrilling scores.