Plans are top-secret ahead of key Game 5

OAKLAND, Calif. — With the best-of-seven NBA Finals heading into Sunday’s Game 5 at Oracle Arena knotted 2-2, the Warriors and Cavaliers are protecting their game plans as if they were state secrets.

The coaches set the tone, and the players followed suit during Saturday’s media availability.

“Well, as I established before Game 4, I will lie, so …” Warriors head coach Steve Kerr said. “Unfortunately, the dynamics are pretty tricky, so if I say anything, I’m guessing it might get back to David (Blatt). I’ll just say that I’ve established my penchant for lying, so however I answer right now, you shouldn’t believe me, anyway.”

Blatt, the Cavaliers’ head coach, countered with: “I’m not going to sit here and give away too, too much.”

The most-pondered question is whether the Warriors will stick with the small-ball lineup they used in Game 4 or if they will return to the starters who went 50-7 during the regular season and danced into the Finals without much adversity.

Neither team gave away much on that query — or anything else, for that matter — a day before Game 5.

“We have so many weapons that we’re able to make decisions like that,” Warriors point guard Stephen Curry said. “We’re not stuck with a certain lineup based on how things are going, so we can have changes and things like that.” Chess match

Cleveland forward LeBron James has seen Finals opponents make similar lineup changes in 2011 and 2014. Because you aren’t really sure if a team will continue with its lineup swap or revert to what got it to the Finals, James said making counter adjustments can be difficult.

“I mean, they started small ball, but they’ve played a lot of small ball all year,” James said. “It’s the luxury that coach Kerr has with the type of personnel that he has where he’s able to slide Draymond Green to the ‘5’ and play small. …

“We’re going to play our game. We’ve gotten to this point by playing the way we play, and we’re not going to change. We’ll make adjustments throughout the game, but we won’t change our starting lineup.”

The Cavaliers, however, might change their rotation. They’ve used only seven players for more than 10 minutes in each of the series’ first four games, but after looking too exhausted to complete their Game 4, third-quarter run, it might be time to extend the rotation.

Mike Miller, Shawn Marion and Kendrick Perkins have won four NBA titles combined.

“You know, the funny thing about that is: Golden State played seven guys in (Game 4), as well,” Blatt said, referring to only seven Warriors playing at least seven minutes. “But we did appear to be fatigued. We did let down somewhat. … So if that’s necessary, that’s what we’ll do.

Now, to the few things we do know:

If the Warriors are to win Game 5, they likely have to speed up the pace of the game, value ball possession and get an MVPlike outing from Curry. If the Cavaliers are to win Game 5, they likely have make the game plod along, dominate the glass and get an MVP-like outing from James.

In the Warriors’ two wins, they’ve averaged 9.5 turnovers, and Curry has shot 48.6 percent from the floor and 46.2 percent from three-point range. In the Warriors’ two losses, they’ve averaged 17.5 turnovers, and Curry has shot 34.9 percent from the floor and 32.1 percent from three-point range. Size still matters

In the Cavaliers’ two wins, they’ve outrebounded the Warriors by 6.5 per game and have gotten 39.5 points, 14 rebounds and 9.5 assists from James. In their two losses, the Cavaliers have outrebounded the Warriors by one per game and have gotten 32 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists from James.

“I think the mentality is we’re not undersized,” said Warriors swingman Andre Iguodala, who started in place of center Andrew Bogut in Game 4. “I mean, we know it, obviously. You can feel it out there. We’re trying to box out those guys. They’re very physical.

“I think LeBron gives those two guys (7-1 Timofey Mozgov and 6-10 Tristan Thompson) that look, and they look at him, and he says, ‘Kill them on the glass.’ So we know that’s what they’re trying to do.” How will they do it? “Oh, well, I can’t tell you that,” Cleveland point guard Matthew Dellavedova said. “I can’t give away the game plan.”