Monday, June 5, 2017

Warriors Keep Right On Rolling

Well Well Well, what have we here. We're two games into the NBA Finals and things are getting all mixed up and turned around. You would have thought, at least I would have, that the Cavaliers would have come out with more fire after dropping the opener and would have at least pulled even in the series. That didn't happen. Kevin Durant of the Warriors even said after the blowout win in game one that the Warriors could have played better. Game 2 proved him right, as Golden State defeated Cleveland 132-113 on Sunday to take a 2-0 lead in the Finals. All four Warriors All-Stars were clicking simultaneously and the results were devastating, with Cavaliers coach Tyronn Lue pulling the plug while facing a 21-point deficit with nearly four minutes remaining.

Cleveland made a glaring mistake in this game, they tried to make it a track meet of sorts against the Warriors. Yeah like that was going to work. Even though the Warriors only had a three point lead at the half, they opened the game up, going off with a fourteen point advantage in the 2nd half and never really looking back. Kevin Durant was brilliant again in game two, dropping 33 points, 13 rebounds and six assists. Stephen Curry, despite some ugly turnovers during the course of the game, was able to chip in the first postseason triple-double of his career. Curry dropped 32 points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds. You have to give credit where its due, Cleveland was relentless offensively in the first half. LeBron James, who had a monster game in his own right but more on that in a second, was getting to the basket whenever he wanted. Then the second half started, and for the second straight game, Stephen Curry heated up.

You have to give credit where it's due to LeBron James. The best players always find a way to make adjustments in game to what's going on around them and try and get their team into games. The best players also try and find a way to will their teams back into games. LeBron was able to make adjustments in game two, but it wasn't enough to get his teammates inspired to play up to LeBron's level. The King did all that he could on Sunday. James had a triple-double, with 29 points, 14 assists and 11 rebounds. It was LeBron's eighth NBA Finals triple-double, tying Magic Johnson's record. That right there is a perfect example of why he's the best in the game. Only the true great ones can make changes like that on the fly and be that productive as a game wears on. It was just kind of sad to not see the rest of the Cavaliers join LeBron on that level. So with LeBron and Curry both dropping triple doubles, it marked the first game in 30 years where two opposing players each had a triple double in the Finals.

Yes, Kevin Love did add 27 points and seven rebounds, while Kyrie Irving struggled his way to 19 points, shooting 8-for-23 from the field. That last number really is a telling tale of how things were going on the night for Cleveland. Their shooting percentage from the floor was horrible. And can somebody please put out an APB and try to find Kyrie Irving. He's been AWOL for long stretches in this finals series. Look at the difference between last year and this year in the finals. Part of the reason the Cavs were able to beat the Warriors last year is that, at times, Kyrie and LeBron were the two best players on the court. This year in the Finals, Kyrie is nowhere close to that level. He's being outplayed by teammate Kevin Love, which is no knock on Kevin Love, its more of a shot at Kyrie, who was one of the biggest reasons why the Cavs won it all.. Expect Kryie to bounce back at home in Game 3.

For Cleveland, they need Kyrie to get back on his game again and return to the form that helped the Cavs so much last year. If he doesn't, this is going to be a short series. And from a Golden State point of view, they just better hope and prey they don't blow another huge lead like they did in last years finals.

Game three will tip off on Wednesday night at 8 from Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland

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