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| Can Lebron pull another rabbit out of the hat tonight in Cleveland? |
Improbably, the NBA Finals are tied at one game a piece as the series shifts from Oakland to Cleveland. Lebron James will look to continue to exert his will on a matchup that has become a one-man show. The Hitter's Count is bringing back the running diary gimmick for a pivotal game three after two straight overtime thrillers at Oracle Arena, so this game will probably be a runaway for the Warriors knowing my luck..
The Golden State Warriors and this year's MVP Stephen Curry have been a juggernaut all season. They posted the best offensive and defensive team numbers (according to those efficiency gurus that are so chic these days) which led them to a 67-15 regular season record. They went 39-2 at home and Cleveland handed them just their 4th loss all season (playoffs included) in game 2. Curry suffered through the worst shooting night of his professional career going 5-23 from the field including a putrid 2-15 from beyond the arc. Still, the Warriors are so deep that they stayed in the game with their best player having an off night. Klay Thompson, Draymond Green, Harrison Barnes, and Andre Iguodala (the former Sixer who does not start for the Dubs) could all be considered better players than every healthy player on the Cavs aside from Lebron James.
But that's where James comes in. He's why I'm writing this right now. If you haven't been watching this series, you should start tonight. Lebron is in his 12th year in the league. He's won 4 MVPs, this is his 6th Finals appearance, of which he's won 2, and there isn't much of an argument to be made that he's ever played better or bigger than he has in the first two games of this series. To set the record straight I am a Sixers fan, first and foremost, but we all know how bad things have been since Allen Iverson left so I've just tried to latch on to watching history, watching greatness. I guess I understand the Lebron haters, there are plenty, but I'm not with that camp. I want to watch somebody transcendent if I'm not going to see my team win, and there's nobody better to watch on the planet than Lebron James. He's Magic Johnson, crossed with Larry Bird, crossed with Michael Jordan, in Karl Malone's body.*
In game two on Sunday night I finally saw what my version is of Lebron's best game. It came out of necessity. In the first round of these playoffs Cavs' All-Star forward Kevin Love dislocated his shoulder and was lost for the season. Love is a 6 foot 10 rebounding machine who doubles as the best 3 point shooter on the team. This was a big blow. The Cavs sauntered through the rest of the Eastern Conference Playoffs with little resistance even with All-Star point guard Kyrie Irving missing games with tendinitis in his knee. Irving was having a terrific first game of the Finals until he went down with a fractured knee cap in the 4th quarter. These injuries put the onus 100% on Lebron James' broad shoulders for game 2 and he came away with the following line: 39 points 16 rebounds and 11 assists. Sure he shot an Iversonesque 11-35 from the field but he absolutely needed to take that many shots. Nobody else on the team is even capable of getting their own shot, aside from a step back 26 footer from JR Smith.
For years I've watched and hoped that James would impose his will on games and series like he has so far in this year's Finals. He's been the best player on the planet for about a decade and often times he has looked passive and wanted to be too much of a facilitator during big games. Now that Love and Irving are out, Lebron has nothing but defenders and rebounders playing along side him so he must be the scorer, the playmaker, and the unquestioned leader of his team and he's done that through two games. In this "pace and space" era of the NBA where teams cut, drive and dish, and constantly try to find open 3s for spot-up shooters the isolation offense has become almost extinct. Except for Cleveland, where the Cavs will get Lebron the ball on the left wing in post up position at least 20 times a game and let him go to work 1 on 1 against which ever defender the Warriors think can slow him down the most. Tonight I'll be doing a running count of isolation plays for Lebron, there will be plenty. Nobody runs offense like this any more in the NBA, but when you have the best player in the world it does seem to make sense to just let him do his thing.
Perhaps its smoke and mirrors and the Warriors will find their groove in Cleveland. They are without a doubt the better team, but right now they don't have the best player and that's what matters for Cleveland.
Check back later in the day for random thoughts and updates. The game begins at 9 PM.
*** Running Diary Starts Here - Shown In Reverse Chronological Order ***
11:51 PM EST: Well, Steph Curry gave it up after an early double team and even though he had a lot it was too little too late. Remarkably, the Cavaliers take a 2-1 lead in the series. Lebron has the most points in the first 3 games of a finals with 123. That's 41 a game if you're scoring at home.
In the post game interview Lebron responds that Delly is made of steel when asked about the Australian's composition. He refers to the team as gritty. He says he's not sure if he can keep putting up these numbers but I figure he can at this point.
Final score Cavaliers 96 Warriors 91.
What an incredible game. I won't soon forget it. Thanks for enjoying it with me.
11:49 PM EST: Give James 40 as he calmly nails both free throws after a tense inbound. Maybe ball deny Curry here.
11:46 PM EST: Unreal whistle on the inbounds play and the referees are conferring for over 3 minutes. The replay clearly shows it should be Cavs ball after Klay Thompson touched the ball while standing out of bounds. They're not even reviewing it!
Oh, now we have our replay guru on saying "Sometimes you have a brain cramp" and alluded to the refs not knowing you can review in this situation. It is now Cavs ball. Are you kidding me what else can happen? Took them at least 3 minutes to decide to review. What a mockery.
11:43 PM EST: Never a guarantee at the line, James drains 2 to make it a 6 point game. Give him 38 and Curry comes down with a legit YOU'VE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME 3! Timeout Cavs up 3 with 18.8 to go. This series has delivered 3 gems. If I wasn't typing I'd be speechless. You will have to see this Curry 3, a thing of beauty with a pull up on a near dead sprint around multiple screens to keep them in this game.
11:40 PM EST: To quote Snatch "Of course f**kin, of course." Steph Curry drains a corner 3 off an inbounds play with an inch of daylight to make it. He has now hit 6 3s in the game. The Cavs just struggle to close out these games. 92-88 with 28 seconds to go, yeah, he made it in 2 seconds of game time.
11:39 PM EST: Cavs with back to back ugly turnovers just asking to keep the Dubs in it. WIll still take a borderline miracle without any timeouts down 7 with 30 seconds to go.
11:36 PM EST: Lebron steals the inbounds from Steph Curry. He makes both free throws on the foul that stopped what would have been one of the coolest breakaway dunks in a while. Curry kiddin me?
11:35 PM EST: Matthew Dellevadova has 20 points in an NBA Finals game. You gotta be shitting me. Under a minute to play and the Cavs will have to hold off the best 3 point shooters in the game to do it, amazing the Warriors are even in it but after getting it to a 1 possession game the Cavs responded with aplomb.
11:32 PM EST: Curry has found his stroke and keeping his team alive. He nails a 28 footer to get it back down to 5.
11:28 PM EST: Steph Curry with a serious WTF moment after dribbling behind his back multiple times he throws the worst pass of his life. A behind the back no look to the guy in the front row and boy does Lebron make him pay. James nails a 3 at the other end to put the Cavs up 7 with 105 seconds to play. It's not your ball game, but it's devastating for a team that just erased 16 points of the 17 they needed to at the beginning of the quarter.
11:27 PM EST: Holy shit DELLLLYY!!. He drains a running rumbling bumbling stumbling heave and 1 to erase the 3 from Curry. He's got 18. HE'S GOT 18!!!
11:26 PM EST: We've got a David Lee sighting in the 4th quarter for the Dubs. Dude had 17 points all playoffs and has 8 in the quarter. Curry nails a 3 to cut the lead to 1.
11:25 PM EST: You believe this Pixels movie with Adam Sandler? I don't.
11:22 PM EST: Heart's beating a little faster with each Golden State launch at this point. James with a little pageantry playing up a possible tweaked ankle after a ridiculous alley-oop dunk on the break from Delly. He's at 31-12-8 and the Cavs are up 5 with under 4 to play.
11:20 PM EST: Shumpert misses two free throws in a 3 point game with 5 to go. That can't happen.
11:17 PM EST: Of course mettle had to be tested tonight. It couldn't be that easy for the Cavs. 6 to play in a 3 point game after Curry knifed through the D and drained a sweet reverse kiss off the glass. Where was this all game? Trademark slick behind the back move shook him free at 23 feet.
11:11 PM EST: The vibe has been completely flipped. Lebron misses 1 of 2 at the line and the crowd is deathly silent. They've been punched in the gut. It's 18-5 in the quarter only 4 minutes in. Curry nails a step back 3 to cut it to 4, he's finally showing some MVP form with 10 in the quarter.
11:09 PM EST: The lead is down to 6! and it feels like the isolations have slowed for Lebron. It was working like clockwork through 3, they'll get back to it.
11:04 PM EST: There's the first mini blitz of the game to start the 4th quarter. 3 buckets including a 3 from Iguodala in the corner to quickly make a 17 point deficit only single digits at 72-63. It's about damn time they scored more than 4 in a row. Timeout Cavs.
11:01 PM EST: Lebron is back in the game.
11:00 PM EST: Lebron is not on the floor to start the quarter and Delly just took a 1 footed 3.
10:52 PM EST: I've lost count of the isos, but if you've seen that video I posted below I could have just made a carbon copy of it. James is dominating like only James can dominate. He's racked up 4 more assists while dropping 13 more points. Back-to-back triple doubles are within reach as the Cavs head into the 4th quarter up 17. We're seeing a virtuoso performance. He capped the quarter off with his 2nd block of the game stuffing Festus Ezeli at the rim. The Cavs are up 72-55 and it would be an all-timer at this point to see the Warriors come back. Feels like we're witnessing an all-timer for Cleveland though.
10:51 PM EST: After another assist from Lebron on a Mozgov dunk to put the Cavs up 20 Steph Curry finally gets a 3 to go. They're needs to be more where that came from.
10:49 PM EST : The lid is off the building as JR Smith drains a 3 assisted by Lebron to put the Cavs up 18! 66-48, this is some incredible basketball being played by the Cavs.
10:43 PM EST: It's all Cavs with 4:41 to go in the 3rd. Lebron is imposing his will and the Warriors aren't quite self-destructing, but that term is certainly in the conversation. Getting 8 thus far in the quarter from Delly while Curry and Thompson have combined for 7 is tough to take.
James is doing it all I'd say. The Warriors have no pep in their step. They can't seem to get a bucket, or a call, but they are obviously a quick strike team.
Say it Mark
10:41 PM EST: So much action all for the Cavs mid way through the 3rd. Delly! Reigns another 3 off a rocket pass from Lebron out of the post. Curry finally gets a mid-range jumper to fall. But off a turnover Lebron hits a wide open 3 to put the Cavs up 11. The Cavs are playing with that pace the Warriors are looking for on the past few possessions.
10:38 PM EST: Steph Curry hasn't hit a bucket in 28 minutes. James hits a jumper from the wing, Warriors are in heap big trouble if that jumper starts to fall. It was the 12th iso.
10:32 PM EST: Here's a sequence for you. Matthew Delleavedova drains a 3 from the wing while Klay Thompson comes down and barely hits rim on a 3 he released so quick you only saw it clang off the backboard, then off that rebound Delly comes down and hits a floater. Cavs up 10. The Q going wild. Mark Jackson lets us know Delly is "feelin himself". Timeout Dubs. "Next man up" as the Cavs like to say.
10:31 PM EST: James has 13 9, and 3 but is only shooting 6-17. If he gets near a triple double tonight the Dubs are in trouble.
The second half is underway and James scores on his first touch on a driving lay-up.
10:25 PM EST: Iguodala leads all Warriors scorers with 10 points. Thompson has 6 on 3-9 and is 0-3 from 3. The bench has 21 of their 37 points. Like to know what Kerr is saying in that locker room. Wonder if he's pulling a story from a Finals game with Michael or Tim? Or if he's in the now? He's got some experience to pull from in that locker room either way. The Warriors are in need of a personality change at half.
The Cavs give it to Lebron - who is not turning the ball over at a terrible rate with just 2 despite being so ball dominant - and he controls the action to the point that the Warriors can't play their game. The Dubs are just missing shots they normally make is what it comes down to for the most part though. We're in for a dog fight in this second half.
10:14 PM EST: The end of this half has been a defensive battle and Lebron may have gotten hit on his latest foray to the hoop but he spent way too much time bitching about it. Get over it and move on. 15 seconds left in the half - Cavs ball after a timeout - the Warriors somehow will finish the half with 37 points. Of course James finds James Jones with a rifle pass for a 3 ball that he calmly knocks down. 44-37 Cavs at half. Where is the offense Golden State? Where is your game Steph Curry? Time to step up. You gotta go down swinging at least. He's got 3 points on 1-6 shooting.
10:09 PM EST: Steph Curry has been borderline non existent but the Dubs are just hanging around. He has 3 points while Delly has 5 with under 2 to go in the half. Lebron misses a bunny on what I have as his 10th iso.
10:03 PM EST: Wow after Lebron spends an entire possession dribbling around and finally laying a nice scoop lay-up in Tristan Thompson inadvertently knocks the ball out of the basket just as it got below the rim. Oh well. James scores on a lay-up the next possession.
He's fine with keeping this game in his hands. So's Cleveland.
9:59 PM EST: Shumpert is back in the game and the Warriors are 3-13 from 3. On cue Iman drains a 3 to put the Cavs up 7, guess he's feelin' alright.
9:56 PM EST: Mark Jackson alludes to Muhammad Ali wearing down George Foreman in reference to what the Cavs bigs are doing to Andrew Bogut and company. Meanwhile Draymond Green hits his first 3 in 15 attempts and the play is getting increasingly physical with the refs letting a lot of contact go. Can't believe they tell Draymond to keep shooting them. Curry has just the 3 points and the Dubs are only down 3. Really long commercial break here.
9:51 PM EST: Curry re-enters the game after sitting the first 4 minutes of the 2nd. Dubs down 3, let's see if he can get them going.
Draymond Green has his minimum once a game freakout over a foul he clearly committed. Looks like a clown every time.
9:46 PM EST: 7th iso, I skipped one for your benefit. Lebron scores this time on a driving lay-up to the right side from the center of the floor. Next possession sees JR get his first 3 of the night and he's 3-3 from the field. 2 more to go for that not so bold prediction. 31-26 Cavs.
9:43 PM EST: James Jones gets beat back door and commits his 3rd foul. Shumpert has not returned form what looked like a serious arm injury. Cavs are running out of players they ever play. I'm smelling a Shawn Marion sighting!
9:37 PM EST: The first quarter is in the books and the The Lebrons are up 24-20. The Warriors haven't quite hit stride and the Cavs got contributions from Tristan Thompson, 6 points and 7 boards, and of course scrappy play from Delly and the venerable Mike Miller.
James took 10 shots, but only made three. He must've missed 5 shots in the paint as it isn't jumpers he's missing. They haven't been easy shots but he's missed some he should have made.
Nice commercial for the new Terminator movie starring Arnold of course. Man, I can't wait.
9:31 PM EST: 5th iso. Iguodala with the D this time and James misses a lefty lay-up ugly.
9:30 PM EST: After a nice drive by Curry through the lane that resulted in an assist and easy bucket James Jones hits a 3 and gets fouled. Because of course he does. 4 point play. 22-16 3 minutes left in the 1st.
9:25 PM EST: JR Smith hits his first bucket and Klay Thompson trades a two pointer back with him. 14-10 Cleveland.
And bad news for the Cavs. Iman Shumpert just took a hard screen and looked to crunch something in his arm. The Cavs call timeout and as he's in serious pain. The replay looked ugly.
9:20 PM EST: Curry has a wide open look go in and out and on the ensuing possession Lebron turned the corner after a screen and there was no help as Lebron threw down a dunk and had to duck his head as it hit the backboard. Lotta juice there. JVG insists Bogut should have put James on his ass, I don't disagree. He was just that late he couldn't do it.
9:18 PM EST: 4 isos, this one is "too easy" and off the right block, James took Barnes down low and spun baseline for a lay in. 8-5 Cavs.
Dellavedova is throwing up Dellevedova like floaters - if that's a thing - and got one to fall on this attempt. 10-5 Cavs and Steve Kerr gets an early timeout. Down only 5 less than 5 minutes in seems a bit premature to me. The crowd was about to tear the roof off though.
9:13 PM EST: This might get tough, 3 Lebron isos. All on the left block. Sticking to the game plane early.
9:12 PM EST: 2 Lebron isos.. Curry knocks in the first 3 he takes. 6-3 Cavs 2 minutes in.
9:11 PM EST: Lebron isolation play number 1 - left block. Blows by Draymond Green and lays it in immediatley.
They show a clip of Lebron bowing to Jim Brown who's sitting courtside just before tip-off. Decent athletes those two.
9:11 PM EST: We're off.
9:09 PM EST: Still haven't tipped. Because of course not. Mama there goes that man - Mark Jackson, Jeff Van Gundy (JVG) and Mike Breen with the call. Jackson can't feel good calling this series having been canned as the head coach of the Dubs on bad terms last year.
We'll see how much JVG complains tonight, hopefully he can contain himself.
9:03 PM EST: Rascal Flatts singing the National Anthem. I may have gone somebody a bit more rock and roll in Cleveland, but it was an impressive rendition and my wife certainly enjoyed it.
8:52 PM EST: We're listening to Doug Collins keys to the game. Number one is efficient offense in the first quarter.
My key is:
The Cavs are going to get blitzed at some point in this game, probably more than once. If you've watched Golden State whisk their way through the playoffs it's some breathtaking hoops. The combination of Curry and Thompson is really like nothing any body has ever seen before. Their ability to launch threes with incredible accuracy in rapid succession makes them feel like they're 2 minutes away from flipping a 5 point deficit into a 5 point lead at all times. The Cavs have to limit those runs, which they've done by grinding the game to a halt by calling wheel Lebron all night.** Tonight will be about limiting those runs and somebody besides Lebron coming up clutch if the game is close late.
I like the Warriors in this game but we're about to find out if Lebron can fulfill some destiny. It should be fun.
8:45 PM EST: Steph Curry has made 77 3s in this postseason. Most made all time. Just another notch on his belt.
Per certain nefarious websites The Warriors (Dubs for the sake of the rest of this post to save my typing) are 2.5 point favorites with the over set at 196. Have to like the Dubs and the over no? You know if I was in Vegas.
The Cavs just took the floor for warm-ups and the atmosphere is raucous. The Dubs have entered and there is some Philly like boos getting rained. Reigned?
8:15 PM EST: Fast Times at Ridgemont High on IFC.
"This guy's been stoned since the third grade."
Don't sleep on IFC, you should be up on that channel frequently if you enjoy the classics.
8:04 PM EST: Not so bold prediction number 2 - I got the over on 2.5 3s made by JR Smith tonight.
7:22 PM EST: What do you think Lebron is listening to right now?
5:10 PM EST:
NBA Finals schedule first four games:
Thursday June 4th in Oakland
Sunday June 7th in Oakland
Tuesday June 9th in Cleveland
Thursday June 11th in Cleveland
Can somebody explain to me why in the world there would be a 2 day rest in Oakland and then a 1 day rest when these teams have to fly across the country to Cleveland? Is Quicken Loans Arena booked for the Monster Truck Jam coming through town Wednesday? Were Ringling Brothers in Oakland Saturday night? The dates of these games may be even more asinine than the time they start. I'm looking at you David Silver.
3:52 PM EST: Not so bold prediction number 1 - The talk of Matthew Dellavedova being able to stop Steph Curry ends tonight.
12:17 PM EST: The game is at 9 PM tonight in Cleveland. I know there's generally East Coast bias for any kind of national event, but do we really need to wait until 9 PM so the West Coast can be home for these games? We're looking at a close to midnight finish on a school night. I'm planning on a large Starbucks around 8, is that grande or venti?
* Jay-Z once rapped "I'm Michael, Magic, and Bird all rolled in one"
** Shout out Harley Moyer
All eyes on Mike Miller
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