Cavaliers sweep Hawks as LeBron James reaches fifth consecutive NBA Finals

Jeff Zillgitt, USA TODAY Sports 10:23 a.m. EDT May 27, 2015

CLEVELAND — Breaking down Cleveland's 118-88 series-clinching victory over the Atlanta Hawks in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference finals:

What happened: The Cavaliers overwhelmed the Hawks, and it was hardly a game from the opening tip. Cleveland grabbed an early lead, took a 24-14 advantage late in the first quarter and cruised to an easy sweep. It is Cleveland's first trip to the Finals since 2007, and LeBron James' fifth consecutive Finals appearance. He joins a list of former Boston Celtics players to reach five consecutive Finals, but he is just the first to do it with different teams.

A LeBron James series: James had 23 points, nine rebounds and seven assists, and for the four-game series, he averaged 30.1 points, 11 rebounds and 9.3 assists.

Irving in the starting lineup: Cavs guard Kyrie Irving (tendinitis left knee, strained right foot) played in Game 4, his first appearance since Game 1 of the conference finals. Irving played 22 minutes, scored 16 points and looked like he is getting closer to his regular self. He scored driving to the basket and he scored from the perimeter. That's a good sign for the Cavaliers who will need that from Irving in the Finals. The Cavs can give Irving rest and treatment for almost a week before traveling again.

What worked for the Cavs: Cleveland shot 51.7% from the field in the first half and 57.1% on threes in the first quarter and had a 20-point lead in the first half and a 59-42 lead at halftime. The game was over early. Cavs big men Timofey Mozgov (14 points, seven rebounds) and Tristan Thompson (16 points, 11 rebounds) gave the Hawks trouble. J.R. Smith his second consecutive double-double with 18 points and 10 rebounds.

What worked for the Hawks: Jeff Teague scored 17 points and Paul Millsap had 16 points, but that was just about it for the Hawks who had trouble scoring the entire series.

What didn't work for the Hawks: Atlanta struggled with three-point shooting the entire series (26-for-111, 23.4%), and it continued in Game 4. The Hawks started 2-for-18 on threes and finished 5-for-32 – that from the second-best three-point shooting team during the regular season. Al Horford, who was ejected from Game 3 for a flagrant foul 2, scored just two points.

What happened to the Hawks: The East's No. 1 seed with 60 regular-season victories, four All-Stars and coach of the year Mike Budenholzer were just not the same efficient team in the playoffs. Injuries hurt in the Eastern Conference finals: DeMarre Carroll sprained his left knee in Game 1, Kyle Korver sustained a season-ending injury in Game 2, and it's safe bet Millsap (shoulder) and Horford (finger) were not 100%. They also were without Thabo Sefolosha.

What's next: The Cavs await the winner of the Houston Rockets-Golden State Warriors Western Conference finals. The Warriors lead 3-1 and can wrap up the series Wednesday night. Game 1 of the Finals is June 4 and the Western Conference representative has home-court advantage.

GO CAVS!

GO CAVS!


Yeah. How about them Cavs? ;) I was rooting for them over the Hawks! Aren't you glad LeBron came back?

I guess they will be playing against the Warriors! ;)

Yeah. How about them Cavs? ;) I was rooting for them over the Hawks! Aren't you glad LeBron came back?

I guess they will be playing against the Warriors! ;)

The NBA Finals this year will be Cleveland vs Golden State. The Warriors haven't been to the finals in 40 years, but Cleveland hasn't won it all in 50...who'll win it all?

IDK!! It will be exciting!

I'm pulling for the Warriors, they have a MUCH Better Bench than Cleveland

That's the same thing I was gonna say. Cleveland's bench is terrible hahahahahahahahahahaha. David Blatt sucks too LOL. He doesn't know how to coach and I wish Mike Brown was still the coach. They're gonna miss Kevin Love's scoring because Tristan Thompson doesn't score enough. If Kevin was playing, it's possible Cleveland could beat them. I think the Warriors are gonna beat them in 6. I hope Lebron stays there until he retires because if he leaves again, I'm done with him and the Cavs fans are also gonna be done with him. You know Lebron is a crybaby when things don't go his way especially if they don't win any championships soon. He'll be talking about he wants to leave again. That's why I was upset with him when he came back and he only signed a 2 years contract. Why not sign for 6 or 7 years so the Cavs fans can see that he's serious about staying and retiring there? If I was the Cavs fans, I wouldn't be happy about him being back because he didn't sign a long term contract.



The Cavs need to let go of Anderson Varaejo because they're paying him too much money and he's injury prone. Plus he's always flopping on defense because his soft ass won't block shots LOL. Cleveland will never win any championships if they shoot jumpshots instead of taking the ball to the basket. Sometimes I hate watching them because they act like they're scared to take the ball to the basket. I've never seen any teams win championships shooting a bunch of jumpshots. Cleveland can get away with playing like that against east teams but they can't play like that against west teams because most west teams don't play like that. Matthew Dellavedova is also a dirty player and I don't like him. There was no need for him to lock in Taj Gibson's leg when they played the Bulls. Then he acted like something was wrong with Taj when Taj kicked him. What did he expect Taj was gonna do? He fell on Kyle Korver's leg when he was going for the ball against Atlanta and he caused Kyle to be injured and miss the playoffs.



I'm mad at David Blatt for not playing Kendrick Perkins and Brendan Haywood at all. He plays Kendrick sometimes but he doesn't play Brendan at all. Why are they on the team if they aren't gonna play a lot of minutes? They're just collecting a paycheck? LOL. He also doesn't play Mike Miller that much. I hate seeing guys sitting on the bench and not playing because that's a waste of money. Players don't like not playing. Kendrick has won a championship with Boston in 2008 and he went to the finals with Oklahoma in 2012. Brendan also has playoff experience with the Washington Wizards when Gilbert Arenas, Caron Butler and Antwan Jamison were there. Washington had a rivalry with Cleveland for a couple of years in the playoffs and Cleveland won each time. I liked Gilbert, Caron and Antwan. Antwan played with Cleveland for a year or two. He's a good guy. He's a Lakers broadcaster now with former Lakers player James Worthy.

I will say this...

If Cleveland loses this series...then we ARE cursed...no matter what!

You might be right but I think if they lose that they can win a couple of championships in the next few years if the team stays together. Lebron is the one I'm worried about because he didn't sign a long term contract and he should've signed for like 6 or 7 years so he could retire there. If I was the Cavs fans, I would be worried about Lebron staying there long term because you know he's a crybaby when he doesn't get his way. If the team doesn't get any championships soon, he'll be talking about he wants to leave again and that's why I don't trust him. He has no loyalty to Cleveland even though he claims he loves Ohio. If he loves Ohio, then stay with the Cavs and sign a long term contract and that will show the Cavs fans that he's gonna be there until he retires. I'm also worried about Kevin Love because it's possible he might leave even though he said recently that he wants to stay with the Cavs next season. I heard a rumor about him going to the Lakers and I hope that doesn't happen because the Lakers are going nowhere. Kobe confirmed that next season is gonna be his last.

I will say this...

If Cleveland loses this series...then we ARE cursed...no matter what!


I will root for them ! Cleveland needs something good to happen for them! ;)

GO CAVS!!! ;)

I want Lebron to fail but he won't lol

That's the same thing I was gonna say. Cleveland's bench is terrible hahahahahahahahahahaha. David Blatt sucks too LOL. He doesn't know how to coach and I wish Mike Brown was still the coach. They're gonna miss Kevin Love's scoring because Tristan Thompson doesn't score enough. If Kevin was playing, it's possible Cleveland could beat them. I think the Warriors are gonna beat them in 6. I hope Lebron stays there until he retires because if he leaves again, I'm done with him and the Cavs fans are also gonna be done with him. You know Lebron is a crybaby when things don't go his way especially if they don't win any championships soon. He'll be talking about he wants to leave again. That's why I was upset with him when he came back and he only signed a 2 years contract. Why not sign for 6 or 7 years so the Cavs fans can see that he's serious about staying and retiring there? If I was the Cavs fans, I wouldn't be happy about him being back because he didn't sign a long term contract.



The Cavs need to let go of Anderson Varaejo because they're paying him too much money and he's injury prone. Plus he's always flopping on defense because his soft ass won't block shots LOL. Cleveland will never win any championships if they shoot jumpshots instead of taking the ball to the basket. Sometimes I hate watching them because they act like they're scared to take the ball to the basket. I've never seen any teams win championships shooting a bunch of jumpshots. Cleveland can get away with playing like that against east teams but they can't play like that against west teams because most west teams don't play like that. Matthew Dellavedova is also a dirty player and I don't like him. There was no need for him to lock in Taj Gibson's leg when they played the Bulls. Then he acted like something was wrong with Taj when Taj kicked him. What did he expect Taj was gonna do? He fell on Kyle Korver's leg when he was going for the ball against Atlanta and he caused Kyle to be injured and miss the playoffs.



I'm mad at David Blatt for not playing Kendrick Perkins and Brendan Haywood at all. He plays Kendrick sometimes but he doesn't play Brendan at all. Why are they on the team if they aren't gonna play a lot of minutes? They're just collecting a paycheck? LOL. He also doesn't play Mike Miller that much. I hate seeing guys sitting on the bench and not playing because that's a waste of money. Players don't like not playing. Kendrick has won a championship with Boston in 2008 and he went to the finals with Oklahoma in 2012. Brendan also has playoff experience with the Washington Wizards when Gilbert Arenas, Caron Butler and Antwan Jamison were there. Washington had a rivalry with Cleveland for a couple of years in the playoffs and Cleveland won each time. I liked Gilbert, Caron and Antwan. Antwan played with Cleveland for a year or two. He's a good guy. He's a Lakers broadcaster now with former Lakers player James Worthy.

Hey, if you ask me, the Cavs are another version of the Bad Boys

LeBron James - Isiah Thomas Version 2

Anderson Varaejo and J.R. Smith - Bill Laimbeer and Rick Mahorn Version 2 lol

also, I can't STAND J.R. Smith, a buddy of mine told me that he's pulling for Golden State and also, he would not be surprised if Smith gets ejected b/c he's another dirty player as well

another thing that I don't like about Cleveland is that the players and their fans always encourages the refs to give teams from the Bulls and the Hawks Technicals

Comes to show you that they are bandwagoners

Anderson Varaejo needs to go and I hope they let him go after the season hahahahahahahahahahahaha. He's not a good defender and he's always flopping LOL. LOL@what you said about JR Smith. I agree. He shouldn't have slapped Jae Crowder of Boston when they were going for a rebound. That was uncalled for and it caused him to get ejected and get suspended for 2 games against the Bulls. I do think he's matured since he left the Knicks and I hope he can continue to be a good person. The Cavs need him and I hope he stays there until he retires. Why you call Lebron a 2nd version of Isiah Thomas? I don't agree.

MrCleveland, I met former Cavs player Mark Price at a sporting goods store at Southgate shopping center in Maple heights. He signed my autograph. He seems like a good man. He recently got a head coach job at a college in North Carolina. The college basketball team is called Charlotte 49ers and I've never heard of them. He used to have a job with Charlotte Bobcats as a shooting coach and I wanna thank Michael Jordan for giving him a job. Michael used to have some battles with the Cavs in the playoffs and he always eliminated them hahahahahahahahahahaha. Former Cavs player Austin Carr has been a Cavs broadcaster for a long time and my dad is friends with him. I've been to Austin's house a long time ago in Solon but I don't know if he still lives there. My dad hasn't spoken to him in a long time.

Anderson Varaejo needs to go and I hope they let him go after the season hahahahahahahahahahahaha. He's not a good defender and he's always flopping LOL. LOL@what you said about JR Smith. I agree. He shouldn't have slapped Jae Crowder of Boston when they were going for a rebound. That was uncalled for and it caused him to get ejected and get suspended for 2 games against the Bulls. I do think he's matured since he left the Knicks and I hope he can continue to be a good person. The Cavs need him and I hope he stays there until he retires. Why you call Lebron a 2nd version of Isiah Thomas? I don't agree.

I was kidding about the LeBron/Isiah part, but you may be right, if J.R. matures, I'll give him the benefit of the doubt, but I agree with ya on Anderson and Matthew

Cavs fans should be lucky that Lebron came back because if he hadn't, the Cavs would've been terrible for a long time and probably would've never won a championship hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha. If Lebron was to leave again, I wouldn't be mad. Just because he's from Ohio doesn't mean he has to stay in Cleveland forever.

Cavs fans should be lucky that Lebron came back because if he hadn't, the Cavs would've been terrible for a long time and probably would've never won a championship hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha. If Lebron was to leave again, I wouldn't be mad. Just because he's from Ohio doesn't mean he has to stay in Cleveland forever.


Doesn't matter he will leave Cleveland again

Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha. You're probably right. He's the type that he has to go to another team and join some stars so he can get championships hahahahahahahahahahaha. He doesn't think he can get championships with good role players like the Bulls and Spurs had when they won championships. I can't believe Scottie Pippen said he thinks Lebron is better than Michael Jordan hahahahahahahahahahaha. What a joke. Lebron will never be better than Michael. I remember Stephen Smith said on ESPN's First Take that Scottie should be banned from going to Bulls games because of that ******** comment LOL.

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nba-ball-dont-lie/golden-state-overcomes-lebron-james--44-points--takes-game-1-of-the-nba-finals-040026483.html

http://i209.photobucket.com/albums/bb296/tnawrestlingfan/tnaimpactwrestlingfan/james-curry_635x250_1433476293_zpsl5diisow.jpg

Hey guys,

Warriors hold off LeBron, Cavs in OT in Game 1

LeBron James drops 44 points on Golden State, but Cleveland falls apart in overtime. Kyrie Irving limps off court

Here's the story:

http://i209.photobucket.com/albums/bb296/tnawrestlingfan/tnaimpactwrestlingfan/4d0b9660-0b37-11e5-abc5-456ece5d3cbe_DG6415_zpstbasdhor.jpg
Golden State overcomes LeBron James' 44 points, takes Game 1 of the NBA Finals
By Kelly Dwyer | June 4, 2015
Ball Don't Lie

It was a regulation classic, and an overtime bummer.

The Golden State Warriors dominated the Cleveland Cavaliers in the extra frame during Game 1 of the NBA Finals, taking the contest by a 108-100 mark after Cleveland completely fell apart in the final five minutes. NBA MVP Stephen Curry led the Warriors with 26 points, as the Cavs watched helplessly as point guard Kyrie Irving limped badly to the locker room in overtime with what appears to be the latest in a string of injuries to the All-Star.

Irving had been brilliant throughout the game, keeping the Warriors on edge with crafty drives and expert passing, and his block of Stephen Curry late in regulation in what appeared to be an easy and wide open layup helped secure Cleveland’s chance at an extra frame. LeBron James, working mostly in Michael Jordan-styled isolation plays in the post, added a personal career Finals-high with 44 points, but it wasn’t enough as Golden State pulled away in what was previously a close and contested affair.

James missed his first three shots in overtime as the Warriors got back to whipping the ball around offensively, as a miss and turnover by Irving prior to his departure led to easier scores for Golden State as they flew back to the other end of the court. By the time James got around to having to carry the offensive load sans Irving, his team was playing catch-up as he missed two desperation three-pointers. In the end, the Cavaliers missed their first nine shots in overtime, with three turnovers to boot, before James hit a meaningless lay-up to give the game its final score.

In a way, the game played almost to script.

Golden State has struggled to start both series’ and contests at home in the first quarter, and while the team didn’t look especially rattled as the Finals neophytes took to the stage, they did appear off. The Warriors missed both good looks and bad shots, somehow managing to both overpass and still finish the first quarter with the lowest assist mark of any quarter in their season’s previous 388 quarters – two dimes.

As the W’s wasted opportunities, the Cavaliers’ road confidence grew. Cleveland has lost on the road just once in the playoffs in six opportunities, on a lucky banked-in three by Chicago’s Derrick Rose in the Eastern semifinals, and LeBron James’ teammates seemed to revel in the chance to play spoiler, with all the pressure off.

Irving was brilliant, using footwork and smarts to overcome both left knee tendinitis and a sprained right foot on his way toward 23 points, six assists, seven rebounds and just one turnover in the face of the NBA’s best defense. Meanwhile, he and James were finding helpers like Timofey Mozgov (16 points and seven rebounds) with extra passes as the Warriors loaded up on Cleveland’s screen and roll and isolation-heavy attack.

Cleveland, whose defense ranked amongst the realm of the mediocre in the regular season prior to a massive uptick in the playoffs, also surprised by tossing out a few minor full court presses, and overplaying and jumping passing lanes. This forced the Warriors into either turning the rock over, or hesitating and/or declining to make the passes that have been typical of Golden State’s knockout offense all season. Meanwhile, Mozgov and Tristan Thompson (15 rebounds, with six coming on the offensive glass) were quick to both offensive boards and other loose balls. After eight days off, the Cavs just looked like the fresher team.

Of course, the Warriors received seven days off of their own in between the Western Conference finals and the NBA Finals, they just needed to overcome the uncertainty and jitters. What was a 14-point Cleveland advantage fell apart as the second quarter moved along, as the W’s took a lead on a Curry three-pointer with 3:39 left in the first half. Curry ended up either scoring or assisting on 18 of Golden State’s final 20 points in the second, as Cleveland took a slim 51-48 lead into the locker room.

From there, things were matched just about evenly. Golden State relied on its embarrassment of riches (including center Marreese Speights, playing for the first time in a month due to a calf injury, scoring eight points off the pine) to share the ball and keep up appearances. Supersub Andre Iguodala (15 points on 6-8 shooting) led a fourth quarter charge that saw him hit a three-pointer with just one shoe while making expert passes and giving his all against James defensively.

There was only so much Iguodala, or any other Warrior, could do however.

James gained confidence early in the game by nailing both a 20-footer and three-pointer, turning the tide after entering the Finals with a lowly 17.6 three-point percentage in the postseason. He routinely backed down any number of defenders in the post on his way toward those 44 points, on 18-38 shooting, notching six assists and eight defensive rebounds along the way.

This post will be updated.

credit: sports.yahoo.com

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mlb-big-league-stew/josh-reddick-provides-the-best-reason-for-why-jordan-is-better-than-lebron-024709081.html

Josh Reddick provides the best reason for why Jordan is better than LeBron
By Chris Cwik | 1 hour ago
Big League Stew

The Oakland Athletics will be pulling for the Golden State Warriors in the NBA Finals. That shouldn't come as a surprise. Both teams are from the same state, and athletes who place in the same town typically support each other.

A's outfielder Josh Reddick is among the players who will be pulling for the Warriors. That means, obviously, that he'll be rooting against LeBron James.

Reddick told John Shea of the San Francisco Chronicle why he believes James can be defeated, and even managed to settle an age old debate in the process.

“It’s a good story,” right fielder Josh Reddick said. “Nothing would please Warrior fans and the Bay Area more than to see the Warriors take down LeBron (James). Dethrone him. As good a player as Lebron is, he’s not unbeatable. He’s not Michael (Jordan). When’s the last time LeBron saved the earth from an alien race?”
Fans of “Space Jam” can rejoice.
That's some pretty solid logic. Everyone remembers Jordan's famous half-court game-winning dunk to defeat the Monstars 78-77.



With the human race in the balance, Jordan delivered one of the best games in his career. According to the Harvard Sports Analysis Collective, Jordan went a perfect 22-22 from the field. He scored 44 points, 24 of which came on dunks.

Even Skip Bayless knows LeBron isn't clutch enough to put up those types of numbers against super-powered aliens.

[Check out Big League Stew on Tumblr for even more baseball awesomeness.]

At the same time, we all know Jordan resorted to some questionable tactics in order to win the game. Not only did he bend the space-time continuum on his final dunk, something not possible in the non-cartoon world, but he also shared his "secret stuff" with the team.

That might have been acceptable back in 1996, but it's a different game now.

Either way, we're pretty sure LeBron has never saved the world from aliens, and that automatically elevates Jordan to the top in our minds. We'll agree to reopen the discussion after LeBron stars in "Space Jam 2: Electric Boogaloo."

credit: sports.yahoo.com

Cleveland is gonna lose it all...face it, Cleveland you're cursed!

There's NEVER Next Year!

Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha. Cleveland is definitely gonna lose now since Kyrie Irving is out for the rest of the season. He's gonna be out for 3-4 months because of a knee injury. I feel bad for him because he's a good player and I know he wants to play since this is his first time going to the finals. Hopefully Cleveland can go back to the finals next season if Kyrie and Kevin stay healthy. The thing that's so sad about basketball and football is that it's so hard for players to stay healthy because guys play so rough against each other.

Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha. Cleveland is definitely gonna lose now since Kyrie Irving is out for the rest of the season. He's gonna be out for 3-4 months because of a knee injury. I feel bad for him because he's a good player and I know he wants to play since this is his first time going to the finals. Hopefully Cleveland can go back to the finals next season if Kyrie and Kevin stay healthy. The thing that's so sad about basketball and football is that it's so hard for players to stay healthy because guys play so rough against each other.

I like him better than derrick rose

Cleveland is gonna lose it all...face it, Cleveland you're cursed!

There's NEVER Next Year!


Well maybe not! IDK! But after losing the first game the other night I was thinking the same thing, that I bet the Warriors will take it! But who knows? It's just the first game! ;)

http://www.cbssports.com/nba/eye-on-basketball/25206424/andrew-bogut-says-dellavedova-isnt-dirty-but-hes-a-gritty-a-hole

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Andrew Bogut says Dellavedova isn't dirty, but he's a gritty a-hole
By James Herbert | NBA writer
June 5, 2015 3:58 pm ET

This is a special NBA Finals if you're Australian, with Golden State Warriors center Andrew Bogut and Cleveland Cavaliers guard Matthew Dellavedova representing the country. Bogut revealed recently that he once tried to get the Warriors to sign Dellavedova, and on Friday he weighed in on the is-Delly-dirty debate.

"I don't think he's a dirty player," Bogut said, via Bleacher Report's Ethan Skolnick. "I think he's a gritty a**hole of a player."

Does this remind anybody else of the Kobe Bryant-Rajon Rondo breakfast summit? I can assure you that, like Rondo, Bogut used the word in as complimentary a way as possible. Dellavedova is tough, competitive and irritating. A player as physical and tricky as Bogut would respect that regardless of where they're from.

credit: cbssports.com

All I can say is...if Dellavedova doen't pull his weight in this game alongside with LeBron...then it'll be 51 years of futility for Cleveland!ohno:ohno:ohno:ohno:ohno:

All I can say is...if Dellavedova doen't pull his weight in this game alongside with LeBron...then it'll be 51 years of futility for Cleveland!ohno:ohno:ohno:ohno:ohno:


If Dellavedova gets hurt I would laugh

If Dellavedova gets hurt I would laugh

If so...then I'll say...Cleveland's ****ed! Then I'll launch my webpage www.curseofwahoo.com!

Cleveland won yesterday which surprised me. I chose Golden State to win but now I'm gonna go with Cleveland since I'm from Cleveland. The reason I had picked Golden State because I don't like the Cavs bench and I figured that it would come down to the benches because the starting fives for both teams are evenly matched. Matthew Dellavedova did a very good job on defending Stephen Curry yesterday and that's why Stephen was 5-23 shooting from the field hahahahahahahahaha. He only made 2 three pointers and I think he was 2-15 from three point range. Stephen usually doesn't shoot that bad but what impressed me about Matthew was his defense on him and Cleveland didn't double team Stephen. ESPN's Stephen Smith said today that Stephen won't have a bad shooting game like that again in this series and he thinks he could score a lot of points on Matthew. He didn't wanna give credit to Matthew for playing good defense on him. He was making excuses as to why Stephen had a bad game LOL. What pisses me off sometimes about Golden State is that Klay Thompson and Stephen Curry will just shoot threes or shoot a 2 pointer before setting up a play and waiting for somebody to get under the basket in case they miss so they can get the rebound. They aren't gonna win championships playing like that. Klay had a very good game yesterday because he had 34 points. I think Stephen only had 19 points.



Lebron played good and he had a triple double. He had 38 points, 16 rebounds and 11 assists. JR Smith was decent and he had 13 points before fouling out in the 4th quarter. He made some dumb fouls in the 4th LOL. Timothy Mosgov played good and he had 17 points and 11 rebounds. He missed several free throws and if he had made most of them, the Cavs would've won in the 4th quarter. Tristan Thompson did good rebounding because he had 11 I think but he only had 3 points. His offense sucks LOL. That's why the Cavs need Kevin Love because Kevin can score a lot of points because he has a good jumpshot. Tristan has no jumpshot LOL. He only gets his points close to the basket like getting a dunk. Iman Shumpert did nothing on offense. He shot several bricks LOL. He finally made a three pointer in overtime. Now that the Cavs are back in Cleveland for games 3 and 4, I think the Cavs are gonna win their home games. They can't allow the Warriors to win one there because the Cavs need to win at home and then go back to Oakland to try and win one to get the championship. If the Cavs get the championship, that would be impressive considering they're playing without Kevin Love and Kyrie Irving.

Game Three...Moment Of Truth...

If Cleveland wins tonight, they could win it all...If Golden State Wins...ohno:ohno:ohno:ohno:

http://probasketballtalk.nbcsports.com/2015/06/09/league-says-referees-missed-four-calls-in-overtime-during-game-2-of-nba-finals/?ocid=Yahoo&partner=ya5nbcs

League says referees missed four calls in overtime during Game 2 of NBA Finals
Brett Pollakoff Jun 9, 2015, 11:10 AM EDT

The Cavaliers won Game 2 of the NBA Finals in overtime, and did so despite the fact that referees missed two calls in the extra session that cost Cleveland to lose two possessions.

Draymond Green was essentially caught cheating after the fact on two separate jump ball plays that were labeled as incorrect no-calls on the league’s Last Two Minute report — the first came on overtime’s opening tip against Tristan Thompson, while the second came with 45.4 seconds remaining on a jump ball against LeBron James.

LeBron ended up catching the ball after the toss from the official, which isn’t allowed so the Warriors gained possession. But you could see him flip out while trying to explain that Green had grabbed him, or had held him by the shoulder.

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The league says officials missed two other calls, both of which came on a single possession where Andre Iguodala was defending James.

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Iguodala hacked James across the arm with 1:37 to play, but not before James traveled by moving his pivot foot. The violations were ignored at the time, and both were ruled as incorrect no-calls after the league completed its review process.

credit: probasketballtalk.nbcsports.com

LOL@MrCleveland hahahahahahahahahahahahahaha. I agree. I hope the Cavs can win their home games because if they do, they will win the championship because I believe they'll get another win in Oakland.

For the first time since 1948...a Cleveland Team became 2-1 in a Finals!

86% of NBA Teams win it all after being 2-1...so there is a certainty of chance!

For the first time since 1948...a Cleveland Team became 2-1 in a Finals!

86% of NBA Teams win it all after being 2-1...so there is a certainty of chance!

Yeah! Very cool. Hope they win tonight! ;) :)

Hey guys, if you thought that the Cavs were gonna win both of their game @ home, guess what?

NOT TONIGHT!

That's b/c the Warriors have EVENED the series

Here's the story:

http://i209.photobucket.com/albums/bb296/tnawrestlingfan/tnaimpactwrestlingfan/d064e180-10b7-11e5-ba3a-61c1aefb6b98_AI61215_zpsrlgsyiuz.jpg
Golden State comes alive behind Andre Iguodala, ties the NBA Finals at 2-2
By Kelly Dwyer | June 11, 2015
Ball Don't Lie

It might be possible that the Cleveland Cavaliers have cracked, and you couldn’t blame them for that. It also might be possible that the Golden State Warriors have broken through.

Some combination of the two, likely, led to a desperately-needed Warriors win in Game 4 on Thursday. Golden State lined up behind an inspired starting lineup change to blow the Cavs out in Cleveland by a 103-82 score and tie the 2015 NBA Finals up 2-2. The Warriors will have a chance to take a commanding 3-2 series lead against Cleveland on Sunday in Game 5, and former supersub Andre Iguodala is the biggest reason why.

Iguodala, who didn’t start a game all season until his team’s 101st game on Thursday, replaced Andrew Bogut in the starting lineup and completely outplayed a game but ultimately ineffective (to his usual standards, at least) LeBron James. Dre finished his night with 22 points on 8-15 shooting with eight rebounds. He played excellent defense, and only turned the ball over once despite handling the rock near as much (if not more) than Warriors point man Stephen Curry.

Iguodala, somehow, ended his night without any assists despite leading several fruitful fast breaks, as James finished Game 4 with 20 points on 22 shots, eight assists, 12 rebounds, and zero fourth quarter points. This appears to be a pattern:

LeBron James points in the fourth quarter.
2011 Finals Game 4: 0
2014 Finals Game 4: 0
2015 Finals Game 4: 0
9:48 PM - 11 Jun 2015

Tonight wasn’t about the game’s best player, running with a skinflint supporting cast as he attempts to work through the most grueling half-decade in NBA history. Tonight was about the brazen choice the W’s made in what wasn’t exactly an immediate lineup switch payoff.

All the hallmarks of GSW’s NBA Finals struggles were in place early in the first quarter. There was over-passing, with Iguodala and Draymond Green both passing up on shots, all while Cleveland seemed to get any look it wanted on the other end. The Bogut-less experiment wasn’t exactly a success early on, as even the element of surprise only led to a 22-20 Golden State lead when David Lee subbed in for Green with four minutes to go in the first quarter.

In a series that has seen the Warriors struggle terrible to put points on the board in the first, however, the spark was enough. Golden State went on a 9-2 run to finish the quarter, and Steve Kerr looked like a genius as the W’s went on to build a 14-point first half lead.

“I lied,” Steve Kerr admitted following the win, referring to his declarations that Bogut would start earlier on Thursday. “I mean it, I lied.”

“I figure, I have two press conferences on the day of the game. I’m asked a lot of strategic questions; so, my options were tell the truth, […] and telling the truth is the equivalent of knocking on [Cavaliers coach] David Blatt’s door and saying ‘hey, this is what we’re going to do.’ I could evade the question, which would start this Twitter phenomenon: ‘Who’s gonna start for the Warriors?’ Or I could lie. So I lied. Sorry. I don't think they hand you a trophy based on morality, they give it to you if you when. So, sorry about that.”

Kerr admitted that he had a few second thoughts after Cleveland raced out to a 7-0 lead, but in its fourth game in a week the Cavs seemed due to break down. Especially after a furious first half that saw the Cavaliers rushing around with the intensity and panache of a team down 3-0 in the Finals, as opposed to the 2-1 mark it entered Game 4 with.

The squad couldn’t sustain things, though. Golden State began to grow comfortable with its looks, with Harrison Barnes (who had missed nine consecutive shots dating back to Game 3, and counting his first clang of Game 4) hitting for 14 points and nine rebounds, contributing to the parade of defenders that sidled up well behind James’ back. The Cavs just could not slow the pace and mind the roll that led to its previous two wins.

That isn’t to say that a charge wasn’t made. Behind James’ passing and the growing confidence (not to mention his superior hops and touch) of center Timofey Mozgov (28 points and 10 rebounds), Cleveland came back to turn Game 4 into a one-possession game with under a minute left in the third quarter. A 9-0 Warrior run, led by Iguodala and the slow-to-reveal derring-do of Stephen Curry, helped give GSW a double-digit advantage early in the fourth quarter. Cleveland immediately relented.

You couldn’t blame them. Both James and story-line hound Matthew Dellavedova were treated for clearly debilitating cramps, all while Iman Shumpert and J.R. Smith couldn’t cash in on several fantastic looks as the final period got away from the Cavaliers. Cleveland managed just 12 points in the fourth quarter after a 28-point third quarter, with Shumpert (2-9 from the field on the game) and J.R. Smith (2-12) clanging away. Dellavedova also missed 11 of 14 shots in the loss.

The Cavs were dragging, and with Iguodala working with an extra gear that his teammates didn’t even seem to possess, it really wasn’t fair. With less than five minutes to go in regulation, he even managed to strip LeBron James from 30 feet from the hoop, as a wearied James attempted to line up a play.

Following the game, Kerr (ever the mensch) declined to credit his lineup switch for the win, pointing out that his team’s activity and insistence on valuing each possession while still managing to play in the pell-mell style that marked the team’s 67-win regular season was the difference. Tellingly, Kerr did credit sitting Andre Iguodala out for several games in the regular season for keeping in fresh and ready to work expertly on both ends this deep into June. It’s a different, more active game these days. And coaches have to be aware of as much.

This post will be updated.

credit: sports.yahoo.com

also, Draymond Green says that the Cavs had ran out of gas:

"1 thing we’ve been preaching the whole series is that we wanted to wear them down. They’re playing 7 guys."

The game was over before halftime...I'm afraid Cleveland will lose it all and the Cleveland Curse struck again!

Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha. The Cavs are done and they're gonna lose the next 2 games. They were so pathetic the way they played yesterday and I was embarassed to watch them. Iman Shumpert can go with his outdated haircut hahahahahahahahahaha. He only had 5 points. What is that? LOL. JR Smith had 4 points LOL. They need Kevin Love and Kyrie Irving bad because their offense stinks without them.

Tonight is Game 5...

I have high doubts for the Cavs...Cleveland is cursed and there's never next year.

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nba-ball-dont-lie/stephen-curry-finds-the-stroke--as-golden-state-takes-a-3-2-nba-finals-lead-025602477.html

http://i209.photobucket.com/albums/bb296/tnawrestlingfan/tnaimpactwrestlingfan/curry-nba-finals-reuters_635x250_1434336426_zpsozmewkaa.jpg

Hey guys,

Warriors on the verge of ending NBA title drought

Stephen Curry lifts Golden State to a 3-2 series lead with a spectacular performance in Game 5.

LeBron's triple-double not enough and not only that, but LeBron James also hit an AIR BALL

Here's the story:

http://i209.photobucket.com/albums/bb296/tnawrestlingfan/tnaimpactwrestlingfan/201506142103758328093_zpsna3jpgq5.jpg
Stephen Curry finds the stroke, as Golden State takes a 3-2 NBA Finals lead
By Kelly Dwyer | June 14, 2015
Ball Don't Lie

After a series’ worth of struggles, Stephen Curry finally found his way toward some open space. Barely.

The NBA’s MVP nailed seven three-pointers on his way toward 37 points as his Golden State Warriors worked toward a pivotal Game 5 win, downing the Cleveland Cavaliers 104-91. Curry managed 17 fourth-quarter points in the conquest, taking a 3-2 series lead as his W’s could take in the franchise’s first NBA championship in 40 years in Tuesday’s Game 6 in Cleveland.

"We're not getting ahead of ourselves," Curry said postgame. "In the locker room, if you walked in there was the exact same after a regular-season win. But we know the sense of urgency of the moment. It's a good feeling to get a win in Cleveland and understand we can get it done and how we need to get it done."

After struggling to find consistent rhythm throughout the series, Curry went against Golden State orthodoxy in relying on a litany of one-on-one fakes against fading Cavalier point man Matthew Dellavedova down the stretch. Needing just a scintilla of distance against the upstart Cavs guard, Curry rose up for seven three-pointers in 13 attempts, overcoming LeBron James’ second triple-double of these Finals. James finished with 40 points, 14 rebounds and 11 assists in the loss.

Golden State continued its two-game tradition of going small, once again replacing 7-foot center Andrew Bogut in the starting lineup with jack of all trades Andre Iguodala. And, once again, Iguodala responded with a gem of a game, contributing 14 points, eight rebounds, seven assists and three steals alongside zero turnovers and it’s-as-best-as-I-can-do defense on James. “Center” Draymond Green, meanwhile, did yeoman’s work in acting as a brute all-around force, adding 16 points, nine rebounds and five assists.

Just one game after the highest-scoring game of his NBA career, Cavs center Timofey Mozgov found himself sitting to start the second half. Mozgov, who acted as Cleveland’s second-best option in a tough Game 4 loss with 28 points, played only spot minutes as both sides eschewed tradition and ran with their best five players regardless of position and size.

"I thought I was pretty clear I thought that was our best chance to win the game," Cavs coach David Blatt said about his Mozgov move. "And we were definitely in the game with a chance to win. So that's the way we played it."

Cleveland had its chances. For a while at least.

The Cavs overcame a strong Golden State start, replete with great spacing and ball movement, to take a first quarter lead and remain competitive throughout. Game 5 was a two-point game as late as the 4:24 mark of the fourth quarter, with a potentially game-tying James jump hook from 7 feet away from the goal going long. J.R. Smith showed a confident stroke in the first half, establishing a series high with 14 points, while Tristan Thompson once again crashed the offensive glass with five caroms on that end alongside five defensive rebounds on his way to a 19 and 10 night in the loss.

The Cavaliers just could not keep up.

Dellavedova, charged with chasing Curry while attempting to set up Cleveland’s minimalist offense, was dragging even coming out of timeouts in the fourth quarter, and Curry took notice. The W’s guard entered the fourth quarter with 20 points, hardly a failing effort, but his team was nursing just a six-point lead heading into the final frame despite tactical changes and James’ skinflint support.

With Golden State’s ball movement lacking, and after already establishing himself as just an accurate passer and/or decoy as he was a scorer, Curry danced around Dellavedova to the tune of three fourth-quarter three-pointers, matching James’ mark from behind the arc. LeBron’s 16 fourth-quarter points and an expected move from Cleveland to intentionally foul Iguodala (who missed nine of 11 free throws) were not enough to prevent GSW from pulling out to a 31-24 fourth-quarter advantage.

"You know, we needed our best defensive quarter tonight in the fourth quarter, and we didn't get it," James said. "We gave up 31 points in the fourth. Some of them were free throws, but a lot of them were them just breaking us down."

It was a desperate turn for all involved.

Golden State may have entered Game 5 with the home-court advantage and seeming momentum in what is now a best-of three series, but the team still had to work its way around a star in James that often times left the Warriors at the mercy of whether or not he was able to hit short post-up shots at the rim. James bullied Harrison Barnes, Klay Thompson and Iguodala in the post all evening, while matching Curry’s three-pointers shot for shot to begin the fourth period.

LeBron also missed several chippies down the stretch, while his teammates also faded. After a strong start, J.R. Smith ended up missing 10 of 15 looks, too often asked to contribute in isolation sets he’s clearly not suited for. Tristan Thompson was just as unprepared for a starring role in the low post, despite his double-double, and Dellavedova and backcourt mate Iman Shumpert combined to miss 13 of 18 shots from the field.

Mozgov – whose Golden State center counterpart Andrew Bogut received a Did Not Play, Coach’s Decision in the win – worked just five minutes in the first half and four in the second. Deep reserves Mike Miller (who hit one three-pointer) and James Jones were once again asked to work as seventh and eighth men, and a wearied James even sat out the game’s final minute with Golden State’s double-digit advantage in place.

Golden State wasn’t exactly running its deepest rotation, only two reserves notched double-figure minutes, but the team has the advantage in the fourth quarters of this series. The Warriors have outscored Cleveland by a total of 33 points in the fourth quarter of this series, a 60-minute sample size that can’t be sloughed off. Both teams might be offering small lineups and dueling seven-man rotations, but the Warriors are the ones working with an advantage late.

Cleveland, however, still had its opportunities late. And it truly did take tired legs and Stephen Curry’s impossible jump shots for Golden State to pull away, on its home floor no less. The Cavaliers, seemingly, have no business hanging with the NBA’s best team, but there they were yet again deep into Game 5, with just a few short shots from the game’s best player making the difference until Curry worked his magic.

There’s no guarantee that the magic can’t sustain, however, as the series shifts to Cleveland for what could be the final NBA game of the season. Stephen Curry is that brilliant, and his team is that resilient.

credit: sports.yahoo.com

Meanwhile....

http://www.csnbayarea.com/warriors/draymond-irked-cavaliers-dellavedova-after-tussle?p=ya5nbcs&ocid=yahoo

Draymond irked with Cavaliers' Dellavedova after tussle
By Monte Poole
June 14, 2015, 9:45 pm

OAKLAND -– Draymond Green hopped off the floor hoping to hear a whistle but really wanting a piece of Cavaliers guard Matthew Dellavedova.

Yes, Delly once again found himself in the middle of a play that might easily be construed as “dirty.”

This one occurred with 5:55 left in the second quarter of Game 5 of the NBA Finals Sunday night at Oracle Arena. As both players hustled toward the rim for a possible rebound, Dellavedova, while tumbling to the floor, subtly used his left arm to hook Green’s right arm, resulting in Green also going down, on top of Dellavedova.

It was a splendid wrestling move sneakily executed on the basketball court. Green wanted a foul on Dellavedova but officials instead ruled a double foul, one being assessed to each player.

This was, for Green, rather unsatisfying. Though he still was irritated after the game, time and a 104-91 victory conspired to drop his temperature drop below the boiling point.

“I was a little angry at what took place,” Green said. “I mean, I'm really not going to get into it. It is what it is. The play happened. I thought something went on on the play. But, hey, it is what it is.

“We've got one more game, hopefully, to try to close this series out, and that's my focus. I'm not really going to worry about that play that happened in the second quarter, although I was upset when it happened.”

Green wanted somebody to recognize what had happened. None of the three officials did, and Dellavedova has perfected the act of spurious innocence.

So Draymond ranted and railed until center Andrew Bogut came off the bench to calm his furious teammate.

“Yeah, he did, because I was upset,” Green said. “And just wanted to be heard, but he didn't allow me to be heard. So I eventually knew I just had to let it go.”

Green will just have to accept the fact that Delly seemed to get the worst of the fall, as the left side of his face hit the floor, along with being briefly pinned beneath Green.

credit: csnbayarea.com

and finally....

http://www.csnbayarea.com/warriors/lebron-dominates-gets-no-support-loss-warriors

LeBron dominates, but gets no support in loss to Warriors
By Kevin Kurz
June 14, 2015, 10:30 pm

OAKLAND –- It would be difficult for LeBron James to improve upon his performance in Game 5 of the NBA Finals on Sunday at Oracle Arena.

The 30-year-old, who labeled himself as the “best player in the world” in his postgame press conference, scored 40 points, corralled 14 rebounds and dished out 11 assists for Cleveland. In some moments it looked like James might single-handedly will the Cavs to victory, especially after a 34-foot three-pointer with less than eight minutes to go in the game that gave his team an 80-79 edge.

In the end it wasn’t enough as the Warriors pulled away late, winning 104-91, and are now just one win away from a championship.

James said he could do even more.

“I don’t put a ceiling on what I’m capable of doing,” he said. “I know I’m shouldering a lot of the burden, but it is what it is.”

In the first half, though, James wasn’t the only reason that the Cavs were matching the Warriors basket-for-basket. Sure, at one point Cleveland had 15 straight conversions that were either made or assisted by James, but other guys were hitting shots that they weren’t making later.

That was especially true of J.R. Smith, who had 14 points in the first half but none in the second.

“I don’t know what happened with him,” James said. “He came out aggressive, which we wanted him to do. We kept finding him. He started off well, he just cooled down.”

Smith said that he had the “same mindset” in second half that he had in the first, but “just didn’t get any good looks.”

There were some suggestions and hints before Game 5 that Cavs coach David Blatt might go further down his bench in order to try and cope with the Warriors’ edge in depth. That didn’t happen, as Cleveland played just eight guys. Other than Smith’s 14 points, the Cavs had just three more points from their bench – a 3-pointer by Mike Miller.

Shawn Marion remained seated, and the 37-year-old veteran has yet to play in the series.

“Shawn’s a tremendous guy and a terrific player,” Blatt said. “That’s just a professional decision, that’s all.”

Blatt is quickly running out of options as the series progresses. He’ll need the same kind of performance, if not more, from James on Tuesday to give his club a chance to bring the series back to Oakland for a decisive Game 7.

“LeBron has been tremendous is an understatement for how he’s played in this series,” Blatt said. “Under the current set of circumstances, that’s what we’ve got to get, and he’s bringing it.”

Iman Shumpert said: “[James] can always do more. We can all always do more. This isn’t something where we think we’re not capable of beating the Warriors.

James and his teammates will all have to be better than they were the last time they were at home in Game 4, a 21-point win for the Warriors that seems to have turned the series.

“We have to understand why we weren’t good in Game 4,” James said. “We had a lack of energy. We had a lack of effort in a lot of areas in Game 4, and we can’t repeat that or they’ll raise the trophy, for sure.”

credit: csnbayarea.com

And for Cleveland...we STILL have a drought more severe than California! Add another year!

All I can say is...

uS2nWLz-AbE

Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha. Warriors are gonna win tomorrow to end the series. Poor Lebron. He's not getting any help from his teammates and that's sad. Iman Shumpert sucks LOL. JR Smith sucks LOL. Tristan Thompson sucks LOL. Mike Miller and James Jones sucks LOL. Timothy Mosgov and Matthew Dellavedova are the only ones who's been consistent besides Lebron in scoring. Timothy didn't play that much yesterday and I don't know why. I bet the Cavs fans are gonna be pissed when the Warriors win in Cleveland tomorrow LOL. I wanna have sex with Stephen Curry's wife hahahahahahahahaha. She's hot and their daughter is cute. Klay Thompson's woman is hot too.

I've Lost All Faith In Cleveland. Face It...We ARE Cursed! Call This One "The Injury"!

Here's Another Song From The Tune "We Didn't Start The Fire"...

eFTLKWw542g

1965-Lyndon Johnson, Churchill, Sound of Music, Birth Pill, Johnny Carson, Newport, Snoopy and Charlie Brown.
1966-North Vietnam, South Vietnam, Virginia Woolf, Jesus Christ, Color TV, The Grinch, Walt Disney so long!
1967-San Francisco, Super Bowl, Sgt. Pepper, Montreal, Six-Day War, Tim Leary, Hair opens in New York City.
1968-Chicago, Prague, MLK, Stanley Krubick, RFK, Rowan and Martin, Heidi Bowl, Go Joe Namath Go!
Chorus-We had a river fire! It's been 50 years and too many tears.
We had a river fire! Seems that we are in it, and will never win it!
1969-Richard Nixon, Moonshot, Altamont, Woodstock, Charles de Gaulle, Judy Garland, Sesame Street.
1970-Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Beatle Breakup, Mets are rockin', Kent State, Cambodia, Manson takes the heat.
1971-Norman Lear, Jim Morrison, Rolls-Royce, Ed Sullivan, Shamu, Bangladesh, Disney World, cigarettes.
1972-War Ends, Munich, Perfect Dolphins, Belfast, Godfather, cocaine, Red China, George Carlin!
Chorus-We had a river fire! It's been 50 years and too many tears.
We had a river fire! Seems that we are in it, and will never win it!
1973-Glam Rock, Roe v Wade, Embargo, Watergate, Pink Floyd, Exorcist, Battle of the Sexes.
1974-Hank Aaron, Gerald Ford, Carrie, Ethiopia, Stevie Wonder, Elton John, Nixon claims that he was wrong!
1975-Rocky Horror, SNL, Boston-Cincy Baseball, Bill Gates, Saigon, Suez Reopens, Hoffa.
1976-US Bicentennial, Hurricane, Apple, Peter Frampton, Disco Dancing, Jimmy Carter advancing!
Chorus-We had a river fire! It's been 50 years and too many tears.
We had a river fire! Seems that we are in it, and will never win it!
1977-Punk Rock, Pele, Fleetwood Mac, Roots to today, Star Wars, Elvis Presly, Groucho Marx, Atari.
1978-Harvey Milk, Bee Gees, Annie Hall, Go Argentines, Garfield, Charon, Pope John-Paul passes on.
1979-Egypt and Israel, Iran Republic gave us hell, Disco Demolition Night...Are The Who All Right?
Chorus-We had a river fire! It's been 50 years and too many tears.
We had a river fire! Seems that we are in it, and will never win it!
1980-2014- John Lennon, Afghanistan, Hostage End, Reagan, Game Crash, MTV, Rubik Cube, ET, Sally Ride, Michael Jackson, Margaret Thacher, Iran-Contra, AIDS, Madonna, Gorbachev, Hussein, Berlin Wall is down, Simpsons, Bill Clinton, Nirvana, Davidians, Baseball Strike, Oklahoma, Diana, Maguire and Sosa, Y2K, 9/11, Wardrobe Malfunction, Bin Laden, Bush, Obama, Junk Food Wars, I Can't Take This Anymore!
Chorus-We had a river fire! It's really clear, there's always next year.
We had a river fire! And as we are gone, we will still lose on and on and on...

Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha