It may not have been pretty, and it may not have been flashy, but game three's performance was just enough to push the Cavaliers ahead in the NBA Finals. After taking game three, Cleveland looks to continue to ride LeBron James to a commanding 3-1 series lead. Meanwhile, the Golden State Warriors have to make some serious adjustments and start looking like the team that rolled to the best record in the league if they want to even this series. In what has been an exciting slugfest of a series, let’s take a look at what to look for in game four.
The Well is Dry
The Splash Brothers came into this series on an absolute tear, having torched the Rockets and propelled the Warriors not only to the finals, but also to a game one overtime win. Then in game two, Stephen Curry went ice cold, and Klay Thompson’s massive performance couldn’t seal the deal in overtime. Game three saw much of the same, as Curry struggled until the fourth quarter. The Warriors need their MVP and his sidekick to dominate the battle of the backcourt. Right now, that simply isn’t happening.
The fourth quarter outburst by Curry is a welcome sign, and if he can continue to hit threes at that clip then this series will most likely head back to Oakland tied 2-2. However, Thompson needs to play better as well, and the two of them need to lock in defensively to spark the Warriors’ fast-break offense. Without a bounce back game four from the two of them, this series is all but over.
Playing in Slow Motion
Another key factor in this series has been the style and tempo in which the games are played. The Warriors came into the NBA Finals playing among the fastest tempos in the league, while the Cavaliers were at the bottom of the pack. Golden State likes to get out and run, yet in this series they have been bogged down for a number of reasons. Most of all, the Cavaliers have utilized their offense to slow the Warriors’ break, and have dictated the pace to play more into their hands. Their offense runs through LeBron, and his attacking has gotten the Warriors into foul trouble as well as forced them to collapse defense and abandon run-outs.
The other factor is the Cavaliers’ offensive rebounding prowess. Tristan Thompson has dominated his matchup with Draymond Green, and that has stymied the Warriors’ ability to get out and run. More offensive possessions means tougher defensive sequences, and by the time the Warriors have the ball they are more content to walk it up and regain energy. Green is one of the primary fast break leaders for the Warriors, and to this point he hasn’t been able to leak out or start the break due to his rebounding responsibilities. Right now, the Cavaliers are dominating the pace of play, and forcing Golden State to play their way. So far, it’s working.
The Benchwarmers
Depth was largely discussed as an advantage for the Warriors coming into the series. However, many of the players assumed to dominate their matchup have fallen short so far. Other than Andre Iguodala and, at times, Festus Ezeli, the Warriors’ role players have been ice cold. Andrew Bogut is being dominated in all phases of the game, Draymond Green can’t find his shot and his whole game is out of sync, and Harrison Barnes isn’t even close on most of his shots anymore. Simply put, without Iguodala, this series would most likely be 3-0 Cavaliers.
The Warriors need their ancillary players to step up like they have all season. When Cleveland can key on Curry and Thompson with no regard for anyone else, the result is exactly what we’ve seen: no offensive efficiency and the two lowest scoring outputs through the first three quarters of the season. Golden State needs a complete performance, and so far that just hasn’t happened.
Coming into the series, the narrative from most news sources was how little supporting help LeBron James had. With Kevin Love hurt, it was up to James and Kyrie Irving to lead the way. However, Irving was injured for the series in game one, and many expected the Warriors to roll. That hasn’t happened, largely due to the contributions from other players that have gone undervalued and apparently unnoticed. Thompson’s rebounding and defense have severely hampered the Warriors’ effectiveness. Timofey Mozgov has been a defensive wall and an offensive Swiss army knife.
Matthew Dellavedova has emerged as a breakout star in this series for his timely hustle plays, defensive presence against Steph Curry, and big-time buckets. All of these guys have helped LeBron out in different ways, and it can no longer be said that this is King James and his merry band of jesters.
King James
However, this is not to say that LeBron James doesn’t deserve his due credit. What he is doing right now is nothing short of legendary, and if he continues to play this way he will cement his legacy in NBA history. To go into a series as the underdog, without one of the team’s best players, and perform this way is nothing short of heroic. LeBron has adapted to a style he does not like playing, as being a volume shooter doesn’t suit his abilities. The Warriors have dared him to beat them, and so far he has. Although his shooting percentage is down, his usage rate is an all-time high 44%, yet the Cavaliers are still grinding out victories.
For the most part, LeBron’s championship experience has helped him more than anything else. He is still not playing efficiently, and to an extent the Warriors’ game plan has worked. However, he is still getting anywhere he wants on the floor, and is dominant when not guarded by Andre Iguodala. His numbers are gaudy and his energy is spent, but at the end of the day, he’s getting wins for his team.
When it all comes down to it, that’s really all that matters. If the Warriors want to change that, they’re going to have to stop the Cavs at the source. Otherwise, LeBron is going to continue to roll his way to an NBA title.