Finals Live Thread, Game 3: Cavs vs Warriors (home cookin’)
2018-06-06
Welcome home, Cavs. I was tempted to lead with a picture of Andre Igoudala tonight, but I decided that a vision of what the Cavs are playing for ought to go up top. Make no mistake. This one’s for Cleveland. The Cavs are on the precipice of being down an impossible 0-3, and all we’ve heard about for the last few days is how inadequate this team, this region, and its fans are – that we’re all somehow unworthy of LeBron James and that he should move on to greener pastures.
I’m sure every team looking to woo Mr. James, from Philadelphia to Houston to Los Angeles is invested in the Cavaliers failure. I frankly, don’t know how he has the strength to conjure another performance for the ages, but if there was ever a time for one, this was it. And if there was ever a time for LeBron’s teammates and his coach to prove that they’re better than the criticism they face, this is definitely it.
The Cavs will start the same starters as last game: Thompson, Love, James, Smith, and Hill, while I assume the Warriors will keep their same lineup, though with Andre Igoudala returning to the bench fold. Speaking of the bench, Ty Lue has hinted that Rodney Hood may return to the rotation tonight. Also making an appearance? The NBA referees, who will be livetweeting the game tonight after the first two games, I’d be afraid to show my face in Cleveland if I were them. Be sure to give them a piece of your mind at @OfficialNBARefs.
This will be a crucible for James and the Cavs, and if they have any chance of winning this series, they must win tonight. Hopefully he, his coach, his teammates, and this city rise to the occasion.
What is JR Smith doing? Argh. O
George Hill with another no show game.
McGee the Dubs second best player. Apparently.
Great finish TT! Might be the best of his career
Best finish of the year for TT…
Tristan with the fancy finish!
Nice flop from Steph…
Bull**** call. Another curry flop.
Here comes the Warriors rally in the third quarter. This could get ugly soon. LeBron better stop trying to pace himself and he should be more aggressive now.
McGee just shove kev to the ground for that last rebound. Ridiculous
No one picked up Durant in transition which is awful.
Clear push by Javale before that putback. No call of course.
The ****ING JR Smith iso has to end.
SO TIRED OF THIS MCGEE SLOP
McGee just cleared Kevin Love out! Jesus.
Get four on Steph..
Really tired of these easy buckets for McGee…
Cavs are going to win this game. Just need to play like it’s the 4th in the 3rd, play Warriors to a draw while resting LeBron 3-4, and then it’s LBJ PLAYOFF MAGIC TIME. Let all a mortals not forget the playoff run he has had. Go Cavs!!!!
https://twitter.com/YourManDevine/status/1004538926361538560?s=19
Hill is having a poor game, no production and too many turnovers.
Needs to shoot aggressively. Especially with curry on him.
Color me very worried that there was no rest for James in that half, would’ve rather he sat the end of the first with as crappy as they played. Cavs murdered the end of both of those quarters and the third usually belongs to GS.
Wow , Cavs with no free throws in the entire first half. Has that ever happened before?
So what would be of the Warriors in this game if they didn’t have KD? If the Cavs don’t build a double digit lead heading into the 4th they are not going to win this game.
Cavs playing solid but not always boxing out; they need to rough up Durant in second half or he will continue to torch them, Lebron ankle injury may be an issue, good to see Hood show some spark. Korver is useless against Warriors which is a shame, hope JR and Love can continue staying hot in second half.
No he’s not. He should be centerpiece of offense when LeBron sits.
So KD bumps into Nance and gets an and one. Durant hits James in the air on his arm on a layup, no call. Comes down hits a three, five point swing. No trips to the line in the first half for the Cavs…
The reason why they didn’t double is because of a lack of chemistry and coaching. Coaches didn’t tell them what to do in that situation, and if they did, the guys on the floor don’t know who is supposed to leave their man to double.
Lebron drives to hoop gets hit twice no call, Durant goes past a guy and flops and foul is called….Cavs didn’t even attempt a free throw in their home building…has that ever happened in a playoff game or Finals?
Wells Fargo and Facebook with their “We got caught with the hands in the cookie jar” redemption commercials. I wish nothing but the worst to both companies.
+infinity…they can rot in prison…
Yup…. criminality is both of their business models.
Another killer at the end of the half. Remind me why we don’t force the ball out of the hands of the hottest guy in the building and make Patrick freaking McCaw beat us? These little details matter.
KD and the GSW bench keeping them in this game.
along with the refs.
How has Hood gotten a reputation as a “proven scorer?” He shoots 42% from the field for his career..
LeBron totally boffed the shot clock and when he didn’t get the foul call gave the Warriors a 5 point swing.
How is there no foul on that James drive?
Saw on the ESPN crawl today, James get fouls on 11% of drives at home and 4% on the road. Quite a disparity, but even the 11% is way too low.
Why not double Durant???? You know he’s going to take the last shot…
Stupid defense there… should’ve double KD on that final shot, just like JVG said.
How about that free throw disparity?
WHY DO YOU LET DURANT HAVE THAT SHOT? WHY???
Iggy with a little limp…
That Durant shot was basically Lebron’s game winner agains Pacers…
Raptors
Right, brain fart…
Where’s the foul? That’s a crap call on Nance.
Seriously- if that’s a foul LeBron gets fouled on every drive.
Jordan Bell proving rookies can play in the finals.
2nd round rookie too.
Idk, trying to be objective, but Curry wouldnt have hooked LeBron down if LeBron hadn’t extended his arm in the first place. But I’m not complaining.
Nice box out, Rodney. (not)
Nice redemption
GS living at the FT line…
Iggy’s offensive game not looking sharp.
What the H is wrong with some of these refs.
Oh yay, Steve Javi with the insights…
Nice, Rodney.
And then he gives up a putback
Shut up JVG
Three on Steph…good job, guys…
Can we see if Steph was in the restricted area?
Ha! No need.
Three on Bray…
And now 3 on curry
James is 7-13, but it feels like he has passed up about 10 opportunities to attack
You can’t Give Durant that shot.
https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1004544064681922561
Got to stop giving up layups and dunks on defense. All those points are going hurt the Cavs at then end.
Hill you have to shoot.
Seems like Durant never misses a FT…
Go at Bray and Steph…get that third…
That was crap. Never hit james’ leg
Guess it did. Still a reaching.
Kev with a big boy rebound!
TT good D and Love physical rebound against Green, who ends up on the floor and is called for the foul
Great pass Hill. Keep posting him.
KLOVE playing like a beast!!!!
Attack Curry! Because it’s the right thing to do anyway, and he has two fouls.
Preach. One of my all-time favourite players and personalities. Too bad we had to trade him to make salaries work. We could use his candor.
Why Lue? Why do you not know how yo play Korver WITH love?
i just wanna see the cavs keep being violent with the warriors. the refs arent gonna call everything so stay grizzly
We are lucky our leader is a cyborg. Anyone else would have to be evaluated at best after that twist.