The Finals: Game 6 Preview/Live Thread
2015-06-16
Protect this house!
Regardless of outcome, tonight will be the last game of the NBA season played at Quicken Loans Arena. The Cleveland Cavaliers will attempt one last valiant home stand in front of more than 20,000 of their loudest fans, in the hopes of securing one more trip out west to settle things for good.
A season that began one memorable night in late October at the Q with Game 1 of the regular season, now reaches an amazing climax 50 home games later with a penultimate Game 6. Despite season-ending injuries to three of the starters from that October opening night, this team has made a playoff push for the ages. They have rejected excuses, embraced the grind, committed themselves to being All-In, and are within two victories of pulling off possibly the most improbable championship run of all time.
The onus has fallen squarely on the shoulders of LeBron James, and he has stalwartly accepted the challenge to lead this band of bench players, castoffs and overachievers into battle for five hard fought contests. And now, in perhaps the toughest task to date, he must draw the proverbial line in the sand and use every ounce of will to refuse to allow the Warriors to celebrate a championship of their own on the hardwood in the heart of Cleveland.
As transcendent as LeBron has been thus far (at some point we will have to break down the historical import of his unbelievable Finals performance, since the records he’s setting could comprise their own dedicated chapter in Guinness), remarkably he will have to find a way to do just a little bit more for the Cavs to push this series to a seventh and final game. Either that, or his worn-down, beat-up and written-off teammates will have to rise to the challenge of defending their home turf for 48 more minutes.
Even though there’s been talk of LBJ being deserving of being named the Finals MVP, regardless of whether his team wins, by his own admission, it would mean nothing next to a championship for his team and his city.
“I wouldn’t feel good about it at all,” James said after Cavs shootaround in advance of Game 6 on Tuesday night. “Because at the end of the day, I’m here to win a team prize, and that’s to win a championship, not an individual prize.”
However, the King is confident that he and his team can finish the job they set out to accomplish all those many months ago, no matter who is on the court with him. So, tonight, a Russian, an Australian, a Canadian, a New Yorker, a Chicagoan, a Floridian (and possibly even a South Dakotan and a Waukeegan) will join the prodigal and native son of The Land as a representative team of Clevelanders in their last opportunity to defend it this season.
They will need to hear 20,000 voices screaming in unison for them, driving and inspiring them to leave everything they have on the floor. They will need the collective will of the City they’ve “put on for” over the course of the last eight months behind them. They will need all of the grit and toughness of this title-starved region to draw strength from.
One last chance to extend this series. One last chance to witness a wine & gold victory at home in Cleveland. And one last chance (to have one more chance) to cheer, and scream, and put your heart all in for this incredible Cavaliers team…
LET’S GO CAVS!
Wow… Well at least they got the MVP right… (at least if they had to pick a Warrior)
Awesome….I switched the channel, but he deserves it.
Iggy gettin booed for winning MVP. Crowd wanted ‘Bron.
Think that’s what they were sticking around to see…
Oh wowww Iggy getting the MVP, glad to see
Cavs played to the end. No Quit. Effort was there, but not the coordination on D, spacing, and movement without the ball.
Can’t win when you miss that many free throws and outside shots against a great Warriors team.
Big games by Livingston, and of course Iggy.
Next year will be different. Give this team time together and better depth and they will be a monster.
That was the JR Smith rollercoaster ride we’ve all come to love. Haha. Anyway, wanted to say thanks to the fellas who run this site. Was a blast sharing this experience with a bunch of people who I don’t know at all. Cavs did us proud with that playoff run. Here’s to next year!
Respect to the non-hateable players on the Warriors. Igoudala and Livingston came up big. Grudging respect to Curry even though I hate his pretty boy face and sitcom perfect family.
Proud of every member of this Cavs team, even when they were missing shots.
Hahahha ” I hate his pretty boy face and sitcom perfect family.” this cracked me up. Too funny
I think Iggy got away with a lot of contact, but Lebron gets away with a lot, too. Played his a$$ off, so you have to hand it to him.
I don’t blame him for getting away with contact. It’s the refs job to call it. At least he doesn’t whine like Green.
No Facebook, NBA TV, ESPN, Instagram for me for a few days untill it kinda dies down and they start talking about the draft next week.
I wish the Warriors would leave the court so the Cavs could go out there just to hear the appreciation of the fans. Cavs deserve a standing ovation from all of NE Ohio. They really embodied the Cleveland spirit in these playoffs.
They fought to the end. Could have folded against Chicago with Love out, JR suspended and Kyrie hurting. Could have folded against GS after losing the devastating first game. Could have folded several times tonight, like the Bulls and Hawks did in closeout games. But they didn’t. They fought to the end.
I’m surprised some Cavs fans are still in the stands
Great season. Had a LOT of fun this year. I will be right here all summer long, waiting until next season!
And stay tuned this summer guys… plenty of awesome Cavs coverage coming through the draft, free agency, summer league and training camp. Then next season, back, healthy and better than ever!
Great year CAVS! Incredible run! Can’t believe they made it that far with the limitations they had. This team at full strength will kill the Warriors next year. But I don’t think the Warriors will be lucky enough to make it that far.
I still feel robbed that we didn’t get to see full strength Cavs vs full strength Warriors….would have been one for the ages
Yep, and it feels like Cavs are the ones always being robbed
So unreal that the season is over and in this manner. I was nervous playing against the Bulls and Hawks and we got passed them. They exceeded my expectations so I’m proud of them, woulda really love a championship after reaching this far, but I guess it wasnt meant to be. Great season cavs #Allin.
It was an absolute joy fellas. What a tremendous season. Can’t wait for next year!!!
Congrats to the Warriors.
Way to hang in all of you commenters! Nothing to hang our heads about. This team fought hard and overcame more than anyone could have believed.
#CavsFanForLife
Second this one genius. This will be read to my boys tomorrow when I tell them the cavs season was over.
This team exceeded expectations and should be proud. But still, crap.
Totally. The Warriors almost looked beatable. By an undermanned cavs.
They were beatable and will be next year, too. Memphis played them well until Tony Allen got hot.
Exactly, so many what ifs that could have lead to A championship this year.
Hope all of the Cavs watch the trophy presentation and let it motivate them for the years to come…
So the best curry can do is repeat “what”. Does that have a hidden meaning ?
Sad LeBron looks sad.
That was the first classy move by curry all series. A hug to James.
Great season Cavs fans. What a bummer.
Next year folks. We are NBA champions. Next season will be unbelievable. We will be healthy, we will be motivated, we will be deadly.
I’d pay good money for someone to throw a bottle at Steph and Draymond right there… ;)
I woulda love if Lebron gave that ball to JR after hitting 3 straight 3’s sigh
Couldn’t pass that one up, though
Thats true, it was a good look
Nope. He had a couple like that tonight that wouldn’t fall. Missed free throws. Turnovers. It was just too much. They gave it a hell of a series.
Oh well, great try to the end
That wasn’t the best heat check he could have taken…
I find that could have been a foul on that JR 3, sigh that would have been huge
Did curry just slap at Delly.
Pretty much….guess he doesn’t like being guarded or fouled
It looks like he does that a lot. Can’t stand him and now he celebrates on our floor
Hey, JR: I hate you. Signed, all of Cleveland.
JR with the unreal 3
JR!!!!
We cant self complain about refereeing tonight, we went to the line 39 times to GSW’s 23, almost double and we are still down
Still fighting till the very end. Love this team.
Hilarious they are only down by 7
Am i biased but curry annoys the heck out of me
You aren’t biased…the way he carries himself can be annoying
Wtf. Looked like a steal.
Sure did…
I wonder if they would have had the stones to give us that call.
Wow , Lebron has 17 rebounds
The numbers LeBron put up in this series are unreal.
It is a legacy defining moment. He has many but this feat will be tough to top
Delly, Shump, J.R. and JFJ combined for 5 of 25. LBJ would have a triple double easy if just one of those four got hot.
Yep… much different than kicking out to Kyrie and KLove
Oh JR… where was this earlier?
I don’t mean to be harsh towards JR, but in these finals, when there was no eminent pressure, that’s when he performed.
Now JR is making 3’s sigh
Chins up guys! This undermanned team won two Finals games. The future is bright!
No doubt. I didn’t think they would make it past Hawks. So this was gravy. Just need the guys to rest and heal.
Curry just bothers me! He got this too easy
Still super proud of this team no matter what
Agreed. Just sucks. Sick of cities like Frisco winning in every sport every year.
I am too evil! Just want the full team and warriors next year. Curry hasn’t proved it to me yet.
3-20 on 3’s, 11 missed free throws, 16 To’s and thats the game. We out rebounded them 53-36 though
3/ 20 on threes….brutal
What a season guys. Really enjoyed the time I spent with all of you on the comments. It’s not over yet but it looks as if the cavs know. No fight on last layin by. No 3’s falling either. It sucks. But I’m elated at the season
I feel right now like the Hawks series, when we was making allot of 3’s and forcing them to teir long 2’s and 3’s and they couldnt buy one. This is basically what is happening to the Cavs right now
In a 7 game series, talent usually wins.
Very true, but its those same guys who has been hitting shots against Bulls and Hawks.
Maybe next year. Was a great run by a real tough group of guys. My only disappointment is that the injuries leave us with a bunch of what ifs. But not disappointed in the play of anyone on this team at all.
Cmon cavs! We can do this! We’re three made threes away from a buzzer beater win!
The last time the Cavs hit a three there was a country called Yugoslavia.
I don’t understand what happened there with Shump on Curry?
Oh well, Cavs did better in this series than I could have expected. With even a healthy Irving, they had a good chance to win.
3’s not falling tonight and thats the game right there, two wide open 3 ‘s was missed
Just can’t BUY a three…
Have to wonder how much of a role fatigue has played. Cavs have had a rough time from 3 most of the series after shooting it well earlier in the playoffs.
The last time the Cavs hit a three C&C Music Factory topped the charts.
hahahaha just two bad game 3 pointers games in Game 4 and 6 when we really needed it.
Don’t understand why JR isn’t setting up for threes instead of in the post?
I thought so too. Maybe he wanted to get to the line.
Iggy is the MVP of the Dubs!
I hope so I can’t stand curry he hasn’t earned it yet
Chuups, iggy flopping back oh my gosh
Cavs put up a very valiant effort with what they had…it’s time to make wholesales changes when it comes to the bench…JR Smith,James Jones,shawn Marion definitely should be gone…there are a few more that are on the bubble…we need more speed & depth…and a backup point guard
Marion is retiring. Won’t have the money for what you suggest. I think the team is set. Doubt jones leaves.
Marios is retiring, of course, JR who knows, he might opt in, Jones and Miller back afaik
Our frontcourt has been marvelous in these finals, we need to get deeper at the guard position.
Guard and Wing, need athleticism and shot making.
What the heck are you smoking?! We lost our starting pg to injury dude
Yes we lost our starting point guard I know, but JR and Shump are starting guards in this league and in my opinion have not stepped up offensively since Kyrie went down. Delly has been MIA offensively as well since his 20 point game 3 performance.
That’s what depth means, that you have talented, dynamic players beyond the starters.
Got the TV on mute.
I should have at the half. Smart man. I thought they would add value.
Did klay just foul out?
Yes… not that GS needed him tonight
That makes him one less shooter to worry about
Mark Jackson making a triple-double in the Finals sound like a rarity… even though LBJ has two already in this series…
He should stick to spouting off cliches and catch phrases.
Yeah. The rarity is for the Warriors team not the finals. He is so out of context I wonder if he is drunk.
I was wrong… Delly must have been hurt or something. Only played 21 minutes…
Probably something there…wouldn’t be surprised
Congrats Golden State! You had a lucky run!
I really wonder is Livingston would be the Cavs 2nd best player right now if he switched teams
Not even close. Dude we are exhausted and they have like 10 all stars or near all stars.
Who is better? TT maybe.
Moz is better, JR and Iman are better but have been off shooting
Agree to disagree…I think SL is better than Shump or JR
Then respectfully, I’m glad you’re not the GM… ;)
He might be the second best PG… but not player…
Lebron move the damn ball!!!
A cool idea would be to not leave 3 point shooters wide open.
Thats been the gameplan all game in my opinion
Sorry, game over!!!!!!