THE Golden State Warriors are NBA champions once again following a dominant blowout victory over a Cleveland Cavaliers team which now faces the prospect of a nervous few months with superstar LeBron James rumoured to be on the way out.
The Warriors led from start to finish, but broke the spirit of the battered Cavaliers in the third quarter as they opened up a double-digit lead.
The fourth quarter was utterly one-sided as a stunned Cleveland crowd watched in near silence while their team was outclassed up and down the court.
Klay Thompson (L) and JaVale McGee (R) start celebrations midway through the third quarter. Pic: GettySource:AFP
Curry embraced coach Steve Kerr, who has endured a difficult three years with a serious back injury, after the final whistle.
“He told us at the beginning of the year, all that we have to go through. I know it’s a game, I know it’s basketball — but all that sacrifice, the trials and tribulations you go through this season to get to this point,” Curry said.
“And for him especially, we know what he’s been through physically the last three years. For him to fight through all of that, be there for us every single day and for us to celebrate this moment is what makes it all worth it.”
“This was the hardest one we’ve had by far,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said. “It was definitely the toughest from the standpoint that it’s the fourth year in a row that we’ve attempted to get back to the finals. It was hard and it gets more and more difficult as you go through.”
Cavaliers star LeBron James revealed after the game he had been playing with a broken right hand for the past three games.
LeBron James talks with coach Tyronn Lue on a frustrating evening.
James had a tough evening, finishing with 23 points, seven rebounds and eight assists — and will now face intense speculation over his future.
James can opt out of his contract after this season and there’s an increasing belief that he will choose to leave the Cavaliers in search of a better supporting cast — which he could potentially find with the Philadelphia 76ers, Los Angeles Lakers, Houston Rockets or Boston Celtics.
“I have no idea at this point,” James said. “Sitting down and considering everything, my family is a huge part of whatever I’ll decide to do in my career, and it will continue to be that. So I don’t have an answer for you right now.”
Stephen Curry knocks down a shot en route to a game-high 37 points.Source:AFP
With four minutes and three seconds left in the fourth quarter, James checked out of the game to a standing ovation and chants of MVP from an appreciative crowd desperately aware it could easily be the last time they see James in a Cavaliers uniform.
“I hope he stays,” Cavs coach Tyronn Lue said. “But after a game like that I’m not in any position to talk about that.”
After a monster series, James looked exhausted and as the game slipped away, so did the relentless intensity he’s brought all post-season.
As he faded, so too did his teammates — with ESPN commentator Mark Jackson lamenting the lack of effort as the Warriors snatched repeated offensive rebounds.
“This is just embarrassing from the Cavs,” said Jackson.
In truth, the Cavaliers were never in the contest — and only very briefly held leads, and never by more than a point and never after midway through the second quarter.
The Warriors took the first quarter by nine points, and never looked back.
LeBron, and Kevin Love (13 points), helped keep the Cavaliers in contention in the second quarter — which was split 17-17 — before an ugly third quarter signalled what was to come.
In the third quarter, the Cavaliers were outscored by Curry and Klay Thompson (who combined for 15 points) as they posted just 13 points in a demoralising display.
The Warriors showed no mercy, with Curry particularly ruthless.
In the same week he broke the record for number of three-pointers made (nine, in game two), Curry hit seven from 15 from beyond the arc.
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