This is the Hangover. We get basketball-wasted all the time. Yes, we recap the NBA every night in our own way.
(PHOTO CREDIT: USA Today.)
#1 CLEVELAND CAVALIERS 112 @ #1 GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS 97
NBA Finals – Game 5 – WARRIORS lead series, 3-2
Well, not exactly the most shocking thing in the world. But even without Draymond Green, who was suspended for Game 5 because of that groin punch, a lot of us still thought the Warriors was ready to put the season away. Since Green wasn’t allowed in the arena, he was instead watching the game at a luxury suite in an Oakland A’s game. A’s. You know. Baseball!
Anyway, let’s talk basketball, which I guess I’m okay at.
The Warriors tried to open it up early, getting off to a 12-5 start. But that was quickly quelled as the Cavs scored six straight. What we got for the rest of the first half was a fast pace that the Warriors loved. While Klay Thompson was sinking three after three, LeBron James was also matching each shot the Splash Brother was making. The half ended at 61 apiece.
But a funny thing happened: the Cavs kept making shots while the Warriors didn’t. It didn’t help that Andrew Bogut was lost for the game with a knee sprain so their defense got even more compromised after that. In the meantime, LeBron kept making jumpers and Kyrie Irving, despite huffing and puffing halfway through the third, never stopped getting buckets. Before the Warriors knew it, they were down by double digits. The Warriors never got closer than seven points as Klay got clamped in the fourth, Curry never got to turn on his Game Shark, and Harrison Barnes (2 for 14!) missed a ton of open jumpers.
(PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images.)
LeBron and Kyrie each scored 41 points, the first time a pair of teammates scored 40 or more in NBA Finals history. Also, the Cavs shot 53 percent while the Warriors were limited to just over 36 percent. Sometimes, logic does prevail against the Warriors!
G. State really missed the intangibles from Green: his energy, hustle, grit, defense, eye gouges, groin kicks, hair pulling, and all the dirty work that he does for the team. He will be back on Game 6.
But although he didn’t play, Green wished that he didn’t have to be back playing another game this season, period. As it stands, they’re all going back to Cleveland as the Warriors get a second chance to get the championship.
BEHIND THE LINES
LeBron James (CLE): 41 pts, 16 rebs, 7 assts, 3 blks, 3 stls.
Kyrie Irving (CLE): 41 pts, 6 assts.
Tristan Thompson (CLE): 6 pts, 15 rebs.
Klay Thompson (GS): 37 pts.
Stephen Curry (GS): 25 pts, 7 rebs, 3 blks.
Andre Iguodala (GS): 15 pts, 11 rebs, 6 assts.
WATCH THIS PLAY
It’s like we’re in 2006! Shaun Livingston plasters Richard Jefferson.
(VIDEO CREDIT: NBA.)
So now the NBA season COULD end on Thursday. But Cleveland hopes to extend it all the way to Sunday.
Follow Rey-Rey on Twitter at @TheNoLookPass for all tweets about the NBA and terrible pop music. Also, check out his podcast, Rey-Rey Is Fundamental.
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