24 ? All the reminders to the Cavaliers that no team has ever crawled out of a 3-1 hole to win The Finals (0-32). But the numbers also show that extending the series isn’t so rare. The teams trailing in the series are almost .500 (15-17) in Game 5.
23 ? With the Draymond Green next door watching the A’s game ? and maybe a peek or two at what’s going on inside Oracle ? we’ll recall that Jerry Stackhouse of the Mavericks was the last player suspended for a Finals game ? June 18, 2006, Game 5, for a blow to Shaquille O’Neal’s head on a fastbreak. With Stackhouse out, the Mavs lost.
22 ? Somebody has to explain how referee Marc Davis, who might as well have been wearing a blindfold for the butchering of the last 13.5 seconds of Game 2 of OKC at San Antonio back on May 2, gets a Finals assignment.
21 ? So much for taking advantage of Green’s absence at the start by Cavs. Five Cleveland turnovers in the first 3 1/2 minutes.
20 ? The Draymond Effect shows early. Officials go to video right away to check out Festus Ezeli’s hit on Tristan Thompson. Just a common foul. But in this Pitty-Pat Era, everything under the microscope.
19 ? Obviously the Cavaliers don’t get cable. How else to explain leaving Klay Thompson all alone for jumpers?
18 ? The official boxscore says Kevin Love back in the starting lineup. Video of the first quarter says otherwise.
17 ? How long in this series has everybody been saying the Cavs need to attack the basket? Well, since the season seemed to be slipping away, LeBron James figures “why not?” and, what do you know, it works.
16 ? Considering they turned the ball over eight times in the first quarter, Cavs have to feel they won the lottery being down just 32-29. Withstood the early wave of emotional from Golden State crowd and in the game.
15 ? Once again the statement nobody made before the Finals began: “There’s Richard Jefferson showing the Cavaliers how to keep their season alive.” 7-0 run to start the second quarter.
14 ? It’s another one of those everything-goes-in first half shooting displays for Kyrie Irving. But you have to wonder if it will be there when he’s pounding it into the floor late in the game.
13 ? Psst! Psst! Hey, Cavs! No. 11 is Klay Thompson and you might want to actually guard him.
12 ? Remember, Klay saved the Warriors’ season with his ridiculous shooting show in Game 6 at OKC.
11 ? If we can get another half like this one ? 61-61 ? might as well go seven just for the sheer fun of it.
10 ? Though Warriors offense didn’t suffer in the absence of Draymond, LeBron’s ability to get anyplace he wants to go and shoot the ball with confidence shows the defense misses him badly.
9 ? Warriors down another big man when Andrew Bogut goes off with left knee injury. So what does Steve Kerr do? Goes even smaller with Harrison Barnes at center. And pays a price.
8 ? This is the LeBron James that played in The Finals a year ago and the Cavs have needed all through this series. Will he be able to keep it up down the stretch?
7 ? Here with go with “christening Tristan.” Three straight trips down the floor with Golden State taking intentional fouls on Thompson. But with the Warriors spending the third quarter as if they’re next door watching the baseball game ? A’s 4, Rangers 0, bottom of third ? Cavs take 93-84 lead into final period.
6 ? With few exceptions tonight, the real difference in Irving isn’t the number of shots he’s made. It’s that he’s making moves quickly and decisively and not allowing the Cleveland offense to get stagnant and stand around.
5 ? Is he Denzel Varejao? Or Anderson DeNiro? Just give him a best acting Oscar and play on. But give him credit, he does flat out hustle along with flopping.
4 ? Problem is, with the exception of Klay getting loose in second quarter, the Cavs’ defense has been dominant. Warriors 61 points in first half and just 36 in second half.
3 ? It doesn’t happen often, but Korkscrew Kyrie shows Steph Curry how it’s done on his home court.
2 ? First time ever teammates score 40 or more in Finals game ? LeBron (41) and Kyrie (41). Of 32 previous teams that fell behind 3-1 in Finals, only two (1951 Knicks, 1966 Lakers) even forced a seventh game. This is step one.
1 ? Splash Brothers, meet the Brash Brothers, 112-97. They invite you to Game 6 on Thursday night at The Q.
Fran Blinebury has covered the NBA since 1977. You can e-mail him here and follow him on Twitter.
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