The Cleveland Cavaliers had used massive performances from LeBron James and strong defensive efforts to take a 2-1 series lead over the Golden State Warriors in the NBA Finals. Will they push the Warriors to the brink of elimination, or will Golden State find a way to even the series?
Projected Starting Lineups
(1) Golden State Warriors (67-15)
G Stephen Curry – 23.8 ppg, 7.7 apg, 2.1 spg
G Klay Thompson – 21.7 ppg, 3.2 rpg
F Harrison Barnes – 10.1 ppg, 5.5 rpg
F Draymond Green – 11.7 ppg, 8.2 rpg
C Andrew Bogut – 6.3 ppg, 8.1 rpg
(2) Cleveland Cavaliers (53-29)
G Kyrie Irving – 21.7 ppg, 5.2 apg
G Iman Shumpert – 8.0 ppg, 3.6 rpg
F LeBron James – 25.3 ppg, 6.0 rpg, 7.4 apg
F Tristan Thompson – 7.3 ppg, 6.8 rpg
C Timofey Mozgov– 10.6 ppg, 6.9 rpg
What to watch for:
Can Golden State slow Matthew Dellavedova?
At this point, it’s clear that LeBron James can’t be stopped no matter what Golden State does. However, the Cavs are winning because the Warriors are letting an undrafted backup second-year player torch them on both ends of the floor. Dellavedova is a great perimeter defender, but he still scored 20 points in Game 3 with his severely limited offensive game. Golden State needs to hold him below 10 points for them to win Game 4.
Will Stephen Curry play like the MVP?
Curry finally caught fire in the fourth quarter of Game 3, and the Warriors are hoping that’s a sign of things to come for the rest of the series. Every team struggles when their best player is struggling, and Curry is the engine that drives Golden State’s high-powered offense. They are shooting just 31.3 percent from three-point range as a team so far in the Finals, largely due to Curry's inability to get into a rhythm. He needs to bounce back in the big way for the Warriors to win.
Prediction: Warriors win 102-99
Every game in this series has been decided by five points or less, and this game won't be any different. However, Golden State hasn't lost three games in a row all season and they know their season is essentially on the line in tonight's Game 4. I think they'll start faster than they have this series and make the plays they need to in the fourth quarter to even the series.
Next Read: Warriors and Cavs Owners' Secret to Success
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