The Golden State Warriors are now just one win away from winning the NBA Finals after defeating the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 5. Here are three things we learned that will impact the rest of the series:
1) It's a small-ball series
Golden State changed the series by going small with Andre Iguodala in the starting lineup, and Cleveland countered with a small lineup of their own. Timofey Mozgov played just nine minutes in Game 5 as Tristan Thompson and LeBron James spent most of the game at center. However, the Warriors still dictated the tempo of the game, outscoring the Cavs 18-3 in fast break points - which proved to be the difference in the game.
2) Golden State's role players have found their rhythm
When the Warriors were struggling early in the series, it was because Golden State's role players weren't producing. Draymond Green couldn't make anything, and him and Harrison Barnes looked scared whenever they had the ball in their hands. Critics were saying that the moment was too big for the two third-year players, but they combined for 24 points and 19 rebounds in Game 5 - and made several key plays in the second half. If they can continue to contribute, Golden State will win the series.
3) LeBron James needs help from someone
LeBron had one of the best performances in NBA Finals history with 40 points, 14 rebounds, and 11 assists, but his team still lost by 13 points. That tells you just how little his teammates contributed, and that's simply not going to be enough.
Cleveland did have the lead in the first half when JR Smith exploded for 14 points, but no one else stepped for the Cavs in the second. The Cavaliers absolutely need to have one or two players step up for a full 48 minutes to give LeBron some relief if they're going to win this series.
Back to the Golden State Warriors Newsfeed