Game 5 of the NBA Finals is here and the Golden State Warriors are just one game away from winning back-to-back NBA titles. But the Cleveland Cavaliers won't just roll over, and they'll be helped out by the suspension of Warriors forward Draymond Green. How does Green's suspension impact the rest of the Finals? Here's our preview and prediction for Game 5 of the Warriors vs. Cavaliers.
Game Info:
When: 9 PM EST
Where: Oracle Arena, Oakland, California
TV: ABC
Spread: Warriors by 6
O/U: 207.5
What They're Saying About The Golden State Warriors:
Livingston Calls Green's Absence The Ultimate Test (SF Chronicle)
Suspended Green To Watch Game 5 At A's Stadium (Warriors World)
Green-less Warriors Have Cavs Right Where They Want Them (San Jose Mercury News)
Warriors Players: "LeBron Probably Made The Call" On Green Suspension (CSN Bay Area)
What They're Saying About The Cleveland Cavaliers:
Cavs Hype Video (Chat Sports)
Should Kevin Love Start Game 5? (FanSided)
Kevin Love's Roller Coaster Ride Continues (NEO Sport Insiders)
Tyronn Lue Fined $25K For Criticizing Officials (Akron Beacon Journal)
Draymond Green's Absence:
Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson are the two biggest stars on the Warriors, but don't overlook how important Green has been to this team. With him on the court, the Warriors have a +13.6 rating. With Green on the bench, the Warriors are -9.6. It's not a coincidence that in Green's two best games this series, the Warriors cruised to easy wins. He struggled in Game 3, and Golden State lost. In Game 4, he wasn't great on offense, but his defense made up for it.
With Green out, Andre Iguodala is the favorite to get the start. The defensive stopper has been great again this year and the Warriors need him to step up. They could also start Shaun Livingston or Brandon Rush, but that seems unlikely. The real question is where Green's minutes will go. Green has averaged 38 mpg this series, and Iguodala can't take every one. He's already at 32.3. Andrew Bogut has struggled, but the Warriors might need to give him more than the 13 he's been getting. Other bigs, like Festus Ezeli (6.3) and Anderson Varejao (5.7) could see more if the Warriors keep Barnes or Iguodala at PF and still want a paint presence. James Michael McAdoo might be the best fit for the Warriors to replace Green at center in their "death lineup," but McAdoo has hardly played this postseason, with his seven minutes in Game 4 marking his only real playing time since the conference quarterfinals. Brandon Rush could see the floor more if the Warriors go small, although he's hardly played at all and there are concerns about his defense. Marreese Speights is the "backup" to Green, but he's not a good matchup fit against the Cavs. His 3.8 minutes this series proves that. The Warriors don't have a true Green replacement on their roster, and it's nearly impossible to replace what Green does for the Warriors.
Prediction: Warriors Win 104-101
If Game 5 was a home game for the Cavs, they'd likely be favored. Even with Green out, the home boost the Warriors get at home could be enough to propel them to a win. After winning in Cleveland last year, the Warriors would love to win at home. The question for the Cavs is how they attack Golden State without Green. Perhaps Kevin Love can step up and look like the third piece of the Big 3 he's supposed to be. This comes down to the wire, but with the Warriors at home, it's tough to pick against them.