Two games into these NBA Finals, and we’ve been treated to two grand finishes.
Big shots. Timely stops. Overtimes.
But without Hack-A-Shaq, we would’ve only gotten one of those finishes. Golden State would’ve gone quietly into the Bay Area night in Game 2 if not for the intentional fouling strategy that everybody loves to hate.
The Warriors whacked an 11-point deficit to five in only 29 seconds of game time. Big plays by Steph Curry and Andre Iguodala were part of the equation, but so were a couple of quick intentional fouls on Tristan Thompson. The Cleveland forward hit two of his four free throws — not horrendous — but the sequence stalled the Cavs’ momentum and sparked the Warriors’ comeback.