The new Golden State Warriors version, with star forward Kevin Durant, has allowed them to be undefeated in the playoffs and a triumph of securing the second league title against the defending champions, the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Team that is also facing a negative historic milestone within the NBA Finals, to be the first to be the first to be swept twice in the duel for the ring of champions.
They already suffered that humiliation of a 0-4 in the Finals of 2007 against the Spurs of San Antonio in the first that disputed with the star forward LeBron James.
In addition, this time, with greater frustration sport because in the field have shown their class and talent, but insufficient when facing the team that for many is beginning to be considered the best in history.
The reality is that the Cavaliers reach the fourth game, which will play in their field of Quicken Loans, with a mark of 0-3, although the third game (113-118) looked much better than in the first Two, who lost by average difference of 21 points.
All humiliation for the current champions, who have the hope that last year the story was very similar to being down 1-3 and then got the first title in the history of the franchise.
Now they are facing another historic challenge, trying a comeback 0-3 that so far no one has been able to get.
The mission does not seem “easy” because they face have the best version of the Warriors with spectacular Durant, for many the fittest player there is currently in the NBA, a Stephen Curry base in MVP plan, escort Klay Thompson with inspiration Recovered scorer and a Draymond Green, who impresses by his maturity and team play.
That has been the cause that the Cavaliers were overwhelmed during the second half of the first two games until in the party on Wednesday gave a sensational third period. Even three minutes into the game, they had the advantage of six points (113-107).
But the Warriors closed with an unanswered 11-point streak to win the win that opened them to a second title in three years, which they could secure in the fourth game to be played on Friday night in the Quicken Loans.
“I think our team is still relying on what we did in the third game and if we repeat we can get the win,” said Cavaliers coach Tyronn Lue. “I can not be disappointed with the effort we made.”
Lue reiterated after training Thursday that his team did not fail but it was the Warriors who managed to perform better in the final stretch of the game, in addition to taking advantage of the mistakes they made.
James, who was on the doorstep of a triple-double in the third game (39 points, 11 rebounds and nine assists), after saying that he had no problem with the Warriors getting the best players, such as Kevin Durant, He would do the same if one day he becomes owner, he emphasized that they only think about the fourth party.
“We know we do not have tomorrow, as we did last year, we have to go out to the field to play at the maximum in the match we play, then we’ll see what happens,” said James, looking for his fourth title. League as a professional. “What worries me now is that we raise our level of play to a higher level.”
He is not at all worried if he can suffer the second sweep in an NBA Finals.
“The title wins when you get four wins and you lose with four defeats,” said James.
While between the Warriors players and their coach Steve Kerr, the slogan for the fourth game is the same as they have had since the playoffs began and that it was none other than going out to the field to do all the best basketball and Respect rival.
“We have not won anything,” Kerr reiterated. “We have a 3-0 lead, but we are missing one more victory and that is the only one that interests us and we need to get it.”
Kerr acknowledged that the position they enjoy may induce players to relax and not feel the pressure, but it is not the case of the Warriors, whose philosophy is to make it ever better, no matter what happened in previous games.
“Our motto is that we can always have the possibility of overcoming ourselves and that was what allowed us to win the third game, when we maintained the same fighting spirit no matter what the score showed.”
