SteemSports Presenter:
SteemSports Editor:
The fourth installment of the Warriors-Cavs NBA Finals saga has been the most lopsided it has ever been. After a blowing a surprisingly suspenseful Game 1, the Cleveland Cavaliers succumbed in the following two contests to go down 3-0 on the defending champs. They're staring down the handle of a broom in Game 4 on Friday night. Cleveland claimed victory in this very game last year to retain some sense of dignity and eventually fall to the champs 4-1. Can they do it again in 2018? Or will the NBA season fade away like our faith in humanity did when KD joined the Warriors?
Heading into this contest, the Warriors are 5.5 favorites according to Odds Shark. Golden State was able to go up 3-0 off the god-like play of Kevin Durant in Game 3. Klay Thompson and Steph Curry had awful shooting nights scoring less than 15 points each, and they still won on the road! Even though Golden State is favored, I think the Cavs have a decent chance to take this one game in the series.
The Cavaliers just have to keep winning the battle of the boards, make shots when they're wide open, and for the love of god play some defense! A lot of the Cavs were lacking communication off of switches back in Game 3, which the Warriors capitalized on all throughout. J.R. Smith and LeBron were caught fiercely debating something on the bench, and I couldn't help but assume that it was about the collective confusion as a result of bad switches. Cleveland 100% knows they have to be better at this. It's only a matter of execution at this point.
Execution couldn't be any more important than in the shot-making department either. Rodney Hood had an unexpectedly effective Game 3 off the bench to the tune of 15 points. If you're Ty Lue, why not ride Rodney the rest of the way? Both Jordan Clarkson and J.R. Smith are having an abysmal time from the field. I think now is the time to alter previous schemes. Hit Clarkson with a DNP-CD for Game 4, he has just been such a negative in this series.
If the Cavs manage to get hot and lead the Warriors for the first three quarters, don't expect a lot of fight from the Dubs. They'll most likely give the game away if it's going to take too much energy to come back and win it. They're up 3-0 and they'd be heading back to Oracle Arena for Game 5 after all.
After holding down some property in the "Warriors in 5" neighborhood, I'm officially selling my land and moving the Sweep Village. Klay Thompson and Steph Curry will come alive to take the Dubs to the promised land for the third time in four years. Curry is going to win the first Finals MVP of his career off another hot third quarter. The NBA Draft and Free Agency are only weeks away. Those exciting times will do well at washing down the bad taste of this disappointing NBA Finals.
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