End of 1st Quarter: Warriors Keeping Cavs at Arms Length

The Cavaliers once again got the game within four points thanks to some hustle plays from LeBron James and J.R. Smith and another 3-pointer from Kevin Love.

With Stephen Curry and Draymond Green sitting down for a rest at that point, and with Klay Thompson already on the bench with foul trouble, the hopes of a Cleveland run took a bit of a hit when Nick Young, perhaps Golden State’s worst player in these finals, hit a wide-open 3-pointer. A midrange jumper by Kevin Durant, some terrific defense by Shaun Livingston and another 3-pointer by Andre Iguodala and Golden State’s lead was back to 11.

In the final minute of the quarter, there was a flurry of activity on both ends, but the only score came on a tough layup from LeBron James, which left Cleveland down nine going into the second.

Cleveland didn’t let a few big runs from Golden State push them completely out of the game, but with the Warriors’ shooters appearing to have cured their woes, the early-going of this game heavily favors the series ending tonight. For that to not happen, James is going to need to show way more offense and he needs to do it quickly.

Marc Stein: The Warriors have won five consecutive playoff games despite falling short of their well-chronicled nightly goal of completing 300 passes. We won’t have the full passing picture until after the game, but they are surely on pace to get back into the 300s tonight given how crisply the ball is moving. Golden State had seven assists on 13 made baskets in the opening quarter. Six 3s for the visitors hasn’t hurt, either.

1st Quarter: Warriors Find Stroke From 3-Point Range

After the timeout, Andre Iguodala got the Warriors going again with a wide-open corner 3-pointer. Golden State then got 3-pointers from Stephen Curry and Draymond Green as well, taking advantage of any open shots they can find (Curry created his himself by just stopping in transition to shoot) and when a Kevin Durant dunk pushed the Warriors’ lead back to 24-13, Tyronn Lue again called a timeout.

Considering Golden State’s poor shooting in Game 3, they were no lock to focus on the deep ball in Game 4, but they appear to have retained their confidence in their shooters. And if Cleveland is going to leave Iguodala and Green open all game, those veterans will take advantage of the situation.</s>Golden State Warriors center Zaza Pachulia (27) celebrates with Golden State Warriors guard Klay Thompson (11) after beating the Cleveland Cavaliers in game four of the 2018 NBA Finals at Quicken Loans Arena.

The Golden State Warriors have defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers to bring home their third NBA championship in four years. They defeated LeBron James and the Cavs with a final score of 108-85 on Friday evening, completing a perfect 4-0 sweep.

It was a pretty competitive Game 4 to start, as the Warriors jumped out to an early nine-point lead at the end of the first quarter, only to see the Cavaliers battle back and take a lead of their own in the second quarter, CBS Sports reports. But the Warriors used a late burst to push their advantage back to nine points at halftime, and the Cavaliers never got closer.

The Warriors used one of their patented third-quarter takeovers to seize control of the game. Up by 21 points at the end of the third quarter, they then cruised in the final 12 minutes. Steph Curry finished with 37 points, six rebounds, four assists, three rebounds, and three steals, while Kevin Durant registered 20 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists.

James finished with 23 points and spent the final minutes on the bench, contemplating what went wrong and maybe his next move. He said in a post-game press conference that he had a broken right hand, an injury he said was self-inflicted.

"What happened? Self-inflicted, post-game after Game 1," James said. "Very emotional, for a lot of different reasons. Understanding how important Game 1 is on the road for our ballclub, what would that have done for us. The way we played, the calls that was made throughout the course of that game, I had emotions on the game was taken away from us. I had emotions of you just don't get opportunities like this on the road, versus Golden State, to be able to get a Game 1. And I let the emotions get the best of me. I pretty much played the last three games with a broken hand, so that's what it is."

Overcoming obstacles all season long, the Warriors were not going to be denied and won the fourth straight finals matchup against Cleveland with ease.

It was the first sweep in the NBA Finals since 2007, when James was dismissed by a powerful San Antonio team in his first one. His eighth straight appearance didn't go well either, and now there's uncertainty where the superstar will play next.

Act IV between the Warriors and Cavs featured a drama-filled and controversial Game 1. But from there on, Durant, Curry, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green, and the rest of this California crew showed why they're the game's gold standard.

And they may stay that way.

Not wanting to give the Cavs or their fans any hope despite the fact that no team has ever overcome a 3-0 deficit in the NBA playoffs, the Warriors built a nine-point halftime lead when Curry ignored a closeout by James and dropped a 3-pointer.

Then the league's best team tightened the screws on Cleveland in the third quarter, outscoring the Cavs 25-13 and prompting Golden State fans to begin those drawn-out "War-eee-orrss" chants that provide a perfect musical accompaniment to their 3-point barrages.

By the start of the fourth quarter, the only question was whether Curry would win his first NBA Finals MVP or if it would go to Durant for the second year in a row.

After surviving a rougher-than-usual regular season and beating top-seeded Houston in Game 7 on the road in the Western Conference finals, the Warriors withstood an overtime scare in Game 1 and joined an elite group of teams to win multiple championships in a four-year span.

Only Bill Russell's Boston Celtics, the "Showtime" Lakers and the Los Angeles squad led by Kobe and Shaq, and Michael Jordan's Chicago Bulls have been as dominant in such a short period of time.

© 2018 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.</s>On Basketball: Get used to a Golden State world, NBA

CLEVELAND (AP) — The NBA might have to get used to this.

Stephen Curry is under contract for basically the rest of his prime. Kevin Durant says he isn't going anywhere. Steve Kerr has more than proven himself as one of the game's best coaches. Free agents will line up for the chance to move west even if that means taking some pay cuts. There's even a new arena coming in a year or so for the Golden State Warriors to call home.

It's their league now, without question.

For the third time in four years, the Warriors are champions of the NBA world. They've gone back-to-back, beating the Cleveland Cavaliers 108-85 on Friday night to finish off a sweep of these NBA Finals in the fourth consecutive meeting between those clubs.

The Cavs may very well be coming apart.

The Warriors look very much built to last, and no matter where LeBron James goes this summer it'll probably be Golden State as the prohibitive favorites to win it all again next year.

"You don't want to cheat the moment," Curry said, the victory champagne still drying on his clothes and skin, wanting no part of any talk about dynasties or anything like that. "So we'll have plenty of time over the summer to talk about what next year's going to look like and what it's going to take for us to get back to this stage next year."

Houston probably isn't going away and remember, the Rockets gave the Warriors all they wanted this season. Had Chris Paul not gotten hurt, who knows if the Warriors even win that Game 7 in Houston and take the West title. The East might be a wild race, with Toronto, Philadelphia and Boston probably all likely to enter the year thinking they have NBA Finals potential — as will any team that has James on its roster next fall.

This much is clear: Golden State has no designs on giving up its throne.

"I've just got to keep getting better," said Warriors star Kevin Durant, now a two-time champion and two-time NBA Finals MVP. "I think I've got a lot more to go. So I'm just trying to prove to myself that I could just stay in it for the long haul, and hopefully I continue to have some success. Just keep growing as a player. That's my only concern."

Durant was voted the best player in this series — and he wants to keep growing.

He can't be guarded now — and he wants to keep growing.

Ask the 29 other NBA teams their reaction to that statement and they would likely say some form of "welp."

"They move at such a pace, and they have five guys on the floor that can dribble, pass and shoot," Cleveland coach Tyronn Lue said Friday night, a few minutes after the season ended and a few minutes into the Warriors' celebration down the hall. "They can make plays. So if you make a mistake, they're going to make you pay. That's the beauty of their team."

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver marvels at how the Warriors have put themselves in this position. They drafted well. They drafted lucky, too — Draymond Green as a second-rounder is an all-time bargain. They spend a ton of money, but they do it smartly.

They are built for the long haul.

And they are having more than their share of fun along the way.

"Klay just Googled himself and it says three-time champion already," Green said as he sat next to Klay Thompson after Game 4, the Wikipedia world having already updated pages with the Warriors' latest championship accomplishment. "That's dope."

Every other team this summer will try to figure out how to beat Golden State. Some will try to do so in 2019. Others will wait for a more opportune time, a few years from now. Not many teams are in position to even think about knocking the Warriors off their perch.

Plus, Golden State will get better. Durant has already challenged some of the Warriors' young and promising players to raise their games. They will retool their roster this summer, change the look of the bench a bit. They will add pieces.

"When you get on the podium and you realize all the hard work that you put into it and all that you've been through led to that moment, it never gets dull," Curry said. "It never gets boring. It's always a freshness about that moment."

This is why Curry does what he does. This is why he'll be back in the gym in a couple weeks, restarting the process. Opening night is four months away, after all.

"I've got a big smile on my face right now," Curry said. "I'm going to try to hold onto it for as long as I can."

It might be there for years.

Tim Reynolds is a national basketball writer for The Associated Press. Write to him at treynolds@ap.org</s>CLEVELAND (AP) Golden State Warriors beat Cleveland Cavaliers 108-85 in Game 4 for third NBA title in four years.</s>On Basketball: Durant shoots down Cavs with long 3 — again

CLEVELAND (AP) — This was not exactly the same shot from Kevin Durant.

Game 3 of the NBA Finals again, yes.

But this one was deeper than his dagger was a year ago — and it cut deeper as well. And on a night where Stephen Curry couldn't shoot and Klay Thompson wasn't much better, Durant put the Golden State Warriors on his slender shoulders and carried them to the brink of becoming back-to-back NBA champions for the first time.

Durant's 33-footer was the final act in his 43-point night, and the Warriors beat the Cleveland Cavaliers 110-102 in Game 3 of the finals on Wednesday night to take a 3-0 lead in the title series for the second straight season. A year ago, his shot from a bit closer — 26 feet, officially — put the Warriors ahead to stay in what became a five-point win. This time, the longer one put Golden State up by six and sent fans starting to head toward the exits.

"Different game, different season, different feel," Durant shrugged afterward, knowing full well how similar it was to the one he hit last season and knowing what it means right now. "Just a different vibe around the team."

That team had a championship vibe. Soon, maybe Friday, maybe not until Monday, this team will have the same.

This was why the Warriors needed Durant, and this is why Durant needed the Warriors. He was an elite player before he went to Golden State. He's now about to be a two-time champion because he went to Golden State. And it's a reminder to the rest of the NBA that when the free-agency shopping kiosks open on July 1, this is the team to be chasing.

They did not have a super regular season. They are a Superteam, without question.

To win any NBA Finals game, on the road, when LeBron James has a triple-double, when they trailed most of the night, when the deficit was as many as 13 early, when Curry and Thompson shot a combined 7 for 27 ... only a Superteam can pull that off.

"It's almost like playing the Patriots," Cleveland superstar LeBron James said Wednesday night. "You can't have mistakes. They're not going to beat themselves. You know, so when you're able to either force a miscue on them, you have to be able to capitalize and you have to be so in tuned and razor sharp and focused every single possession. You can't have miscommunication, you can't have flaws ... because they're going to make you pay."

James had a triple-double. He's three rebounds shy of averaging one in this series. He even had the highlight play of the series, a shot (which was really a pass) off the backboard to himself that he rebounded and viciously dunked. And he's still down 3-0.

He's not conceding. But he is clearly tipping his cap to the Warriors, his nemesis in each of the last four Junes and a team that's one win shy of beating him in three of those series.

"That's what championship teams do," James said. "That's what championship players do. They rise to the occasion, and that's what Golden State has done the last four years."

Durant has made quite a career out of rising to the occasion.

He was amused earlier in this series by a question that suggested the defining moment of his career was the 3-pointer in Game 3 last season. ("You know, I had a pretty solid career before I hit that shot, I felt," Durant said.) He will be equally amused when he gets asked if the shot he made Wednesday will also be a defining moment. He's been an MVP, a Finals MVP, an Olympic gold medalist already.

This is just what's next.

"I was definitely excited," said Durant, who tends to try and keep emotions to himself. "It's hard to make shots at this level in the NBA and I understand that. But at the same time I knew the game wasn't over."

It may as well have been. Cleveland got within four on the next possession after Durant's dagger, but never any closer.

"They have a number of guys that can bail their team out on any play, any game, any possession," Cleveland's Kevin Love said. "And he's been that for them a number of times. Defenses try to plan for him, but when you're 6-11, 7-feet and you're shooting a lazy pullup on the left wing from 27 feet that's pretty tough to guard."

For the record, Durant made every effort to defer the credit Wednesday night. He didn't think his shot was the biggest of the game. He thought Curry's lone 3-pointer in 10 tries — one that put the Warriors up by four with 2:38 remaining — carried more weight, and he might have been right.

But Durant finished it off. The game. The season. The title, basically.

"You know, we've got a lot of depth," Warriors coach Steve Kerr said. "We've got a lot of guys who can play, and they're all chipping in. But we should probably go back to Kevin Durant, shouldn't we? That was amazing what he did."

Tim Reynolds is a national basketball writer for The Associated Press. Reach him at treynolds@ap.org</s>11:31 p.m.-CLEVELAND CAVALIERS FALL TO GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS IN GAME 3 OF NBA FINALS

CLEVELAND -- The Golden State Warriors did not have much working offensively other than the play of small forward Kevin Durant, but that proved to be enough against the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 3 of the 2018 NBA Finals at Quicken Loans Arena Wednesday night.

Durant scored a game-high 43 points to go along with 13 rebounds, seven assists and one steal over 44 minutes in a 110-102 win over the Cavaliers.

With the win Wednesday night, the Warriors moved to within one victory of sweeping their way to a second consecutive NBA Championship and third title in the last four years.

Durant’s performance overshadowed a triple-double of 33 points, 10 rebounds and 11 assists from small forward LeBron James and a double-double of 20 markers and 13 caroms from power forward Kevin Love.

Additionally, the Cavaliers got 15 and 13-point showings from shooting guards Rodney Hood and JR Smith, respectively, but it was not enough, as late three-pointers from Durant and point guard Stephen Curry, who missed his first nine attempts from long distance before the make, sealed Cleveland’s seventh loss in the last eight postseason outings against the Warriors.

CLEVELAND -- On the strength of the play of small forward Kevin Durant, the Golden State Warriors shot their way to a two-point lead over the Cleveland Cavaliers, 83-81, after the third quarter of play in Game 3 of the 2018 NBA Finals at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland Wednesday night.

Durant knocked down four of his seven shots from the field, including two of his three looks from three-point range on the way to 10-point showing to go along with five rebounds and three assists against just one turnover without taking a break in the third quarter.

As a team, the Warriors knocked down 13 of their 22 looks from the field (59.1 percent), including three of their six attempts from three-point range, while the Cavaliers went eight of 19 from the field and two of 10 from long distance in the third quarter.

Cleveland Cavaliers power forward Kevin Love fires up a three-pointer against the Golden State Warriors in Game 3 of the 2018 NBA Finals at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland.

CLEVELAND -- After starting the second half by scoring nine of the first 12 points, the Golden State Warriors took their first lead of the game and pushed the advantage over the Cleveland Cavaliers to five points, 69-64, with 7:44 to play in the third quarter of Game 3 of the 2018 NBA Finals at Quicken Loans Arena Wednesday night.

The Warriors took a two-point lead on a pair of free throws from point guard Stephen Curry and extended it to five when center JaVale McGee and small forward Draymond Green converted layup attempts around a jumper from Kevin Durant.

Over the first four-plus minutes of the second half, the Warriors outscored the Cavaliers, 17-6.

Golden State Warriors forward Kevin Durant fires up a jumper against the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 3 of the 2018 NBA Finals at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland.

10:30 p.m.-WARRIORS COME OUT SWINGING IN SECOND HALF

CLEVELAND -- Down by as many as 12 points on two occasions in the first half, the Golden State Warriors came out strong to start the third quarter of play against the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 3 of the 2018 NBA Finals at Quicken Loans Arena Wednesday night.

The Warriors started the second half on a 9-3 scoring run and drew even with the Cavaliers, 61-61, with 10:13 to play in the third quarter.

A game-tying two-point shot from Warriors center JaVale McGee forced the Cavaliers to burn their second timeout of the game, first of the second half.

McGee scored six of the Warriors’ first nine points in the second half with the other three coming on a 32-foot triple from small forward Kevin Durant.

Golden State Warriors Kevin Durant drives to the hoop against Cleveland Cavaliers center Larry Nance Jr. in Game 3 of the 2018 NBA Finals at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland.

10:12 p.m.-CAVALIERS LEAD WARRIORS BY SIX AT THE BREAK

Despite a last-second three-pointer from small forward Kevin Durant, the Cleveland Cavaliers rode fast starts in each of the first two quarters to a six-point lead, 58-52, over the Golden State Warriors at halftime of Game 3 of the 2018 NBA Finals at Quicken Loans Arena Wednesday night.

Three of the Cavaliers’ five starters scored in double figures in the first half, led by a double-double from power forward Kevin Love (15 points, 10 rebounds), to go along with 14 points and nine assists from small forward LeBron James.

Shooting guard JR Smith had 10 points with six of those markers coming on long-distance shots.

Over the first 24 minutes of play, Durant led the Warriors with 24 points. He was the only Golden State player with more than seven points in the first half.

Cleveland Cavaliers shooting guard JR Smith steals the ball away from Golden State Warriors forward Kevin Durant in Game 3 of the 2018 NBA Finals at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland.

9:54 p.m.-CAVALIERS LEAD BY EIGHT NEAR MIDPOINT OF THIRD QUARTER

CLEVELAND -- Despite an injury scare when small forward LeBron James rolled his right ankle on a contested layup attempt, the Cleveland Cavaliers extended their lead over the Golden State Warriors to eight points near the midway point of the second quarter of Game 3 of the 2018 NBA Finals at Quicken Loans Arena.

After a jumper and driving layup from James bookended a three-pointer from the right wing from shooting guard JR Smith, the Cavaliers held a 42-34 lead over the Warriors with 6:40 to play in the second quarter.

James’ driving layup prompted the Warriors to use their third timeout of the first half.

Cleveland Cavaliers point guard George Hill outlets the ball to LeBron James in transition against the Golden State Warriors in Game 3 of the 2018 NBA Finals at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland.

9:46 p.m.-CAVALIERS BUILD UP LEAD IN SECOND QUARTER

CLEVELAND -- After having a 12-point lead whittled down to one following the first quarter, the Cleveland Cavaliers started the second period much the way they did from the outset of Game 3 of the 2018 NBA Finals against the Golden State Warriors at Quicken Loans Arena.

The Cavaliers scored the first six points of the second quarter and staked themselves out to a 35-28 lead with 9:20 to play before halftime.

Small forward LeBron James made a pair of short shots, and shooting guard Rodney Hood hit a 17-foot jumper to give the Cavaliers the seven-point edge. James’ second make of the quarter forced the Warriors into their second timeout of the half.

Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green takes offense to a foul called in favor of the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 3 of the 2018 NBA Finals at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland.

9:38 p.m.-CAVALIERS LEAD WARRIORS, 29-28, AFTER FIRST QUARTER OF GAME 3

CLEVELAND -- The Cleveland Cavaliers started fast and the Golden State Warriors finished strong, but the home team held a one-point lead, 29-28, after the first quarter of Game 3 of the 2018 NBA Finals at Quicken Loans Arena.

After a slow start from the field, the Warriors ended the first quarter with a higher shooting percentage than the Cavaliers (52.6 percent to 48.1 percent), but Cleveland knocked down one more three-pointer, out-hustled Golden State on the glass, 13-7, and assisted on eight of their 13 made baskets.

Shooting guard JR Smith and power forward Kevin Love led the way with seven points each in the first quarter, while small forward LeBron James scored six and handed out five assists over the first 12 minutes of play.

On a perfect four-for-four showing from the field, small forward Kevin Durant led all scorers with 13 points.

Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green goes up for a layup against the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 3 of the 2018 NBA Finals at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland.

CLEVELAND -- The Cleveland Cavaliers wanted to feed off of the energy from the home fans, but knew they had to give the crowd something to cheer about early in Game 3 of the 2018 NBA Finals against the Golden State Warriors at Quicken Loans Arena.

And give the Cavaliers did, as they jumped out to a 14-4 lead over the first four minutes of play.

The Cavaliers started with three-point shots from the opposite corners of the floor from power forward Kevin Love and shooting guard JR Smith on their first two possessions of the game. Then, Smith and center Tristan Thompson converted a running jumper and layup, respectively.

Already hot from the early three-pointers, the crowd reached a fever pitch when small forward LeBron James fired a pass off the backboard to himself and threw down a two-handed dunk.

A driving layup from Love gave the Cavaliers a 10-point lead and forced the Warriors into calling a timeout.

7:30 p.m.-CAVALIERS LOOK TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF HOME CROWD

CLEVELAND -- The Cleveland Cavaliers have played far better at home than on the road during the 2018 NBA Playoffs, and they aim to keep that trend going against the Golden State Warriors in Game 3 of The Finals tonight at Quicken Loans Arena.

With an 8-1 record at “The Q” this postseason, the Cavaliers are looking to take advantage of the home court and get back into the best-of-seven series after losing Games 1 and 2 to the Warriors at Oracle Arena in Oakland.

“It's tremendously important for us,” shooting guard JR Smith said of playing well at The Q. “We run more, we move the ball a lot better at home. Communication on defense is better, so it's going to be very important.

“We just play well here. We feed off the energy of our crowd. We take pride in defending our home court. I mean, it's just like any other team, really. Everybody pretty much plays pretty well at home if you get this far in the playoffs. You've just got to make sure you come out and take care of business.”

Knowing what the crowds have been like in Cleveland throughout the first three rounds of the postseason, the Cavaliers are expecting the majority of the 20,562 fans that pack into Quicken Loans Arena to be loud and supportive in Game 3.

“The atmosphere's going to be crazy,” power forward Jeff Green said. “Our fans give us another boost of energy that we're going to need, and I think it's going to be fun. It's going to be fun.”

Point guard George Hill added, “You're more comfortable at home. Everyone knows that, so we feed off our crowd. We feed off all 20,000 of them. We know that they're going to be loud and give us that extra push to make shots down the stretch, that extra push when you're tired to keep pushing.”

Although the Cavaliers will be appreciative of the support from the home fans, they know communication and physicality will be key to their success in Game 3, just as it has been during their previous eight victories at The Q this postseason.

“More than anything we talked about communication, but physicality is huge for us,” power forward Kevin Love said. “That starts the first play of the game. We have to come out and do that early. If we do that, we're going to be better off.”

JR Smith #5 of the Cleveland Cavaliers grabs a rebound against the Atlanta Hawks at Philips Arena on November 30, 2017 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

And while the Cavaliers understand the home crowd will give them a boost in energy, they know there has to be a reason for the fans to cheer and it starts with them doing “Whatever It Takes” right from the outset of Game 3.

“When we get back on the floor, we've got to come out swinging,” Smith said. “We've got a great core of guys that have like-minded mindsets, so that benefits us tremendously. We still have guys who haven't played in the series that can come off the bench and help us.”

Center Tristan Thompson added, “Everyone knows that we weren't able to get one on the road, so we know how important it is to get Game 3. This is the most important game of the series. We've got to go out there, leave it all out there and put ourselves in position to win.”

Cleveland Cavaliers small forward LeBron James drives to the hoop against the Golden State Warriors in Game 3 of the 2018 NBA Finals at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland.

6:18 p.m.-CAVS LOOK FOR FIRST WIN IN 2018 NBA FINALS

CLEVELAND -- For the third consecutive year, the Cleveland Cavaliers will return to Quicken Loans Arena at an 0-2 deficit against the Golden State Warriors in the NBA Finals.

Despite double-digit scoring performances from four of their five starters, including 29 from small forward LeBron James and 22 from power forward Kevin Love, the Cavaliers were overmatched in the second half and suffered a 122-103 loss to Golden State at Oracle Arena in Oakland, California, Sunday night.

The Cavaliers will look to get their first win in the 2018 NBA Finals with Game 3 in Cleveland tonight.

“We understand,” Cavaliers point guard George Hill said. “I don't think anything needs to be talked about. We all feel that we can still win this series, and we all feel that we can play a lot better. All the guys are focused and ready to go for Game 3.”

In addition to understanding the magnitude of the moment, the Cavaliers know they have to give James more support if they hope to take the first step toward evening the best-of-seven series.

“He's doing great,” Hill said. “He's been leading us all season long, been playing very well, been a catalyst. He's done a great job at putting us on his back and leading us.

“So we've got to feed off of that. We've got to continue to try to knock down shots for him and make easy opportunities so we can give him a rest. I think he's playing a lot of minutes and got the ball in his hands a lot. We need to take the ball a little bit and let him sit down in the corner and catch a break.”

To veterans Tristan Thompson and Kevin Love, two of just four Cavaliers with the team for all four of their NBA Finals appearances since James’ return from Miami in the summer of 2014, the way back into the series is with communication and physicality.

“Definitely starts with the bigs, with myself and Kev, we've got to take on the challenge,” Thompson said. “If I'm doing a lot of slipping, JaVale McGee got a lot of his dunks and Shaun Livingston. They almost kind of scored the same way throughout the game. Both going perfect from the field, we've got to be able to limit those easy buckets for them because those are huge plays for the role players.”

Love added, “I think more than anything we talked about communication, but physicality is huge for us. That starts the first play of the game. We have to come out and do that early. If we do that, we're going to be better off. There are so many times where we kind of wait to let ourselves get into the game, or even if we have a great half of basketball, in that third quarter, we let up. That's really been our Achilles' heel and always been our Achilles' heel.

“To continue to have that physicality throughout the game, doing it here early, we're going to have a great opportunity to do it on our home floor.”

To be a part of our coverage during Game 3, tweet using the hashtag: #3Cavs</s>The Cleveland Cavaliers are in an unfavorable position. Game 4 of the NBA Finals is an all-or-nothing situation in Cleveland. The Golden State Warriors, however, look for history. The Warriors will look to be the only team to sweep LeBron James in an NBA Finals series since the 2006-2007 San Antonio Spurs.

The Cavaliers organization is preparing for their toughest test in Game 4. Down 0-3, the team’s gameplan must be a near-perfect solution to the Warriors’ puzzle. Head coach Tyronne Lue feels that they are ready to keep their championship hopes alive, and likes their chances.

After receiving some help, James is preparing to lay it all on the line for a win in this series. Leading the team in points, assists and steals in the postseason, he will need another legendary performance to push the series one game longer.

Firstly, the Cavs must limit their turnover rate, having 14 to Golden State’s 11 in Game 3. They dominated Golden State in Game 3 in offensive rebounds, bagging 15, with 32 defensive rebounds.

Secondly for Cleveland, if they can avoid the third-quarter rush from Golden State and weather the storm, they could have success tonight. Across the previous three games, the third quarter has been the team’s weakness, giving up more points to Golden State than any other quarter. In Game 3, the Cavs would give up 31 points, giving Golden State the lead that they never took back.

The final key for Cleveland will be to play unbreakable defense. The team would shut down Stephen Curry from behind the line, keeping him at bay with a 1-for-10 three-point ratio. If the team can shut down the team’s best shooter, and avoid another 43-point performance from Kevin Durant, the Cavs may very well secure a victory at home tonight.

Golden State is riding a wave of confidence and momentum right back into Cleveland. After the video game-like performance of Durant, they look to develop an iron-clad gameplan against a desperate Cleveland team looking to secure a W.

Firstly for the Warriors, making more field goals than they did in Game 3 will be critical. Going 42-for-81 in Game 3, their 51.9 percent must improve, as Cleveland was only eight percent lower.

The long game for Golden State will also come in the form of Curry. Dubbed “the best shooter in the NBA”, he cannot get shut down behind the arc.After breaking the NBA Finals record for triples, Cleveland locked him down. The lack of production in Game 3 could contribute to the Cavs being within striking distance of the win.

Durant believes that Golden State knows exactly what to do in order to cash-in on another championship ring for the bay.

Curry is preparing to have the performance of a lifetime in Game 4. His third championship in four years will hanging in the balance in Cleveland.

In potentially the final game of the NBA season, the Cavs look to get their first win and build momentum. Tipoff for the clash is at 9 p.m., and the game will take place at the Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio. The Cavaliers will look to take the series to Oakland for Game 5.

Finally, ESPN 98.1 FM – 850 AM WRUF will have coverage of the battle beginning at 8 p.m.</s>Amid a rising narrative that the juggernaut they'd built had somehow sapped the fun from the NBA, the Golden State Warriors swept away LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers with a Finals-clinching 108-85 win on Friday, securing their third championship in four seasons.

But as we prepare for a summer of takes about how the Warriors are so good as to be legitimately unfair, that they are somehow bad for the league as a whole, remember: None of this was a foregone conclusion, and none of it is guaranteed to continue.

Golden State is where it is today, a legitimate dynasty with more titles in its sights, because it caught loads of breaks and capitalized on them.

Before we get to that larger point, I guess we'd better talk about Game 4. It was thorough, predictable, unremarkable—a perfect embodiment of the too-dominant-to-be-interesting quality many have ascribed to Golden State.

Cleveland hung in through most of the first half, even taking a brief one-point lead midway through the second quarter. But Stephen Curry quelled any thoughts of a five-game series with dagger threes en route to a 37-point night that wasn't even good enough to earn him Finals MVP.

That honor went to Kevin Durant, who finished with 20 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists in his first playoff triple-double. His 43-point eruption in Game 3 sealed the Finals for all intents and purposes.

Golden State's secondary options contributed as well. Andre Iguodala hit three triples after making only two in his previous seven games. Draymond Green teleported all over the floor on defense, JaVale McGee brought early energy, and Klay Thompson managed to post a plus-19 on a night when he couldn't find his stroke until after the Cavs had submitted early in the third quarter.

The talent, execution and experience on the Warriors was overwhelming, and that's the crux of many observers' complaints. All those assets make winning too easy. Drama dies the moment Golden State takes control.

But go back to Game 1, which Cleveland would have taken if not for a missed free throw, a JR Smith blown synapse and a curious failure by head coach Tyronn Lue to call a timeout. The Warriors had nothing to do with those mistakes, and who knows how the series might have progressed if the Cavs had stunned the Dubs at home to open the proceedings?

Then there was the Western Conference Finals against the Houston Rockets. Nothing easy there. And remember that Golden State trailed by double digits in two elimination games against those Rockets. If Houston hadn't gone 0-of-27 from three for a critical stretch of the decisive game, the Warriors aren't in the Finals.

Dig deeper. Way deeper. Take it back to the trade that could have sent Curry (and not Monta Ellis) to the Milwaukee Bucks for Andrew Bogut. Yes, that was a real thing that almost happened. The Warriors of today simply don't exist if the Bucks had chosen the other willowy guard.

What about the late-season tank and subsequent coin flip that got the Warriors Harrison Barnes, a key piece to their first title?

What about Curry's devastating ankle injuries leading to a contract that was dramatically below market value, which in turn allowed the Warriors to spend bigger on new pieces to put around the guy that improbably developed into a two-time MVP?

What about the rumored trade that would have sent Thompson to the Minnesota Timberwolves for Kevin Love, which likely would have stunted Green's growth into a potential Hall of Famer? If the Warriors had pulled the trigger on that one, Love, a max player, would have occupied the power forward spot Green slid into when David Lee's hamstring cost him the start of the 2014-15 season.

What about Thompson scorching the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 6 of the 2016 West finals, swinging the series and spurring a comeback from a 3-1 deficit that led to...a Finals loss! Imagine if Curry had been fully healthy for that series. Imagine if Golden State hadn't blown a 3-1 lead. Imagine this team without its back-to-back Finals MVP.

There are so many alternate realities for these Warriors, all of which were a hair's breadth away, and none of them produce the team that just hoisted another trophy.

The Warriors had some agency in several of these pivot points, but to say they weren't the beneficiaries of tremendously good fortune ignores reality. They needed countless breaks on and off the floor to become what they are: three-time champs whom Commissioner Adam Silver thanked on the podium for "basketball played at the highest level."

In one sense, this might be a deflating idea to consider. The Warriors have been exceptionally lucky and exceptionally good. They're charmed somehow. Touched by providence.

But in another, it should inspire hope for those turned off by the (flawed) idea that Golden State's dominance is a negative.

That's partly because the Warriors won't catch breaks forever, but more than that, this team's ascent from two full decades of lottery-bound basketball purgatory means anyone can do it.

It means your franchise-altering superstar doesn't have to look and play like LeBron James. It means an injury might result in a positive. It means losses, even ones that feel devastating, can produce unimaginable success.

So yeah, the Warriors are the NBA's best and luckiest team. But nobody looking at the roster five years ago would have ever dreamt such a thing was possible. Even two seasons ago, after the Dubs fell to Cleveland and before Durant signed on, there was no guarantee of another ring.

Golden State is on its own level, but the Rockets are close. The Boston Celtics are close. Whichever team LeBron James plays for next year will be close. All they'll need are a few breaks to give the Dubs another run—and possibly even beat them.

A superpower looking to prolong a historic run and a handful of up-and-comers purpose-built to knock them off. I think maybe that means we're the lucky ones...because we get to watch it all play out.

Stats courtesy of Basketball Reference, Cleaning the Glass or NBA.com unless otherwise specified.</s>Golden State Warriors beat Cleveland Cavaliers 108-85 in Game 4 for third NBA title in four years

CLEVELAND (AP) — Golden State Warriors beat Cleveland Cavaliers 108-85 in Game 4 for third NBA title in four years.</s>The Golden State Warriors need one win to sweep LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers and win their third NBA Championship in the last four years.

This is it. A win in Game 4 of the 2018 NBA Finals and the Golden State Warriors will win their third NBA Championship in the last four years — all of them against LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers. The possible final basketball game of the 2017-2018 season will live stream on Friday. But the game, if Cleveland cannot hold off the Golden State sweep, could also be the last game in Cleveland for the 33-year-old James, according to CBS Sports.

To find out how to watch a live stream of the 2018 NBA Finals Game 4, see the streaming information at the bottom of this article. Opening tipoff is scheduled for 9 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio, on Friday, June 8. In the Pacific Time Zone, the live stream will get underway at 6 p.m.

James becomes a free agent after this, his fourth season in his second stint with his hometown Cavaliers, and according to Sports Illustrated, the San Antonio Spurs, Philadelphia 76ers, Los Angeles Lakers, and Miami Heat appear to be the most likely destinations for the “King.” He may also choose to sign a new contract with Cleveland when all is said and done, SI reported.

After dropping Game 3 by a 110-102 score, despite playing on their home court, the Cavaliers now face a seemingly insurmountable 3-0 deficit, a hole that no NBA team has ever dug its way out from, as the Boston Globe recounted. In fact, only three teams in NBA history have ever forced a Game 7 after dropping the first three in a seven-game playoff series.

James said that the Cavaliers winning Game 4 and maintaining at least a chance to stage a historic comeback, the team will need to play smarter than in the first three games, according to ESPN.

“We’ve been in a position where we could win two out of these three games. So what do we have to do? Do we have to make more shots? Is it we have to have our minds into it a little bit more?” James wondered in an interview on Thursday.

Watch a preview of The Warriors vs. Cavaliers Game 4 in the video below.

To watch a free live stream of the potentially series-ending Golden State Warriors vs. Cleveland Cavaliers NBA Finals Game 4 showdown, use the stream provided by to ESPN3, the no-charge, online-only network of the sports media giant ESPN. The ESPN3 streaming network is available automatically with almost any internet service provider subscription.

There is also another way for fans to watch the fourth and potentially final game of the 2018 NBA Finals using a free live stream — but without a cable subscription. Fans may sign up for a free trial of one of the “over the top” streaming TV packages, such as Sling TV, or YouTube TV, or DirecTV Now. All of those services require credit card information and will charge subscription fees. But they each offer a seven-day free trial period, and if the subscription is canceled prior to the expiration of that week-long trial, fans can watch the Warriors vs. Cavaliers Game 4 stream live for free on Friday.
In basketball, the Golden State Warriors defeat the Cleveland Cavaliers in four games to win the National Basketball Association Championship.