Warriors vs. Cavaliers, Game 3 of NBA Finals Time: 6 p.m. PT Where: Quicken Loans Arena, Cleveland Coaches: Steve Kerr, 4th season with Warriors (265-63 with Warriors and overall); Tyronn Lue, 3rd season with Cavaliers (128-77 with Cavaliers and overall) TV/Radio: ABC/ESPN Radio and 95.7 The Game Records: Warriors (14-5 in playoffs, 2-0 in series); Cavaliers (12-8, 0-2) Projected Warriors starters: PG Stephen Curry (25.8 ppg, 6.2 rpg), SG Klay Thompson (20.6 ppg, 1.9 apg), SF Kevin Durant (28.7 ppg, 7.3 rpg), PF Draymond Green (10.9 ppg, 11.4 rpg, 8.1 apg), C JaVale McGee (6.2 ppg, 3.3 rpg) Projected Cavaliers starters: PG George Hill (9.8 ppg, 2.2 apg), SG J.R. Smith (8.4 ppg, 1.2 apg), SF LeBron James (34.6 ppg, 9.2 rpg, 9.0 apg), PF Kevin Love (14.7 ppg, 10.2 rpg), C Tristan Thompson (6.1 ppg, 5.9 rpg) Warriors injury report: SF Andre Iguodala (left lateral leg contusion/bone bruise) is questionable. Cavaliers injury report: None. Line: Warriors by four points Things to watch: >>> Will Andre Iguodala play? After missing six games with a left lateral leg contusion/bone bruise, Iguodala appears poised to return Wednesday. He has participated in practice the past two days and will be a game-time decision. If cleared to play, Iguodala could be exactly what Golden State needs: an experienced defender capable of making LeBron James work who, after watching from the sideline for two weeks, is sure to help his team guard against the complacency that often comes with a 2-0 series lead. Though the Warriors can’t completely stop James, they can definitely make life more difficult on him. In Games 1 and 2, he has totaled 80 points on 29-for-52 (55.8 percent) shooting, 17 rebounds, 21 assists and three steals. >>> Can Golden State avoid a letdown? Though easily the most loaded team in the league, the Warriors are prone to following up big wins with head-scratching losses. Now, after excelling on both sides of the ball in Sunday’s Game 2 victory, Golden State will try to avoid yet another disappointment. It doesn’t help that the Cavaliers, who will be fueled by a raucous home crowd, have much more at stake. If the Warriors lose, they’ll still have the series lead. If Cleveland loses, it might as well start preparing for the offseason. No team in NBA history has come back from a 3-0 deficit in the playoffs. >>> How will the Warriors respond to the Cavaliers’ physicality? During his presser Tuesday, Cleveland head coach Tyronn Lue wasn’t shy about his team’s plans for Game 3, saying: "The most important thing, I think, is physicality. Just being able to be on bodies, being physical, not let Steph and Klay and K.D. roam freely." It is a blueprint that helped the Cavaliers overcome a 3-1 series deficit in the 2016 NBA Finals to win their first championship in franchise history. Deserved or not, Golden State has a reputation for being "soft" at times. That has been reflect on the glass this series, where the Warriors have been outrebounded 95-79. Cleveland corralled 16 offensive rebounds in its Game 2 loss to Golden State. Quotable: "We've been here the last three years for Game 3. First year, it was 1-1. Last two years, we were up 2-0. All three games were really, really difficult. So we're used to that. We're used to the dynamic of being ahead in a series and then having everything shift when you go on the road. But especially when you play Cleveland. LeBron, this crowd and their environment, we know the kind of force they're going to bring. And we have to be prepared for that. We know it. We'll see if we can do it." — Steve Kerr Connor Letourneau is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email:cletourneau@sfchronicle.com. Twitter: @Con_Chron<doc-sep>If you take a step back from all the noise -- and boy, is there noise -- all that's really happened in the NBA Finals is that the higher seed has won its first two home games. It's not exactly a unique phenomenon, and plenty of teams have teams have come back from down 2-0 to win a playoff series -- LeBron James-led teams have been especially adept at it. But for some reason it feels different this time around. After nearly pulling off a major upset in Game 1, Cleveland looked disillusioned in Game 2: The defense was sloppy, LeBron looked somewhat human and the supporting cast was nonexistent outside of brief spurts from George Hill and Kevin Love. Against a team as good as the Warriors, sticking to the same game plan that got the Cavaliers this far just isn't going to cut it. So, with two games in the books, Game 3 seems like a perfect time for Tyronn Lue to make some adjustments to avoid receiving a 3-0 death sentence. Who knows whether they'll work, but at this point the consensus is that they have to try something. Here are three tweaks the Cavs can make for Game 3, and how the Warriors can counter them: 1. Start Jeff Green instead of Tristan Thompson The strategy: Cleveland beat up Golden State on the offensive boards in Game 1 (19-4), which has been part of the blueprint for defeating the Warriors since OKC built a 3-1 lead on them in the 2016 Western Conference finals. The Cavs outrebounded the Warriors 307 to 279 to win the 2016 title in seven games, with Thompson leading the way with nearly four offensive boards per game. But Thompson hasn't been as effective as he has been in previous years, and even earlier rounds of these playoffs, collecting just five offensive rebounds in two games. Against the Warriors you need as much offense as possible to keep pace, so starting Green and moving Love to center could be the move for Game 3. The lineup of James, Love, Green, Hill and J.R. Smith has an offensive rating of 125.4 in 19 minutes this postseason according to NBA.com, and LeBron is at full strength when surrounded by four players capable of making an open 3-pointer. Why it won't work: Oh yeah, defense -- that same Cavs lineup has a defensive rating of 118.1 in the playoffs, and the Warriors play small ball better than anyone else. Provided Andre Iguodala is healthy enough to play in Game 3, Kerr can deploy the Hamptons Five -- one of the most devastating offensive units of all time -- against a defensively inferior lineup. That pretty much spells disaster for Cleveland. 2. Double-team Steph Curry off of screens The strategy: So far in the Finals, the Cavs have stuck with the "switch everything" approach, even whilst Steph Curry is transforming into a human torch before our very eyes. Curry has feasted on mismatches, either pulling up for 3s or blowing right by the bigger defender and getting to the rim, where he's been an elite finisher. Here's a video that showcases both, with Curry first breaking Nance's ankles for a step-back 3, then getting right past Love for a layup. In order to stop Curry's assault (31.0 points per game on 7 of 14 3-point shooting in the Finals), the Cavs could opt to trap him off of the screen, forcing him to get rid of the ball. Why it won't work: We've seen this movie before -- teams tried double-teaming Curry a lot back in 2015. There's a reason not many do it anymore. When trapped, Curry will happily give the ball up to playmaker extraordinaire Draymond Green, who then operates in a 4-on-3 scenario with a bevy of options, like he did here in the 2015 Finals. And that was with Iguodala, Livingston and Festus Ezeli on the court. Now imagine that with Klay Thompson in one corner, Kevin Durant in the other, and perhaps Kevon Looney or JaVale McGee in the dunker spot by the rim. Not a pretty picture for the Cavs. 3. Play Rodney Hood instead of Jordan Clarkson The strategy: If there's been a player who's drawn more Twitter hate than J.R. Smith in these playoffs, it's Clarkson, who has averaged 4.9 points on 28 percent shooting with one total assist in 12.8 minutes per game dating back to Game 1 of the Boston series. He's not afraid to shoot the ball, but it hasn't been going in. Against the Warriors, you can't afford to have someone on the court who monopolizes the offense AND doesn't produce on either end of the court. Analysts have been clamoring for Rodney Hood or Cedi Osman to take those minutes, and it appears Hood will at least get a look. On Tuesday Lue said the Cavs would "give Rodney a chance," so we can expect him to get at least a few early minutes in Game 3. Hood is a capable scorer (at least in theory), who at 6-8 is big enough to switch defensively. That's the kind of two-way threat that could help the Cavs' bench stay afloat. Why it won't work: As poorly as Clarkson has played, his minutes have actually been a positive for Cleveland. The lineup of Clarkson, LeBron, Green, Kyle Korver and Larry Nance Jr. is actually a plus-3 in the two NBA Finals games so far, with a net rating of plus-25.8. This isn't to say that Clarkson is the reason why, and that they won't be better with Hood in his place, but it's clear that the Cavs haven't fallen behind during Clarkson's minutes. His ability to handle the ball, something that Hood lacks, also provides James with some much-needed in-game rest opportunities. Bottom line The Warriors are incredible, so you can't keep sticking with something that isn't working -- they'll pick you apart.<doc-sep>Here are the player grades for Game 3. Rodney Hood : A- After not playing meaningful minutes in the NBA Finals, Rodney Hood stepped into Game 3 and was a huge boost off the bench. Hood got reserve minutes instead of Clarkson and turned it into 15 points on 7-of-11 shooting. Although it didn’t lead the Cavaliers to victory, it was greater than what was expected of Hood going into the game. LeBron James : B LeBron continued to make weird decisions in Game 3, leading to an off-shooting night from the field at 13-of-28. While he finished with a triple-double, the game didn’t have the usual James’ impact. Unless he puts up a herculean performance in Game 4, the Cavaliers will stat their offseason on Friday night. Kevin Love : B After Hood and James, the next-best Cavalier in Game 3 was Kevin Love. Again, it didn’t seem like Love was having his usual impact, he finished with 20 points, 13 rebounds on 6-of-13 shooting. J.R. Smith : B- After a poor shooting performance in the first two games, J.R. Smith came out firing on all cylinders in Game 3, but only finished with 13 points on 14 shooting attempts. Tristan Thompson : C There’s no excuse for Tristan Thompson to only have seven rebounds after playing 34 minutes. The Cavaliers’ big man needs to be more active on the glass, but eight points isn’t bad from the field. George Hill : C- When George Hill isn’t aggressive, the Cavaliers seem to be less successful. The Cavaliers’ starting point guard only attempted six shots, which of course meant that Cleveland wasn’t going to have a great offensive showing — and they didn’t. Jeff Green : C- Green finished the night minus-7. The Cavaliers can’t afford to have all their bench players playing poorly and still win the game. Larry Nance Jr. : C- After a strong Game 1, Nance Jr. hasn’t been able to get on track and it’s caused the Cavs to drop the last two games. Kyle Korver : D+ Not hitting a basket is inexcusable for the sharp shooter. After being the second-most consistent Cavalier for nearly three weeks in the the postseason, Korver finds him at the bottom of this list.<doc-sep>After a long regular season and playoffs, we're back once again to find out who will win the 2018 NBA Finals. As in the past four years, the NBA championship matchup is between the same two heavyweights: the Golden State Warriors and the Cleveland Cavaliers. If you'd like to know all the ways you can watch, check out our guide. Even though the Warriors are up 2-0, there's still no telling who will win this Finals showdown, especially now that the series is headed to the Cavaliers home turf in Cleveland. Will Lebron James recover from two games wrought with disappointment? Will he repeat his previous performances when his team has been down 0-2? Even more importantly, Andre Iguodala, a key defender for the Warriors who missed the first two games, was just announced as a game-time decision to return to the lineup. Will his presence seal the deal for the Warriors? The only answers will come during tonight's Game Three matchup. In Game Two, Golden State point guard Stephen Curry made NBA Finals history, shot a record nine three-pointers, scored a game-high 33 points and lead the Warriors to a decisive victory over the Cavs, 122-103. The defending champion Warriors managed to squeak out a 124-114 win in Game One of the seven-game series in overtime, even after Lebron James scored an astounding 51 points for the Cavaliers. The next game in the series is on Wednesday, June 6 at 6:00 p.m. PT, 9:00 p.m. ET at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland. Wait, it's the Warriors and Cavaliers again? Despite the best efforts of promising teams like the Houston Rockets, Boston Celtics and Toronto Raptors, the Warriors and Cavaliers managed to pull it off once again in their respective conference finals. Some fans are tired of the same matchup every year, but there are plenty of reasons why these two teams keep coming back. Though the Warriors were favored to win at the beginning of the season, they had some rocky stints this year, raising the question of whether they could return to the NBA Finals. Injuries caused two-time MVP Stephen Curry to play in only 51 of 82 games this season. The Rockets, their biggest threat on the road to the finals, managed to capture the number 1 seed in the West. But behind the consistency of Kevin Durant, the lock-down defense of Draymond Green and some dramatic efforts from both Klay Thompson and Curry in the western conference finals, the Warriors showed they could still move the ball, find open looks and beat Houston in their own house for the crucial game seven victory. The Cavaliers were seen as an even longer shot at making the NBA Finals. After trading away All-Star guard Kyrie Irving to the Boston Celtics and in return getting Isiah Thomas, who wouldn't play until January because of injuries, the outlook was surprisingly bleak. But when you have arguably the best player in NBA history, it became impossible to rule the Cavaliers out. The Celtics were favored to win the eastern conference finals against the Cavs having earned home court advantage, but Lebron would pull through in the end after a seven-game series. Though the Warriors are heavily favored to win, these teams know each other very well, and as we learned in the 2016 matchup between these two teams, anything can happen in an NBA game. Screenshot by Matt Elliott/CNET Why should I root for the Warriors? For years the Warriors almost never even got to the playoffs, much less the NBA Finals. In fact, when they won the championship in 2015, it had been 40 years since they their last NBA Finals appearance. The team's ascent began after drafting Stephen Curry in 2011, with the team making a number of keen draft, trade and development choices that turned them from a laughingstock to a powerhouse. Even though they've been dominant for years, it took a ton of work to get there, which could warrant your fandom. The Warriors also play fantastic team basketball. Even with four All-Stars in the starting lineup, every one of them has demonstrated an ability to either take over a game or play effective, unselfish basketball. If you enjoy seeing efficient, finely-tuned favorites, this is the team to back. Why should I root for the Cavaliers? If you like watching the best all-around player in basketball, look no further that Lebron James. He can do everything. He'll pass, shoot, block, defend, pull rebounds and dunk and he's consistent from game to game. And in the playoffs, he takes it to an entirely different level, averaging nearly a triple-double a game, justifying why he's known as The King. The team also has backing talent with the sharp-shooting Kyle Korver and streaky J.R. Smith. Though Smith isn't consistent, when he gets hot, he can take over a game with a rain of three-pointers even the Splash Brothers would envy. The fact is, though they made it this far, these guys are the underdogs going into this series and not everybody loves that Durant joined up with an already-stacked team last year. If you like Lebron or just want to see the favorites go down, the Cavs are who you should be rooting for. How can I watch it as a cord-cutter? Start looking immediately for sports bars in your area that will be showing the game or bug your friend that hasn't cut the cord. But if neither of those are an option, there are some options you can take to stream the NBA Finals without a giant sports cable package. Which NBA social accounts should I follow? Follow the team Twitter accounts, which are @warriors and @cavs. Those accounts will get you team-specific video highlights, commentary and stats during the game and a fan-centric experience. There are also great fan accounts with tons of original content like Golden State of Mind (@unstoppablebaby) for the Warriors or FearTheSword (@FearTheSword) for the Cavaliers.<doc-sep>
The Warriors will go for a 3-0 series lead when they travel to Cleveland to take on the Cavs in Game 3 of the 2018 NBA Finals on Wednesday night. Game 3 Wednesday, June 6 6:00 p.m. Quicken Loans Arena Cleveland, OH WATCH: ABC RADIO: 95.7 The Game, Warriors Mobile App and Warriors at CavaliersGame 3Wednesday, June 66:00 p.m.Quicken Loans ArenaCleveland, OHWATCH: ABCRADIO: 95.7 The Game, Warriors Mobile App and Warriors Radio Network ON TO CLEVELAND After taking the first two games of the series at home, the Warriors will try to recreate the events of one year ago when they travel to Cleveland to take on the Cavs in Game 3 of the NBA Finals on Wednesday night. This will be the first of two consecutive games at Quicken Loans Arena. Should Cleveland prevail in at least one, it would force a Game 5 back in Oakland. Tipoff is scheduled for 6:00 p.m. (Pacific). All NBA Finals games are televised on ABC, and fans can catch the radio broadcast on 95.7 The Game, ESPN Radio, the Warriors Mobile App and the Warriors Radio Network. ORACLE WATCH PARTY Come together with Dub Nation on Wednesday for the official Game 3 Warriors Watch Party at Oracle Arena. Tickets are $20 each and available now. FULL DETAILS LAST TIME OUT Stephen Curry set an NBA Finals record with nine three-pointers in Golden State's 122-103 victory over the Cavs in Game 2 on Sunday night. Full Recap MATCHUP AT A GLANCE Playoff Ranks GSW CLE 58-24 50-32 2nd in West 4th in East PTS: 110.6 (1st) PTS: 101.9 (10th) REB: 45.5 (3rd) REB: 41.0 (11th) AST: 26.1 (2nd) AST: 19.1 (12th) LAST GAME'S STARTERS GSW: Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Kevin Durant, Draymond Green and JaVale McGee CLE: George Hill, J.R. Smith, LeBron James, Kevin Love and Tristan Thompson INJURY & ROSTER NOTES GSW: Andre Iguodala (left lateral leg contusion/bone bruise) is TBD. Team Notes CLE: No Injuries. Team Notes RUNNING WILD The Warriors defended home court through the first two games of the 2018 Finals, and their success in transition was a big reason why. Combining Games 1 and 2, Golden State more than doubled Cleveland’s transition offense, outscoring the Cavs 70-33 in that category. The Warriors are typically at their best when they’re running up and down the court and pushing the pace, as it often affords them more advantageous scoring opportunities. That’s exactly what’s transpired through the first two games of the Finals, as the Warriors have shot 75.0 percent from the field and posted a 20-4 assist-to-turnover ratio in transition opportunities thus far. As the series moves to Cleveland for Games 3 and 4, transition offense will be something to keep an eye on. The home team would prefer to slow things down and limit those opportunities, but if Golden State is able to enforce their style of play and get out on the run, it could be enough to put the Cavs in a 3-0 hole. TEAM PLAYOFF LEADERS GSW CLE PTS: Durant (28.7) PTS: James (34.6) REB: Green (11.4) REB: Love (10.2) AST: Green (8.1) AST: James (9.0) SPLASH DIFFERENTIAL The Warriors and Cavaliers were two of the top three-point shooting teams in the league during the regular season in both makes and percentage, but through the first two games of the Finals, the three-point advantage has been decidedly in Golden State’s favor. Over Games 1 and 2, the Warriors attempted eight more threes than the Cavs, but made nine more than Cleveland. Stephen Curry has single-handedly accounted for half of Golden State’s 28 conversions from beyond the arc, after setting a new Finals record with nine made-threes in the Dubs’ Game 2 victory. On Cleveland’s side, both LeBron James (5-of-11) and George Hill (5-of-10) have been proficient from three-point land, but the rest of the team is a combined 9-of-43 (.209), with numerous misses coming off wide-open attempts. The Cavaliers desperately need a win in Game 3 on Wednesday, and a better three-point shooting performance could go a long way towards ensuring that. On the other hand, if Curry, Klay Thompson, Kevin Durant or any of Golden State’s other sharpshooters get the hot hand on Wednesday, that might be just what they need to steal a game on the road.