NBA Finals Game 7: Golden State Warriors vs Cleveland Cavaliers
OAKLAND, Calif. -- I predicted Warriors in seven before the series, mostly out of respect for LeBron James and his ability to be the most dominant force on the floor throughout a long series. Just as he did last year without Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love, James is so good in these moments that, with just a little help, he"d be able to take the series the distance.
That has certainly held true. The other part of the equation has not, and that would be the part about the Warriors being the better team in every other area.
During a record-breaking, 73-win regular season? Yes. Throughout the postseason, when they"ve switched gears between coasting against the Rockets and Blazers to having to dig deep against the Thunder? Absolutely.
For the first two games of the Finals, which they won at home by a combined 48 points? Yep, then, too.
But as a certain champion named Phil Jackson used to say, these things turn on a trifle. And in dropping three of the last four to the Cavs to set the stage for an epic Game 7 on Sunday, the Warriors have run into a minefield of factors that wouldn"t be enough on their own to derail their quest for back-to-back titles -- but that, together, spell trouble.
When we got started nearly three weeks ago, the Warriors had the advantage almost everywhere else but where LeBron was concerned. The longer the series has gone, the more those advantages have eroded -- and the more pronounced James" influence has become.
The Warriors were by far the better defensive team, the better transition team, the better jump-shooting team. After coming back from a 3-1 deficit against the Thunder, their confidence was at an all-time high -- and that"s saying something for a team that won 73 games in the regular season.
But LeBron, with timely help from Kyrie Irving and Tristan Thompson, has been so dominant and forceful in this series that he"s caused the Warriors to unravel. Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson always give the Warriors a chance due to their shot-making, but their shots are not nearly the quality ones they"re used to getting. And shots are harder to make when you"re uncomfortable -- and the Cavs have made the Warriors very uncomfortable over the past two games.
Never mind the thrown mouthpieces and Twitter rampages; Golden State also is coming apart physically. Andrew Bogut doesn"t play much, but he"s important when he does. He"s gone. Andre Iguodala -- the key to the Warriors" comeback from a 2-1 deficit to beat Cleveland last year -- could barely walk out of the locker room on Thursday night. Curry has to wear so much tape on his right knee that he looks like a mummy. In good times and bad, the one thing the Warriors have been able to fall back on has been their vaunted "Death Lineup," when they go small with Draymond Green at center. With Bogut out, Steve Kerr started that way in Game 6, and the lineup got outscored 27-9.
LeBron has the Warriors right where he wants them. USATSI
All of this has conspired to put the Warriors in an unthinkable position. Having come back themselves from a 3-1 deficit in the Western Conference finals, they now face the possibility of becoming the first team in Finals history to blow a 3-1 lead.
But would it really be unthinkable, considering the force of nature they"re up against in LeBron and the format of the series? Yes, teams are 0-32 in the Finals when down 3-1, but the vast majority of those were under the 2-3-2- format. This is only the third year of 2-2-1-1-1, a distinction that is beyond significant.
The champs are a mess, and I believe the Cavs have their number. That number, specifically, is 23. LeBron is playing at such a level and with such force and emotion that I can"t bring myself to believe that he"ll come this close and be denied again. Enjoy your first championship in 52 years, Cleveland. And stay safe.
ESPN First Take today (HD) Full show - Cavaliers vs Warriors Game 7
d**n, I love Game 7s. It takes me back, man.
In 2005, when I was with the Spurs, we played against the Pistons in the Finals. I was surrounded by guys who had been there before Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, Bruce Bowen, Robert Horry, to name a few but this was my first time on the big stage and I was a mess. I had so many mixed emotions going into that series. Of course youre excited to be there, but thats also balanced out by a fear of losing out on the opportunity of a lifetime. A lot of really great players in this league retire without ever winning a championship. h**l, some never come close. If you make it all the way to the Finals, youre so scared of missing out on your chance. Winning your conference is great and all, but lets be real, history only remembers the champs.
When we played Detroit in 2005, it was just like the series this year between the Cavs and the Warriors an emotional roller coaster. We won Games 1 and 2 at home and felt like we were sitting on top of the world. But then we went to the Palace in Detroit and got blown out by the defending champs in Games 3 and 4. They made it look like we didnt even belong in the Finals. Game 5 was also in Detroit, and it started off looking like more of the same, with the Pistons just taking it to us. We were down, but thats when the experience of those guys who had been there before kicked in. You see, being a champ isnt about always being up, its also about how you respond when youre down. Just when the game almost felt unwinnable, the tide started to turn. A stop here, a basket there and suddenly I look up and its a one possession game.
Then Big Shot Bob went to work.
That road win put us up 32 heading back home for the final two games. The Pistons won Game 6, which set up an all-or-nothing Game 7.
Ive played basketball for my entire life, and that was easily the most nervous I have ever been before and during a game. I mean, I couldnt believe I was a starting center in the NBA Finals. My mind was racing the entire time. I wasnt thinking about playing the best game of my life. I was more concerned with not making mistakes. I really didnt want to shoot the ball unless it was a dunk (lol). The season is so long, and the playoffs are incredibly draining so when it all came down to one game to decide everything, I just wanted to make sure I didnt make the mistake that cost us a championship. So I focused on playing my game. I was going to do my job and let the guys who carried us all year carry us just one more time.
And I think thats why we won that game. On the big stage, its easy to lose your cool and try to do too much. But to win a Game 7, you should lean on what got you to that point.
Based on my experience, heres why I think every NBA fan should be incredibly excited for this Game 7: It truly is another level of basketball.
For players, its a level that you never knew you had in yourself. Its a level that not everyone can or is willing to rise to. Its almost like an out-of-body experience that you dont wake up from until after the game. Frankly, Ive surprised myself sometimes with what I have been willing to do to my opponent in order to win a deciding game. And in an NBA Finals thats been as competitive and fiery as this years, I think thats particularly relevant.
In order to win, you have to play as if there are no refs on the floor. No one is going to bail you out. No blood, no foul. Honestly, I remember almost being surprised whenever play was stopped. Youre just that locked in, play by play.
Your preparation needs to be consistent, and must begin as soon as Game 6 ends. For me, the process was all laid out. I had to hydrate, rest, get physical therapy and study film. I also had to make sure I knew the game plan, our personnel and the other teams tendencies.
Finally, you have to take yourself out of the equation.
At this stage nothing is about you. This isnt the time you should be thinking about making a name for yourself by having the game of your life. Its all about team. If the coach takes you out, its the right decision. If the coach doesnt put you in all game, then you deal with it and be the best d**n cheerleader and coach from the bench that you can. Whatever youre asked to do, you do it with absolutely everything you have.
Its all worth it to be part of a team that wins it all. Trust me.
With that in mind, here are a few keys to Golden State winning Game 7:
Up to this point, the Warriors have been the epitome of greatness and focus. Thats what they need to tap into right now. Steph, Draymond and Klay just need to continue to do what they have been doing all year. That means Golden State needs to push the tempo after every Cavs miss. Walking the ball up the floor allows Cleveland to set their defense. But the Cavs tend to make coverage mistakes when they are crossed-matched in transition.
Another key is for Golden State to have at least a somewhat healthy Andre Iguodala, because he makes LeBron work on offense. If youre the Warriors, you have to live with LeBron making contested threes and long twos. You cant pressure him out on the perimeter, because then h**l get his shoulders by the defender and its over. Bad things happen when LeBron gets into the paint. Andre has the most experience guarding him, and his knack for getting his hands in for strips and deflections is pretty much the best (only?) way to guard LeBron.
On offense, Harrison Barnes has to find his shooting touch. When hes playing his game, Golden State pretty much always has a chance to win. In addition to that, either Festus Ezeli or Anderson Varejo have to provide something offensively when theyre involved in pick-and-rolls.. In two of our losses in the Western Conference finals this year, Andrew Bogut and Festus made us pay for our aggressive coverages on Steph and Klay. When theyre catching lobs, finishing in the lane and Harrison is making shots, it loosens up the defense on Steph, Klay and Draymond. Everyone talks about the Warriors long-range shooting (which is off the chart), but the best shots in basketball are still layups and dunks. The Cavs know they cant win if they give them up.
Now, heres what Cleveland needs to do to win its first championship:
An attacking Kyrie and a downhill LeBron on offense are the keys to a Cavs victory. Recognizing where the help is coming from on defense will allow the Cavs to get easy layups for Tristan and open shots for J.R. Whenever someone drives or thinks they have a mismatch, Golden State is sending the double team. Not sometimes, but every single time. Just like in Game 6, when the Warriors double the Cavs will have Tristan open for lobs or the strongside and weakside corners for open threes.
The Cavs have to consciously go into every possession knowing that the double team is coming. Their success will be determined by their decision-making in those situations, whether its finding the open man or attacking the basket. They cant be surprised if theres a no-call when they penetrate and try to shoot over two or three defenders. Traditionally the refs let the players decide the outcome of a Game 7, so dont expect any calls for marginal contact. Like I said, No blood, no foul. When the Cavs make contested drives to the basket, it will lead directly to fast break points for Golden State.
On the other hand, taking good shots will allow the Cavs to get back in transition and have favorable matchups. Golden State will have trouble winning this game if they have to rely on their half-court offense. I think defensively, the Cavs should stay small, with Tristan at center and LeBron at the four. This will allow the Cavs the opportunity to aggressively switch everything, and that could make the difference. On their switches they have to continue to crowd Steph and Klay sending them one way (preferably baseline) taking away three-point opportunities and making them finish at the rim over the Cavs length. Dont overreact when they do finish a few of those layups or make a few contested threes. Stick to the game plan no matter what. They are great players so remember youre not trying to pitch a shutout. The defense just needs to make it tough for them.
Just like all of you, Im a basketball fan. Im incredibly pumped. Games like this just dont happen too often. Its going to be a show.
Cleveland Cavaliers - Game 7 - Hype Video | 2016 NBA Finals
Two incredibly dramatic showdowns Steph vs LeBron and Ramsay vs Jon and Sansa will happen at the same time Sunday night
Sunday night, something fans of the NBA and Game of Thrones had feared would happen is happening. We knew that if the best-of-seven Finals series lasted through game 7, then it would air during Game of Thrones.
And thats exactlywhere we are right now, after the Cleveland Cavaliers defeated the Golden State Warriors Thursday night to force one last winner-take-all battle on the hardwood.
The decisive game 7 of the NBA Finals between the Cavs andWarriors begins at 5pm PT Sunday. And the new episodeGame of Thrones, dubbed Battle of the Bastards, in which Jon Snow and Sansa Stark lead an army against Ramsay Boltons forces occupying their family home at Winterfell, will kick off at 6pm. While game 7 is still on.
Also Read: 17 "Game of Thrones" Stills From "Battle of the Bastards" (Photos)
Its a nightmare first because of social media. People who arent going to watch Game of Thrones when it airs typically will stay away from Twitter and Facebook Sunday night to avoid spoilers. For others, that same social media factor is why they watch Game of Thrones right when it airs. Its a social event as much as it is a great TV show.But the NBA Finals is just as much of a social media event as Game of Thrones, and nobody watches sports on delay expecting to be able to avoid spoilers. The thought of staying offline during game 7 is ludicrous, even if it means exposing yourself to Game of Thrones spoilers.
The second way its a nightmare, then, is that if youre like me youre just gonna set up a couple TVs next to each other (or use some combination of TV/phone/tablet/computer) and watch them both while also paying attention to social media. This is as far from the ideal way of watching Game of Thrones as you could get. But sacrifices have to be made in order to participate in these two cultural events thatwill combine to make an even greater one.
Both the game and the Game are must-watch events, and the culminations of long, complicated storylines. Game 7 of the NBA Finals is, of course, the last game of the incredibly long NBA season, and the conclusion of the best-of-seven series between the Cavs and Warriors. This weeks episode of Game of Thrones likewise concludes a huge part of the story of House Stark and its travails since the Boltons sacked Winterfell at the end of season 2.
Also Read: 16 Big "Game of Thrones" Fan Theories for Season 6 (Photos)
On some very specific thematic levels the parallels are pretty pronounced. In the past two years, The Warriors Steph Curry has stolen LeBron James crown, as Curry has become arguably the best player in basketball en route to an NBA title in 2015 and the best regular season record in the history of the league this season. For LeBron, beating the Warriors is more than just a matter of pride this is about his legacy, and making his case for being the greatest playerever. This is about trying to take back what is his from the usurper Steph Curry. James has looked the part, putting up otherworldly numbers in the last two games in particular and leading all players in every major statistical category in the series so far. The Cavs have certainly needed it, because they faced elimination in both games 5 and 6.
On the flip side, the Warriors have just as much at stake as a team. A win in game 7 would give them a solid claim for having the single best season any NBA team has ever had. A loss would render its record-breaking season meaningless.
That mirrors what Sansa Stark and her half-brother Jon Snow are attempting to do in The Battle of the Bastards. Winterfell has been the home of the Starks for thousands of years, but its been in a state of upheaval ever since Ned Stark lost his head in season 1. First it was taken by Theon Greyjoy and a band of Iron Islanders while Stark forces were fighting in the south. Then it was taken from them by Ramsay Snow, b*****d son of Roose Bolton. Roose claimed Winterfell for himself after helping the Freys murder Robb Stark and his mother Catelyn at the Red Wedding. Now, the brutal Ramsay is Lord of Winterfell, and Sansa and Jon are going to try to take back their home from this brutish upstart.
Also Read: "Game of Thrones": Watch the Trailer for "Battle of the Bastards" (Video)
For Ramsays part, he spent years proving himself to his father so that he would legitimize him and make him heir to House Bolton. Having accomplished that and killed his father, Ramsay has achieved everything hes worked for, but its all in jeopardy now.
It almost feels appropriate, sort of, that game 7 and The Battle of the Bastards will happen simultaneously. Both are do-or-die, winner-take-all scenarios involving established names attempting to put down ambitious upstarts, all taking place on a grand stage with huge long-term ramifications. If we have to have a pair of major pop culture events going on at once, it might as well be like this.
We judge all the characters played by cast members who have been listed in the main credits so far
"Game of Thrones" has a lot of characters, and too many to rank. So we"re just going to focus on the 47played by cast members who have been listed in the main credits so far.If you don"t like our list, Littlefinger (who, spoiler alert, is in our Top 10) will poison your wedding cake.
Also Read: 12 Dumb and Debunked Game of Thrones Theories
