- Silence please.
The Cleveland Cavaliers kept their hopes alive after notching their first win in Game 4 of the NBA Finals with a scintillating 137 – 116 romp over the Golden State Warriors in the best-of-seven series in their homecourt.
This was the same situation they were in last year when Lebron James and company trailed 1-3 but overcame the deficit by taking the next three matches to steal the crown.
Fans and followers of Steph Curry fear that history might repeat itself.
Exactly, this is what coach Steve Kerr wants to prevent. It’s like a deathly lightning that might strike them twice.
As in any championship game, emotions ran high as seven technicals were slapped by the game officials, four on GSW and three on CC.
So, they are going back to Oakland for Game 5 where, before their own hordes of fans and supporters, the Warriors will strive – as did the Cavaliers last Friday – to put a big, bold period on the semi- resurgent Cavaliers.
I say “semi-resurgent” because the Cavs – the defending titleholders – are still not out of the grave even if we assume they snatch Game 5 anew for a 2-3 tally.
Great pressure is still on the Cavs and to play in hostile territory would doubly compound it. They lost Games 1 and 2 in embarrassing fashions which, if the Warriors would only duplicate, would mean goodbye for them.
Game 3 was, of course, the more painful as the Cavs had the game already in their hands when the Warriors, down by a point, struck with a Kevin Durant trey to eventually turn the tables around.
I must say Game 4 revealed the true ferocity of the Cavaliers which, sadly, they did not show in the first three meetings.
I reckon that Kerr would utilize homecourt advantage as a major point of coaching interest, noting how the Cleveland fans fired up the sagging spirits of their hometown heroes, despite the deep hole the Cavs were in.
As for the officiating, well…
The NBA style is far different from how basketball is played and officiated here.
There, some clear hand fouls are let go, including little push and shove here and there for as long as the situation does not adversely affect the movement of the player, especially the one with the ball.
But you will note that even with officiating lapses, they do not contribute to the winning or losing of any team. That makes watching NBA basketball more exciting and thrilling as the action is not abruptly cut because of intermittent whistles here and there as they do here in the Philippines.
In Game 4, this was the first time I saw Irving hog the leather as basketball fans might have observed. Coach Lue’s instructions for Irving were for him to take charge especially on one-one-situations. That he made mincemeat of the Warriors’ defense is reflected on his score sheet (40 pts. +++).
I think though the loss is even a “welcome defeat” for Kerr and the entire GSW camp.
They would have wanted to claim the Cavs’ scalps and bring home the trophy but the opportunity did not surface. I think Kerr is saving his team’s best as GSW will now have a better opportunity to wrap up the series before hometown fanatics since coaches usually accept the fact that it is highly improbable nor do they expect a sweep in a long drawn out best of seven finals.
Every game is a new one for each coach as both camps sit down with their coaching staff and analyze their weak points.
I bet you Kerr will not make adjustments. He will simply view the Game 4 tape and compare them with Games 1,2 & 3.
The GSW fans will make the Cavs adjust. (Email your feedback to fredlumba@yahoo.com.) GOD BLESS THE PHILIPPINES!
