The Cleveland Cavaliers will host the Golden State Warriors for game 4 of the NBA Finals. The defending champion Warriors, lead the 2018 NBA Finals, 3-0. Golden State was able to come back and win game 3 to push the Cleveland Cavaliers to the brink of elimination.
The Cavaliers were big underdogs heading into this series, and have not been able to find a way to beat their playoff nemesis. Cleveland has been getting excellent from LeBron James all postseason, but his greatness cannot defeat the Warriors alone. The Cleveland Cavaliers are +5 on Friday over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday.
Warriors One Win Away From Dynasty
The Golden State Warriors are one win away from being considered a dynasty. The Warriors are looking to win their third NBA Title in 4 seasons, and their second consecutive championship. No team in NBA history has ever blown a 3-0 series lead in the NBA Finals, and the Warriors don’t appear to be capable of letting that happen.
Andre Iguodala returned to the Warriors lineup for game 3 after missing the last several games due to a leg injury. The return of Iguodala solidified the Golden State defense in game 3, and gave the Warriors an even bigger edge. The core of the Warriors know how to perform in big games and will be looking to celebrate in Cleveland.
Cavs Finally Get Production From Bench
Cavaliers head coach, Tyronn Lue, finally got production from his bench in the game three loss. Lue gave little used Rodney Hood 26 minutes in game three, and he responded with 15 points in the Cavaliers loss. Hood is a lengthy defender that is also capable of providing scoring and the Cavaliers will need another solid game from him in game 4.
JR Smith also bounced back in a small way in game three, finishing with 13 points on 5-14 shooting from the field. The Cavs have continued to show trust in Smith, and it will be up to him to deliver for them in order to keep the season alive. LeBron was again brilliant in the loss for the Cavs, a storyline that he is all too familiar with hearing.
Cavaliers Win, Keep Season Alive
The 2018 Finals is looking very similar to the 2017 matchup between these same teams. The Warriors defeated the Cavaliers in five games last season, but are just one game away from a sweep this time around. The Warriors will need a much better performance from Stephen Curry in game four if they are going to sweep the Cavaliers. Curry finished with just 11 points in the game 3 win.
The Cavaliers appeared to be headed for a game 3 win, but were not able to hold off the Warriors in the second half. LeBron James continues to do whatever his team needs, and refuses to let his team go down without a fight. It appears that Rodney Hood will continue to get more minutes in game 4, which will give the Cavaliers another solid player on both sides of the ball. King James is too good to get swept in the Finals, and he will find a way to lead his team to a game 4 victory. Take the Cleveland Cavaliers +5 over the Golden State Warriors on Friday.
