It took a game longer than many expected, but the Golden State Warriors are, once again, the kings of the NBA. With their 129-120 win over Cleveland in Game 5 of the 2017 NBA Finals, the Warriors exorcised the demons from last season and solidified their standing as the best basketball team in the world.
For once, I was actually able to watch the game. Usually, I’m working and don’t get a chance to see the really big games. I missed two of the three San Francisco Giants’ World Series-clinching wins, as well as the final game of the Warriors’ 2015 championship. But Game 5 fell on a Monday — the day I work from home. So it allowed me to watch the game, as well as take notes that are about a yard long (my daughter made a receipt paper dispenser in wood shop that I use regularly to take notes) to give you my thoughts on the Warriors second title in three years.
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OK, first things first. My cuticles are shredded. After waltzing through the first three games and then getting blown out in Game 4, I really haven’t worried too much about the Warriors during these finals.
But Game 5 was a different animal. Up 18 late in the second quarter, the Warriors saw the Cavaliers whittle that lead down to five in the third quarter, only to weather the rally, stabilize and then pull away in the fourth.
What a game.
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Those who know me know that when it comes to sports and social media, I’m known to wear my heart on my Facebook feed. I let it be known early that I was watching the game at home and would be posting — a lot.
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Can anyone truly hate on Kevin Durant any more? The guy simply went out and balled his heart out in these playoffs, and especially the finals. Averaging over 30 points per game against Cleveland, he went toe-to-toe with LeBron James — and beat him.
And to top it off, to the surprise of no one, Durant was named the Finals MVP. The man was simply unstoppable, scoring a team-high 39 points Monday night. You could tell he was feeling it as he seemingly made every shot he took in the fourth quarter, at a time when the Warriors desperately needed him to come up big.
His finals performance was precisely why Golden State went after him in the offseason.
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People will probably now ask: who runs the Warriors — Steph Curry or Kevin Durant? Here’s the best part of that question: it doesn’t matter. What makes Golden State special is that the only thing they care about is winning. They don’t care who scores the points, who gets the accolades. All they worry about is getting that “W” and they will do whatever it takes to accomplish that.
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Golden State’s bench was the difference in Game 5 as they outscored Cleveland’s bench 35-7. David West and Patrick McCaw combined for only 10 points, but it can be argued that there were no bigger baskets in the game than the ones they made. Their buckets came during times when the Cavaliers were making a push. Every time they made baskets, they were crucial.
And then there was 2015 Finals MVP Andre Iguodala doing what he does in the finals — he went off. Twenty points in Game 5? He, as much as anybody, was the reason for the Warriors’ win.
***
After the game, there was one more reason for the Bay Area to love Steph Curry. While the rest of the Warriors were celebrating with each other, Curry went to the stands and started high-fiving the fans in the first couple of rows.
He’s just a class act.
***
What an emotional game for Warriors head coach Steve Kerr. Battling through a debilitating back issue the last two years, which forced him to miss most of the playoffs this season, you could see it in his eyes after the game that he truly appreciates what the team accomplished this season. I think these two titles in three years with the Warriors are more special than the three he won with the Chicago Bulls and the two with the San Antonio Spurs.
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You have to give it up to Cleveland. After getting absolutely smoked the first three games of the series, they came out and battled these last two games. J.R. Smith almost single-handedly kept the Cavs in the game Monday with his unbelievable 3-point shooting.
And what can you say about LeBron James? Anyone who says he sucks or is overrated is simply player hating. The guy was simply amazing in the Finals — just as he was last year. He averaged a triple-double for the series. Who does that?
***
How frustrated must Cleveland be? Four of their five starters scored in double figures, led by LeBron’s 41, and the Cavaliers still lost.
***
Hand it to Doris Burke, ABC/ESPN sideline reporter. She interviewed a half dozen players, coaches and owners in the post-game and she didn’t just mail it in with the horrible question of “How do you feel?” She had original questions for all of them. For those who don’t do it, that’s tough, especially in rapid-fire succession.
Nathan Mollat can be reached by email: nathan@smdailyjournal.com or by phone: 344-5200 ext. 117. You can follow him on Twitter @CheckkThissOutt.
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Keep the discussion civilized. Absolutely NO personal attacks or insults directed toward writers, nor others who make comments.
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