Cavaliers Offer a Glimpse of an Alternative Universe

Had forgotten until yesterday that the year GSW took the finals, Irving and Love were both injured. Can't really imagine any team sustaining the ferocity we saw Cleveland play with the other night over the course of three more games, but we shall see what we shall see.

All I can say is one more win Cleveland, in GS, and high drama will unfold. GS better win Monday or they will be fighting the choke demon for years to come.

The referees did not dp their work properly, but it is time for NBA to be ready to manage games like that where nobody wants to loose.

NBA usually deals with the standard show of the standard matches of its long season.

GSW 4 - CLEV 1

Captivating piece. Congrats.

Great sports writing, thank you! I've been looking for comments on the James / Durant "discussion" and haven't found anything until this article. It's a joy to read someone with subtlety and a sly command of the English language. Thanks again!

Lebron's comments were interesting: "No they have us where they want us" and "I'm stressed out". He really does consider this a *job* when the chips are down.

"America’s beautiful game attempts to sabotage itself. The referees had an off night, even forgetting which malefactor player had how many technical fouls."

The refs aren't the saboteurs...it's the sponsors, advertisers, and capitalism itself which necessitates that we can't go longer than watching 3 minutes of actual playing time followed by 8 minutes of commercials.

I've heard the end of these games can sometimes be pretty exciting...too bad it takes over 3 hours to watch a 48-minute game. Here on the east coast, a past midnight end time is well past my bed time.

Love the article. Great writing.

Mike Powell is the sports-writing equivalent to A.O. Scott' acerbic movie reviews.
Good job Mike and Warriors in 5.

For this old hooper the story of the NBA today is one of rules and the interpretation thereof. Traveling ... forget it. Palming ... forget it. Setting screens ... rugby like. Low post karate offense ... unrestricted. Charge versus block ... disaster. Shooters initiating contact and being rewarded. Is that really what fans want? "Follow the money", said Deep Throat.

Two observations:

1. Cleveland played incredible offense during the first half, but they were able to score 86 because Golden State was playing soft D. It's hard to get motivated when you're up 3-0 and playing on the road, with game 5 at home. When the game got heated mid-way through the 3rd, GS started playing its usual hard defense and there were no more uncontested drives to the hoop.

2. Kerr is a great coach for Golden State. But Lue is every bit as good for the Cavs. Sure, LeBron is the leader on the court. But everyone listens to Lue. And his game management skills are fantastic. A lot of teams would have quit after game 2. The fact that the Cavs fight to the end is not just about LeBron. The team is cohesive and determined. That wasn't true under Blatt.

1) Am puzzled at the notion that the series only turned competitive the last two games. The first two games were I think 3-pt and 8-pt leads at half time, the Warriors pulling away in the 3rd quarter. Whereas last night the Cavs were ahead 20 in the first quarter and never really looked back. Unless the writer is subliminally defining competitive as Cleveland being ahead...

2) Ironic that people would question James's pass to Korver in Game 3 while in the same building with Steve Kerr, who hit one of the NBA's most famous championship-winning shots - on a drive and dish from Michael Jordan.

I'm still betting on the Warriors.

The Warriors had better finish them off on Monday, or this series will go seven....And THAT game will be epic!!

What's with all the metaphors?

"Madcap medicine show"? More like an alien force with a man named James flying up and down court his dastardly deed to perform. He's inhuman. If he hit a warrior every time he drove for a dunk shot he would have wiped out the entire team one by one. And Irving. What high was he on. Unbelieveable. Wish I'd had watch the whole game. Can't count out talent like that. It's still a fifty fifty chance they win Monday night. I think he'll win four in a row and say so without regard to making a fool of myself. Some of that high rubbed off.

Great writing and great game. Brings to mind one of my favorite sport's quotes, "If the best team always won there would be no reason to play the game." On to game five.

Good win for the Cavs, and well deserved too. But the officiating last night was horrendous. From Cleveland's 22FTA in the 1st to the Green technical snaffoo, the referees did not manage to maintain control of the game. Every call seemed arbitrary, and the missed backcourt violation was embarrassing to watch. Hopefully game 5 will have the competition without the inconsistent calls.

The first quarter of game 4 makes one wonder about whether NBA management puts pressure on referees to extend the series with a few errant one sidd calls or perhaps the referees see much of their per game salary slipping away with a sweep. This article very discretely alludes to poor refereeing in the game. The cavaliers shot 22 free throws, I believe, in the first quarter. The margin of victory was approximately 20 points. I am sure that some of those fouls were warranted but the Warriors' announcers were howling over what they perceived as one sided calls. To put that number in perspective, the Warriors had never before given an opposing team that many opportunities at the line. Funny to think that a team with the highest basketball IQ ever, whatever that means, would commit more fouls than any of its previous cellar dweller teams?! I am sure that the referees did not collude to throw the game(?!), but given how much money the league makes per game during the finals you have to wonder. Not to mention all of those bookies in Vegas and worldwide who were sweating at the prospect of paying out on the steep odds that the Warriors would win in 4 games. Was it just an off night for the Warriors and the referees? Was it just that the law of averages caught up with Curry and Thompson's three point percentages and the Cavaliers had an outlier game with a shooting percentage that was well above average? Not sure what Kahneman and Tversky would think about that.

And reporters wonder why so many of us have contempt for the good majority of sports journalists. Being an athlete, or trying to be one and learning about actual training and competition, should be a minimum requirement.

It is a thrill when LeBron gives us a glimpse into the "zone." He not only has extraordinary basketball I.Q., he is an extraordinary person--with many gifts.

When some writers (first to the buffet tables) suggest blunders, let's not forget these teams are peopled by real humans. They are not commodities. And when you see them at the game, it is after hours of practice, practice, practice.

Warriors looks unbeatable on paper but they are often unable to cease the moments. Last year nobody believed the Cavs would come back from 3-1, so look, I wouldn't schedule that day off for the Warriors parade just yet.

Go Cavs....The series ain't over yet! Bring Game 6 back to Believeland

In Game 3 the Cavs were playing to get back into the series, Game 4 was for pride. They are the defending champs and they were not going to get swept on their home court. Why their performance surprised so many people is beyond me.

Dubs better take care of them Monday or it's going to get very interesting.

Cleveland should have won game three. Golden State stole one with a brilliant last 3 minutes. That game was big poison and little poison coming up just short. In game 4 it was team effort. Tristan Thomas played well and Kevin Love was very effective to name two. The writer missed what made game 4 so exciting.

Somehow they won a game, I bet Golden State did not play that well, and will at home.