Scrutinizing Dubs: 3 Reasons Why Curryless Warriors Beat Cavs

Kevin Love’s double-double of 31 points and 18 rebounds ended in a pit after losing against a Curry-less Warriors.

It would indeed hurt a lot for the Cavs to be beaten by their rival in the last Finals in three years. What made this defeat more painful is the fact that Steph Curry was unable to play. They were beaten despite the Warriors being handicapped.

What could’ve happened in the match that the Cavs weren’t able to capitalize on a short handed Warriors?

1. Worst Shooting Night for Both Squads, But Warriors did a little bit better.

Imagine two of the best teams in the league shooting so bad. That explains the low scoring ball game relatively speaking to both squads considering they are both offensive.

Cavs made 28 out of 88 (31.8 %) while Warriors were 38 out of 82 (46.3) from the field. It is not usual for these squads to miss a lot. 60 shots missed by Cavs. Their offense were way too inefficient.

2. LeBron wasn’t the offensive focus

Kevin Love became the main man of the Cavs when it should’ve been a great chance for James to go all out.

3. No Pachulia for Warriors, Better Inside Production and Faster Pace in Transition

Warriors without a center severely outscored Cavs inside, 44 – 20 in terms of points in the paint. Not just that but also in terms of defense, Warriors blocked Cavs 8 times while Cleveland? Not even once.

Cleveland may have not let the Warriors win the rebounds but still Warriors had the control.

Another thing is that Warriors dominate the transition game, scoring 33 fast break points but Cavs with only 9.

Conclusion

It is worse for the Warriors but way even more for Cavs. They failed to take advantage of Curry’s absence. Set up a wrong offensive focus and became inefficient on the field.

Wade’s Coming off the Bench Producing Good Results for the Cavs

Dwyane Wade only started 3 games this season. And he doesn’t mind at all

Despite being 35 years old, Dwyane Wade will always be one of the greatest shooting guards we have in this league right now. He has won 3 championships with LeBron James during their playing years with the Miami Heat. He took his talents to the Chicago Bulls that didn’t even produce a playoff appearance for the Bulls. 

Now that he’s back alongside his pal, the King, the Cleveland Cavaliers now have one of the most exciting dynamic duos we have seen these past few years. And by the way, after their early struggles to start off this season, the Cavs are now on a 12-game winning streak after beating the Chicago Bulls, 113-91. This current streak of the Cavs has enabled them to slowly catch up with the East-leading Boston Celtics as the Cavs now hold a 17-7 record which puts them in 2nd place in the Eastern Conference.

Now, what worked well for the Cavs this season so far? Aside from LeBron James’ unquestionable brilliance and dominance this season, the mere fact that Dwyane Wade is coming off the bench to provide the leadership when LeBron is resting has done wonders for the Cavs. With Derrick Rose still preparing for his return to the line-up and, Isaiah Thomas still recovering from his injury, that left Tyronn Lue without a choice but to start JR Smith alongside Jose Calderon in some games.

Dwyane Wade’s coming off the bench, as mentioned, has produced positive results for Cleveland and that was evident when Wade scored 24 points against Chicago- shooting 69% from the field while grabbing 6 rebounds in 26 minutes of action. Wade has averaged 11 points per game this season- one of the lowest in his 14-year career but we all know that Wade can still explode for 30+ points anytime.

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While we don’t know how long Dwyane Wade will be coming off the bench this season for the Cavs but if we look at this scenario: LeBron James and Kevin Love providing the spark early on while Wade providing the additional reinforcement off the bench, then there’s no way the Cavs cannot catch-up and overtake the Celtics in the standings.

Conclusion

If anything, we have to commend Dwyane Wade’s attitude towards coming off the bench because even though he’s a legitimate superstar, he embraces his new role for the Cavs with open arms. He can produce 30 points or more in a snap regardless if he’s a starter or not. One way or another, Wade’s contributions to the Cavs are big and that’s why they are winning at the moment.  

Despite their Latest Success, Cleveland Needs to Solve One Specific Problem

Why the Cavs Need a Center?

The Cleveland Cavaliers are now in 3rd place in the Eastern Conference as they currently have a 14-7 win-loss record in the season. LeBron James and company are riding on a 9-game winning streak. They are the top-scoring team in the East, averaging 110 points per game- 3rd among all teams. 

However, injuries to notable players have struck the team. 

To start off, Isaiah Thomas hasn’t played a single NBA game this season since he was traded from the Boston Celtics because he is still recovering from the injury that he sustained last season. 

Tristan Thompson, one of the Cavs’ best rebounders and rim defenders, has missed a big chunk of the current season due to injuries as well. 

Iman Shumpert will undergo a surgery for his injured left knee which means the Cavs will have to find other players who can score. 

And don’t forget about Derrick Rose who is dealing with his own injury issue on top of other personal matters.  

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The Cavaliers have one problem that might affect them soon if not dealt with properly. They don’t have a legitimate center. Sure, Tristan Thompson is currently listed as a center but if you have been watching him in the last few seasons, then you will know that he’s more of a power forward than a center. Coach Tyronn Lue has chosen to go for Kevin Love as his starting center but we all know that doing so can create mismatches which will not favor Love because he is usually forced to defend some of the best centers in the league right now such as DeAndre Jordan, Marc Gasol and Anthony Davis.

What can the Cavs do?

Trade Tristan Thompson plus Iman Shumpert and a draft pick for a legitimate center. Now, since Marc Gasol is off the market, for now,  the only choice the Cavs have right now is to offer the best trade offer to the Los Angeles Clippers- who are in deep trouble of missing the playoffs due to injuries to starters including the latest one, Blake Griffin. 

Assuming that this trade works out, it will benefit the Cavs because having DeAndre Jordan will mean that Kevin Love can go back to his natural position. However, this pundit on wheels doesn’t think that this trade will work out as the Clippers will get two players who are still recovering from their respective injuries as they are already dealing with players who are injured as well. But hey, this is the NBA. Anything can happen,. right?

Conclusion

One way or another, the Cavs will need to solve that “center” issue if they want another shot against the Golden State Warriors- should both teams meet again come the Finals next June. And whether we like it or not, the Clippers will definitely make a trade involving DeAndre Jordan. The question is: will the Cavs have enough to offer to the Clippers? 

Cavs Keep Streak Alive: Beat Miami Despite LeBron’s Ejection

Kevin Love’s explosive start, LeBron’s double-double power Cavs anew

Just a few games ago, the Miami Heat ended the Boston Celtics’ 16-game winning streak. So they technically know now how to take down a streaking team, right? And since they are playing against the Cleveland Cavaliers who came into the game with an 8-game winning streak, the Heat only need to do what they did to the Celtics. However, that wasn’t the case.

The Cleveland Cavaliers successfully extended their winning streak to 9 games after beating the Miami Heat, 108-97, in a game which saw LeBron James getting ejected in the 3rd quarter- a first in the 15-year career of the multi-time MVP.

How did the Cavs beat the Heat this time around? Below are the numbers:

Kevin Love’s Explosive Start

Kevin Love has been criticized due to the apparent fact that his presence hasn’t been much felt even during the time when Kyrie Irving was still manning the point guard position for the Cavs. 

Against the Heat, Kevin Love made sure that his presence was felt especially from the offensive end. He started the game by scoring 22 points in the first quarter alone. He already has 32 of his 38 points by halftime. He was efficient on the floor making 10 of his 17 shot attempts and 14 of 17 free throws. He also grabbed 9 rebounds while playing for 25 minutes.

40 Points in the 2nd Quarter

After scoring 35 points in the opening quarter, the Cavs went on a scoring rampage come the second quarter when they scored 40 points in that quarter which increased their lead to 27 at the break. That run enabled the Cavs to hang onto the win as they only scored 18 and 15 in the 3rd and 4th quarter. 

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Another Double-Double for the King

Despite the ejection in the 3rd quarter, LeBron James still managed to get a double-double as he scored 21 points, going 10 for 16 in the field while grabbing 12 rebounds. He also had 6 assists and 5 steals plus a blocked shot. If he wasn’t ejected, LeBron would have probably gotten another triple-double, right?

Conclusion

The Cavs are now 14-7 in the season which puts them in 3rd place in the Eastern Conference. They may be on a 9-game winning streak but that doesn’t mean that they can go on winning for long. Why? They are still undermanned, to begin with. They don’t have a legitimate point guard as of the moment. Fortunately, LeBron James can now play all 5 positions, right?

By the Numbers: Cavs Rout Pistons, Claim 5th Straight Win

That is despite a low-scoring game from LeBron James

LeBron James was one of the 6 Cavs who scored in double figures. 

After faltering, fading and suffering embarrassing losses during the early stages of the regular season, the Cleveland Cavaliers, the defending Eastern Conference Champions, are finally catching up and finally, gaining grounds as they are finally becoming the team that the rest of the East used to fear during the past 3 seasons: a legitimate super team.

The Cavs exploded for 36 points in the first quarter, scored 37 in the second quarter and never looked back as they beat the Detroit Pistons, 116-88 to extend their winning streak to 5 games.

So what worked well for the Cavs? Let’s check the numbers below:

The Cavs’ Impressive Start

As they say in basketball, when you start the game great, the greater chance you will win the game. And that was one of the things that enabled Cleveland to nab their 5th consecutive win. In fact, 16 of the 36 points that the Cavs scored in the first quarter against the Pistons came from none other than LeBron James. And Tyronn Lue’s boys didn’t stop there as they scored 37 points in the next quarter. Impressive, isn’t it?

Balanced Scoring: 6 Cavs in Double Figures

• Kevin Love: 19 points
• Jae Crowder: 18 points
• LeBron James: 18 points
• Jose Calderon: 14 points
• Channing Frye: 11 points
• Jeff Green: 10 points

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In a game where no one from either squad scored above 20 points, balanced scoring proved to be the difference as LeBron James, after scoring 16 in the first quarter alone, ended the night by scoring 2 points the rest of the game, finishing with 18 points. But he didn’t have to carry the load alone, Kevin Love and Jae Crowder chipped in with 19 and 18 respectively but what proved to be another difference in the game was the fact that Tyronn Lue started Jose Calderon who scored 14 points in just 24 minutes of action.  

Conclusion

If anything, this is exactly the Cleveland Cavaliers that we’ve been searching for. Mind you, folks. Iman Shumpert is out. So is Derrick Rose. And don’t forget about Isaiah Thomas. If the Cavs can win without the guys that are mentioned, guys who are shooters and one former league MVP, then the Cavs are actually undermanned, to begin with. And they are fine with it. So far. 

A Wheeler’s Opinion: The Cavs are on a 4-Game Winning Streak. So what?

Does it mean that they are slowly becoming the team they are meant to be?

LeBron James had another MVP-worthy stat line against the Clippers.

After starting the season on a miserable and inconsistent roller coaster ride, the Cleveland Cavaliers are now on a 4-game winning streak after LeBron James, yet again led the Cavs to an overtime victory against the Los Angeles Clippers, 118-113. The King scored 39 points and grabbed 15 rebounds while playing for 46 minutes. While the Cavs were able to keep their streak going, the Clippers, on the other hand, failed to stop their miseries as they endured their 7th consecutive loss.

After beating Blake Griffin and company, the Cavs improved to 9-7 in the season, now up into 7th place in the East after spending most of the previous weeks lagging behind the top 8. Now comes the question that everyone wanted to ask: is this a sign that the Cleveland Cavaliers we all saw during the past 3 seasons are finally back in their dominant form?

Not. Quite. Yet.

• Dallas Mavericks
• New York Knicks
• Charlotte Hornets
• Los Angeles Clippers

If we are to look at the 4 teams that the Cavs have defeated in their 4-game winning streak, they are generally poorly performing teams and the Cavs should be able to beat them easily but no.  The Knicks had a double-digit lead only for the Cavs to erase it. Mind you, the Knicks were actually one of the teams who kicked the Cavs in the rear during the latter’s losing streak in the season’s early goings.

Against the Clippers, Cleveland had to rely on LeBron James, again, precisely because only him, Kevin Love and yes, Dwayne Wade were the only ones who scored in double figures for the Cavs. With Derrick Rose, yet again, out due to injury, again, and with Isaiah Thomas not returning anytime soon, that leaves Tyronn Lue without a real point guard which means LeBron will take care of the playmaking responsibilities, again.  However, no matter how great LeBron truly is, everything has a limitation and LeBron can’t do everything and he cannot save the Cavs from embarrassment no matter how hard he tries to do so. 

Conclusion

Sure, the Cavs are on a 4-game winning streak thanks to the collective efforts and leadership of LeBron James and Dwayne Wade. Sure, Wade had 23 points and 11 rebounds off the bench against the Clippers- proving that he has plenty left in his tank. But no, the Cavs are not yet back in their dominant form. Why? If they are, they should be at the top of the East, right? 

A Wheeler’s Opinion: Why LeBron Should Stay in Cleveland Despite the Struggles

The Cavs have just lost 5 of their previous 6 games. And the Cavs should be worried

Don’t be surprised if #23 will be elsewhere come after the trade deadline.

The Cleveland Cavaliers got Isaiah Thomas plus a couple of players who can score. The Cavs got Dwayne Wade. And most importantly, the Cavs got former league MVP Derrick Rose who is starting in most games since Thomas is still recovering from the injury that he sustained during last season’s playoffs while still playing for the Boston Celtics.

On paper even without Thomas and Rose, the Cavs are still the best team- at least in the Eastern Conference.

10 games into the regular season, are they really the best team in the East?

After opening the season with two consecutive wins over the Boston Celtics and the Milwaukee Bucks,  the Cavs suddenly became a team like they were before LeBron James came back- a bad team, as evident by their 4-game losing streak which included disappointing loses at the hands of the Brooklyn Nets and the New York Knicks within a span of a week, which was followed by a 124-107 defeat at the hands of the Indiana Pacers.

To get back into the win column, they needed a franchise record-tying 57 points from LeBron James against the Washington Wizards. However, the Cavs next lost to the lowly Atlanta Hawks who won, 117-115.

Now you tell this pundit on wheels, is that how a super team with LeBron James, Dwayne, Kevin Love and Derrick Rose, supposed to be playing?  Losing to bad teams?  Falling to a 4-6 record to open the season? Lagging way behind the standings in the East?

Nope

Now, if you’ve been watching the NBA even during the offseason, one of the hottest topics that have been making the talks among NBA pundits was the inevitability of LeBron James leaving the Cavs, again, for the Los Angeles Lakers at the end of the current season. And all previous signs have been pointing towards that scenario.

The only question is this: Will it happen? Answer: Yes!

Follow-up question: How soon will it happen? Answer: It depends on how the Cavs will perform from here on.

Despite scoring 26 points, grabbing 5 rebounds and dishing away 13 assists against the Atlanta Hawks- NBA’s current worst team, LeBron James was a beaten man. Badly beaten. He had to play for 41 minutes. He had to take 17 shots, second-most to Wade’s 19. But still, his MVP-like numbers weren’t enough to propel the Cavs to a victory.  And, observers have been saying that LeBron James has become more frustrated with the Cavs’ struggles.

If anything, don’t get surprised if LeBron drastically demands a trade even before the trade deadline especially if things don’t improve in Cleveland. However, the Lakers knew that they would have to send one of their young guys to Cleveland if a trade is to happen. And, having LeBron on board wouldn’t assure a playoff appearance for LA this season so trading your promising stars isn’t worth it. For now.

While the Cavs are struggling and there’s no doubt that His Majesty is really frustrated but leaving Cleveland this season will not change his situation. The Lakers are not yet seasoned to make their much-awaited return to the playoffs and whether he likes it or not, LeBron’s only chance to beat the Golden State Warriors, for now, is to stay with the Cavs and hope that things get better. ASAP.

If not, then LeBron-to-LA it is.

By the Numbers: Cavs Snap 4-Game Slide with 57 Points from LeBron

LeBron scores 57 while playing the entire second half 

LeBron James had another MVP-like performance in a win to snap Cleveland’s recent slide.

If anything, LeBron James isn’t used to losing. Not just during the playoffs. Not just in the Finals where he is 3-5. 

LeBron James hates losing in the regular season. And yet, he just lost 4 straight. 

The Cleveland Cavaliers lost three games against relatively mediocre teams coming into their match-up against the Washington Wizards. 

And Tyronn Lue knew one thing: he won’t be coaching for long should the Cavs’ misery doesn’t end soon. Fortunately, the Cavs finally broke out of their slump. Thanks to a dominating performance by… 

You guessed it, folks. LeBron James.

The King scored 57 points, tying Kyrie Irving’s record for most points scored in a game. He also became the 7th player to reach 29,000 career points as he led the Cavs to a 130-122 win against the Washington Wizards despite Bradley Beal’s 36 points. 

So how did the Cavs come out victorious on this one?  

Below are the numbers:

John Wall hit the Wall

For a player like John Wall who has been averaging 21 points per game this season, his 13-point output against the defending Eastern Conference champions was far from what fans expected of him. 

Sure, his backcourt partner, Bradley Beal exploded for 36 points and if it wasn’t for Beal, the Cavs would have blown the Wizards away. John Wall had to bleed for all of his points as he only made 4 of his 13 attempts, missed all 3 shots from the 3-point line, and missed 7 free throws. Given how close the final score was, it would have been different had Wall made more from the free throw line. What a waste, indeed.

42 Points in the First Quarter

As they say, begin the game on a good shape. chances are, you will win it all. Both the Wizards and the Cavs started the game scoring from all angles as the Cavs ran away for 42 points during the first 12 minutes of play. 

57 Points. Plus More

As mentioned above, LeBron’s 57 points against Washington tied Kyrie Irving’s franchise record. Although he didn’t have to because he had tons of help from various players including Derrick Rose who had 20 points, Jae Crowder with 17 and Kevin Love with 11, the King was clearly unstoppable regardless of who Scott Brooks put on against LeBron. #23 made 23 of 34 shot attempts and went perfectly in 9 tries from the free throw line. Aside from that, he had 11 rebounds, 7 assists, 3 steals and 2 blocks. And yes, he did all of that for 43 MINUTES.

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Free Throws are Precious

• Washington: 21 of 31
• Cleveland: 26 of 28

If you look at the disparity in the free throw numbers, both attempted and made, you’d probably say, “Damn it, Washington!” The Cavs won by 8 points and the Wizards missed 10 free throws. On the other hand, Cleveland did a great job in taking advantage of their opportunities from the line and the numbers don’t lie either:

• LeBron James: 9 of 9
• Jae Crowder: 8 of 8
• Kevin Love: 5 of 5

Conclusion

Despite their recent losing streak, make no mistake about it, folks. The Cavs are still the best team in the East, at least on paper. While uncertainty looms around Washington owing to the injury of John Wall, we can’t just count them out of the picture. Just yet. Despite the loss, the Wizards are also one of the teams in the East that can challenge the supremacy of the King and his Cavaliers. 

By the Numbers: 3 Things that Failed the Cavs Against Indiana

And because of these things, the Cavs endured their 4th consecutive loss

The Pacers outscored the Cavs, 32-22 in the 4th quarter to come out with the win.

The defending Eastern Conference champions reloaded themselves during the busy off-season, bringing in Dwayne Wade back alongside LeBron and getting Isaiah Thomas and a bunch of role players from Boston in a deal that sent Kyrie Irving to the Celtics. 

While those deals made the Cleveland Cavaliers, a much-stronger-on-paper “super team” which, according to their fans, can finally match-up well against the Golden State Warriors- should both teams meet again in the NBA Finals.

Now, let’s not get ahead of ourselves and stay in the course of the regular season, for now. 

8 games into the new season, the Cavaliers are now 3-5, the same record that LeBron James has in his 8 trips to the Finals. 

After starting the season with a win over the Celtics which was followed by another victory against the Bucks, the Cavs went 1-5 since then, including 4 straight losses, the last one from the hands of the Indiana Pacers who are by the way, playing well despite being without a consistent center or a superstar after trading away long-time star player, Paul George to the Oklahoma City Thunder during the early months of the 2018-2018 off-season.

So what happened to the Cavs against the Pacers? Below are the numbers:

22% Shooting from Deep

Let’s start with the worst one. To begin with, the Cavs are shooting 34% from long distance during the course of those 8 games- placing them tied for the 19th spot in that category. Against the Pacers however, LeBron James and company only made 7 OUT OF 31 ATTEMPTS from the 3-point line- that’s 22% 3-point field goal shooting, folks. And yet they allowed Indiana to hit 16 of their 26 attempts from that area. You see the difference? It was a huge difference. 

Need any more? Here are the players who miserably struggled from outside:

• Kevin Love: 2 of 6
• LeBron James: 1 of 5
• JR Smith: 2 of 6
• Jae Crowder: 0 of 5
• Kyle Korver: 1 of 5

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8 Turnovers for The King

While there’s no doubt in everyone’s mind, or at the very least, in the minds of his fans, that LeBron James is on a course to win another MVP this season. But, how can you even win a basketball game if you are careless with the ball? Despite his 33 points, 6 rebounds and 11 assists against the Pacers, one of the many things that haunted LeBron and eventually the Cavs, was his 8 turnovers- that’s half of the turnovers Cavs had during the entire game. 

Lack of Intensity from the Starters

If your starters are struggling, then pray that your bench steps up. In this case, the bench of Tyronn Lue outscored the bench players of Indiana, 34-18. The problem was: the Cavs’ starters failed to match the intensity and consistency of the Pacers’ first five as the latter outscored the former, 106-73. Indiana could have beaten the Cavs by relying on their starters alone but fortunately, they had little help from off the bench. 

Conclusion

Maybe the Cavs are dealing with many things nowadays, LeBron’s impending departure, Derrick Rose’s injury, Dwayne Wade coming off the bench, possible chemistry issue. You name it. Maybe having too many superstars have finally caught on the Cavs. Maybe it’s affecting their chemistry to begin with. Maybe. Maybe. Maybe. If they don’t sort things out by themselves, then they won’t be making it back to the Finals this season. Just maybe. 

Twist and Turn: Are They Still Trading Kevin Love Now?

Love is still not a sure bet to stay in Cleveland even after the Kyrie issue

A few months ago, Kevin Love was the most likely player to be shipped away by the Cavaliers but that changed after Kyrie Irving suddenly announced that he wants to be traded.

Kevin Love at 28 years old is a decent player but he wasn’t the player that they expected him to be after they let go of their rookie Andrew Wiggins in exchange for him.  Kevin’s scoring dropped down to 10 points in his first year wearing the Cavs uniform. From 26 points to 16 points average. He had the same average in his second year and improve last season with 19 points but still could have been better. Last year was his best season with the Cavs and was assumed to be the last especially after rumors around acquiring Carmelo Anthony, Paul George or Jimmy Butler surfaced. But this was all scraped now as a new pressing matter has revealed itself.

Kyrie wants a to be traded. The news upset LeBron, but Love was chill about the situation and even posted how amazing life is.  He may have dodged a potential trade scenario because of Kyrie, but it does not mean that he is 100% safe from being traded away.

Below was the conversation two weeks ago.

Warriors finish off the Cavaliers in 5; Durant Caps his MVP Performance with a 39-point Game

Golden States Warriors dominates anew as they dismantled the Cleveland Cavaliers via 129 – 120 home win to claim the NBA Championship.

Kevin Durant finally won his first championship after a decade in NBA. He finished the game with 39 points, 7 rebounds and 8 assists and he took home the Finals MVP Award. While his buddy, Stephen Curry managed to collect 34 points, 6 rebounds and 10 assists.

But it was Andre Iguodala who sparked the Warriors of the bench as he finished the game with 20 points, 3 rebounds and 3 assists. It was a big help for them as Klay Thompson was struggling in the game and finished with 11 points only.

LeBron James collected 41 points, 13 rebounds and eight assists in 46 minutes of action while Kyrie Irving and JR Smith finished the game with 26 and 25 points each.

Tristan Thompson also managed to have a good game with 15 points but it was Kevin Love who the Cavaliers missed a lot in this game as he only managed 6 points on 2 out of 8 shooting.

This is the 2nd title for the Warriors and they finished the playoffs with an impressive 16-1 record.

Photo credits: OWNERS

Kevin Durant with the dagger! Golden State Warriors are just 1 win away from sweeping the Cleveland Cavaliers

Starting today, Kevin Durant will be a forever villain for the Cavalier fans. Not because he is a dirty player but he just basically shattered the hearts of millions of Cleveland fans.

With the less than 2 minutes to play, Cleveland had a 4 point lead but it was not safe at all and Kevin Durant took over the game by scoring 7 straight points together with a huge 3-point shot over LeBron James to gave the Warriors a 1 point lead and since then they never look back.

LeBron James had a chance to tie the game but his shot was blocked by Andrei Iguodala and then Steph Curry buries his 2 free throw to seal the deal.

Here are the top performers of tonight’s game:

Golden State 118:
Kevin Durant: 31 Pts, 8 Rebs, 4 Asts, 1 Stl, 1 Blk. (10-18 FG, 4-7 3pt)
Klay Thompson: 30 Pts, 6 Rebs, 2 Asts. (11-18 FG, 6-11 3pt) 
Stephen Curry: 26 Pts, 13 Rebs, 6 Asts, 2 Stls. (8-19 FG, 5-9 3pt)
Draymond Green: 8 Pts, 8 Rebs, 7 Asts, 1 Stl, 1 Blk.
Andre Igoudala: 7 Pts, 5 Rebs, 4 Stls, 1 Blk.
David West: 7 Pts, 1 Reb.

Cleveland 113:
LeBron James: 39 Pts, 11 Rebs, 9 Asts, 1 Stl, 1 Blk. (15-27 FG, 4-7 3pt)
Kyrie Irving: 38 Pts, 6 Rebs, 3 Asts. (16-29 FG, 0-7 3pt)
JR Smith: 16 Pts, 1 Reb, 2 Stls. (5-10 3pt)
Kevin Love: 9 Pts, 13 Rebs, 1 Ast, 6 Stls.
Kyle Korver: 8 Pts, 1 Reb.

Photo credits: AP Photo/Tony Dejak

Kevin Love’s Behind-The-Back Pass Results In A Dunk For The Cavs! | April 5, 2017

After a LeBron James block, Kevin Love saves the ball and finds Kyrie Irving with an incredible behind-the-back pass which results in a dunk for JR Smith. 

(courtesy: youtube/NBA)

Spread Love: Happy NBA Valentines!

Valentines day is upon us. Today it would really be a lot of fun to know players who are somehow connected to this romantic day.

“Can You Be My Valentine?”

These players can be literally your “Valentine”. Check these Mr. Valentines of the NBA now and then.

The 1980 NBA Draft’s 51st pick, Ronnie Valentine was the first Mr. Valentine of the NBA. He was drafted by the Denver Nuggets and played in only 24 games of 1980-1981 NBA season, scoring 84 points. 

Then, the point guard from the Chicago, Darnell Valentine courted the NBA. He was not rejected and proved himself, scoring career 5,400 points, dishing 3,080 assists and grabbing 1,318 rebounds in his 10 years of his relationship with the NBA, specifically for the Portland Trailblazers (1981-1986), Los Angeles Clippers (1986-1988), and for the Cleveland Cavaliers (1988-1991).

Today, another Mr. Valentine showed up in the NBA, the Chicago Bulls Shooting Guard, Denzel Valentine. But, he is currently playing for the Windy City Bulls in the NBA Development League.

“Keep Calm and Love Balling”

Many fall in love with this sport. The proof was the three “Love” of the NBA that suited teams to play the sport  they love.

First was Bob Love, that brought great impact for the Milwaukee Bucks, Chicago Bulls, New York Nets and Seattle SuperSonics because of his playing style. He is a versatile forward who could shoot either with his left or right hand. He ended up with 13,895 points, 4,635 rebounds and 1,123 assists. 

Stan Love entered the League next, he played for the Baltimore Bullets, Los Angeles Lakers and San Antonio Spurs and retire having 1,579 points, 929 rebounds and 181 assists. 

Stan Love’s love of the game was the heritage of the current Cavalier, Kevin Love. It’s undeniable that Kevin is one of the best Forwards to ever play the game, his devotion and love to the game inspire others to also love the sport. Love played for the Minnesota Timberwolves from 2008-2014 and is playing for the Cleveland Cavaliers from 2014-present.

Happy Valentines Day! Spread the love this Valentines Day. #NBA

Kevin Love Thinks he Won’t be Traded Plus Who is Yogi?

Kevin Love maybe having one of the best seasons with the Cavs but his body has been plagued and is just giving up on him which prevented him from performing to his full potential. That being said, Will Cavs gamble keeping a guy like him where they can get a much more robust player like Melo? As you know, there are rumors circulating that Kevin Love will be traded to Carmelo Anthony.

youtube video by: NBA Skyline

Starting off with Kevin “Yogi” Ferrell beasting 

01:35 – LeBron touches on the media and Phil Jackson’s disrespect in regards to Melo 

04:44 – Kevin Love and Coach Lue talk trade rumors and team issues 

Not so long ago the Mavericks were in the news for one particular reason only – how much they sucked. A month or two later they’re in the news again – this time it’s the exact opposite, first it was Seth Curry firing up, showing promise. Now it’s Yogi Ferrell, a 10 day contract that was amazing for the Mavs, they went 4 – 0 with him playing, he averaged 37.5 minutes, no fear, just beast mode. Standing at only 6ft, which is of course short for the NBA, he set a rookie record, hit 9 threes against Portland… just crazy all around for a dude that doesn’t even play in the NBA to come in a bottom team and dominate in this manner right off the bat. Insane. Following that up with LBJ getting hit with some touchy questions and finishing things off with Kevin Love and Tyronn Lue talking trade rumors, Love’s back healing up…Hopefully that will be the last of the issues that have hit the Cavaliers in the past month or two. – NBA Skyline

Basketball Culture : NBA Finals 2016 – Cleveland Cavaliers cheers

The Cleveland Cavaliers won the NBA Finals, defeating the Golden State Warriors 93-89 in Sunday’s deciding Game 7. This is the first major sports championship that a Cleveland team has won since 1964.

(LeBron’s Statement game. Statement shirt. Statement hat)

In perhaps the biggest game of his career, LeBron James had the game of his life. He was named Finals MVP after scoring 27 points, 11 rebounds and dishing out 11 assists. The vote was unanimous, according to NBA Commissioner Adam Silver.

“The people of Cleveland deserve this more than any other people I’ve ever seen or met or felt,” Cavs owner Dan Gilbert said. “No group deserves this more. No fan base deserves this more. I’m speechless and proud of everybody.

” When asked why this championship felt different, James kept his answer simple: “I’m home.” 

“This is what I came back for,” he said. “It doesn’t feel real.”

(Kevin Love’s Victory Celebration)

The new Champion’s  The Cleveland Cavaliers drink it all in after lifting Cleveland’s title drought, as a celebratory practice, in the post-game locker room as the players drenched their jerseys in champagne and beer.

Photo courtesy of : SportsNation

Cavs big three help team win over Spurs 117-103

Lebron James scored 29 points to help Cleveland Cavaliers got its first win this season over an elite team by beating the San Antonio Spurs 117-103. Kevin Love and Kyrie Irving added 21 apiece on scoring for Cavs.

This is also the second straight game the Cavs big three scored 20 or more in a game. On their last game versus Detriot Pistons, Love scored 29 while Irving and James scored 28 and 20 respectively.

The Cavs won their fourth straight under new coach Tyronn Lue, who was promoted after David Blatt was fired Jan. 22.

Kawhi Leonard scored 24, and LaMarcus Aldridge 15 for the Spurs. Forward Tim Duncan did not play due to knee injury.

This game could be a potential NBA Finals preview if both teams will go on and win each of their conferences. Cleveland improved to 19-3 at home which is the best in the Eastern Conference.

Spurs Hold off Cavs 8th game win streak 99-95! to bump theirs to 10 straight wins!

This was a battle that everyone wanted to find out and it was all worth the hype. The Cavs led pretty much all the way until halfway through the 3rd quarter where everyone in the Spurs stepped up to their game Duncan, Aldrige and Leonard who struggled in the first half, all of them scored less then 10 points it was only Tony Parker who led them in with 18 points to end the half. 

3rd quarter came and it has became a game with a playoff atmosphere trading basket after basket, it was very exciting that I felt the beat of my heart loud and clear even if the volume on my TV is almost maxed. That quarter ended with a buzzer beater from Matthew Dellavedova to give the Cavs a 1 point lead with 73-72.

4th Quarter both teams started with their bench players only TP and Irving are the starters who stayed after the 3rd quarter. It was a great display of team work both on offense on defense for both teams but it was the Spurs who excelled with excellent plays from Patty Mills, Kawhi Leonard with the emphatic putback slam and Kyle Anderson who played exceptional both ends off the floor even if he was only given 5 minutes, I would have wanted for him to stay on the floor but I am not Pop.

Tim Duncan also contributed with a couple of vintage moves to keep them on the lead. with .57 minutes remaining he took a semi fade away. The Cavs were down 93-99 with 9.1 seconds remaining Ginobili played great defense to block Irving’s shot and after the play Lebron had a word with Irving who took the shot with 3 defenders on him, they were able to maintain possession of the ball with 6.4 seconds remaining. Cavs inbound the ball to Thompson and it was JR Smith who took the shot but missed badly. 

The Spurs Big 3

Duncan – 9 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 blocks

Leonard – 20 points, 10 rebounds, 5 assists and 2 blocks

Parker – 24 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assist and 3 steals

Cavs Big 3

James – 22 points, 7 rebounds and 5 assists 

Love – 10 points, 12 rebounds and 1 assist

Irving – 16 points, 2 rebounds and 4 assists.

Here is the highlight of this exciting game:

Written by:

Aldrin

Team Powcast

LBJ and Kevin Love 43pts 29 rebs Best Duo right now? Beats the Hornets who was undefeated at home prior to this game!

Lebron and Kevin Love

The Cavs have been without a complete roster since the finals of last year, most of them are injured including Love and Kyrie. Now that Love is back, together with LBJ they form possibly the best duo right now and once they get Irving back might be the best Big 3. 

The day after thanks giving LBJ and Love paid a visit to Charlotte Hornets who is quite decent now with a 9-7 record. That didn’t matter at all as the Cavs beat the Hornets with a score of 95-90. It wasn’t easy as the Hornets led pretty much the entire game but the Cavs dominated the fourth quarter thanks to this Monster Duo! 

LBJ had 25 pts 13 rebs and 5 assists

Love had 18 pts and 16 rebs. 

Charlotte was headed by the beastly Kemba walker with just 18 pts followed by Nic Batum with 17. 

Highlights of the SICK DUO!

Written by:

Aldrin

Team Powcast

Bulls and Pistons are Victorious in Opening Night

Chicago Bulls and Detroit Pistons both got a positive result on the season opener, after winning games against Cleveland Cavaliers and Atlanta Hawks respectively.

Bulls beat Cavaliers in a close game, 97-95 in United Center, Chicago. It was a very tight game and many beautiful plays shown by both sides. Cavaliers performed really well, and played as a solid team, but unfortunately fell short, even though they dominated in second, third and fourth quarters. Bulls led the Cavaliers 26-17, but Cavaliers stepped up and actually led Bulls for the rest of the quarters, 23-20, 28-25 and 27-26.

Jimmy Butler was the hero on the game. His steal on the last seconds Cavaliers’ attempt through Lebron James that intended to catch a pass from Mo Williams inbound ball secured the victory for the home team.

A little surprise on the line-up for the Bulls; Nikola Mirotic starts over veteran Joakim Noah. And it turned out pretty well. Mirotic ended the game with 19 points, and 9 rebounds in 25 minutes. The hero Jimmy Butler added 18 points for the Bulls. Bulls’ superstar point guard, Derrick Rose playing with a protective mask after undergoing fractured orbital bone surgery. He scored 18 points and 5 dimes. Pau Gasol had a block party, 6 blocks under his name on this season opener.

Meanwhile, Lebron James noted 25 points for Cavaliers,with 10 rebounds and 5 assists. Mo Williams, started his second stint with Cavaliers well, with 19 points and 7 assists against the Bulls. Kevin Love added 18 points and newly signed forward, Richard Jefferson made 10 points.

Another scene from the game was that President Barack Obama attended last night’s game in United Center. From his tweet, he seems very happy that Bulls ended up victorious.

Meanwhile in Philips Arena, Atlanta, The Hawks hammered by Detroit Pistons 106-94. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope was the star for the Pistons, scoring 21 points and 4 rebounds. Pistons’ big man Andre Drummond was having a game as well, with 18 points and 19 (yes, nineteen) rebounds for the away team. Marcus Morris added 18 points and 10 rebounds.

For the home team, German point guard, Dennis Schroder led the team with 20 points, while forward Paul Millsap has 19 and Jeff Teague scored 18. Hawks looked struggling without DeMarre Carroll, who left the team for Raptors in free agency, offensively and defensively, and Kent Bazemore, who played to fill Carroll’s spot, scored none.

Irving, Love, Varejao and Mozgov are all expected to be ready at Cavs training camp

The Cleveland Cavaliers anticipate that Kyrie Irving, Kevin Love, Timofey Mozgov and Anderson Varejao will be ready for the start of training camp Sept. 29, Northeast Ohio Media Group has learned.

All four players are recovering from surgery. Irving (fractured knee cap) and Love (separated shoulder) will be active during camp, but on a limited basis. The Cavaliers will work the two in slowly and cautiously. The anticipation is that Love will be fully cleared with no limitations before Irving is given the green light.

Mozgov (knee scope) and Varejao (Achilles’ tendon tear) are not expected to be restricted once camp opens, but the team will closely monitor their involvement.

Mozgov did not play for the Russian National Team this summer, and that helped speed his rehabilitation progress. While Varejao has been jumping and dunking on the leg that gave out on him last December.

Timberwolves, Anthony Bennett talking buyout

Former No.1 draft pick Anthony Bennett and the Minnesota Timberwolves are talking buyout.

Minnesota is stacked up front and doesn’t need Bennett. They have a five-man big rotation already of Karl-Anthony Towns, Kevin Garnett, Gorgui Dieng, Nikola Pekovic, and Adreian Payne. They don’t need Bennett.

Minnesota had tried to trade Bennet before, but there were no takers. Minnesota got Bennett from Cleveland in the Kevin Love trade.

Kevin Love ESPN Body Issue photos

Cleveland Cavaliers power forward Kevin Love has made the cover of another magazine. This time it’s not Sports Illustrated, SLAM or GQ. It’s ESPN The Magazine’s “Body Issue.” Kevin Love Journey to the NBA was given because of his natural basketball talents, however his body was not as lean as they are right now.

Kevin Love was a chubby guy entering the NBA!

Check out the behind the scenes