S6* The Plain Dealer | cleveland.com MN Wednesday, June 17, 2015

Warriors 105, Cavaliers 97 NBA FINALS

Cavs lose to Warriors Finals lost, but not (sigh) hope Determined — and shorthanded — Cavaliers gave their fans an effort to be proud of

JOHN KUNTZ | NORTHEAST OHIO MEDIA GROUP Golden State guard and NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Andre Iguodala kisses the NBA championship trophy after the Warriors’ victory over the Cavaliers on Tuesday night at The Q.

The season James proved he indeed the premier player of his But we do know that James has ended for the NBA generation. the right stuff to bring a title to Cavaliers on came home to win Some members of the media Cleveland with just a little more their home and fans were upset when James help. court ... in the a title. Blatt showed said, “I feel confident because I’m NBA Finals. he could handle the best player in the world.” It’s two months long It ended with He said those words after the Terry Golden State Cavs lost Game 5 in Oakland. He “The whole playoff run is such Pluto the pressure of beating the said it because he wanted to re- a long grind,” said Golden State Cavs, 105-97, in coaching James mind his teammates that they still coach Steve Kerr before Game 6. Game 6. It was and dealing with had a chance at a title —­ and that “It’s been two months for these the first NBA title for the Warriors he would continue to lead them. two teams who are still standing. to since 1975. adversity in the James proved it again Tuesday, It’s a great test of patience, and And it ended with the Cavs still scoring 32 points to go with 18 your will and your perseverance.” looking for the first NBA title in playoffs. The fans rebounds and nine assists. That is one of the lessons the the 45-year history of the fran- James scored 38 percent of his Cavs have learned — what it chise. were fantastic. team’s points in The Finals. The takes to play at this level. But it also ended with the Cavs And all that and only player to score more was “We’re going on our 103rd being closer to the title —­ than Chicago’s Michael Jordan in 1993. game of the season,” said Cavs ever. more makes it James certainly delivered an coach before the That’s what I kept thinking “all in” performance in this play- game. while watching the Cavs in the worth waiting for off march to The Finals. He car- Think about that — 103 games. last few games. next season with a ried the Cavs to within two vic- That’s something the Cavs can There were so many times tories of a title despite the Cavs think about when they open next during Tuesday’s game when it smile on your face. missing for the last season. It’s a long, long haul. seemed the Cavs were about to be three rounds. was But for now, they can rest. wiped out. But they kept coming expected the Cavs to go this deep hobbled for much of the postsea- James proved he came home to back. They were only behind by into the playoffs with all their in- son, and then it came to an end win a title. Blatt showed he could four points with 37 seconds left. juries. for the All-Star guard when he handle the pressure of coaching The crowd kept screaming: fractured his knee cap in Game 1 James and dealing with adversity “Let’s go Cavs! Let’s go Cavs!” James has series at Golden State. in the playoffs. Other times, they were plead- We’ll never know, but I believe The fans were fantastic, sup- ing: “Defense! Defense!” JOHN KUNTZ | NORTHEAST OHIO MEDIA GROUP for the ages the Cavs would have won this se- porting the team all season. And they deservedly cheered Warriors guard Stephen Curry takes a 3-pointer over Cavs The Cavs were in front, 2-1, in ries with a healthy Irving. At the And all that and more makes for the Cavs when they left the guard during the first half Tuesday. Curry this series, and they did it with very least, they would be playing it worth waiting for next season court, because who would have finished with 25 points, six rebounds and eight assists. LeBron James proving that he is in a Game 7 Friday in Oakland. with a smile on your face.

First quarter Warriors 28, Cavaliers 15 Second quarter Cavaliers 28, Warriors 17 Early battle turns one-sided Cavs dig deep for answers The Cavaliers opened the game with an early statement This year’s Golden State team has build its identity of intent to fight to the end in this series. Cleveland around big shots at crucial moments, and they lived up pounded the ball inside early, with Timofey Mozgov and to it in this series. The Cavaliers came out undaunted by LeBron James taking turns attacking Golden State in the the 13-point deficit and cut it to five by midway through paint. As has been common in this series, the Warriors the quarter, but a 3-pointer from Harrison Barnes put the were not particularly hot to open, but a Stephen Curry Warriors back up 37-29 with 5:07 left. Down the stretch, driving layup at the six-minute mark tied the game at the Cavaliers missed close-range shots on back-to-back eight. Late in the quarter, the Warriors traded threes for possessions, including Mozgov missing on an alley-oop. JOSHUA GUNTER | NEOMG ASSOCIATED PRESS twos, with Draymond Green and Andre Iguodala knock- Cleveland’s Iman Shumpert By halftime, though, a follow slam had By halftime, LeBron James ing down threes in and around Cavs layups. By the end inadvertently knees Golden cut the deficit to two, at 45-43, and a sense prevailed that had 15 points and eight State’s Klay Thompson in rebounds on 6-14 shooting of the quarter, Golden State led 28-13. the first quarter. if the Cavs could sort their offense out, they could win. with two 3-pointers.