LOOK: Iguodala gets cool Father's Day gift from son

Not only did Andre Iguodala win the Most Valuable Player award in the NBA Finals, he was also named as “Dad of the Year 2015” by his son, Andre Jr.

The proud father posted an Instagram photo of a sculpture created by his son.

"This kid is amazing," the Golden State Warrior said in the caption. "Although I don't celebrate many holidays, he sculpted this Larry O'Brien Championship trophy back in April in art class. Saved it until Father's Day to give to me. This might be my new favorite trophy."

Iguodala helped the Golden State Warriors win the 2015 NBA championship through his stifling defense on Cleveland Cavaliers’ LeBron James.

He also scored 25 points in the deciding Game 6 as the Warriors clinched the championship, their first since 1975.

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Warriors win first NBA title in 40 years

The Golden State Warriors weathered a late charge by the Cleveland Cavaliers to come away with a 105-96 victory in Game 6 and win their first NBA championship in forty years.

The Warriors led by 15-points, 94-79, with five minutes to go in the game and were still up by 13, 98-85, when Stephen Curry scored on an open lay-up.

But JR Smith, after struggling all game, hit three three-pointers in the final minute, including a booming trey that made it a four-point game, 97-101, with still 33 seconds to go.

That proved to be the Cavaliers' last hurrah, however, as Curry made two clutch free throws, and Andre Iguodala added two insurance charities of his own to ice the game for the Warriors.

Curry and Iguodala both had 25 points to lead the Warriors in scoring, while Draymond Green had a triple double with 16 points, 11 rebounds, and 10 assists.

LeBron James was one assist shy of another triple double, finishing with 32 points, 18 rebounds, and nine assists, but the four-time league MVP looked exhausted at times and missed 20 of his 33 field goal attempts.

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Warriors can end 40-year drought by downing Cavs

CLEVELAND -- Steph Curry and his Golden State teammates face the biggest game of their careers Tuesday as the Warriors visit Cleveland with a chance to capture their first NBA title in 40 years.

Coming off a 104-91 home triumph Sunday, the Warriors own a 3-2 edge in the best-of-seven championship series with the Cavaliers needing a game-six victory to force a seventh game Friday back in California.

"This is going to be the biggest game any of us have ever played in our careers," said Warriors forward Andre Iguodala.

"It's all about staying locked in, about knowing it's not going to be given to us. We have to earn it."

NBA Most Valuable Player Curry has recovered from dehydration after a 37-point performance in game five and will be ready Tuesday.

"The closeout game is always the hardest game in every series, but particularly in the finals," Warriors coach Steve Kerr said.

"There's a lot of emotion. You're right there on the cusp of something, but you still have to get the job done, and in this case we'll be on the road against a great team."

None of Golden State's players were alive in 1975 when the Warriors last won the NBA Finals. And the lineup could become the first with no prior NBA Finals experience to take the crown since the 1991 Chicago Bulls.

"Treat it like game seven," Warriors guard Klay Thompson said. "As much as we would love to win it in front of our fans, we really want to finish it in Cleveland."

But LeBron James, carrying the scoring and set-up load for the injury-hit Cavaliers around a set of role players, has other ideas.

"We don't want them celebrating at all, no matter if it's on our home floor or their home floor," James said. "We've come this far and we've been very good at home."

Fatigued by a fast-paced Warriors lineup and limited substitution options, the Cavaliers were beaten handily at home in game four, something they hope to avoid repeating.

"We have to understand why we weren't good in game four," James said. "We had a lack of energy. We had a lack of effort in a lot of areas in game four and we can't repeat that or they will raise the trophy for sure."

The Warriors could become the first team with a rookie coach to win the title since Pat Riley with the 1982 Los Angeles Lakers.

But James is a threat for a breakout game at any stage after an all-around performance for the ages in the final.

"He's phenomenal. He does everything," Kerr said of James. "But I'm not enjoying the marveling."

- Cavs 'in a dogfight' -

Cleveland guard J.R. Smith vows the Cavaliers will not go down without a fight.

"We just have to come out swinging. That's the only thing we can do," Smith said.

"We're in a dogfight and our backs are against the wall. You just have to find a way to dig down and come up with those plays."

Iguodala, who has come off the Golden State bench to tightly guard James and provide a speed and scoring spark, would be only the second teammate of an NBA MVP to win the NBA Finals MVP award, the first being Magic Johnson in 1980 as a Lakers rookie after Kareem Abdul-Jabbar won the season MVP award.

"We have to come out early and try to establish ourselves. The first few minutes is going to be really important," Iguodala said. "They might be tired but they can push through (fatigue) for a game or two and we have to realize that.

"They are going to keep fighting. Their mentality is fight to the end. We know how tough it's going to be. We've had some tough games closing out series and this will probably be 10 times as tough."

But Golden State has the confidence to trade big shots with the game on the line or battle back from behind.

"It's a very confident group," Kerr said. "They have had a heck of a season and they are playing at a high level."

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Curry too hot for LeBron as MVP shotmaker sizzles

OAKLAND -- Steph Curry finally displayed the shotmaking skills that made him this season's NBA Most Valuable Player and as a result the Golden State Warriors are on the brink of ending a 40-year title drought.

Curry produced his finest performance of his first NBA Finals on Sunday, scoring 37 points to power the Warriors over the Cleveland Cavaliers 104-91 as Golden State seized a 3-2 lead in the best-of-seven championship series. The Warriors can claim their first crown since 1975 by winning game six Tuesday in Cleveland.

"He made some terrific shots," said Cavaliers coach Dave Blatt. "There are a few that he made, more than a few, that were extremely difficult shots, high-level shots by a high-level player. Sometimes you've got to take your hat off to the other guy. He made some tremendous shots. That's respect."

Curry connected on 13-of-23 shots from the floor, including 7-of-13 from 3-point range, and added seven rebounds and four assists. He scored 17 points in the fourth quarter, 12 of those in a decisive 19-5 late-game spurt that saw him sink two jaw-dropping 3-pointers.

"Tip your hat to a guy who makes shots like that and he's the guy that can do it," Cavaliers star LeBron James said. "He's the best shooter in our league."

Asked what more his team could have done to stop Curry, Blatt replied: "That's a really a good question. Not a lot you can do, honestly."

Curry, adding to the NBA record for most 3-pointers in a playoff run with every basket from beyond the arc, had struggled earlier in the series, shut down at times by hustling Australian guard Matthew Dellavedova, notably in game two when Curry was only 5-of-23 from the court and 2-of-15 on 3-pointers.

Curry had averaged 23.5 points a game but only shown flashes of the hot hand that helped Golden State to an NBA-best 67-15 record until Sunday, when he became the first player in NBA Finals history to make seven 3-pointers in multiple games of an NBA Finals, matching his game three output.

"He's one of the best shooters in our league," Cavaliers forward Tristan Thompson said. "I guess he exploded."

- 'This is Steph's night' -

Warriors coach Steve Kerr said he expected great things from Curry when he saw Cleveland remove Russian big man Timofey Mozgov for J.R. Smith to match a smaller, faster Golden State lineup.

"From the very beginning when they went small, I thought: 'This is Steph's night. This is going to be a big one for him because he has all that room,'" Kerr said.

"I just think sooner or later Steph's going to get going. He had a tough first couple of games. He got going at the end of game three and that's all it takes. Steph makes a couple shots. He feels like he's got it rolling and he has been great ever since. It's not really an adjustment. It's just the law of averages are that Steph's going to make some shots."

One 3-pointer came over two defenders after behind-the-back and crossover dribbles and brought a huge roar from the crowd, a possible defining moment.

"It was a fun moment, but it only means something after we win the championship because signature moments only come for players who are holding the trophy," Curry said.

And to that end, Curry has been willing to set up other teammates when he has been tightly defended, notably forward Andre Iguodala.

"Steph is a great player. His mind is getting better and better, and he has even more room to improve," Iguodala said. "He has just been an MVP for us."

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WATCH: Steph Curry powers Warriors to Game 5 win

Reigning NBA Most Valuable Player Steph Curry came alive in the fourth quarter of Game 5 to power the Golden State Warriors to a 104-91 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Curry scored 37 points, 17 of which came in the final period, as the Warriors finally broke the game open after the Cavs kept in step with them for three quarters.

Curry converted 13 of his 23 field goal attempts, including seven of 13 three-pointers, and added seven rebounds and four assists while playing 42 minutes.

The Warriors are now just one win away from claiming their first NBA title since 1975.

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Warriors pull away from Cavs to take 3-2 lead in Finals

Stephen Curry sparked a late rally as the Golden State Warriors pulled away from the Cleveland Cavaliers in the fourth quarter and win Game 5, 104-91, to take a 3-2 lead in the best-of-seven Finals series at the Oracle Arena Sunday (Monday, Manila time).

Curry scored 37 points and was at his best in the final quarter to bring the Warriors on the brink of winning the NBA Finals.

LeBron James tallied another historic performance, scoring 40 points to go along with 14 rebounds and 11 assists. His long three-pointer with 7:47 left in the game gave the Cavaliers their final lead of the contest, 80-79.

Seconds later, Curry drained a three-pointer of his own, and Klay Thompson added another three-point bomb in the Warriors' next possession to give Golden State an 85-80 advantage with 6:49 to go in the fourth quarter.

The Cavaliers last threatened at 84-85 with 5:10 to go after Tristan Thompson sank a hook shot off an assist by James, but it was all Golden State from that point as Curry and Andre Iguodala took turns torching the Cavs.

Curry's three-pointer with 1:22 to go proved to be the dagger, putting the Warriors on top 100-89.

Aside from Curry, four other Golden State players scored in double-digits, including Iguodala who had 14 points, eight rebounds, and seven assists while doing another admirable job in defending James.

JR Smith scored 14 points for the Cavaliers and waxed hot from beyond the arc in the first half, but faded in the second half. Tristan Thompson had 19 points and 10 rebounds.

The series returns to Cleveland for Game 6 on Tuesday (Wednesday in Manila).

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Extra Finals rest day 'lifeline' for LeBron, Cavs

OAKLAND -- LeBron James called Saturday's extra rest day in the NBA Finals "a lifeline" for the Cleveland Cavaliers, whose weary starters have played much more than their Golden State counterparts.

The Cavaliers and Warriors are level at 2-2 in the best-of-seven championship series with Game 5 on Sunday (Monday, Manila time) at Oakland, where Cleveland won Game 2 for only the fourth home loss by Golden State in the season or playoffs.

Because Cleveland coach Dave Blatt has only used a couple of reserves for significant minutes in the series, the Cavaliers' starters have played a combined 60 minutes more than those of Golden State, each of them between six and 14 minutes more a game on average than during the season.

James has faced the Herculean task of serving as top scorer and set-up man for others while contributing with rebounds and defense and taking almost no rest. Add to that a cut to the right side of his head in Game 4 that required stitches and it's no wonder he's happy for a night off.

"Any little rest you can get throughout the post-season run, it's like a lifeline," James said. "For us to be able to get this extra day to mentally and physically prepare for tomorrow is definitely helpful."

James, a four-time NBA Most Valuable Player in his fifth consecutive finals, was feeling cramps in Game 4 last Thursday while Australian guard Matthew Dellavedova was hospitalized with fatigue after Game 3 and fighting leg cramps in Game 4.

"I'll definitely feel better. Extra day's rest for everybody is going to be really good for us," Dellavedova said. "The extra rest will really do us well, just giving you extra time to get all your treatment, recovery, food and hydration. I think we're all going to be ready to go for game five."

Cleveland's home finals games have had only one off day from the prior game, as will be true with Game 6 there Tuesday (Wednesday in Manila), so Blatt will take the extra rest on the road.

"It certainly helps," he said. This time of year you don't over-practice. You spend a lot of time in recovery mode, treatment, rehabilitation and a lot of rest, working as much on the mind as you do on the body, hoping you can come out and be focused and be responsible.

"We need LeBron's production and we need him to play at the highest level. He's carrying a heavy load on his shoulders, and he's carrying it brilliantly. Hopefully he'll come to tomorrow's game a little bit more rested, like the rest of the guys, and physically feel good to attack the game the way he has been attacking."

Fatigue is 'no excuse'

Cleveland forward Tristan Thompson isn't willing to use tiredness as any excuse entering a game that will put one team on the brink of a crown.

"There's no excuse to use fatigue as a factor. There is a week and change left of basketball. You have to give it all. You have the rest of the summer to help you relax," Thompson said.

Cavaliers guard Iman Shumpert says rest will help but hitting shots matters most.

"Every little bit of rest and preparation helps, but it's going to come down to pride and taking the challenge, making sure we step up and knock down our good looks when we get them," Shumpert said.

For Golden State's Steph Curry, the mental grind is as taxing as the physical.

"With three games left, whatever you have percentage-wise, however you feel, you've almost got to psych yourself mentally, give it all you've got for three games," he said.

And while Warriors big man David Lee can see fatigue as a factor, he doubts it will decide a champion.

"It's starting to have a little bit more of an impact," he said. "But at this time of the year I don't think we're going to win the series because they're tired."

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Cavaliers mull over possible Game 5 tweaks

Just as Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr did not want to reveal details of an altered game plan for Game 4, his Cleveland Cavaliers counterpart did not want to tip his hand for Game 5.

Cavaliers head coach David Blatt was asked how he would counter Kerr's decision to go smaller with his starting five last Thursday, replacing center Andrew Bogut with swing-man Andre Iguodala.

Iguodala scored 22 points in the 103-82 win in Cleveland to tie the NBA Finals at 2-2 with Game 5 at Oracle Arena in Oakland on Sunday (Monday, Manila time).

"I think that we've made more than our share of adjustments throughout the course of the entire playoffs, not only in this series," said Blatt, referring to the adjustments he has been forced to make because of injuries to starters Kevin Love (shoulder), Kyrie Irving (knee) and a suspension to J.R. Smith.

"Every game brings out new things and certainly presents new challenges. If you look at the one game, it makes you think 'okay, we've got to change this, that and the other thing.' If you look at the four games, in three out of four of those games we were pretty good doing the things that we did. So I think you'll see a combination of both of those possibilities.

"We've got to continue to do certain things really well. What we need to change, we will."

If Cavaliers superstar LeBron James has his way, he wants his coach to stick with the team's starting five of James, Matthew Dellavedova, Iman Shumpert, Tristan Thompson and Timofey Mozgov.

"In this case with our bigs, Timo and Tristan, Timo's starting off on (Iguodala), it's a different match up than Bogut, obviously," James said.

"You've got a guy that's primarily on the perimeter in Game 4 versus guarding a guy that's always in the paint, for the most part, unless he's initiating offense.

"So it's definitely a different change for us. But I think we'll be much more prepared for it tomorrow night if they go with the same lineup.

"We're going to play our game. We've gotten to this point by playing the way we play, and we're not going to change. We'll make adjustments throughout the game, but we won't change our starting lineup."

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Warriors own momentum but cautious in level Finals

A faster-paced starting lineup helped Golden State level the NBA Finals, but the Warriors' confidence is mixed with caution entering Sunday's pivotal fifth game of the championship series against Cleveland.

One club will reach the brink of a historic title in the best-of-seven showdown with a victory, but with two games decided in the final seconds and another in over-time, these Finals have proven thrilling, physical and emotional.

"It's just a street fight. They are battling and we're battling," said Golden State forward Draymond Green. "That's why this series is so exciting, because that's all it is."

Warriors guard Klay Thompson is pleased two of the potential three final games will be on the home court where Golden State has lost only four times during the season and playoffs.

"We're really happy but we're not going to celebrate yet," he said. "We still have two more wins to go. We're not content. We have a best-of-three now."

And Warriors star Steph Curry, the 2015 NBA Most Valuable Player who has set a record for playoff 3-pointers in this year's run, knows the Cavaliers will adapt to Golden State's move to starting Andre Iguodala to produce a faster pace and more energy early in the game.

"Doesn't mean you can go out there and expect to have the same results in game five," Curry said. "We've got to be ready for any adjustment."

Cavaliers star LeBron James is hitting only 20 percent of his shots against the smaller, faster Golden State lineup versus 42 percent against other Warriors combinations.

"You just go out and play hard, coaching staff gives you a great game plan, you go out and execute it and live with the results," James said, saying poor Cavaliers shooting helped provide Golden State a scoring boost in game four.

"When you're getting the ball off the glass or you're getting the ball off the rim, your pace is much better than when you're taking the ball off the net," James said. "So it's just a product of us not shooting the ball well at all."

Cleveland's Russian center, Timofey Mozgov, said he must be better at picking up the Warriors' plays.

"It's not about how you move. It's about how you read (their moves)," he said. "You've got to learn and I have to be better. We all have to be better."

No one feels that pressure like J.R. Smith, the Cavs reserve shooting guard who went 2-for-12 in game four, including 0-of-8 from 3-point range.

"Nobody said it was going to be easy," Smith said. "We have to go out there now and try to get another win. They play well at home. Only positive is we beat them there before (in game two). We just have to go out there and grind it out."

- Green passes Mozgov test -

Green did just that for the Warriors in game four, scoring 17 points while playing much of his time against much-larger Mozgov.

"Mozgov has pretty much been sitting at the rim the entire series. Now you have to chase somebody around a little more," Green said. "At the end of the day you are going to take the chance on Mozgov beating you before you take the chance on LeBron beating you.

"We needed to put them on their heels. That's what the smaller lineup enabled us to do."

And Green's willingness to test Mozgov made it all work.

"He's the heart and soul of this team and he stepped up when we needed him most," Thompson said of Green. "We're going to look forward to seeing more from him on Sunday."

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Warriors top Cavaliers to square up NBA Finals

CLEVELAND - The top-seeded Golden State Warriors rediscovered their scoring touch and tied the NBA Finals at 2-2 with a crucial 103-83 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Thursday in Game Four.



NBA Most Valuable Player Stephen Curry and Andre Iguodala each had 22 points for Golden State as the Warriors breathed new life into their title hopes.

Cleveland's Timofey Mozgov had a game-high 28 points while LeBron James, who went down hard in the second quarter after slamming his head on a camera, finished with 20 points on 7-of-22 shooting.

Game Five is scheduled for Sunday in Oakland.

(Reporting by Frank Pingue; Editing by Ian Ransom)

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Aussie Dellavedova's heroics impress superstars

CLEVELAND -- Kyrie Irving says Matthew Dellavedova commanded respect from the day they met. LeBron James backs the Australian for knighthood. And even Steph Curry grudgingly admits Dellavedova has impressed against him.

So one might think the 24-year-old from Maryborough might be impressed with all the praise from his superstar peers as he has helped the Cleveland Cavaliers take a 2-1 lead over Golden State in the NBA Finals. But he's not.

"To be honest, I'm not really paying attention to any of it," Dellavedova said Wednesday. "Just locked in on the goal and the job that needs to be done. So, yeah, that's about it."

It's the laid back, matter-of-fact attitude that has made "Delly" beloved to Cleveland fans hungry for their first sports champion since the 1964 NFL Browns.

The no-nonsense approach is why his Cavaliers teammates aren't shocked at his star turn as a fill-in for Irving, who fractured his left kneecap in the finals opener.

"Delly comes from a rugby background and if any of you guys have an opportunity to ever watch a rugby game, you see how tough it is," James said. "That's what it's about. He just brings it all. Everything that he has, he lays out on the floor."

Dellavedova dives for loose balls, defends NBA Most Valuable Player Steph Curry and scored 20 points in Tuesday's 96-91 Cleveland victory, after which he need intravenous fluids and spent the night in the hospital.

"I think he dove on the ground last night an 'NBA Finals record' six times. And he was on the ground again after the game in the hospital, so you could probably say seven times," James said. "He gives us everything he has and we all appreciate it as his brothers in the lineup beside him."

And James backs him for becoming Sir Dellavedova, saying, "That's pretty cool. Whatever is in the favor of good for Delly, I'm all for it, whatever that guy wants or needs."

Dellavedova kept Curry 0-for-8 when defending him in game two and contained him until the fourth quarter in game three, heady hustle from an undrafted second-year player against one of the league's top scorers.

"He's an NBA player. He's here for a reason, so there is a reason he's able to impact the game," Curry said. "He has made some plays the last couple games that helped them win, so there is no discrediting him as a player just because of where he's come from and his background.

"We're going to keep battling and hopefully I'll get the best of him over seven games."

- Delly 'ready to rumble' -

Teammates aren't surprised since they must contend with "Delly" in workouts every week.

"First time I played against him, he commanded my respect," Irving said. "Whether that be in a pickup game or us playing a scrimmage in practice, it was going to be hard fought.

"Once you step into that, I want to call it a ring, with Delly, you better be ready to rumble. He's ready to go all the time."

And that means Thursday's game four in Cleveland despite his cramps and hospital stay.

"Feeling pretty good," Dellavedova said. "Just cramped up a little bit and then they thought the best form of recovery would be just go to the hospital for a little bit, get an IV. I was there for a little bit, but mainly just to rest up and recover. I'll be ready to go."

And with his contract expiring, he might just be ready to command some hefty money next season.

"He's the definition of hard work paying off," Cavaliers teammate Iman Shumpert said. "I am in awe of him. To see how cool he is, how calm he is, to see it fall together like this for him, it definitely makes you smile."

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

WATCH: Top plays of Game 3 of 2015 NBA Finals

Check out the top plays in Game 3 of the 2015 NBA Finals, which the Cleveland Cavaliers won, 96-91, to take a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven series against the Golden State Warriors.

LeBron James dominated anew, scoring 40 points to go along with 12 rebounds and eight assists, while Matthew Dellavedova contributed 20 points.

Stephen Curry sparked a late rally by the Warriors but eventually fell short. He finished the game with 27 points.

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James on historic pace to bring Cleveland a crown

CLEVELAND -- There's a huge photo of LeBron James on the Cleveland Cavaliers' home arena with the superstar's giant-sized outstretched arms wide enough to carry the entire team, just as he's doing in the NBA Finals.

Another maestro performance Tuesday saw "King James" score 40 points, grab 12 rebounds and pass out eight assists to spark the host Cavaliers over Golden State 96-91 to seize a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven series with game four Thursday in Cleveland.

The victory reinforced the growing sense that this is a career-defining moment for James, two wins from realizing his life's dream of turning his hometown club into a champion.

The 30-year-old forward's emotional and exhausting heroics could produce one of the NBA's greatest feats, a spectacular achievement given the loss of two all-star teammates to playoff injuries.

"You would be hard pressed to find a guy anywhere, anytime that can give you the kind of all-around performance and leadership that LeBron does," Cavaliers coach Dave Blatt said. "He really has willed his guys to win. That's what a champion does and obviously he's a champion."

Cleveland lost All-Star forward Kevin Love to a separated shoulder in the opening playoff round and All-Star guard Kyrie Iring to a fractured left kneecap in the finals opener against a top-seeded Warriors side featuring NBA Most Valuable Player Steph Curry and a deep bench.

"We know we have to get more out of ourselves than maybe is even humanly possible sometimes, but that's the situation," Blatt said. "We have a chance to do something very special and if it requires us to go above and beyond, that's what we've got to do. It's a matter of facing up and manning up."

James is averaging a record 41 points plus 12 rebounds and 8.3 assists in the NBA Finals, baffling the Warriors by driving to the hoop, sinking fadeaway jumpers and hurling passes to unguarded teammates.

"He obviously is one of the great players in the league. He affects every single play," Warriors coach Steve Kerr said. "Some great players you have to defend a certain action. With LeBron, it's everything that happens."

Kerr, who won three of his five titles as a player alongside Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen with the 1990s Chicago Bulls, has seen nothing like James. Asked if he is today's top athlete, Kerr said, "Can you find another one? Maybe American Pharoah," citing the new Triple Crown horse racing champion.

"He's arguably the best athlete that any of us have seen in terms of size and speed and strength. I mean, he's a force. There are other guys who you can compare over the years, Scottie and Michael come to mind, but LeBron is so unique because of that powerful force and how smart he is, just the impact he makes with his physicality on the game."

James was a high school teen star in nearby Akron, taken first by Cleveland in the 2003 NBA Draft and four years later had the Cavaliers in the NBA Finals, where San Antonio swept them.

Needing to learn how to become a champion, James departed for Miami in 2010, heartbroken Cleveland fans burning his jersey and scorning his name. James led the Heat to two NBA crowns and two finals losses in four seasons.

"Experience is the greatest teacher in life and I was able to learn a lot of things in the four years I was in Miami," James said. "A lot of things have fallen into place for me. Every experience I've had I can draw from it. That has helped me become who I am today."

Last July, James returned to Cleveland, vowing to bring the city its first sports champion since the 1964 NFL Browns.

"I think for him it's the pride of the city on his back," said ex-Miami teammate Dwyane Wade.

James has excited NBA fans for years with his high-leaping acrobatic moves, but this jaw-dropping run appears to be one for the ages.

"Part of his greatness is the ability to size things up quickly, to slow the game down for himself and make a good decision," Blatt said.

Stripped of his main supporting cast, James has inspired role players to elevate their game. James gave teammates Apple watches in a pre-finals team meeting, building bonds and confidence that saw the club through setbacks.

"When you're able to come together off the floor, it helps you come together on the floor," James said. "That's one of my leadership styles."

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Stellar LeBron James, gritty Aussie lead Cavs to win

CLEVELAND -- LeBron James scored 40 points and gritty Matthew Dellavedova added 20 to lead Cleveland over Golden State 96-91 Tuesday and move the Cavaliers halfway to capturing the NBA Finals.

Cleveland took a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven championship series, which continues with game four Thursday in Cleveland. Teams that win game three after splitting the first two take the NBA Finals 84 percent of the time.

The Cavaliers, who have won 27 of their past 29 home games, seek Cleveland's first crown in any sport since the 1964 NFL Browns, the longest such US title drought, while the Warriors seek their first title since 1975.

James, who added 12 rebounds and eight assists, powered the Cavaliers to a 20-point lead in the third quarter but Steph Curry, who finished with 27 points, led a furious rally that pulled the Warriors within a point late only to fall short thanks to clutch baskets from James and Australian Dellavedova.

James, a four-time NBA Most Valuable Player in his fifth consecutive finals, has 123 points, the most points ever by any player through the first three NBA Finals games.

"I don't know if I can continue to produce these kind of numbers, but I'll keep doing whatever this team needs," James said.

The Warriors, who never led, had an NBA-best seven wins this season after trailing by 15 or more points, but this would not be one of them.

A Curry 3-pointer pulled Golden State within 88-83 but Dellavedova and James each added two free throws. David Lee tipped in a Curry miss but Curry added a 3-pointer to lift Golden State within 92-88 with 27 seconds to play.

James followed with two more free throws but Curry again sank a 3-pointer to make it 94-91. James responded with two more free throws and the Cavaliers held on for the triumph.

"That last minute and a half, we've got a lot to learn from," James said.

Curry had only two points until late in the third quarter but scored 17 in the fourth after being silenced most of the night.

"We were trying to make it tough on them," James said. "(Curry) is a great shooter and we've got to contain him."

Dellavedova had 10 of his 20 points in the third quarter and a key late 3-point play.

"He's made of steel," James said of Dellavedova. "He was huge for us. He gives us that grit we need until the tank is empty."

Dellavedova scored eight points in a 10-5 Cleveland run for a 56-46 lead and soon after the Cavaliers scored 12 consecutive points for their largest edge at 68-48, James starting the run with a 3-pointer and turnaround jumper and matching his first-half total with 13 points in the quarter.

"We were just making things hard, making every shot a contested one, making them work," Cavaliers coach Dave Blatt said.

But Curry finally found his shooting touch and 3-pointers by Klay Thompson and Andre Iguodala ignited a 25-9 Warriors run that cut Cleveland's lead to 77-73 with 7:24 remaining.

Curry sank a 3-pointer with pull Golden State within 81-80 with 2:45 to play after trailing by 20, but Dellavedova answered with a 3-point play, banking in a shot off the backboard while stumbling and being fouled by Curry, and James followed with a 3-pointer to put Cleveland ahead 87-80 with 1:40 remaining.

James Jones sank a 3-pointer with 0.9 of a second remaining in the second quarter to give the Cavaliers a 44-37 half-time lead. Cleveland's swarming defense kept the NBA's top-scoring team to its lowest first-half point total of the season. The Warriors made only 15-of-44 first half shots, their starters only 6-of-27.

James was only 6-of-17 from the floor in the first half but led all scorers with 13 points while NBA 2015 Most Valuable Player Steph Curry was 1-of-6 for only three points in the span, hitting only the Warriors' first basket of the game and outscored by five Cleveland players in the first half.

The Cavaliers, who lost star forward Kevin Love to a separated left shoulder in the opening round of the playoffs and star guard Kyrie Irving in the Finals opener to a fractured left kneecap, had another injury scare when guard Iman Shumpert suffered an early left shoulder injury when hit by a screening Draymond Green. But he returned and played 32 minutes in all.

source: wwww.abs-cbnnews.com

Mozgov plays vital Finals role for injury-hit Cavs

CLEVELAND -- Russian center Timofey Mozgov, who wasn't even with the Cleveland Cavaliers when the NBA season began, suddenly finds himself a crucial player in the team's quest for a championship.

The 7-foot-1 (2.16m) giant is the first Russian to play in the NBA Finals and has proven a key asset for the injury-hit Cavaliers, who are level at 1-1 with Golden State in the best-of-seven series entering Tuesday's game three at Cleveland, where the Cavs have won 26 of their past 28 starts.

Mozgov is averaging 16.5 points and nine rebounds for the Cavaliers, who used his size advantage on Australian centre Andrew Bogut of the Warriors to run their offensive plays to him when superstar LeBron James took a brief rest in game two's 95-93 Cleveland win.

Mozgov, obtained in a deal with Denver after Brazilian big man Anderson Varejao tore an Achilles tendon in December, provides secondary scoring support for a Cleveland team that lost forward Kevin Love to a separated shoulder in the first round and star guard Kyrie Irving to a fractured left kneecap in the finals opener.

But beyond that, his interior defensive work foils many chances for Golden State, his rebounding eases some of the pressure on the boards upon James and rebound specialist Tristan Thompson and his positioning away from the ball helps teammates get better scoring opportunities.

"Moz played great (and) he played extremely well the in first game too," Cavaliers coach Dave Blatt said after game two.

Mozgov, who helped a Blatt-coached Russian team win Olympic bronze at London in 2012, is benched at times as well when the Cavaliers need to match the speed and quickness the Warriors can bring.

"We play the lineup we need to play to match up properly with them and at the same time not lose an advantage at the other end," Blatt said.

In game one, only Irving, James and Mozgov scored after half-time and the Cavaliers were within a last-second shot of victory.

"Every game is different. Every game you have different scoring options and you play to your strengths," Mozgov said. "I'm ready when they need me."

Bogut has managed only three points a game in the finals, displaying the skills that pushed the Cavaliers to send two top draft picks to Denver to obtain him for this title push. In return, Mozgov averaged 10.6 points and 6.9 rebounds in 45 regular season games.

"He's a solid big man in this league," Bogut said. "He's just finding an opportunity to play. He wasn't even getting floor time in Denver, which is a huge headscratcher, but he's a tough player. He fits a perfect role for them.

"I think their needle changed once they made that trade. Once they got him, they got a rim presence and a big guy that can bang."

Mozgov likes the physical matchup with Bogut as well.

"He's a good guy," Mozgov says of Bogut. "We both like to push each other."

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Aussie Dellavedova shuts down Curry, hits big shots

OAKLAND -- It turns out that Cleveland backup guard Matthew Dellavedova might be more dangerous to Golden State's chances of winning the NBA Finals than injured star guard Kyrie Irving was.

The 24-year-old Australian played the game of his life Sunday, silencing NBA Most Valuable Player Stephen Curry defensively and sinking two clutch over-time free throws with the game on the line to give the Cavaliers a 95-93 victory that evened the best-of-seven series at 1-1.

After squandering an 11-point lead in the final minutes of regulation time, the Cavaliers watched Curry sink two free throws to give the Warriors their first lead after half-time in the dying seconds of the extra five-minute period.

But Dellavedova was fouled going for a rebound and answered with two tension-filled free throws of his own to put the Cavaliers ahead to stay at 94-93.

"That's a classic thing you practice as a kid growing up, down one, you need to make both free throws, so I felt like I've been in that situation a million times before," Dellavedova said.

Dellavedova started in place of Irving, who suffered a fractured left kneecap in Thursday's game one loss. Some saw that as an end to Cleveland's hopes of the city's first pro sports crown in 51 years.

But Curry went 5-of-23 from the floor, including 2-of-15 from 3-point range, in his worst shooting performance of the season. His 13 missed 3-pointers were an NBA Finals record, two more than the old mark belonging to John Starks from 1994.

Asked what Dellavedova did to shut him down, Curry said: "Nothing really, just besides playing their game plan and playing defense like every pro is supposed to.

"Not giving up on any possession. But I doubt this will happen again, with the adjustments I'll make once I'll look at the film.

"One game is not going to make me stop shooting or alter my confidence at all."

When Dellavedova was guarding Curry, the NBA Most Valuable Player went 0-for-8 from the floor, 0-for-5 from 3-point range with four turnovers.

"You've got to give him credit. He made big plays," Warriors scoring leader Klay Thompson said of Dellavedova.

The humble reserve who went undrafted in the NBA had taken out the top scoring threat on the NBA's winningest club this season.

"It had everything to do with Delly," said Cavaliers star LeBron James, who had NBA Finals career highs of 39 points, 16 rebounds, 11 assists and 50 minutes on the court.

"He just kept a body on Steph. He made Steph work. He was spectacular defensively. We needed everything from him. He just did a great job.

"Just trying to make it tough on Steph. That's all you can do. You make it tough on him. Delly did that."

- Cavs confident in Delly -

James said he had never had a teammate like Dellavedova.

"He's unique in his own way," James said. "He is a guy that has been counted out his whole life.

"Probably people have been telling him he's too small, he's not fast enough, can't shoot it enough, can't handle it good enough, and he's beat the odds so many times.

"The confidence that we have in him allows him to be confident in himself. He goes out and he just plays his tail off, and when a guy like that does that, he gets great results."

The Cavaliers went 2-11 when Dellavedova started during the regular season. They are 3-0 when he does in the playoffs.

After missing the game bus to the hotel after the opener and needing Uber to give him a lift, Dellavedova was in a better place after game two, according to Aussie pal Patty Mills, an NBA champion last year with San Antonio.

"Della, you can wait as long as you want brus," he tweeted. "Bus not leaving without you tonight!"

Cavaliers coach Dave Blatt loved seeing Dellavedova's performance, which included nine points, five rebounds and three steals.

"He did what he has been doing every time that we've put him in that position. He's a courageous kid that plays right," Blatt said. "Just plays hard, heartfelt, and tough basketball."

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

LeBron powers Cavs over Warriors to level Finals

OAKLAND -- LeBron James scored 39 points, grabbed 16 rebounds and dished out 11 assists in one of his greatest performances, sparking Cleveland over Golden State 95-93 in over-time Sunday to level the NBA Finals.

The four-time NBA Most Valuable Player played 50 minutes in the dramatic triumph, which was not decided until Iman Shumpert stole the ball from Steph Curry to deny the Warriors a shot at the final buzzer.

"Total team effort," James said. "(It took) everything. I tried to give it to my teammates and they gave it back to me."

The Cavaliers evened the best-of-seven championship series at 1-1 with games three and four on Tuesday and Thursday in Cleveland.

Russian center Timofey Mozgov had 17 points and 11 rebounds for Cleveland and Tristan Thompson added 14 rebounds for the Cavaliers, who also did a superb job of shutting down Curry.

Cleveland got two clutch go-ahead free throws from Matthew Dellavedova with 10 seconds remaining in over-time as the Australian started in place of Kyrie Irving, who suffered a fractured left kneecap in a 108-100 game one over-time loss.

"Very emotional win right there," said James. "We have got a long way to go. If we defend as good as we did tonight, we've got a good chance against anybody."

Klay Thompson led Golden State with a playoff career high 34 points while Curry, the NBA Most Valuable Player, had 19 points on 5-of-23 shooting, the 3-point ace hitting only 2-of-15 from beyond the arc.

It was a key victory for the Cavaliers, as teams that fall behind 2-0 in the NBA Finals have lost 28 of 31 times. And it come in an arena where Golden State, which won an NBA-best 67 games this season, had lost only three times in 50 prior starts in the regular season and playoffs.

The Cavaliers are trying to bring the city of Cleveland its first major sports champion since the 1964 Browns won the NFL crown while the Warriors seek their first title in 40 years.

In the prior eight playoff series in which James had been on the losing side in game one, his team bounced back to win game two. This was the ninth.

"These situations only make us stronger," Cavaliers coach Dave Blatt said. "I thought they played their hearts out."

Curry endured his worst shooting game of the season but drove to the hoop for a game-tying layup at 87-87 with 7.2 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter. James tried for a winning layup in the dying seconds but missed, as did Tristan Thompson's tip-in attempt, forcing over-time.

Iman Shumpert hit a 3-pointer and James added two free throws to give Cleveland a 92-87 over-time advantage, but Draymond Green hit back-to-back baskets to pull Golden State within one.

After five failed possessions, Curry lured Smith into fouling him and Curry made both free throws with 29.5 seconds remaining to put the Warriors ahead 93-92, their first lead after half-time.

Green blocked a James layup attempt but the ball went out of bounds. Cleveland's James Jones missed a 3-pointer but Dellavedova rebounded and was fouled, then hit two tension-packed free throws to put the Cavaliers ahead 94-93.

Curry missed a go-ahead jump shot and James grabbed the rebound and was fouled. James hit a free throw and Shumpert denied Golden State a final shot.

"We have got to do a better job of creating that pace," Warriors coach Steve Kerr said. "We've got to give our guys better looks."

After Thompson's 3-pointer to open the fourth quarter pulled Golden State level at 62-62, the Cavaliers went on a 21-10 run to seize command.

James scored eight points in the span, including two 3-pointers, while Dellavedova added seven points and Smith six, each of them hitting a 3-pointer, as the Cavaliers matched their biggest lead at 83-72 with 3:13 remaining.

The Warriors answered with a 13-4 run, Curry scoring five points and Harrison Barnes making a dunk and free throw off a Smith foul to lift Golden State within 87-85 with 83 seconds to play, setting up the late drama.

Golden State, the NBA 3-point leaders, went only 4-of-17 from beyond the arc in the first half but only trailed 47-45 at half-time.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

WATCH: Top 5 plays in NBA Finals Game 1

Check out the top plays of Game 1 between the Golden State Warriors and the Cleveland Cavaliers in the 2015 NBA Finals.

The Warriors needed the extra time to grab a 108-100 victory against the Cavaliers in Game 1.

Steph Curry paced Golden State with 26 points to offset the efforts of LeBron James, who scored 44 points for the Cavs.

Golden State now leads Cleveland 1-0 in the race-to-four title series.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Warriors beat Cavs in Game One OT thriller

The Golden State Warriors, led by the league's Most Valuable Player Stephen Curry, drew first blood in the best-of-seven NBA Finals with a thrilling 108-100 overtime victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game One on Thursday.

Curry put the Warriors ahead at 102-98 in extra time with two pairs of free throws before forward Harrison Barnes made it 105-98 with a three-pointer at a raucous Oracle Arena in Oakland, and there was no way back from there for Cleveland.

The score had been tied at 98-98 with just 31.9 seconds left in regulation before Curry was denied a layup by a superb block from Kyrie Irving, then LeBron James missed a jump shot for the Cavaliers with only 3.6 seconds remaining.

Point guard Curry scored a team-high 26 points on 10-of-20 shooting while forward James weighed in with 44, his most ever in a Finals game, in a losing cause as the Cavaliers were outscored 10-2 in overtime. (Reporting by Mark Lamport-Stokes in Los Angeles; Editing by Frank Pingue)

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com