ALL is not lost for defending champion Cleveland, going by how the Cavaliers were able to regain a degree of dignity in the opening half of the NBA Finals Game 2 at the Oracle Arena.
The Cavs could yet stall the rampaging Golden State Warriors when the Cleveland team goes home for Game 3 on Thursday (Manila time).
But for that to happen, Cleveland would be needing to properly tame and temper the sizzling Golden State team.
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Cleveland coach Tyron Lue did demand some physicality from his men after the horrible drubbing suffered by the Cavs in the opening match of the NBA Finals.
?We?ve to do a better job of being on bodies and bringing the contact,? Lue said, adding they?ve got to play physical without playing crude.
The physical ploy partly paid off as the Warriors were forced to repeated turnovers in the first half.
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It?s easy to say the Warriors later proved too hot to handle in the second half of Game 2.
There definitely was no failure of nerves on the part of the Cavaliers.
The Warriors simply managed to play with superb sharpness and delightful dexterity to again put the lights out on the Cavaliers at the Oracle on Monday.
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What ultimately happened to the hard-working, over-eager Cavaliers?
As noted by one jaded NBA devotee from Pasig City, the Game 1 Nightmare did turn into cruel reality for the Cavaliers in Game 2.
This could mean Cleveland would be needing more than raw physicality if it hopes to keep pace or offset Golden State?s built-in edge.
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?We were just lucky to have a versatile team,? explained Warriors head coach Steve Kerr, who returned to the bench after recuperating from a severe back injury.
LeBron James, amused at his improved game, said they?ve got to be much better.
?Much more physical today than we were in Game 1. We forced them into 20 turnovers and they still beat us pretty good,? he rued.
Photo: Warrior's Stephen Curry (R) grits his teeth after scoring against the Cavalier's Lebron James (L) in a razzle-dazzle play (below) during a bit of action in Game 2 of the NBA Finals between the Golden State and Cleveland at the Oracle Arena in Oakland, CA. Sunday (Monday in Manila)
