NBA FEATS, FACTS AND FIGURES 5: DURANT SHINES TO GIVE WARRIORS 3-0 FINALS EDGE
By Maloney L. Samaco
PhilBoxing.com
Fri, 08 Jun 2018
The Golden State Warriors are one win away from their third NBA championship in four years after winning 110-102 in Game 3 at the homecourt of the Cleveland Cavaliers to take a 3-0 lead in the best-of-seven series. Kevin Durant led all scorers with 43 points and gave the insurance with a three-pointer 49.8 seconds remaining in the game.
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LeBron James led the Cavs offensive with 33 points, 10 rebounds and 11 assists.
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"That was amazing what he did out there tonight," said coach Steve Kerr of Durant. "Some of those shots, I don't think anybody in the world can hit those but him."
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No team in the NBA has ever recovered from a 3-0 deficit to win a series.
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Cleveland had the early lead of 16-4 in the first half, highlighted by James throwing a pass to himself through the backboard and catching the ball ending with a dunk that brought the house down.The official Twitter account of the NBA referees tweeted to confirm that James' pass to himself off the backboard was legal.
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Cleveland led by six at end of the half, but the Warriors took their turn in the third quarter, outscoring the Cavaliers 31-23 to take an 83-81 lead into the fourth quarter.
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The final quarter was hotly contested until Durant delivered to save the game for the Dubs in the final minute.
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Stephen Curry suffered an anemic performance of 11 points after breaking some scoring records in Game 2.
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Last year Golden State were on the same situation with 3-0 lead against the Cavaliers, and even if they lost Game 4 they clinched the NBA title in Game 5.
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James got the from help from Kevin Love who finished with 20 points and 13 rebounds, and Rodney Hood scored 15 points off the bench.
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The Warriors were leading 2-0 in last year's Finals when Durant buried a 3-pointer from the left side of the floor to erase the Cavaliers chances with 45.3 seconds left. They were again leading 2-0 on Wednesday night when Durant once again sank a 3-pointer from the left side of the floor that once again erased the Cavaliers chances with 49.8 seconds left. It was practically the shot that may have unofficially ended the NBA season in favor of the Golden State. Durant's last three-pointer was almost on the same location as the one from last year which made Game 3 ended almost identically as last year's.
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