Page 19 - ARUBA TODAY

A19
SPORTS Friday 9 June 2017
Warriors set to make their claim as NBA’s best ever

BRIAN MAHONEY None won as dominantly They spoke openly of their
AP Basketball Writer as this team, which has desire to beat Jordan’s 72-
CLEVELAND (AP) — One four versatile All-Stars — in- win team in 1996, but this
victory left for the Golden cluding two former league time have downplayed the
State Warriors to claim an- MVPs — in their prime. importance of 16-0.
other title. These aptly named Warriors “We obviously know how
Not the one as NBA cham- spent the last two months hard it is to win a champi-
pions. The one as the best building big leads, then onship, what all goes into
team ever. Wednesday wiped out a it and how important each
Kevin Durant, Stephen Cur- late deficit. game is. And now that you
ry and the rest of the War- Some people may argue can look ahead to Friday,
riors will be able to make their greatness, but James all our focus is on that,”
that boast if they win Friday won’t. Curry said. “And just we
to complete the most im- “It’s probably the most, obviously — we want 16
pressive postseason run in most firepower I’ve played wins; it doesn’t matter how
major sports history. in my career,” James said. “I we get there. But now that
They moved to the brink played against some great we’re in this situation, why
of that with a 118-113 vic- teams, but I don’t think no not take care of business
tory over the Cleveland team has had this type of and finish the job?”
Cavaliers on Wednesday in firepower. So even when They were winning by 16.9
Game 3 of the NBA Finals. you’re playing well, you points per game through
The Warriors are 15-0 and got to play like A-plus plus, the previous 14, which
can finish off the NBA’s first because they’re going to would easily be another
perfect postseason with a make runs and they’re go- NBA record. And when
victory here in Game 4. ing to make shots and they they finally got a close one,
Combine that with last got guys that’s going to they showed why their ros-
year’s 73-win season, and make plays.” ter is the envy of just about
a second title in three years The NBA’s best postseason every other team, with
— which could have eas- run is the 15-1 mark of the the long-range shooting
ily been three consecu- 2001 Lakers, while the 1983 of Durant, Curry and Klay
tive championships — and Philadelphia 76ers went 12- Thompson, and the defen-
foundation of the case has 1. Jordan’s first title team in sive wizardry of Draymond
been made. 1991 is one of three squads Green and 2015 NBA Finals Golden State Warriors forward Kevin Durant (35) holds team-
The Cavaliers are no match that went 15-2. MVP Andre Iguodala. mate Draymond Green, right, back. during the first half against
for these Warriors, not even The Warriors thought they That roster would give these the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 3 of basketball’s NBA Finals in
with arguably the best were carving out their Warriors a chance against Cleveland, Wednesday, June 7, 2017.
player on the planet in LeB- place in history when they any great team from the Associated Press
ron James. Golden State’s set a record with 73 wins last past — and gives most of nasty to me,” ABC analyst venting them from going
only competition is with season. But history turned their opponents no chance Jeff Van Gundy said before to eight to 10 straight Finals.
Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe to infamy when they blew against them. the NBA Finals. “They have It will be a massive upset,
Bryant, Michael Jordan a 3-1 lead to the Cavaliers, “They’re definitely a differ- their youth, they have their I think, if they’re not there
and the Bulls, and other the biggest collapse in NBA ent team than they were health. I see nothing pre- each and every year.”q
great teams from the past. Finals history. last year that’s definitely in
full effect that we’re all fully
aware of,” the Cavs’ Kyrie
Irving said. That’s mostly
because of Durant, the for-
mer NBA MVP who signed
with the Warriors in July.
Curry, winner of the last two
MVP awards, is fully healthy
after struggling through last
year’s Finals.
Neither will turn 30 until next
year, while Thompson and
Green are only 27. Should
the Warriors stay healthy
and together — and it
would cost them enor-
mously in salaries and tax-
es — they should be a title
threat every year.
They very easily could be
playing for a third straight
championship.
They look ready to play for
many more.
“Just the combination of
offense and defense, the
talent that they’ve been
able to amass, it puts them
in position where this is a dy-