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SPORTS Tuesday 6 June 2017
Cavs ignore last year’s comeback after another 0-2 hole

JOSH DUBOW two games at home before
AP Sports Writer reeling off three straight
OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — wins to become the fourth
LeBron James and the team to win the title after
Cleveland Cavaliers are losing the first two games.
headed home in a famil- “They’re going keep to
iar spot after the first two coming, man,” Curry said.
games of the NBA Finals. “There is a lot of work for
Rather than reach back us left to do. And you got
to last year’s champion- to expect them to play,
ship comeback for a con- obviously, better at home.
fidence boost, James’ fo- And we’re going to need
cus is on figuring out what to play better to win on
Cleveland must do to the road.” What was so
change its fortunes against discouraging for the Cavs
a Warriors team that is is that they played better
fresher and far more dan- in Game 2 but the result
gerous this year, thanks to didn’t really change. They
the addition of Kevin Du- went to a smaller lineup
rant. that contributed to Golden
“They’re a different team,” State committing 20 turn-
James said following a 132- overs a game after tying a
113 loss in Game 2 on Sun- Finals record with four.
day night that put Cleve- The offense picked up
land in an 0-2 hole. thanks to 27 points from
That’s been quite evident Kevin Love and the Cavs
through two games. Durant scored 22 more points than Cleveland Cavaliers’ Kyrie Irving, seated from left, LeBron James, Richard Jefferson, Kyle Korver
leads all players with 71 in the opener in a faster- and J.R. Smith sit on the bench during the second half of Game 2 of basketball’s NBA Finals against
points the first two games paced game, but that also the Golden State Warriors in Oakland, Calif., Sunday, June 4, 2017.
— six more than the player helped the Warriors im- Associated Press
he replaced in the lineup, prove their shooting from
Harrison Barnes, scored in 43 percent to 52 percent as in the opener and Love from players like Livingston, in the world ‘It’s over, it’s
had a big day in Game 2, Andre Iguodala and Zaza over,’” Livingston said. “No,
seven games a year ago. Cleveland had a weaker
Durant’s scoring has taken defensive on the floor. but starters Tristan Thomp- Pachulia at times to set an it’s not over. We saw what
son and J.R. Smith have NBA record with 14 straight happened last year. We’ve
pressure off Stephen Curry “We definitely have a sense
and allowed the Warriors to of what they’re capable been nearly invisible and postseason wins. been here. The guys that
the bench has offered little But after being so close last were here last year under-
withstand Cleveland runs of, and we felt like a lot of
so well that they haven’t times tonight we played help. The Warriors, on the year and falling short, the stand it’s the hardest thing
other hand, have gotten Warriors know how difficult to do is to try to close out
trailed after the first quarter better basketball,” Love
in either game. said. “But they’re a team key contributions from their the next two will be. a series and we’ve got two
four All-Stars: Curry, Durant, “It’s human nature to let more games to go. We
A healthy Curry followed you cannot — you can’t let
up a 28-point Game 1 with them go on runs.” Klay Thompson and Dray- your guard down, human need to take that mentality
mond Green, as well as nature,
2-0,
his first postseason triple- The key one came late everybody to Cleveland.”q
double on Sunday with 32 in the third quarter after
points, 11 assists and 10 re- Cleveland cut the deficit Charles Barkley takes up Bettman’s in-
bounds. He looks more like to four points. The Warriors
a two-time MVP than the followed with a 16-4 run vitation to Cup Final
hobbled player he was in that included 3-pointers
last year’s Finals. from Curry and Thompson,
Klay Thompson shook off a three-point play from Du- TERESA M. WALKER
a shooting slump to score rant in transition and four AP Sports Writer
22 points and the Warriors points from Shaun Livings- NASHVILLE, Tennessee (AP)
pulled away late for anoth- ton. — Former basketball great
er lopsided win. “That’s what they do,” turned TV analyst Charles
“They play well at home,” James said. “That’s what Barkley has not hidden the
Cavs coach Tyronn Lue Golden State does. If you fact he’s far more excited
said. “They won their first make a mistake — like I about the Stanley Cup
two games like they’re said, we had a turnover, it playoffs than the NBA play-
supposed to. Coming to came from me, and then offs.
a tough environment, we we had a miscue and the Thanks to a night off in the
knew it was going to be floods opened again.” NBA Finals, Barkley took up
tough, but they won the The first two games have NHL Commissioner Gary
first two games. We get a shown a stark difference Bettman on his invitation Former NBA player and current television analyst Charles Bar-
chance to go home now in depth. While James has to watch the Stanley Cup kley, left, jokes with hockey greats Wayne Gretzky, right, and
to our home crowd where thrived so far and had 29 Final in person. Paul Coffey, center, during a news conference before Game
we play well, also.” points, 11 rebounds and 14 “There’s nothing more 4 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Finals between the Nashville
The Cavs began to turn assists to tie Magic John- nerve-wracking than Stan- Predators and the Pittsburgh Penguins Monday, June 5, 2017, in
things around last year af- son’s record with his eighth ley Cup overtime hockey,” Nashville, Tenn.
ter being outscored by 48 career Finals triple-double Barkley said. “It’s the crazi-
points in the first two losses Sunday, he hasn’t gotten est thing you’re ever going Barkley interrupted Wayne Oilers being voted by NHL
in Oakland — seven more nearly enough help. to see, so that’s one reason Gretzky and Paul Coffey fans as the greatest team
than this year. They split the Kyrie Irving scored 24 points I just love the sport.” talking about the 1984-85 in league history.q