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SPORTSFriday 29 May 2015
Curry wants what LeBron has in Warriors-Cavaliers NBA Finals
BRIAN MAHONEY Golden State Warriors players celebrate after Game 5 of the NBA basketball Western Confer- changes throughout the
AP Basketball Writer course of the season, that’s
Stephen Curry and LeBron ence finals against the Houston Rockets in Oakland, Calif., Wednesday, May 27, 2015. The War- faced so many obstacles
James, this season’s bright- throughout the season —
est stars, are taking basket- riors won 104-90 and advanced to the NBA Finals. injuries here, transactions
ball’s biggest stage. here, lineups here — it’s
The NBA Finals start June Associated Press something we can be very
4 with the Golden State proud of to this point,”
Warriors against the Cleve- Curry-James duel. Cleveland Cavaliers’ Shawn Marion holds up the NBA basket- James said.
land Cavaliers, two teams They started in the same ball Eastern Conference championship trophy after the Cava- This will be his second
who have little experience place, born in the same liers defeated the Atlanta Hawks 118-88 in Game 4 of the series, crack at trying to help the
playing this time of year. hospital in Akron, Ohio, but Tuesday, May 26, 2015, in Cleveland. Cavs win their first title. They
James is the exception, couldn’t have been more got there in 2007 but were
getting ready to appear different upon arriving in Associated Press swept by San Antonio. The
in his fifth straight finals. He the NBA. James was the Warriors are seeking their
won two titles in Miami be- can’t-miss Chosen One first championship since
fore coming back home taken with the top pick in 1975.
to Ohio. Curry is aiming for the 2003 draft, a perfect Here are some things to
what the four-time MVP 6-foot-8 combination of watch in the finals:
has experienced. size and speed. NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK:
“He’s been here plenty of Curry had the sweet shot The Warriors’ Steve Kerr
times before, five straight but a small stature, con- and the Cavaliers’ David
finals appearances, I think, sidered by many not big Blatt — who nearly signed
so we’ve got to bring our enough for NBA super star- on to work under Kerr be-
A game if we’re going to dom when he was drafted fore getting the Cleveland
beat a great team and a out of Davidson in 2009. job — are the first rookie
great player like that four Yet he put together a high- coaches in the finals since
times,” Curry said. “We’re light reel this season with his the league’s first champi-
excited about the chal- brilliant ballhandling and onship.
lenge. He had to win his smooth stroke and was NO PLACE LIKE HOME:
first one at some point, and voted MVP, finishing two Golden State is 46-3 at Or-
nobody on our team has acle Arena this season. The
experienced that, so we’re Cavaliers have become
going to be fighting like just as unbeatable on their
crazy every night.” home floor, winning 26
Not for a while, though. of their last 28 games at
Both teams were so good Quicken Loans Arena, in-
in the conference finals cluding 18 by double digits.
that they won too fast, the SORE STARS: Kyrie Irving has
Cavaliers finishing a sweep been MVP of the All-Star
of top-seeded Atlanta in Game and the Basketball
the East on Tuesday and World Cup — where he
the Warriors completing started in the U.S. back-
their five-game victory court alongside Curry. Now
over Houston a night later. he gets his chance in the
The lengthy layoff will ben- NBA Finals, with plenty of
efit banged-up players on time to rest the knee and
both teams, and provide foot injuries that caused
plenty of time to hype the him to miss two games in
the conference finals. The
spots ahead of James. time off will benefit fellow
Curry averaged 31.2 points All-Star and world cham-
and shot nearly 50 percent pion Klay Thompson. He
from 3-point range in the began experiencing con-
West finals, while James cussion symptoms after be-
nearly averaged a triple- ing kneed in the head and
double in the Cavs’ four- bleeding from the ear in
game romp. the series clincher against
The Warriors have home- Houston. He’ll need to pass
court advantage after the league’s concussion
winning a league-best 67 protocol before returning
games. But the Cavaliers, to action.
despite a difficult start to CONTAINING THE KING:
the season and the loss Kawhi Leonard turned in
of Kevin Love, have been a solid defensive effort
even better in the postsea- against James last year
son, with a 12-2 record. when San Antonio beat Mi-
“No matter what happens ami. Among the options for
from here on out, to see the Warriors against James
what we’ve accomplished is Draymond Green, the
being a first-year team to- runner-up to Leonard this
gether that’s had different season for Defensive Player
of the Year.q
SPORTSFriday 29 May 2015
Curry wants what LeBron has in Warriors-Cavaliers NBA Finals
BRIAN MAHONEY Golden State Warriors players celebrate after Game 5 of the NBA basketball Western Confer- changes throughout the
AP Basketball Writer course of the season, that’s
Stephen Curry and LeBron ence finals against the Houston Rockets in Oakland, Calif., Wednesday, May 27, 2015. The War- faced so many obstacles
James, this season’s bright- throughout the season —
est stars, are taking basket- riors won 104-90 and advanced to the NBA Finals. injuries here, transactions
ball’s biggest stage. here, lineups here — it’s
The NBA Finals start June Associated Press something we can be very
4 with the Golden State proud of to this point,”
Warriors against the Cleve- Curry-James duel. Cleveland Cavaliers’ Shawn Marion holds up the NBA basket- James said.
land Cavaliers, two teams They started in the same ball Eastern Conference championship trophy after the Cava- This will be his second
who have little experience place, born in the same liers defeated the Atlanta Hawks 118-88 in Game 4 of the series, crack at trying to help the
playing this time of year. hospital in Akron, Ohio, but Tuesday, May 26, 2015, in Cleveland. Cavs win their first title. They
James is the exception, couldn’t have been more got there in 2007 but were
getting ready to appear different upon arriving in Associated Press swept by San Antonio. The
in his fifth straight finals. He the NBA. James was the Warriors are seeking their
won two titles in Miami be- can’t-miss Chosen One first championship since
fore coming back home taken with the top pick in 1975.
to Ohio. Curry is aiming for the 2003 draft, a perfect Here are some things to
what the four-time MVP 6-foot-8 combination of watch in the finals:
has experienced. size and speed. NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK:
“He’s been here plenty of Curry had the sweet shot The Warriors’ Steve Kerr
times before, five straight but a small stature, con- and the Cavaliers’ David
finals appearances, I think, sidered by many not big Blatt — who nearly signed
so we’ve got to bring our enough for NBA super star- on to work under Kerr be-
A game if we’re going to dom when he was drafted fore getting the Cleveland
beat a great team and a out of Davidson in 2009. job — are the first rookie
great player like that four Yet he put together a high- coaches in the finals since
times,” Curry said. “We’re light reel this season with his the league’s first champi-
excited about the chal- brilliant ballhandling and onship.
lenge. He had to win his smooth stroke and was NO PLACE LIKE HOME:
first one at some point, and voted MVP, finishing two Golden State is 46-3 at Or-
nobody on our team has acle Arena this season. The
experienced that, so we’re Cavaliers have become
going to be fighting like just as unbeatable on their
crazy every night.” home floor, winning 26
Not for a while, though. of their last 28 games at
Both teams were so good Quicken Loans Arena, in-
in the conference finals cluding 18 by double digits.
that they won too fast, the SORE STARS: Kyrie Irving has
Cavaliers finishing a sweep been MVP of the All-Star
of top-seeded Atlanta in Game and the Basketball
the East on Tuesday and World Cup — where he
the Warriors completing started in the U.S. back-
their five-game victory court alongside Curry. Now
over Houston a night later. he gets his chance in the
The lengthy layoff will ben- NBA Finals, with plenty of
efit banged-up players on time to rest the knee and
both teams, and provide foot injuries that caused
plenty of time to hype the him to miss two games in
the conference finals. The
spots ahead of James. time off will benefit fellow
Curry averaged 31.2 points All-Star and world cham-
and shot nearly 50 percent pion Klay Thompson. He
from 3-point range in the began experiencing con-
West finals, while James cussion symptoms after be-
nearly averaged a triple- ing kneed in the head and
double in the Cavs’ four- bleeding from the ear in
game romp. the series clincher against
The Warriors have home- Houston. He’ll need to pass
court advantage after the league’s concussion
winning a league-best 67 protocol before returning
games. But the Cavaliers, to action.
despite a difficult start to CONTAINING THE KING:
the season and the loss Kawhi Leonard turned in
of Kevin Love, have been a solid defensive effort
even better in the postsea- against James last year
son, with a 12-2 record. when San Antonio beat Mi-
“No matter what happens ami. Among the options for
from here on out, to see the Warriors against James
what we’ve accomplished is Draymond Green, the
being a first-year team to- runner-up to Leonard this
gether that’s had different season for Defensive Player
of the Year.q
