Page 19 - ARUBA TODAY

A19
SPORTS Wednesday 30 May 2018
Round 4: It's Cleveland vs. Golden State, again

By TIM REYNOLDS Cavaliers have dealt with If the Cavaliers win this
AP Basketball Writer since Golden State-Cleve- championship, it might be
Here we go again. land III ended last June: time to declare the regular
And again. Kyrie Irving got traded for season irrelevant.
And, well, again. Isaiah Thomas over the Cleveland was only 50-32
Round 4 — as many pre- summer, coach Tyronn Lue this season. Should James
dicted, and others proba- had to miss time to deal and his mates get it done,
bly lamented — is happen- with health issues, Love that would be the second-
ing. Cleveland and Golden missed two months, they worst, regular-season re-
State will meet for the fourth lost 11 games by 16 or more cord for an eventual cham-
straight year in the NBA Fi- points, revamped their ros- pion in the last 40 seasons.
nals, the Warriors looking ter in February and spent Houston went 47-35 on
for a third championship much of the season unable the way to the 1995 title;
in that span and LeBron to guard anybody. to find another champion
James and the Cavaliers They're in the finals again who was worse, go back to
trying to wrestle the crown anyway, led by someone Washington in 1978 when
away just as they did in the who will play in the last the Bullets were a mere 44-
2016 series. series of the season for an 38.
On one side, the best team absurd eighth consecutive "Everybody doubted us,"
of this era. year. Cavaliers forward Jeff
On the other, the best play- "It's been a roller coaster," Green said. "Everybody
er of this era and maybe said James, who is seeking had their opinions on what
any era. a fourth ring in his ninth fi- our team was, what we
Game 1 will be hosted by nals appearance overall. would do, what we can't
the Warriors at Oracle Are- "It's been good, it's been do, from the start. ... And
na on Thursday night. bad. It's been roses. There now, I mean, we're where
"You've got to appreci- have been thorns in the ros- we want to be. We're
ate the moment," Warriors es. There's been everything where we set out to be and
guard Stephen Curry said. that you can ask for." where we knew we could
"Somebody asked, 'Four This wasn't all peaches for be at this point."
years in a row getting to Golden State, either. The Same goes for the Warriors.
the finals, do you appreci- Warriors didn't get the No. This season was no cake- In this June 12, 2017, file photo, Cleveland Cavaliers center
ate it?' Yes." 1 seed out West, lost Curry walk for them, either. Tristan Thompson, left, shoots as Golden State Warriors guard
Both teams are entering to a knee injury late in the "We've been through a lot Klay Thompson, center, is held by forward Draymond Green
this title matchup with in- regular season, lost 10 of with this team," Warriors during the second half of Game 5 of basketball's NBA Finals
jury concerns. Cleveland's their final 17 games and guard Klay Thompson in Oakland, Calif. Game 1 of the 2018 NBA Finals between the
Kevin Love is in the concus- got pushed to the brink. said. q Warriors and Cavaliers is Thursday, May 31.
sion protocol and will need "I'm glad we're going back,"
to complete a series of Warriors forward Kevin Du-
tests before he's cleared to rant said.
return, and Golden State's The Warriors swept the two
Andre Iguodala — a former regular-season meetings
NBA Finals MVP — wasn't with the Cavaliers, win-
able to finish the Warriors- ning by seven at home
Rockets series because of on Christmas Day (without
a bone bruise in his leg. Curry) and prevailing by 10
The Warriors hoped Iguo- in Cleveland about three
dala would return to the weeks later.
Houston series, but his prog- Film-wise, those two games
ress stalled. are meaningless now. Of
"That's just not an easy injury Cleveland's five leading
to predict in terms of recov- scorers against Golden
ery," Warriors coach Steve State this season, three no
Kerr said. longer play for the Cava-
There wasn't a lot of similar- liers. James and Love com-
ity in Cleveland's and Gold- bined to score 100 points in
en State's seasons, but their the two games, but Dwy-
last few days have been ane Wade, Jae Crowder
mirror images of one anoth- and Isaiah Thomas were all
er — both teams had to win shipped elsewhere by the
Game 6s at home to fend Cavs in a series of trade-
off elimination, then had to deadline moves.
go on the road and prevail "We obviously know what
in Game 7s to win their re- LeBron's capable of," Curry
spective conference finals. said shortly after the War-
"One of the most challeng- riors' Game 7 win at Hous-
ing seasons I've had," said ton ended. "It's a new team
James, who may be play- over there, so the other
ing the best basketball of guys, we've got to lock in
his life right now at the end on their tendencies. But
of his 15th season. we'll worry about that when
Here's some of what the we get home."