NBA Finals: Tonight a Must Win for Both Teams
The Cleveland Cavaliers took a 2 – 1 lead in the NBA Finals with a big win on Tuesday Night. History says that winner of Game 3, when the series is tied 1-1, goes on to win over 80% of the time. That bodes well for the Cavs and very bad for the Golden State Warriors.
In spite of that history, tonight’s Game 4 is a must win game for both teams and could decide the series. Sounds a little extreme doesn’t it?
It does but there are quite a few things that lead us to believe in that statement. Tonight’s game is so vital that we believe the winner of this game will likely win the NBA Finals. Seems a bit crazy since the Cavs are up 2-1 right?
If the Cavs win tonight they will have 3 chances, only 1 at home, to win their 4th and decisive game in the NBA Finals. With LeBron James and that 1 home game, Game 6, taking 1 out of 3 seems like a lock. LeBron might be able to win 1 out of 3 with you, me, David Blatt and Tyronn Lue starting with him. He is that good. (Only a little hyperbole there.)
If the Cavs lose tonight, they lose home court advantage, have to return to The Oracle for Game 5 and have to win 2 out of 3, with 2 games on the road. While the Cavs have already won on the road in Game 2, that game seemed like a let down by the Warriors after Kyrie Irving‘s season ending injury. Not to discredit the Cavs, but winning on the Warriors home court has been difficult. They only lost twice in the Regular Season, with Game 2 of this series also being their 2nd loss at home in the Playoffs.
There is also the momentum factor, something the Cavs used to their advantage. The Cavs took Game 2 on the Warriors court and carried that over to Tuesday’s win. The Warriors, after finally having a great quarter at the end of Game 3, would have all the momentum going home for Game 5. The Oracle would be rocking.
For the Warriors it is obviously the opposite but still as interesting. Losing tonight, going down 3 to 1 in the NBA Finals, is the death knell. No team has ever come back from that deficit. At some point a team will change that fact but the Warriors would have to do it against the best player on the planet. (Can we start calling LeBron BPoP for short since we all agree he is the Best Player on the Planet?)
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On the other hand, if the Warriors pull this off tonight they will have righted the ship from the Game 2 loss. They can return home knowing they only have to hold serve on their home court. Their belief in their abilities will be high and the momentum will all be going there way. Home court will help their struggling role players, and maybe even Draymond Green.
The Cleveland Cavaliers might be up 2 – 1 on the Golden State Warriors in the NBA Finals but tonight’s Game 4 is a must win for both teams.
Do you agree?