Like in Game 4, the Cavaliers will need to play great for 48 minutes to win in Game 5.
The Cavaliers find themselves in the same position as the 2016 NBA Finals, down 3-1 against the Warriors. Last year, the Cavs got their first win in Game 3. In this year’s Finals, Cleveland won its first game in a record-setting Game 4.
No team in NBA history has ever clawed their way out of a 0-3 deficit. On top of that, the Warriors are 30-2 since Klay Thompson famously signed a toaster back in March and Kevin Durant has scored at least 30 points in every game in the Finals. Those aren’t good combinations.
That's @KlayThompson signing a toaster back in March. The @warriors have been 27-1 since, only loss when Klay didn't play. #DubsOn7 #lucky pic.twitter.com/9ECy2PkD0I
— Laura Anthony (@LauraAnthony7) June 1, 2017
Are our odds at winning four straight games and coming out as champions slim? Of course, they are. Just like they were when we were down 3-1 against a 73-win team last year.
This Finals is similar to the last
The good news is, this year’s Finals series looks very similar to last year’s series going into Game 5.
In the first two games of the 2016 Finals, the Cavs were blown out in Oakland, but they came back to Cleveland and asserted themselves into the series, just like this year. LeBron James and Kyrie Irving combined to score over 60 points in their first win in the 2016 Finals, just like this year. Draymond Green lost his composure in Game 4 in consecutive Finals. Last year, he was suspended for Game 5. This time, he only received one technical foul, but it should have been two.
The fact is, we’re headed to Golden State after one of the best games of the season and we have a chance to force a Game 6 back in The Land.
Here’s how the Cavs can take Game 5.