NBA Playoffs 2015: Schedule and Key Matchups for Cavaliers vs. Warriors
The NBA Finals don't begin until June 4, and that's probably a good thing for both the Cleveland Cavaliers and Golden State Warriors. Both teams have a few bumps and bruises they'd like to heal, and the extended time off should allow them to get relatively healthy.
The Cavs' Kyrie Irving may be able to get close to 100 percent after battling various lower-body injuries throughout the Eastern Conference Playoffs. The Warriors' Klay Thompson will likely need the time away to recover from an inadvertent shot to the head from the Houston Rockets' Trevor Ariza. Per Will Brinson of CBS Sports, quoting Klay's dad, Mychal Thompson, who appeared on ESPN's Mike and Mike, the Warriors guard had some concussion-like symptoms:
That was later ruled out by Thompson's agent, Bill Duffy, per Sam Amick of USA Today.
The closer both teams can get to 100 percent, the better the battle for the NBA championship figures to be. Here's a look at the schedule and viewing information for the series.
Game 1: Thursday, June 4, Cleveland at Golden State, 9 p.m. ET, ABC
Game 2: Sunday, June 7, Cleveland at Golden State, 8 p.m. ET, ABC
Game 3: Tuesday, June 9, Golden State at Cleveland, 9 p.m. ET, ABC
Game 4: Thursday, June 11, Golden State at Cleveland, 9 p.m. ET, ABC
Game 5*: Sunday, June 14, Cleveland at Golden State, 8 p.m. ET, ABC
Game 6*: Tuesday, June 16, Golden State at Cleveland, 9 p.m. ET, ABC
Game 7*: Friday, June 19, Cleveland at Golden State, 9 p.m. ET, ABC
*If necessary
Live stream available on ESPN 3 for all games
Key Matchups
Kyrie Irving vs. Stephen Curry
Stopping Stephen Curry isn't really possible, but the Cavs have one of the few point guards in the league who is capable of really making the league MVP work at the other end. If healthy, Irving has the game to exploit Curry's less-than stellar on-ball defense.
Irving is a tremendous shooter from long range. He made 41 percent of his threes during the regular season and has connected on 48 percent of them in the playoffs. Amid all the talk about Curry and LeBron James, it's easy to forget how special Irving can be.
Cleveland will need him to be a presence if it hopes to beat the Warriors.
Timofey Mozgov vs. Andrew Bogut
Both teams do a lot on the perimeter, but the play of their respective centers will be huge as well. Both Timofey Mozgov and Andrew Bogut are counted on to be rim protectors and rebounders.
Because both teams are devoid of traditional back-to-the-basket post players at the power forward or center positions, Mozgov and Bogut's primary responsibilities will be to clean the defensive glass, contest shots against penetrating guards and gain second-chance opportunities for their teams.
The center who best accomplishes these tasks will put his team in the best position to win the series.
LeBron James vs. Harrison Barnes, Andre Iguodala and Draymond Green
If nothing else, the Warriors have a ton of bodies to use against James defensively. That said, if stopping Curry isn't really possible, then it's hard to define the task of slowing down James. Marcus Thompson II of the San Jose Mercury News recognizes the Warriors' various defensive options but also identifies each man's Achilles' heel when it comes to his tangling with the King.
"The Warriors have multiple players to throw at LeBron. [Draymond] Green or Harrison Barnes could start on him. It's likely Andre Iguodala will be called upon too. But they all have a weakness the 6'8" James can exploit.
Barnes isn't savvy enough defensively to thwart a talent like James. Iguodala has the savvy but gives up at least two inches and 30 pounds to the King. Green has the strength to resist James, but James has a quickness advantage.
"
Perhaps the best approach is to have all three players attack as aggressively as possible on the offensive end to ensure James isn't allowed to rest on defense. The Chicago Bulls seemed to have the most success against James because Jimmy Butler and Mike Dunleavy Jr. were active parts of the team's offensive approach.
It will be fun to watch as the Warriors' three-headed monster tries to equal or surpass the impact of the league's best player.
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