Cavaliers vs. Warriors: Game 4 Stats and NBA Finals 2015 Game 5 Schedule, Odds
The Golden State Warriors head back to Oakland riding high for Game 5 of the 2015 NBA Finals against the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Stephen Curry and the juggernauts from out west were able to halt a two-game skid Thursday, lambasting the Cavaliers in 103-82 fashion on their home court thanks to injuries and a few smaller lineup changes birthing major impact.
Now the series changes venue for the final three contests, with Golden State looking to seal the deal with two home games remaining and Cleveland hoping LeBron James can get enough help from those around him to hoist a trophy when the dust settles.
Game 5 Info
When: Sunday, June 14
Time: 8 p.m. ET
Where: Oracle Arena in Oakland, California
TV: ABC
Live Stream: Watch ESPN
Game 4 Breakdown
| GS | 31 | 23 | 22 | 27 | 103 |
| CLE | 24 | 18 | 28 | 12 | 82 |
The box score says it all.
Cleveland hit on an early run, but silence soon filled the Quicken Loans Arena as the Warriors outpaced the Cavaliers and James came up bloody after a dive into a camera.
Just 20 points from James on 7-of-22 shooting wasn't enough, nor was a surprise performance from Timofey Mozgov, who posted a game-high 28 points.
The real difference came in the form of adjustments, with the Warriors upping the tempo to better fit their style, outrunning and outgunning the Cavaliers on both ends. Stephen Curry ended with 22 points, all but one starter reached double digits and the Warriors shot 46.8 percent from the floor and 40 percent from deep to Cleveland's 33 and 14.8 percent, respectively.
Perhaps most impressive was the Andre Iguodala wrinkle the Cavaliers seemed unprepared for, as the veteran erupted in the fast-pace attack:
As NBA on ESPN illustrates, the new pace for the Warriors paid dividends by the break:
The Warriors are both confident and deadly at such a pace, with James' heroic efforts of the first three contests falling short Thursday.
For the Cavaliers, rest, scheming up a strategy to slow the attack and steeling themselves for a hostile environment become a must with a few days off before the next contest.
Game 5 Odds Examination
Cavaliers fans may want to turn away.
Over at Odds Shark, it's pretty clear Las Vegas doesn't like Cleveland's chances too much on the road after the beatdown, listing the Warriors as the hefty favorite (-8.5) going into Sunday.
While true the Cavaliers nearly pulled off a road upset in Game 1, bettors may want to keep in mind it took overtime, 23 points from a now-missing Kyrie Irving and 44 points from James on a ludicrous 38 attempts.
Sunday figures to be a lot different. Golden State just discovered the recipe for success, while critical Cleveland depth pieces such as Matthew Dellavedova looked gassed early on—and remember, he's the guy who went to the hospital with severe cramps after Game 3.
Even James admitted after Game 4 he needed more time to rest in the fourth quarter, when the Warriors sealed the deal early in the frame, per ESPN.com's Dave McMenamin:
"I was hoping our team could buy me a few minutes. I ran through those 12 minutes in the third, and I gassed out ... I was pretty much gassed out either from driving, creating opportunities for my teammates, getting to the free-throw line, getting offensive glass, just trying to make that push.
"
It's a precarious position for the Cavaliers, who get a few rest days but are still undermanned against one of the league's deepest teams. It seemed a matter of time before fatigue factored in, as it did in Game 4. Which way the pendulum swings Sunday might decide the series.
What bettors should know about Game 5 is simple—the Warriors aren't afraid to use their depth, nor are they afraid to run their own tempo and grind down a battered, fatigued team.
Las Vegas construed the line as so for a reason, and with Game 4 to work by, as well as two prior outcomes in Golden State already, there seems little reason to go against the house on this one.
Prediction: Golden State 111, Cleveland 98
All stats and info via ESPN.com unless otherwise specified.
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