NBA Finals 2015 Schedule: Game 5 TV Info, Latest Cavs vs. Warriors Predictions
The NBA Finals have been a back-and-forth series.
After the Cleveland Cavaliers jumped ahead—er, got launched ahead by LeBron James—to a 2-1 lead, the Golden State Warriors answered with a crucial win in Game 4.
Who will take the next lead in Game 5?
Golden State coach Steve Kerr is getting mountains upon mountains of praise for his starting-lineup change, but this is a chess match. James, David Blatt and the Cavaliers will adjust, too.
How to Watch
| Sunday, June 11 | Cavaliers at Warriors | 8 p.m. | ABC |
Watch Game 5's live stream through WatchESPN.
Predictions
LeBron James Will Respond
Look, we get it. The Warriors are smart and stuff.
As Michael Pina wrote for Sports on Earth, the Dubs doubled James whenever possible:
"Curry flew in off Matthew Dellavedova. Klay Thompson ignored Iman Shumpert and J.R. Smith. Green left whichever Cavs big he was supposed to body on the glass. When Curry's man screened for James, hoping to force a switch or the flimsy hedge that broke Golden State's back in Game 3, the Warriors trapped him, squeezing a pass to a weaker threat.
"
But this is LeBron.
Why Golden State wasn’t doing this before is a good question. James is really a one-man gang, and if you count Matthew Dellavedova—as tremendous and electric as he’s been—as a legitimate second option, you’re fooling yourself.
Doubled or not, James is going to get more than 20 points on 7-of-22 shooting. The reason that’s what LBJ put up in Game 4 is simple.
He was exhausted.
In each game before this, James came out like a rabid dog, driving and chest-bumping and roaring. But in Game 4, he seemed more reserved and contained. Can you blame him?
Not really. After all, the guy is averaging 35.8 points, 12 rebounds and 8.3 assists per game while taking 32.3 shots (38.8 percent) in 45.8 minutes. He’s now had three days to both rest his body and prepare for what the Warriors are going to throw at him and the Cavs.
Expect to see the type of LeBron we saw in Games 1, 2 and 3 Sunday night.
Mozgov Will Feast
Andrew Bogut is probably not going to see much more action this series. Kerr sat the Australian big fella in favor of Andrew Iguodala, and it’d be surprising to see Golden State look back.
But he’s accepting of his new role (a benchwarmer) as long as it pays off for his team. Per Diamond Leung of the San Jose Mercury News:
Cavs center Timofey Mozgov was all thrown off last game as he tried to chase around Draymond Green and other quicker, smaller players. But now, again, Cleveland has had three days to prepare. Kerr was a sly dog and wisely avoided making his lineup change public, but now it’s out in the open.
Mozzy has been dominant all series, and his offensive outpouring came to a crescendo last game with a 28-point, 10-rebound night. Perhaps ESPN’s Bomani Jones put it best:
As Chris Haynes of Cleveland.com relayed, James said Cleveland won’t change its lineup to match the Dubs in Game 5:
In all honesty, the Cavs don’t need to. Mozgov can continue destroying whomever Golden State puts on him, but he can’t allow his man to shoot wide-open jumpers on the opposite ends. Last game was a frenzy, and the 7'0" Russian was thrust blindly into a totally unexpected situation.
Now, both sides know what’s coming. And that favors Cleveland. Expect James to get his points despite the doubles and Mozgov to dominate the unpopulated interior.
If the Cavaliers get anything—anything!—from Delly, J.R. Smith or Iman Shumpert, James will move within one game of delivering Cleveland its first-ever championship.
Stats are accurate courtesy of Basketball-Reference.com.
.jpg?w=600 "Colts Release Kenny Moore")
