NBA Finals 2016: Warriors vs. Cavaliers TV Schedule, Odds and Game 6 Predictions

LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers return home for Game 6 of the 2016 NBA Finals after a stunning performance Monday night with their backs against the wall, winning 112-97.

Sans Draymond Green, the Golden State Warriors had no answer for the James-Kyrie Irving tandem, even while backed by a rabid home-court advantage just as angry over the Green suspension and just as hungry for the team to hoist the title at home.

Both parties might still get that chance.

With Thursday's Game 6 in Cleveland, Las Vegas opened the line with the Cavaliers as 2.5-point favorites, according to Odds Shark. With the NBA perhaps barreling toward a historic Game 7, here's everything to know about Game 6.

2016 NBA Finals Game 6

When: Thursday at 9 p.m. ET

Where: Quicken Loans Arena, Cleveland

TV: ABC

Live Stream: WatchESPN

Game 6 Preview

It was easy to write off the Cavaliers going into Game 5 considering the contest before was an ugly 108-97 outcome in which Stephen Curry exploded for 38 points. Green or not, the Warriors hadn't lost from Game 5 on over the course of the past two postseasons.

Until Monday.

There, James and Irving combined for 82 points split evenly down the middle, with the former adding 16 rebounds and seven assists for good measure. The output helped to compensate for a roster in which just one other player—J.R. Smith—reached double digits.

"We had a mindset that we wanted to come here and just extend our period and have another opportunity to fight for another day," James said, according to ESPN.com. "That was our main concern, and we were able to do that."

Free of the small-ball lineup in which the Warriors place Green at center, the Cavaliers converted 53 percent of their shots and pushed the tempo without repercussions, posting 28 fast-break points to Golden State's nine.

Golden State simply didn't have a way to keep pace with the newfound offensive firepower of the visitors, even with Curry scoring 25 and Klay Thompson going for 37. As Fox Sports' Dieter Kurtenbach pointed out, it didn't help that the Warriors simply whiffed on shots they normally knocked down:

For head coach Steve Kerr, a lot more went wrong for the Warriors than missing Green, as the once-flustering backcourt defense also seemed missing in action Monday. CBSSports.com's James Herbert captured his thoughts on the matter:

"

It's too simple to say that. We weren't very good defensively. We obviously knew we were without Draymond, so there's no point in harping on that. We had to play better, and we didn't. Both those guys played terrific games, shot the ball well. I thought our defensive communication was lacking. We had some plays where we didn't pick up in transition and we had some crossmatches that we didn't identify and they got free. Especially Kyrie.

"

Game 6 has its obvious storylines, but ESPN Stats & Info provided a few others:

Bettors can easily understand why the Cavaliers enter their home court as favorites. But at the same time, it's easy to predict the Warriors will be much, much better defensively with Green back in the fold Thursday.

Call it an interesting and perhaps final chess match between two teams familiar enough with one another to get this to six games, if not seven.

Prediction

It's not poetic for the Warriors to win a title away from home, but one has to think such a narrative is where this series will conclude. 

What happened Monday won't happen again. With Green back on the court, the Cavaliers will revert back to plenty of iso ball and struggle. And on the offensive end of the court, the Warriors won't struggle and score just 36 points in a second half again.

There's going to be a sense of desperation around the Warriors, too, with the team understanding this series cannot get to a Game 7—not after losing the rare game at home.

Thursday, look for the Warriors to knock down those shots they normally hit while the Green-led defense suffocates what worked for the Cavaliers in Game 5. Too many things simply have to go right for Cleveland to get a win, and it starts with Green's presence.

Prediction: Warriors 109, Cavaliers 104

All stats and info via ESPN.com unless otherwise specified. Odds via Odds Shark.