NBA Finals 2018: Warriors vs. Cavaliers TV Schedule, Odds and Game 3 Predictions
The Cleveland Cavaliers and Golden State Warriors are in a familiar position as the 2018 NBA Finals shifts to Quicken Loans Arena.
In three of the four championship showdowns between the two teams, the Warriors took a 2-0 lead, with the lone exception coming in 2015.
Of course, the Cavaliers recovered from the deficit once in 2016, when the Warriors famously blew a 3-1 series advantage, but LeBron James and Co. had no such luck a year ago, when Golden State won the title in five games.
In order to avoid a sweep at home, the Cavaliers must improve in all facets of their game after falling by 19 points in Game 2, while the defending champion just has to follow a similar game plan to Games 1 and 2.
Game 3 Information
Date: Wednesday, June 6
TV: ABC
Start Time: 9 p.m. ET
Odds (via OddsShark): Golden State (-5)
Predictions
Golden State's Stars Forced To Do All The Work
Golden State thrived in Game 2 thanks in part to terrific shooting performances from JaVale McGee and Shaun Livingston, who combined to make 11 field goals for 22 points.
The uptick in production from the starting center and sixth man helped the Warriors deal with Draymond Green only contributing five points, while the other three superstars in the lineup put up their normal stat lines.
Cleveland should be able to make a defensive adjustment for Game 3 to stop McGee from getting open down low and scoring, which will be a task for either Kevin Love or Jeff Green.
If the Cavaliers take away the other scoring options, they'll force Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Kevin Durant to produce all the points, which is something each of those players embrace.
Even if the Cavs don't play lockdown defense on McGee, the 30-year-old's numbers tell us he most likely won't put out another double-digit point performance, as he recorded 10 or more points in back-to-back games twice this season.
The same can be said about Livingston, who also possesses a pair of two-game spells in which he reached double digits, but both occurred in the postseason.
In the worst-case scenario where the offensive production from the supporting cast dries up and Draymond Green fails to contribute much in the points column, Curry, Thompson and Durant must have perfect games.
While a task like that may seem steep for some players, the Warriors trio should embrace it and push Cleveland's defense to its limits again.
James Sets Playoff High In Points In Attempt To Bring Cleveland Back Into Series
James did all he could to get the Cavaliers off to a fast start in the NBA Finals, but even a playoff career high of 51 points in Game 1 couldn't do the trick.
The 33-year-old was tamed a bit by Golden State's defense in Game 2, as he scored 29 points in the lopsided defeat.
With the series coming back to Cleveland, James must produce yet another otherworldly offensive outing in order to stop Golden State's momentum.
The most James has scored in a Game 3 against the Warriors is 40 in the inaugural meeting in 2015, which came after totals of 44 and 39 points in Games 1 and 2.
In 2016, James posted 32 points in a Game 3 win, while a year ago he produced 39 points in a defeat that put the Cavaliers in a deep hole.
In each of the last three seasons, James didn't have to come close to reaching the 50-point mark in order for the Cavs to win because he had a stronger supporting cast.
Although three other Cavs scored in double digits Sunday, James still needs to thrive on his home court in order to give his team some life in the series.
With that being said, James once again turns into an unstoppable machine and yields a better performance than the one he produced in Game 1.
Sure, it's going to be hard to top 51 points, but the only way Cleveland claws back into the series is if James carries the team on his shoulders, which is something he's more than capable of doing.
Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90
Statistics obtained from Basketball Reference
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