NBA Finals 2018: Cavaliers vs. Warriors Game 4 Result, Quotes and Highlights
After the Golden State Warriors swept the Cleveland Cavaliers to capture the 2018 NBA title, guard Stephen Curry has won not one, not two, but three championships. That's not a subtle shot at LeBron James. However, it's a reminder of who's racking up the rings.
The Warriors' recent success under head coach Steve Kerr has been called the Dub Dynasty after knocking off the team with arguably the best player in the league three times for the Larry O'Brien Trophy.
On a sweeter note for the champions, aside from the champagne, their core will remain together for at least another season. According to ESPN's Rachel Nichols, forward Kevin Durant intends to re-sign to stay alongside Klay Thompson, Draymond Green and Curry.
As for Cleveland, there's uncertainty, which starts with James' decision on a player option. Looking back on the series sweep, it's clear the Cavaliers will need to undergo changes whether the 33-year-old stays or leaves via free agency.
Let's take a look at how the Warriors closed the series and what the participants said after the game.
Game 4 Result: Warriors 108, Cavaliers 85
The Cavaliers held the lead for short stints during the second quarter but failed to keep pace once the Warriors shifted into another gear in the third quarter, which has been a common trend throughout the postseason, per ESPN Stats & Info:
In Game 4, the Warriors shot their lowest percentage from the field (45.3) in any contest this series, but the Cavaliers struggled during the second half. They allowed open looks all over the floor and finished converting just 35 percent of their field-goal attempts.
Curry shot 12-of-27 from the field and made seven three-pointers, finishing with 37 points to lead the Warriors in scoring. He made a strong case for NBA Finals MVP, but his off night in Game 3 (11 points) proved too much to overcome when compared to Durant's four-game stretch:
Durant goes two-for-two on titles and Finals MVP honors in Golden State.
Game 4 Highlights
The Warriors didn't show any signs of complacency, which underscores the reason for the sweep. Eager to put a poor shooting performance behind him, Curry scored 12 in the opening quarter to push Golden State off to a fast start:
The Warriors outscored the Cavaliers 34-25 in the opening quarter, but Cleveland showed signs of life and took the lead with 7:13 left in the second quarter.
Despite a few bright spots here and there, Golden State controlled the game's pace throughout the contest:
Thompson experienced early foul trouble, but he contributed to the Warriors' third-quarter barrage that separated the two teams. The Cavaliers started to unravel shortly after halftime:
Thompson finished with 10 points on 4-of-10 shooting, but the champions didn't need all of their sharpshooters on target Friday. Cleveland didn't have the firepower from three-point territory or the efficiency from the field to compete in this contest.
Game 4 Quotes
After James' 51-point performance in Game 1, his scoring totals tapered off. A logical explanation emerged during the postgame press conference:
The Cavaliers suffered a crushing 124-114 overtime defeat in the first outing. Tied at 107, George Hill missed a free throw then JR Smith dribbled the clock out. Cleveland still had a chance to win the game in the extra period but fell short.
James' emotions after a frustrating loss likely compromised his ability to shoot from a distance. He shot seven three-pointers in Game 1 and only attempted 11 between Games 2-4.
Against a Warriors team that scores in bunches, James neutralized himself as a perimeter threat for a majority of the series. He made a bad situation worse at the most critical time of the year.
What's next for the Cavaliers' shining star? Whether you believe James or not, his pathway remains undecided. "I have no idea at this point. The one thing that I've always done is consider my family," he said.
According to OddsShark, the Los Angeles Lakers, Houston Rockets and Cavaliers rank as the top three in that order.
Among the three teams, Cleveland seems like a long shot with a majority of its core and role players on the books for the upcoming season with little trade value. Smith's contract will deal a $14.7 million cap hit and Tristan Thompson's will take $17.5 million, per Spotrac.
The team James hopes to knock off doesn't seem concerned with individual awards. Golden State thrives on the court with constant ball movement. Sure, Durant will run some isolation plays, but he averaged 7.5 assists in the NBA Finals series.
During Curry's first championship run, he listed as the best player on the roster. In the last two Finals appearances, he's taken a backseat to Durant.
According to Kerr, it's doesn't weigh heavily on the 30-year-old's mind:
Essentially, their team accomplishments come before individual feats, and it's not a surprise considering Golden State's unselfish play style.
Don't feel too sorry for Curry, he signed a five-year, $201 million super-max deal in 2017. The Warriors paid him handsomely, and they're collecting titles. There's nothing to complain about when you're well compensated and sipping champagne in June.
