Westside Story Newspaper – Online The News of The Empire – Sharing the Quest for Excellence
By Johnni Matthews
Warriors win Game 5 outright take 3-2 …Cavs DEPLETED!
The Golden State Warriors may be labeled the “Young Spurs” of the league after winning Game 5 of the NBA Finals 104-91 against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Oracle Arena in front of their home crowd! The Warriors were the team with consistent energy all game along as the Cavaliers played a valiant game for three plus quarters to keep it interesting, but were completely depleted midway in the fourth quarter.
League MVP, Stephen Curry saved his best game for this pivotal Game 5 scoring 17 of his team high 37 points in the fourth quarter. Curry was aggressive for forty eight minutes sensing his counterpart, Cavaliers point guard, Matthew Dellavedova is just out of gas with the number of minutes played in the series to this point. Dellavedova could only contribute 5 points on offense. Playing at home made it easier for Curry to get help from his teammates too. Four players scored in double figures while Warriors’ Finals MVP to date, Andre Iguodala starting only his second game the entire season played big again scored 14 points, grabbed 8 rebounds, and gave out seven dimes plus 2 steals and playing tough defense on the best player in the world, LeBron James who scored his second triple double of this NBA Finals and his sixth in his NBA Finals career. James finished the game with 40 points, 14 rebounds and 11 assists!
LeBron James and his supporting cast played the Warriors tough for 3 ½ quarters, but the short rotation and high minutes for the Cavaliers starters took its toll midway through the fourth quarter when the Warriors scored back to back three pointers by the Splash Brothers, Curry and Thompson! There were mental lapses by the Cavs particularly the King. With less than 30 seconds remaining before halftime, James bringing the ball into the front court was called for an eight second call, and then he picked up a foul after Harrison Barnes slams a follow up miss by Curry with 3.2 seconds left before the half. Cavaliers went down double digits at halftime.
At the 6:47 mark in the fourth quarter, the back to back three pointers by the Warriors put them ahead 85-80 and the Warriors never looked back. They were able to stretch the lead and keep the momentum to control the game and take control of the series.
The Warriors can close the series out on the road in Cleveland at Quicken Loans Arena on Tuesday, June 16 at 6 p.m. (EST). If the Warriors are successful in Cleveland on Tuesday, then the Larry O’Brien Trophy comes back to CALI!