Warriors 104-91 Cavaliers Game 5
The Golden State Warriors defeat the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 5 of the NBA Finals and take the 3-2 series lead. Curry drops 37 points, 4 assists, 7 rebounds, and 2 steals. James puts up 40 points, 11 assists, and 14 rebounds. Curry:
It was a fun moment, but it will only mean something — and I’ll probably have a better answer for that question after we win that championship — but signature moments only come for players who are holding the trophy
James, despite being on the brink of elimination:
I feel confident because I’m the best player in the world
Warriors 103-82 Cavaliers Game 4
The Golden State Warriors defeat the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 4 of the NBA Finals and tie the series at 2-2. For the Warriors, Curry puts up 22 points and 7 assists, and Iguodala puts up 22 points and 8 rebounds. For the Cavaliers, James has 20 points, 8 assists, and 12 rebounds. Mozgov also contributes 28 points and 10 rebounds. Curry:
Tonight we came in with the mentality that we had to win this game
Iguodala on guarding James:
Make him work as hard as possible. Make him take tough shots. You look at his strengths, you look at his weaknesses, and you try to take him out of his comfort zone. Sounds easier said than done, but we all have a lot of talent and when we go out there we want to make our stamp on the game.
James:
Offensively we were terrible. Sometimes, your offense just doesn’t show up.
Cavaliers 96-91 Warriors Game 3
The Cavaliers defeat the Warriors in Game 3 of the NBA Finals. James scores 40 points and also has 8 assists and 12 rebounds. Dellavedova contributes 20 points, 4 assists, and 5 rebounds in the victory. For the Warriors, Curry puts up 26 points, 6 assists, and 6 rebounds. James:
I’m just trying to do whatever it takes to help our team win. It’s the Finals, and it’s whatever it takes. This is a totally different challenge.
Curry:
I think I found something when it comes to how I’m going to be able to attack their pick-and-rolls. I’ll keep that in the memory bank going into Game 4.
Cavaliers 95-93 Warriors Game 2
The Cleveland Cavaliers win Game 2 against the Golden State Warriors to tie the series 1-1. James leads the Cavaliers with a triple-double, putting up 39 points, 11 assists, and 16 rebounds. For the Warriors, Thompson puts up 34 points and 5 rebounds. Curry, despite having 19 points, is only 5-23 from the field. Curry:
Shots I normally make I knew as soon as they left my hand that they were off. That doesn’t usually happen. Mechanically, I don’t know if there is an explanation for it. Just didn’t have a rhythm and didn’t find one the whole game.
James:
I tried to give it all to my teammates. And they do a great job of giving it back to me. Total team effort. To be back in the same position we were in three days ago and to come back and even the series is big time.
Warriors 108-100 Cavaliers Game 1
In Game 1 of the NBA Finals, the Golden State Warriors defeat the Cleveland Cavaliers in OT. Curry leads the Warriors with 20 points, 8 assists, and 6 rebounds. James drops 44 points, 6 assists, and 8 rebounds for the Cavaliers. James:
I got to where I wanted to get, step back, made them before. It’s a make-or-miss league, and we had our chances.
Curry on the overtime:
It was just a classic five minutes that we needed to get that win.
Cavaliers 118-88 Hawks Game 4
The Cavaliers win 118-88. James scores 23 points, Smith scores 18 points and Thompson scores 16 points and 11 rebounds. Teague scores 17 points and Millsap scores 16 points for the Hawks. Cleveland wins East Series 4-0. James on NBA Finals:
I’m a guy who believes in unfinished business…I understood what these people were going through, the people here. Not only in Cleveland but Northeast Ohio and all over the world who love and bleed wine and gold. To be at this point tonight, it’s very emotional.
Coach Blatt:
We’re in Cleveland. Nothing is easy here.
Cavaliers 114-111Hawks Game 3
The Cavaliers win 114-111. James scores 37 points, 18 rebounds and 13 assists, Dellavedova scores 17 points and Smith scores 17 points. Teague scores 30 points and Millsap scores 22 points for the Hawks. Cleveland leads East Finals 3-0. James on Game 3:
I gave everything I have.
On exhaustion colapse:
I’ve been better. I play to exhaustion. I give as much as I can give, and sometimes the body just shuts down…In overtime I asked to come out, but I actually had a second thought. I wouldn’t have felt right about the situation. It was mind over matter there for me. I’m playing through a lot but it doesn’t matter. If I’m putting on the uniform and I’m on the floor, I have to make things happen for our team. It’s that simple.
Coach Blatt on James:
He just wouldn’t let us lose.
Coach Budenholzer on Game 3 loss:
I’m very proud of the way our guys competed.
Cavaliers 94-82 Hawks Game 2
Cavaliers win 94-82. James scores 30 points, 11 rebounds assists and Thompson gets 16 . Schroder scores 11 points for the Hawks. Cleveland leads East Finals 2-0. Coach Blatt on James:
How much does it help to have LeBron on your team?. Do I really have to answer that?
On his birthday wish:
Just a Cavs win. That’s all I’m asking for.
Coach Budenholzer on Game 2 loss:
In the playoffs, it takes more. It takes better execution, better screening. You’ve got to do things harder.
Cavaliers 97-89 Hawks Game 1
The Cavaliers win 97-89. James scores 31 points, Mozgov scores ten points and 11 rebounds. Teague scores 27 points, Horford scores 16 points, Millsap scores 13 points and Kent Bazemore scores ten points for the Hawks. Cleveland leads East Finals 1-0. Coach Blatt on Lebron:
When he gets hot. He gets smoking hot.
Coach Budenholzer on Carroll:
DeMarre is a complete player. He has a big impact at both ends of the court.
Smith:
Once I start shooting. Everybody keeps telling me to keep shooting.
James on Carroll injuries:
We’re all a brotherhood. You don’t want anybody to get hurt like that.
Cavaliers 94-73 Bulls Game 6
The Cavaliers win 94-73. Dellavedova scores 19 points, James scores 15 points and Thompson scoress 13 points, 17 rebounds. Butler scores 20 points and Rose scores 14 points for the Bulls. Cleveland wins East Semifinals Series 4-2. James on Cavaliers:
These guys work their tails off every single day when you guys are not around. Yes, I’m a little bit surprised because of how we’ve handled the postseason so far. These are first-timers right here (Dellavedova and Thompson) as well as Kyrie and Kev before the injury. They want to be good, they want to be great, and every single day they prepare the right way.
On teammates:
I do everything for my team, do everything for my teammates. I want these guys to be able to feel this moment. That’s what I came back here for. I’ve got four guys that never made the postseason that played a huge role on this team.
Coach Thibodeau on Bulls:
Yeah. Until they tell me I’m not, I expect to be here. That’s the way I’m going to approach it.
Cavaliers 106-101 Bulls Game 5
The Cavaliers win 106-101. James scores 38 points, 12 rebounds, six steals and three assists and Irving scores 25 points. Butler scores 29 points and Dunleavy scores 19 points for the Bulls. Cleveland leads East Semifinals 3-2. Irving on James:
I commend him for putting us on his back.
James on Game 5:
Yay. No turnovers! That was the first stat I was looking at after the game. I was trying to be efficient for my teammates and I was very efficient.
Gibson on ejection:
I was surprised (to be ejected). I really just tried to release my foot because as soon as I got up off the ground, I just felt somebody tugging on my leg.
Coach Thibodeau on James:
We were slow. He was quicker.
Cavaliers 86-84 Bulls Game 4
Cavaliers win 86-84. James scores 25 points,Mozgov scores 15 points and Smith scores 13 points. Rose scores 31 points, Butler scores 19 points for the Bulls, The East Semifinals Series is tied 1-1. James on win shot:
I was supposed to take the ball out. I told Coach there was no way I’m taking the ball out unless I could shoot it over the backboard and go in. So I told him, Have somebody else take the ball out.’ The play that was drawn up, I scratched it. I just told Coach, Just give me the ball. We’re either going to go into overtime or I’m going to win it for us.
Rose on James:
There’s nothing you can do about it. He hit a great shot. He’s a hell of a player. We just have to make sure that if we’re in that position again, just make sure that we force him out a little bit more or make someone else get the ball.
Coach Thibodeau:
I thought the last two (games) could have gone either way. They’re hard fought. They’re a great team.
Bulls 99-96 Cavaliers Game 3
The Bulls win 99-96. Rose scores 30 points, Butler scores 20 points. James scores 27 points and 14 assists for the Cavaliers. Chicago leads East Semifinals 2-1. Rose on Game 3 performance:
I’m just thankful and grateful that my teammates gave me the ball. They believed in me down the stretch. They kept getting me the ball, kept encouraging me to play the way that I usually play. And no, I did not call glass.
Butler on Game 3 win:
It was huge. We needed that. That’s what he does.
James on Game 3:
You follow the game plan, they make a shot – you live with it. It’s when you make mistakes during the game plan, those would be the ones that are hard to live with. I know it’s easy for me to say that. The shot was not made on me. The guy took a tough shot. Tip your hat to him.
On Noah hard foul:
I’m a father with three kids. It got very disrespectful. I’m OK with competing against Jo. I love the competitive nature, but we should leave it there. The disrespectful words that he said to me were uncalled for.
Cavaliers 106-91 Bulls Game 2
The Cavaliers win 106-91. James scores 33 points and Irving scores 21 points. Butler scores 18 points, Rose scores 14 points and ten assists and Gasol scores 11 points for the Bulls. The East Semifinals Series ties 1-1.
James on Game 2 comeback:
It was in my locker and I decided to give it a go. It was time for it to make a comeback.
On Cavaliers injuries:
We’re a little banged up, we’re short-handed, so I have to be aggressive. Even more aggressive than my usual self, and I was happy I was able to make a couple of plays to help our team win tonight.
Irving on James:
There wasn’t one possession where he wasn’t dominant. When he has that mindset, he’s the greatest player playing our game right now.
Bulls 99-92 Cavaliers Game 1
The Bulls win 99-92. Rose scores 25 points, Gasol scores 21 points and Butler scores 20 points. Irving scores 30 points and James scores 19 points and 15 rebounds for the Cavaliers. Chicago leads East Semifinals 1-0.
Rose on comeback:
I just appreciate everything. getting back on the floor, my fans, every aspect of basketball. It’s allowed me to change my life and my family’s life. I owe so much to this sport. I’m just trying to roll with it.
James on Game 1 loss:
We all just have to play better. I wasn’t that good tonight.
Butler on Rose:
Derrick was making the right plays every time.
Coach Thibodeau:
You can’t get wrapped up in it. We’re going to have to play a lot better in the next game.
Cavaliers 101-93 Celtics Game 4
The Cavaliers win 101-93. James scores 27 points, Irving scores 24 points and Shumpert scores 15 points. Thomas scores 21 points and Sullinger scores 21 points for the Celtics. Cleveland wins East First Round Series 4-0.
James on Olyk’s intentional foul:
Seen a lot of tie-ups in my day, but that one looked different.
Irving on physical Game 4:
Things got a little chippy. Game 4 was the most physical game I have ever played in.
Thomas on Game 4:
We are all men here. We don’t need to cry. It’s playoff basketball. You need to move forward.
Coach Stevens on Celtics performance:
I like our progress but I like to win. So I’m disappointed.
Cavaliers 103-95 Celtics Game 3
The Cavaliers win 103-95. James scores a double-double (31 points and 11 rebounds), Love scores 23 points, Smith scores 15 points. Turner scores 19 points and Bradley scores 18 points for the Celtics. Cleveland leads East First Round series 3-0.
Coach Blatt on Smith’s performance:
He didn’t necessarily have to after scoring 30 points in Game 2. But he wanted to be with his teammate.
James on teammate Smith:
We were together last night watching playoff games. He said he wanted to go early and I said, ‘Let’s go’.
Coach Stevens:
You want to make sure that we play as well as possible for however many games we have left.
Cavaliers 99-91 Celtics Game 2
The Cavaliers win 99-91. James scores 30 points, Irving scores 26 points and Mozgov scores 16 points. Thomas scores 22 points for the Celtics. Cleveland leads the East First Round Series 2-0. James:
I’ve been in this moment before, and a lot of our guys haven’t. I thought it was important for me to put a stamp on this game.
Coach Stevens on Celtics loss:
We made those guys earn everything they got. And that’s a step in the right direction. We were in a three-possession game and we shot 38 percent.
Irving:
It wasn’t perfect, it wasn’t pretty. But we got it done.
Cavaliers 113-100 Celtics
The Cavaliers win 113-100. Irving scores 30 points, James scores 20 points and Love scores a double-double (19 points and 12 rebounds). Thomas scores 22 points for the Celtics. Cleveland leads East First Round Series 1-0. Irving on James, Love:
We are the Big 3. We have really great players on this team, but we set the tone.
James on teammates:
They were phenomenal. Those two guys, they succeeded for the first time being in the postseason.
Thomas:
We’re still confident. Guys are ready for Game 2, knowing that good or bad you’ve got to have a short memory. There are possibly seven games in this series and it could go either way.
Cavaliers 99-94 Bulls
The Cavaliers win 99-94. James scores a triple-double (20 points, 12 assists, ten rebounds), Irving scores 27 points. Dunvealy scores 24 points and Brooks scores 17 for the Bulls. Coach Blatt:
I’ve been doing this a long time, I’ve never seen three like that in one game.
Noah:
The basketball gods were on their side today.
James on Irving’s three-point shoots:
I told him to just throw it up there and see what happens, and it went in. I told him to just cast it, and it definitely was the difference in the game.
Coach Thibodeau:
Some I thought were defended well, some weren’t. They had three heaves that went in.