Pick the biggest play of NBA Finals Game 7: Bill Livingston (poll, photos)
CLEVELAND, Ohio — The only close game of the Famine-Buster Finals, the Cavaliers’ 93-89 triumph in the seventh game against Golden State, was full of pivotal plays that decided the outcome.
There is no “wrong” answer for any of these eight plays that were right for their time. Each helped end Cleveland fans’ hunger for a major professional sports championship after a 52-year wait.
“All of the above” is not a voting option, however.
Some details:
LeBron James had to run from near the opposite foul line and from the left side of the court to the right at a time when he and everyone else was gassed to spike away Andre Iguodala’s fast-break layup. (Give a critical assist to J.R. Smith for making Iguodala double-clutch, which gave James an additional split-second to get there.)
Kyrie Irving’s 3-pointer ended a 3 minute, 46 second-long stretch of exhausted offense in which neither team could score. It came on a step-back shot over Curry’s challenge. The Cavs never relinquished the lead.
Kevin Love was Inspector Javert to Curry’s Jean Valjean on the possession after Irving’s three. Love relentlessly dogged the Warriors’ sharp-shooter behind the 3-point line. Quickness on perimeter defense is an area of weakness for the 6-10 Love, but he forced a “miserable” miss by Curry.
Irving’s layup while being fouled by Draymond Green had a higher degree of difficulty than any other shot in the game. If you did not jump off your couch on that one, you were probably in a coma.
James’ snuff of Curry in the second quarter established who was going to be the alpha superstar for the night and set an intimidating tone.
Iman Shumpert’s 4-point play was only the seventh of the playoff season. Love also had one in an earlier series.
Love’s alley-oop layup showed Tyron Lue’s coaching acumen. The Cavs had rallied from a 54-46 deficit to tie in the third quarter. But Curry quickly hit a finger-roll and a long three for a 59-54 Warriors’ lead with 7:40 left in the third quarter. Lue did not wait for the 6-minute timeout, he called time immediately. James’ penetration and flip to a cutting Love resulted in an easy hoop.
Not only was James playing hurt after Green spilled him on a dunk attempt off a great “find” by a driving Irving, but James was physically spent. He had missed a five-foot baby hook on the possession before Irving’s three. He clanked the first of his two foul shots off the back of the rim. But he willed the second one to go in.
Game, series, championship to Cleveland.
Pick the biggest play of NBA Finals Game 7: Bill Livingston (poll, photos)
Post a Comment