Warriors crush a LeBron James team in the playoffs by 15+ points AGAIN
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Warriors crush a LeBron James team in the playoffs by 15+ points AGAIN
Golden State loves putting a beating on Bron Bron's teams in the postseason.
Living life as a Golden State Warriors fans has its perks. One of those benefits is knowing that most years at some point during the playoffs, the team you’re rooting for is going to blow out a team starring LeBron James.
Last night Dub Nation got that perk again, as the champs absolutely obliterated the Los Angeles Lakers 127-100.
As we head into Game 3 with the series tied 1-1, let’s reflect on just how many times the Warriors have humiliated Bron’s teams in big-time playoff games. Keep in mind that the Dubs that didn’t win a title for 40 years and went through repeated playoff droughts. When they finally got back into the postseason spotlight, I thought I’d watch every single second of playoff games from tip-off to final buzzer. I savored every play, every timeout, even the commercials!
Even more so with James involved, who many argue is the greatest player of his generation (and maybe all-time). That’s must see TV! Steph vs Bron! Doesn’t get no bigger or better!
Until the Warriors started destroying his teams in three quarters, making the final period’s outcome so perfunctory that I started turning the channel before the game was over.
I’m sure I’m not the only person here who watched a Finals game over the last decade at Buffalo Wild Wings and saw the Warriors’ lead balloon to 30 on King James late in the third quarter before lazily waving the waiter over to collect the check.
What’s your favorite postseason blowout of a King James team?
2018 NBA Finals Game 2: 122-103
If you’ve been following this blog, you know about my theory of “Weaponized Joy”. That’s the experience of the Warriors and their fans salivating over crushing an opponent with unselfish, high-risk, humiliating, basketball dominance.
This was epitomized last night as Steph Curry led Golden State into a feeding frenzy by drilling an NBA Finals record NINE three-pointers.
2017 NBA Finals Game 2: 132-113
Entering Game 2, Cleveland was steadfast in its desire to play a “track meet” against the league’s best offense. They were run off the court. Kevin Durant (33 points, 13 rebounds and six assists) was brilliant for the second straight game, and Stephen Curry played through some ugly turnovers to chip in the first postseason triple-double of his career (32 points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds).
2016 NBA Finals Game 2: 110-77
The Cavaliers hung tough for a quarter and actually had a 28-22 lead early in the second period, but the Warriors simply rampaged from there to notch their most lopsided NBA Finals victory ever. A 20-2 run gave them an eight-point lead at half, and they continued to pour in on in the third and fourth quarters. Draymond Green scored 28 points, which included five 3- point baskets, and the Warriors shot 54.3 percent while limiting Cleveland to 35.4 percent.
LeBron James’ string of 25 straight playoff games scoring at least 20 points was snapped (he finished with 19), while Kyrie Irving was held to a mere 10. To make matters worse, Cavs forward Kevin Love was knocked out of the game when he took an elbow to back of the head in the second quarter.
QUOTABLE: “They just beat us. We didn’t win anything. No points of the game did we beat them in anything.” –LeBron James
2016 NBA Finals Game 1: 104-89
In a strange opener, both Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson were off their games, and the Cavaliers appeared primed for an upset, taking a 68-67 lead with 2:12 left in the third quarter. But the Warriors suddenly exploded for a 15-0 run at the end of that period and the start of the fourth, led by reserves veteran reserves Shaun Livingston, Andre Iguodala and Leandro Barbosa. Livingston led Golden State with a playoff career high 20 points (which is what Curry and Thompson wound up with combined), while Iguodala scored 12 and Barbosa 11 as the Warriors’ bench outscored Cleveland’s 45-10.
2015 NBA Finals Game 4: 103-82
The Cleveland Cavaliers looked overmatched against the Golden State Warriors in Thursday's Game 4 of the NBA Finals. Cleveland couldn't capitalize on home-court advantage at Quicken Loans Arena, as the Warriors played their best Finals game yet in a 103-82 victory to level the series at 2-2.
Warriors coach Steve Kerr decided to remove center Andrew Bogut from the starting lineup, plugging in Andre Iguodala and going small instead.
Per NBA.com, Iguodala—who matched Curry's 22 points and was a talismanic defender as well—made his presence felt by promptly producing on offense in his first start of the entire season.
Warriors crush a LeBron James team in the playoffs by 15+ points AGAIN
Would the suns take poole for ayton?
Difficult to pick between Game 4 in 2015 and Game 2 in 2017. The former was a key turnaround on the path to the first title, so its importance cannot be doubted. However, the 2017 game was the greatest club basketball team ever assembled at the absolute peak of its powers, arguably the best basketball humanity is capable of playing as of now. It is hard to dismiss that once you comprehend its meaning.