Highlights of their last game:
Golden State — yes, that same Golden State team that blew a 3-1 lead in the finals — squandered away a 14-point lead in the 4th quarter to lose 109-108 in Cleveland on Christmas Day.
Kyrie Irving reminded the Warriors who the boss was, nailing the game winner that capped the Cavaliers' dramatic comeback.
Kevin Durant chalked up a game-high 36 points in his first taste of the NBA's most delicious rivalry.
What they've done since the Christmas Day game:
The Cavaliers are a mortal 6-4 in their last 10 games and losers of two of their last three. Rest assured that won't matter Monday night in San Francisco (Tuesday morning, Manila time).
The Warriors have a better record at 7-1 with their solitary defeat coming in the hands of the Memphis Grizzlies. Yup, the one in which Golden State blew a 24-point second-half lead and lost in overtime.
Tensions amped up a bit between Durant and teammate Draymond Green after a key possession involving Durant taking an awful shot.
Cleveland has since acquired Kyle Korver, who's been easing his way into Tyronn Lue/LeBron James' system. (Damn you, Atlanta!) In the Cavs' last game in Sacramento, Korver shot four of six from three-point range to finish with 18 points.
SI.com's Rob Mahoney does an excellent breakdown of how the Korver pickup will really set the Cavs apart from the competition. In a nutshell, Cleveland's middling 3-point shooters see a steep rise in their shooting percentages when their shots are facilitated by a James assist. So imagine Korver, one of the best all-time in making open 3s, being the recipient of those passes. That sound you hear is the league collectively sighing in frustration while pulling their hair.
What they've been saying:
James has played down whatever it is his Cavaliers have against the Warriors, saying it's not a rivalry (Really?).
Just last week, Thompson let the world know how much he's still salty over the Cavaliers' wicked Halloween party, calling it "childish."
LeBron James went full savage at his Halloween party. pic.twitter.com/9NZFHxchD3
— Alex Kennedy (@AlexKennedyNBA) October 31, 2016
The Cavaliers and Warriors are back at the scene of the crime. The last time they met in San Francisco, "the Shot," "the Block," "the Stop," and the comeback for all ages happened on the same tension-filled game.
The Warriors have lost three at home this season so their aura of invincibility at Oracle Arena is clearly a thing of the past.
Are the Cavaliers on the Warriors' heads for real? Golden State has lost four straight to Cleveland, two of those via late-game collapse and two of those at the Warriors home floor so that notion appears to be valid.
Steph Curry has struggled mightily against the Cavaliers, who figured the best way to neutralize Curry was to body him up whenever he's on the court and tire his legs out. He shot below 40% from the field in those four losses.
While the Cavaliers have roster continuity going for them, the Warriors are still learning how to play with Durant and best utilize the former MVP.
Las Vegas oddsmakers like the Warriors' chances on Tuesday, but evidence suggests too that if there's one team that's great at playing odds breakers, it's James and the Cavs. What, that 3-1 comeback in the finals isn't enough evidence?
Prediction: Cavaliers win.
(All stats courtesy of basketball-reference.com)
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