National Basketball Association

The Latest: Jefferson replaces Love in Cleveland lineup

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 3:08 p.m. ET

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CLEVELAND (AP) The Latest on Game 3 of the NBA Finals between the Golden State Warriors and the Cleveland Cavaliers (all times local):

7:25 p.m.

Richard Jefferson will replace concussed Kevin Love in the starting unit for Cleveland in Game 3 of the NBA Finals, and LeBron James will start at power forward in an effort to try and match Golden State's speedy lineup.

Cavs coach Tyronn Lue made the announcements about two hours before tipoff, a move that wasn't necessarily surprising given that Jefferson was in a starters' uniform when the team held its morning shootaround.

The team ruled Love out several hours before Game 3. He remains in the NBA's concussion protocol, after taking an elbow from Golden State's Harrison Barnes in the back of the head and having to leave Game 2 on Sunday night.

''He's frustrated that he's not able to play,'' Lue said. ''But that's the protocol. ... Someone else has to step up right now.''

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7:10 p.m.

Vince Carter got a bronze trophy at these NBA Finals.

He's still hopeful on getting his hands on the gold one.

Carter was recognized Wednesday as the winner of this season's Twyman-Stokes Teammate of the Year award, given to the player deemed the NBA's best teammate based on selfless play, leadership on and off the court as a mentor or role model, plus commitment and dedication to the team.

''That's who I am,'' Carter said before Game 3 in Cleveland on Wednesday night. ''I just try to be a great teammate.''

Carter was introduced by Shane Battier, who was wearing one of his Miami Heat championship rings. Carter said he still wants a chance to be part of a Finals win of his own.

Carter, 39, said he still wants a chance to be part of a Finals win of his own.

''Being here is pretty awesome as well,'' Carter said.

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6:40 p.m.

LeBron James says Game 3 is ''do or die'' for the Cleveland Cavaliers.

The league says teams have to win four games to win a series, but he's right nonetheless.

When Game 3 between Cleveland and Golden State tips off Wednesday night, the Cavaliers will try to avoid becoming the 13th team to fall into a 3-0 hole in the NBA Finals. The last team to find themselves in such a predicament was - oddly enough - the Cavaliers in 2007, against San Antonio.

No team in NBA history has successfully rallied from a 3-0 deficit. And in the last 60 years, eight of the nine teams that lost the first three games of the title series wound up getting swept. The one exception there was Seattle, which pushed Michael Jordan and Chicago to six games in 1996 before succumbing.

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