Dribbles: Clearly, LeBron and Cavs willing to get ring or die trying
CLEVELAND -- Random dribbles from the Cavaliers' 96-91 win over the visiting Warriors in Game 3 of the NBA Finals on Tuesday:
1. What else is left to say about the Cavs after this one? Seriously. This team just fights for every inch, scraps until the bitter end, keeps finding a way when it means the most. Yes, Steph Curry and the Warriors charged back after trailing by 20 points. But they never led. Not once. And how often can you say that about the league MVP and his team?
2. Right now, the Cavs are at their best when Curry is defended by a second-year point guard who never got drafted. And a lot of Cavs fans didn't even want Matthew Dellavedova on the team earlier this season. Heck, general manager David Griffin even once admitted the Cavs were looking for a third point guard to help relieve starter Kyrie Irving. But that feels like a decade ago. Now, Cavs coach David Blatt is calling Delly "the most Cleveland-like Australian I've ever seen."
3. Irving, of course, underwent knee surgery last weekend and is out. Kevin Love, of course, underwent shoulder surgery earlier in the playoffs and is out. Dellavedova had to receive treatment for cramping at the Cleveland Clinic after the game. It included an IV. Iman Shumpert hurt his shoulder after a mean screen from Warriors big man Draymond Green. This team is beat up, battered, weary. And winning.
4. Of course, Delly spent another night chasing around Curry. The Cavs blitzed Curry into bad passes, errant shots and a whole lot of frustration for three quarters. The Warriors star came around in the fourth to finish with 27 points. But it was too late. This ain't the New Orleans Pelicans or even the Houston Rockets. This is LeBron James' team.
5. Cavs coach David Blatt on his gritty championship-ring-seeking bunch: "It's just a group that is willing to play as hard as it can to get the win. And when you do that, you can live with any consequence. We may bend sometimes, but we haven't broken. There's a lot of character in that (locker) room, and they're bringing it to the floor."
6. James finished with 40 points, 12 rebounds, eight assists. He was probably even better defensively -- coming up with two big blocks and four important steals. One of the steals came off an inbounds pass late in the fourth quarter and with the game in the balance. Afterward, James repeatedly tapped the side of his head.
7. LeBron on why he tapped his head after stealing the pass: "I've seen them run that set before. I knew it was coming."
8. Almost as important was the fact James finished 10-of-12 shooting from the free-throw line. That included an icy 7-of-8 in the final 12 minutes. He was huge, he was clutch, he showed the determination of a champion. No surprise there. But guess what? His drive and his know-how are rubbing off on his younger teammates. It's as if they don't know any better. It's as if they think, regardless of what happens in the game, they cannot lose.
9. Now for the downside. Curry finished 10-of-20 shooting and 7-of-13 on 3-pointers. Those are excellent numbers. The Cavs allowed him to do his thing late in the game. It's clear the Cavs were tired, wearing down, and not as focused defensively. That can't happen for long stretches. They say they know that.
10. LeBron on that very subject: "We have to learn from those things. We're a young team, and like I told the guys, it's OK. It's OK. We haven't been in a lot of these situations, if any, with this group. But the best teacher in life is experience. ... We'll be ready for Game 4."
11. As expected, Tristan Thompson did a much better job finishing near the basket, compiling a Finals-high 10 points on 4-of-6 shooting. He also pulled down a game-high 13 rebounds. But regardless of final stats, the fourth-year power forward is relentless until the final buzzer. He annoys the stink out of the Warriors' big men. For the Cavs, that's all that matters.
12. Cavs veteran shooter James Jones also had an underrated first half and finished with seven points on 2-of-2 from the floor. That included an are-you-kidding-me three right before halftime. Jones is called "Champ" by his teammates for always coming out of nowhere and hitting key shots. Everyone in the other uniform just gets irritated. And that's precisely what the Cavs are aiming for.
13. Meanwhile, Shumpert went to the locker room, returned after some treatment, and left it all out there defensively yet again. The Cavs say he has a shoulder contusion, which is another way of saying it hurts really, really bad. But he should be able to play in Game 4. And even if not, he probably will.
14. LeBron on Shumpert: "We just can't afford any more injuries, especially from a guard perspective. As soon as it happened, I knew exactly which shoulder it was, and hoped for the best. When he came back on the floor with his shoulder wrapped, knowing that he wasn't 100 percent, and he's still competing ... it means everything to our team."
15. Guess what? Right now, that's just the Cavs. They are more determined than anything this league has seen in a very long time. They could lose these games. They could talk about not having Irving and Love. They could try again next season. But they're not going to do that. Not without a fight. That can do more than just make their city proud. That can energize sports fans everywhere. That's just how much passion they've displayed. They love this. They love the doubts. It is driving them, and frankly, it's a lesson for everyone who's ever been written off.
