LeBron James leads Cleveland to a second consecutive win in the 2015 NBA Finals
Helped by yet another terrific performance from their talisman LeBron James, the Cleveland Cavaliers won Game 3 of the 2015 NBA Finals on home base 96-92 to take a 2-1 lead in the 7-Game series.
The 30-year-old, playing his 5th straight NBA finals, scored a whopping 40 points and also added 12 rebounds and 8 assists and was ably supported by Matthew Dellavedova, who has been terrific in the absence of the injured Kyrie Irving, scoring 20 points.
Talking after the game, James said that he realised how important he was for his side and he needed to push his fellow teammates, when playing on the court.
“This is a great moment and my teammates need me. It's my job to go out and lead those guys, teach those guys, yell at those guys and then come back and tell them it's OK, let's move to the next play,” he said.
Howvever, what seemed like a comfortable win was pegged back somewhat in the fourth and final quarter of the game, when Stephen Curry unleashed a few excellent three pointers, to help the Warriors take a 13-2 lead in the initial stages of the fourth quarter.
After disappointing Game 2, when he scored a mere 19 points, Curry put on a sensational display in the final part of the game, to bring hi side back into the contest but unfortunately was left with a lot to do in the end and eventually ended on the losinbg end once again.
However, the performance from the 2015 MVP did find hiom praise from James, who said the points he scored from the three pointer mark in the final quarter, were the ones he misssed in the first 3 quarters.
“Those 3's Steph had in that fourth quarter, those are the same ones that he missed in the first three quarters. He's just a great shooter,” he said.
Although the Cavaliers did end up winning, there was yet another injury score for them duing the game, when defender Imam Shumpert, hurt his left shoulder in the opening quarter after running into a clear screen set by Draymmond Green of the Warriors. Worringly, Shumpert hurt himslef in the same shoulder which kept him out of action for 6 weeks, when he was playing for New York earlier this season.
Although Shumpert did return modway through the second quarter and knocked down a 3-pointer to put his side in front by 7 points, he was virtually playing with one hand.