Golden State Warriors: 5 Preparations For NBA Finals Game 5

3. Play From In Front

Technically speaking, the Warriors didn’t accomplish this to start off Game 4. Their small-ball starting five looked like a massive mistake at first, with the Dubs getting outmuscled in the paint as the Cavs built a quick 7-0 advantage. But the Warriors had been getting wide open looks on offense and were simply missing them; as the game wore on, those easy looks started falling and Golden State capitalized on their offensive versatility.

By the end of the first quarter, the Warriors had their first lead of the series at the end of a regulation period, 31-24. At the half, they had extended their lead to 12, and in this year’s postseason, the Dubs are a perfect 12-0 when tied or leading at the half. When they trail heading into the break, however, they’ve gone 2-5.

The Warriors’ streak of not losing three games in a row a single time this season is impressive, but the most outstanding streak of all revolves around what happens when the Dubs build a 15-point lead:

That’s right folks. The Warriors are an unbelievable 57-0 this season when leading by at least 15 points at any point in a game. In the second quarter of Game 4, the Dubs led by 15. Is there any question how important it is for this team to build an early advantage in a pivotal Game 5 and try to carry this momentum forward?

Over the last five quarters, the Warriors have outscored Cleveland by a staggering 139-106 margin. Curry and the rest of his supporting cast finally had a solid shooting night from three-point range (and from the field, for that matter), which means the Cavs could be in trouble if they’ve finally found their groove.

But playing from behind — even with as many times as we’ve seen the Dubs cut into double-digit leads in mere minutes this year — is not the way to play LeBron James and these Cavs. Building a first half lead at home is the best way to let Cleveland know that losing Game 4 may have cost them their best shot at a championship.

Next: No. 2