Cleveland Cavaliers: 5 Takeaways From Game 3 vs. Warriors

1. The Big 2 Set Tone Early For Cavs

In Games 1 and 2, Kyrie Irving scored a total of 36 points, but he shot just 12-for-36 (33 percent) from the field. Additionally, he had more turnovers (six) than assists (five), which is not acceptable from the player who facilitates the team’s offense.

Meanwhile, James’ averages through the first two games included 21 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists on 42 percent shooting. These numbers would be more than respectable if we weren’t talking about a four-time MVP who is appearing in his seventh NBA Finals.

Although neither of the two had played well, Game 3 proved to be a different story. Irving led the Cavaliers’ attack early on, as he helped them jump out to a 20-point lead in the opening period. His 16 points in the quarter equaled the scoring output of the entire Warriors team.

Irving finished the contest with 30 points on 12-of-25 shooting to go along with eight assists and four rebounds. James came out with an aggressive mindset as well, as he scored eight first-quarter points.

James did struggle the rest of the first half, missing eight of his next nine attempts, but he finished the game with 32 points on 14-26 from the field to go along with 11 rebounds and six assists.

That being said, the Cavaliers are tough to beat when these two are playing well. And as this highlight demonstrates, Irving and James are two of the most difficult players to defend in transition.

To further illustrate how much this game meant to James and the Cavs, take a look at this block by James on a dunk attempt by Stephen Curry … after play had stopped.

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As impressive as this win was, the Cavaliers still trail 2-1. However, they now know what kind of effort it takes to beat the defending champions. If they can sustain this effort moving forward, they will have more than an outside chance of winning the series.