2016 NBA Finals: Game 5 Recap And Highlights

With their backs against the wall against a Draymond Green-less Golden State Warriors, LeBron James and Kyrie Irving turned in memorable performances in Game 6 of the 2016 NBA Finals.

The Golden State Warriors may not have had their most important two-way player with Draymond Green for Game 5 of the 2016 NBA Finals, but all-time performances from LeBron James and Kyrie Irving made sure there’d be a Game 6.

Facing the end of the their season on the road at Oracle Arena, the Cleveland Cavaliers rode some elite shot-making from their two best players to a 112-97 victory, staving off elimination and sending the series back to Cleveland.

LeBron (41 points, 16 rebounds, seven assists, three blocks and three steals on 16-of-30 shooting) and Kyrie (41 points and six assists on 17-of-24 shooting) combined for 82 points and 9-of-15 shooting from three-point range.

More from Cleveland Cavaliers

• Latest intel calls Donovan Mitchell’s future with the Cavs into question
• 5 players who will challenge Victor Wembanyama for Rookie of the Year
• Cleveland Cavaliers: Analyzing the Max Strus acquisition
• Ranking the 5 best available shooting guards in 2023 NBA free agency
• NBA Rumors: Cavs have secret weapon to lure LeBron back to Cleveland

The Cavs only got 30 points out of the rest of the supporting cast, but it was enough to overcome 37 points from Klay Thompson and 25 points from Stephen Curry and force a Game 6 back in Cleveland.

Without Draymond Green available to help tighten Golden State’s defense, the Warriors couldn’t make Cleveland pay for resorting to isolation basketball in the fourth quarter, with Kyrie Irving putting the game away with a personal 7-0 run late in the fourth quarter.

In the first quarter, the Warriors came out angry, fueled by an equally fired up crowd serenading the home team with chants of “FREE DRAY-MOND!”

The Dubs opened up an early 12-5 lead behind a three-pointer from each of the Splash Brothers and it felt like the game was slipping away from the Cavs right from the get-go, especially with Cleveland committing five turnovers on their first eight possessions.

Curry’s stepback three-pointer early in the game ignited Oracle Arena and let Cleveland know they were still upset about the loss of Draymond Green.

Andre Iguodala was aggressive from the start in particular, stripping LeBron James in the post and taking the ball in transition for a strong layup on the other end on the first play of the game.

Iggy had eight points at the end of the first quarter, immediately staking his claim for back-to-back Finals MVP honors, though he wound up shooting one too many times from three-point range.

But even in the face of an angry team and a hostile crowd, the Cavaliers weren’t ready to let their season end without a fight. Though he looked lost on defense for most of the first quarter, J.R. Smith started hitting shots on the other end, finishing the opening period with 10 points.

LeBron James helped rally the Cavs when it felt like the game was slipping away, knocking down his first two three-pointers en route to 12 first quarter points on 4-of-7 shooting.

Still, despite the Cavs shooting 10-for-19 from the field in the first quarter, the Warriors held a 32-29 advantage behind Curry’s 10 points and another eight from Thompson.

With LeBron James resting to start the second quarter, the Cavaliers put together their most important stretch of the first half, going on a 7-0 run to turn a three-point deficit into a five-point advantage.

While King James got a brief break from the action, Richard Jefferson scored back-to-back baskets and Kyrie Irving knocked down a three to capitalize on a Golden State defense that had quite a different look without Green on the floor.

At that point, the Dubs and Cavs started trading blows in a way NBA fans had been hoping for ever since the series began, starting with LeBron’s ball-deflating block on Curry in transition.

But in spite of Kyrie and LeBron’s best efforts to sustain Cleveland’s lead, Klay Thompson chose that exact moment to go supernova, draining three after three to send Oracle into a frenzy.

The Warriors couldn’t create any separation either, but with Thompson drilling shots from the half court logo, the home crowd could feel momentum shifting back in their favor.

Thompson finished the first half with 26 points on 8-of-12 shooting and 6-of-8 shooting from three-point range. His 18-point explosion in the second quarter helped the Dubs take a 61-61 tie into the break despite LeBron and Kyrie having their way with Golden State’s defense.

Shaun Livingston also had a signature Game 5 moment in the first half, baptizing Richard Jefferson on a vicious dunk that was quickly answered by a Kyrie Irving long range two.

Still, Livingston’s dunk served as yet another fantastic play to get an already animated home crowd on its feet once again.

The battle between LeBron, Kyrie, Curry and Klay continued until the end of the first half, with Curry getting involved by massacring Kevin Love out of pick-and-roll sets every opportunity he got.

Curry finished the first half with only 13 points and three assists, but knocked down three of his six three-pointers.

LeBron James was an absolute animal in the first half, racking up 25 points — a personal best for him in the first half of a Finals game — and nine rebounds on 10-of-18 shooting. Irving also had a terrific first half with 18 points on 8-of-10 shooting.

Despite the Cavaliers shooting 25-for-46 from the field, the Warriors’ 11-for-21 shooting from deep, coupled with Cleveland’s meager five assists on their 25 made field goals, were slight signs of concern heading into the second half.

For the Cavs to force a Game 6, it was going to take another masterful half from LeBron and Kyrie, who combined for 43 of the team’s 61 first half points. Luckily for the Cavs, they were able to supply it.

The third quarter immediately picked up where the first half left off, with Curry and LeBron drilling back-to-back threes.

But adversity once again struck for the Dubs, who had to help carry Andrew Bogut to the locker room after he landed awkwardly on a block against J.R. Smith.

Bogut was diagnosed with a knee sprain and did not return to the game.

With Bogut out and the Warriors going small, the Cavs strung together a run to build an eight-point lead — their largest advantage of the night to that point. Six straight points from Klay Thompson brought the Dubs back to within three, but LeBron and Kyrie would not be denied.

With King James continuing his assault on the basket and no Draymond to contest shots at the rim, the Cavs got whatever they wanted on offense. Irving going being lights out from the field certainly didn’t help either.

The Cavs extended the lead to as many as 11 points and carried a nine-point lead heading into the fourth quarter behind LeBron’s monster 36-12-6-3-2 stat line leading the way. With the prospect of heading back to Cleveland for Game 6 looming, the Dubs needed a fourth quarter spark plug. They wouldn’t get one.

Curry immediately knocked down a three-pointer off a screen to start the fourth quarter, but his and Harrison Barnes‘ inability to knock down open looks came back to haunt the Dubs as they went 1-for-10 from three-point range in the final frame.

Even with Anderson Varejao flopping, getting to the foul line and making one memorable hustle play that fired up Oracle Arena, the Cavs extended their lead to 10 points with 7:30 to play on a beautiful three-point play for Irving.

The Dubs were able to cut the lead to six, but Kyrie Irving once again struck, scoring seven unanswered points to give the Cavs an insurmountable 13-point lead with 4:41 to play.

The Warriors missed three of their 21 three-pointers in the second half, many of them wide open, making only 14 of their 42 threes for the game.

Heading into Game 6, however, the Warriors should feel good about the fact that it took 82 points from LeBron and Kyrie, the Dubs going cold from three-point range and Draymond Green being out for the Cavaliers to beat them at Oracle. But with Bogut potentially out for the rest of the Finals, this series just got a bit more interesting.

More hoops habit: NBA: 50 Greatest Players Of All Time

The Cavaliers will once again try to stave off elimination in Thursday night’s Game 6 at Quicken Loans Arena.