CLEVELAND: When a security guard gives spectators high fives after the game, you know the home team has come up with something special.
Trailing 0-3 in the seven-match NBA Finals against Golden State Warriors and their pride at stake, hosts Cleveland Cavaliers came out all guns blazing for a Finals' record breaking first-quarter score (46-29) at
Quicken Loans
Arena here on Friday night. They didn't give an inch to their accomplished opponents, diffused the impact of
Stephen Curry
and kept
Kevin Durant
under reasonable control. Cavs won 137-116 to end Warriors' run of 15 consecutive wins in playoffs. If they can win away on Monday in the fifth game, the series could reach an exhilarating climax for the last two games.
LeBron James and
Kyrie Irving were the architects of Cavs' rousing victory in Game 4 on Friday with
Richard Jefferson
having his moments.
Kevin Love
, Tristan Thompson and JR Smith played the supporting cast to perfection.
James came up with a triple-double with 31points, 11assists and 10 rebounds. Kyrie had 40 points and seven three-pointers; and the team had a whopping 24 three-pointers in a match. In the previous three games, Cavs had a combined 31 three-pointers. Though Durant tallied 35 points despite being severely marked, Curry managed just 14 points and the defence was in doldrums against the wave of attacks. In front of James' towering presence, Kyrie looks small. But he came up with tall deeds. His dribbling, passing and shooting was top class. More importantly, his jump shots exuded a touch of the magician.
Jefferson came up with a valuable all-round effort. He and James took turns to keep a close watch on Durant (about 10 fouls against him). On more than one occasion, Jefferson stole the ball under Durant's nose. And he also found the basket during vital passages of play. James was clearly the leader on the court with his commanding presence, top-class vision, underhand passing and ability to use the full width of the court.
Warriors did put up a fight. They were resilient enough to keep the deficit under reasonable control (in and around 15 points) for the large part of the match. But Cavs also had some timely defensive gigs to deny them an escape.
Sadly, the contest was somewhat marred by inconsistent officiating, scruffy arguments, frequent stoppages and high number of fouls.