The Cavaliers are well aware that no team has ever won the NBA championship after falling behind 3-1 in the Finals. They also know the Warriors were down 3-1 to Oklahoma City last series and found a way to come back. The Cavs said all the right things about fighting back, but if they don’t perform on Monday, it will be their last.
You can bet on NBA odds at BookMaker.eu every day of the season.
Cleveland Cavaliers +7
Golden State Warriors -7
Over/Under 206
LOOK AHEAD
Frustration has set in for the Cavaliers in the NBA Finals. That’s what happens when a team is down 3-1, as the Cavs are. The frustration grows sensing the difficult task ahead: win three in a row, including two on the road, against a team that hasn’t lost three consecutive games in more than 100 games played this season.
And just like 28 other teams in the NBA, they were frustrated trying to figure out a way to stop the Warriors and their barrage of threes. Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson combined for 11 from behind the arc as the Warriors had a Finals record 17 of them on Friday. The too-often undisciplined Cavaliers defense couldn’t stop them. They were frustrated that with the game – and maybe their season – in the balance they slipped back into the bad habits of isolation basketball. Which, against a good defense like Golden State’s, comes complete with a lot of contested shots. Even if the Cavs find a way to put the frustration behind them and play better on Monday night, it might not be enough.
INJURIES
Draymond Green found himself in another postseason mess. The Warriors forward exchanged words with LeBron James in the fourth quarter and appeared to hit Cleveland’s superstar in the groin area. The NBA will review the play and Green would be suspended for Game 5 if the league retroactively assesses a flagrant-1 foul.
Kevin Love was cleared from the concussion protocol and came off the bench in Game 4 for the first time since 2010. He scored 11 points in 25 minutes after sitting out Cleveland’s Game 3 victory.
KEY MATCHUP
This is LeBron’s team and it’s time for him to put the Cavs on his shoulders if they want to extend the series. James was supposed to have more help than last season, when the Cavs lost to the Warriors in six. Kyrie Irving was spectacular in both games in Cleveland, and has been the most productive offensive player on either side over the course of the series. But Love, not so much. He sat on the bench during the Cavs’ fourth quarter collapse on Friday and now his future in Cleveland is cloudy.
James had 25 points, 13 rebounds and nine assists in Game 4. A stat line that would suggest he had a solid, impactful game. But anyone who actually watched the game noticed that he wasn’t’ assertive until too late, too content with letting his teammates get going. By the time he chose to force the issue, the game had already slipped away. A little prodding from Green late in Game 4 could serve as motivation for James to take over and propel the Cavs to a series-extending victory. You can also bet the referees will take notice after James and coach Tyronn Lue expressed their frustration over the lack of calls and free throw attempts for the King.
QUICK PICK
The backs of the Cavaliers are firmly against the wall now. Back in Game 3, in what James called a “do-or-die” game, the Cavs responded with their best postseason effort in slamming the Warriors by 30 points. For some inexplicable reason, they got away from what made them so successful in that game and returned to the sorry basketball they displayed in Games 1 and 2. The Warriors are a good defensive ballclub, but they were exploited by the Trail Blazers and Thunder in earlier rounds. The Cavs sure helped Golden State look much better than they really are.
James will have extra motivation after the antics of Green during Game 4. You sure as hell don’t want to wake the sleeping giant and that’s what Draymond did. The Cavs need to avoid the long scoring drought like they experienced in the fourth quarter of Game 4. They need to make a higher percentage of free throws, and, most importantly, don’t get frustrated. With LeBron not ready to give up on bringing a championship home to Cleveland, the Cavs extend the NBA series.
NBA Odds: Cleveland 106, Golden State 99
Access live betting lines from your mobile device at BookMaker Sportsbook! You can wager on sporting events as they unfold on television with BookMaker’s live betting platform. Real-time spreads, totals, props and moneyline odds are all available by clicking here so start betting with BookMaker today! Bet on the NBA today as the Cleveland Cavaliers and Golden State Warriors square off Monday, June 13, 2016, at 9 p.m. ET at Oracle Arena. Watch the game live on ABC.
