Cavaliers vs. Warriors Game 5 Predictions: NBA Finals

In game 4 the Warriors made slight change to the lineup as they exchanged size for quickness after inserting Andre Iguodala into the starting lineup while making Andrew Bogut a reserve coming off the bench. The lineup tweak proved detrimental for the Cavs who just couldn’t keep up with such a fast and efficient smaller lineup of the Warriors.  Iguodala’s offense paid dividends as he and teammate Stephen Curry lead all scorers with 22 points a piece. His defense on LeBron James also helped to set the tone for the Warriors to deliver such a balanced attack.

LeBron James suffered a head injury after the momentum from a foul by Andrew Bogut sent him flying out of bounds where he collided with a cameraman. The injury left James with a bloody cut which would require stitches after the game– James also struggled throughout the second half and did not score during the fourth quarter. The bright spot for the Cavs was Timofey Mozgov who lead all scorers with 28 points and 10 rebounds — the Warriors did not have a defensive answer for containing him.

The Warriors will head back home with a chance to go up in the series 3-2 which could put them one step closer to winning the NBA Title. Is this series over? Have the Cavs finally run out of gas?  Team S.U. recaps game 4 and provides their Cavaliers vs. Warriors Game 5 Predictions.

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Cavaliers vs. Warriors Game 5 Predictions: NBA Finals

 

 Keith Rivas (Editor) –  The Warriors came back much stronger than many anticipated in Game 4 in Cleveland. LeBron James and his Cavalier teammates didn’t look like themselves, especially in the last eight minutes or so.

Golden State, plain and simple, played the better basketball game tonight and Steph Curry helped by being the role of facilitator instead of the do-it-all captain we’re used to seeing.

Heading back to the fans at Oracle Arena with the series tied at 2-2 and home court back in their favor, the Warriors have this series right where they want it.

As for the Cavs and King James? It’s a nightmare come true.

After barely scraping by in a Game 2 overtime win in Oakland, all that hard work seems to have gone down the drain as Cleveland must do it again to stay alive in the series — if not in Game 5, then it’d be a must win at home in Game 6 and then they’d have to take Golden State by the horns in a win-it-all Game 7.

And honestly, there’s a very low chance of that happening.

James is past empty now and his supporting cast is still trying to get as much as they can out of their first Finals experience together.

It just honestly sucks for Cleveland fans, because now their championship drought might last another season — maybe longer.

Cavaliers vs. Warriors Game 5 Predictions –  In Game 5, I definitely see the Warriors coming out on top, seeing that they’ve gained the edge and momentum is back where they want it. Final score: Warriors 102, Cavs 97 (OT)

 

 Steve Turner (NBA Contributor) – Perfect response from the Golden State Warriors in game 4. After a shaky game 3, the Warriors really picked it up and annihilated the Cavs in Cleveland. This is the Golden State team we’ve seen all season. Steve Kerr made an extremely interesting decision tonight when he decided to start Andre Iguodala, and it turned out to be an amazing idea. Not only did Iggy do a phenomenal job on guarding LeBron James, he also contributed a game-high with 22 points (tied with Steph Curry, who also had 22).

The Warriors role players really came out and made a huge difference in game 4 compared to game 3. Steph Curry really found his shot and that helped the Warriors as well. J.R. Smith and Iman Shumpert both had poor games and if the Cavs want to win this series, they really need to step up to the plate. The person that helped the Cavs the most though was Timofey Mozgov who had a very impressive game, and even though the Cavs didn’t win, he has momentum going into game 5.

Cavaliers vs. Warriors Game 5 Predictions –  On that note, the Warriors really have the momentum they need. Game 5 is back at the Oracle and Golden State has a golden statement to make. I don’t see the Warriors losing 2 home games in a series. Game 5 is going to the Warriors, 106-92.

 

Jr. Williams (NBA Editor) – I knew the Warriors would come out swinging, but what I didn’t expect was Joey Crawford (one of the worst refs in the league) to turn this game into a complete spectacle. Needless to say, when I discovered he was officiating the game, I knew this series was somehow going to end up being tied 2-2. For the record I think Crawford represents everything that is wrong the NBA, and I can’t wait until he retires– it will be a celebration for the ages.

Ranting aside I think Steve Kerr made a commendable adjustment to the lineup that allowed his team to play superb offensively. Andre Iguodala shot the ball with confidence and outplayed most of the players in the Cavs rotation, however, the Cavs offensive struggles must be noted as J.R. Smith and Iman Shumpert have yet to show up in this series. LeBron James needed help in game 4, unfortunately, the only players to answer the call were Trishtan Thomas and Timofey Mozgov. You simply can’t expect James to come out and produce 40 points, 10 rebs, and 10 assists on a regular basis — more players have to step up or this series could be over sooner than expected.

Cavaliers vs. Warriors Game 5 Predictions – Even though the Cavs struggled in game 4, I refuse to give up on this team. I know what they are capable of, and I think they have the talent to win this series. They played a horrible game 4, but managed to keep things interesting during the first three quarters.  Cavs will win game 5, final score 98-95.