The 2015 NBA finals between Cleveland Cavaliers and Golden State Warriors has lived up to its billing, as both the first and the second game stretched to overtime with Warriors winning game 1 and Cavaliers game 2.
Hence, the third game between the two sides will prove to be an important one at Quicken Loans Arena on Tuesday.
Though Kyrie Irving is out of the NBA finals after he underwent a surgery on Saturday, LeBron James rose to the occasion on game 2 to help Cavs turn victorious. James scored 39 points to topple Warriors.
The Warriors have been hugely dependent on the services of Stephen Curry, who has always stood tall, but his performance in game 2 was below-par, which shows Warriors' over dependence on Curry.
Though Klay Thompson scored 34 points, Curry only managed 19 points, which helped Cavs turn the heat on Warriors to defeat them. It was surprising for a player of such stature to miss shots consistently.
Warriors' coach Steve Kerr believes that Curry will bounce back.
''It happens to everybody, whether you're the MVP or a role player,'' AP quoted Kerr as saying. ''Sometimes the shots don't go in. Sometimes things don't go your way. Steph will bounce back. He's a great player. We'll help him. We'll try to see if we can get him into a better groove. But he'll be fine.''
If Curry gets his shooting range from the start, the Cavaliers will have a tough time, though they might be on home court. When in form, there is no better three point shooter than Curry in NBA at present.
The Cavaliers also have a weapon of their own, James, who can turn up the game with his individual brilliance. But one must give credit for the way James has showed up despite missing Kevin Love earlier and now Irving as well.
The result of the match may be swayed by the performance of Curry and James.
Cavs' coach David Blatt had some words of praise for James, especially his leadership skills.
''You'd be hard pressed to find a guy anywhere, anytime, I can think of a name or two, but that's the whole history of basketball, that can give you the kind of all-around performance and all-around leadership that LeBron does for his group,'' said Blatt.
Where to Watch Live
Game 3: Cavaliers vs Warriors at Quicken Loans Arena, 9pm ET (6:30amIST, 2am BST)
TV – ABC (US) and Sony Six (India)
Online – NBA.com
