PREMIUM
Stephen Nover's NBA Game of Month
(NBA) Golden State vs. Cleveland,
Money Line: -106.00 Golden State (Away)
Result: Loss
Money Line: -106.00 Golden State (Away)
Result: Loss
Zig Zag can only work when two teams are close to even. That's not the case in this NBA Championship Series. Golden State clearly is dominant. The Cavaliers don't have the coaching, bench and versatility to beat the Warriors even in this must-win spot at home.
It's not a fluke the Warriors have outscored the Cavaliers by a combined 48 points during the first two games. Switching venues to Cleveland should ensure a full effort from the Cavaliers, but that's not enough for them to win a game. The Cavaliers simply are outmatched here.
Playing three days since Sunday's Game 2 is going to only magnify the gap because Steve Kerr is a far better coach than Cleveland's inexperienced rookie head man Tyronn Lue. But Lue could be Phil Jackson, Gregg Popovich and Red Auberbach all rolled into one and he still couldn't find a way to beat the Warriors because his Cavaliers simply can't match the talent and depth of Golden State. There are no X's and O's that can change that.
Golden State has covered 69 percent of the time when playing on two full days of rest during the past 51 instances. Cleveland is 5-12 ATS the past 17 times when playing on two full days of rest.
The Cavaliers actually have been playing decent defense coming up with 15 steals and forcing 20 turnovers in Game 2. It didn't matter because the Warriors have so many aces besides superstar Stephen Curry and stars Klay Thompson and Draymond Green. Golden State is shooting better than 50 percent from the floor in the series. Lue can't hide the defensive weaknesses of Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love, who is hurt. Irving is playing terrible on offense, too, missing 24 of 36 field goals while having more turnovers than assists.
LeBron James just doesn't have the necessary help. Curry, Thompson and Green do. The Warriors are effective when they go big with Andrew Bogut and you could argue that no one has played better two-way basketball than Andre Iguodala. Proof of this is the Warriors being plus 49 points when Iguodala has been on the court.
It's not a fluke the Warriors have outscored the Cavaliers by a combined 48 points during the first two games. Switching venues to Cleveland should ensure a full effort from the Cavaliers, but that's not enough for them to win a game. The Cavaliers simply are outmatched here.
Playing three days since Sunday's Game 2 is going to only magnify the gap because Steve Kerr is a far better coach than Cleveland's inexperienced rookie head man Tyronn Lue. But Lue could be Phil Jackson, Gregg Popovich and Red Auberbach all rolled into one and he still couldn't find a way to beat the Warriors because his Cavaliers simply can't match the talent and depth of Golden State. There are no X's and O's that can change that.
Golden State has covered 69 percent of the time when playing on two full days of rest during the past 51 instances. Cleveland is 5-12 ATS the past 17 times when playing on two full days of rest.
The Cavaliers actually have been playing decent defense coming up with 15 steals and forcing 20 turnovers in Game 2. It didn't matter because the Warriors have so many aces besides superstar Stephen Curry and stars Klay Thompson and Draymond Green. Golden State is shooting better than 50 percent from the floor in the series. Lue can't hide the defensive weaknesses of Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love, who is hurt. Irving is playing terrible on offense, too, missing 24 of 36 field goals while having more turnovers than assists.
LeBron James just doesn't have the necessary help. Curry, Thompson and Green do. The Warriors are effective when they go big with Andrew Bogut and you could argue that no one has played better two-way basketball than Andre Iguodala. Proof of this is the Warriors being plus 49 points when Iguodala has been on the court.
