Cavs Fall 118-113 in Final Minute of Game 3; Three Takeaways

1. The Final Minute

Murphy’s Law was at work against the Cavs in the last minute of the game.

Kevin Durant’s 13-foot jumper pulled the Warriors to within two with 1:15 remaining.

After a missed three-pointer from Kyle Korver, Durant came down to the other end and nailed a dagger three from the top of the key to give the Warriors a 114-113 lead with 45 seconds to go.

On the next possession, Irving tried to do what he has done so well against the Warriors over the last year: isolation basketball in the final minute.

Unlike in Game 7 of last year, or the Christmas Day game, the jumper wouldn’t go in for Irving this time.

Settling for two threes, especially when they weren’t needed yet, was not the best basketball decision-making.

Combined with waiting as long as the Cavs did to foul Durant after Irving’s missed shot, (about twelve seconds) their chances to win this game evaporated with their lead.

The Warriors went on an 11-0 run in the final three minutes of the game, proving that no lead is safe in crunch time.

Ultimately, however, the decision-making on Cleveland’s part was abysmal. From the shot selection, to an inability to use defensive pressure down the stretch, the Cavs seemingly made every wrong decision in the final three minutes.

Pages: 1 2 3 4