Warriors fend off Cavaliers in renewal of NBA’s marquee rivalry
OAKLAND, Calif. The Golden State Warriors and Cleveland Cavaliers renewed hostilities at Oracle Arena on Monday afternoon for the first time since the Warriors claimed their second championship canada goose uk head office in three seasons canada goose outlet cheap on this court in Game 5 of the 2017 NBA Finals.
In the centerpiece of the NBA’s five game slate on Christmas, the Warriors and Cavaliers didn’t disappoint, playing with an energy and intensity rarely seen during the regular season and delivering a thriller that ended with, in a battle that could precede as many as eight more showdowns between these basketball giants.
“It’s just fun to be a part of,” said Kevin Durant, who led the Warriors with 25 points. “When you think canada goose outlet authentic back on the game afterwards, you don’t want to say, ‘I wasn’t involved in this possession’ or ‘I wasn’t mentally https://www.fabulalitera.de all the way in on this possession.’ You just want to inject yourself into the game and just play.”
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canada goose uk shop This game featured a little bit of everything. Kevin Love had a monster day for Cleveland, putting up 31 points and 18 rebounds. For the Warriors, Draymond Green had a triple double (12 points, 12 rebounds, 11 assists), and Durant added to his defensive highlight reel with two steals and five blocks, although he was just one example of the hellacious defense being played on both sides. canada goose uk shop
canada goose uk black friday And perhaps most importantly to the league and its decision canada goose black friday discount makers, there was plenty of drama late in a game that was tied at 92 with just under two minutes to play. canada goose uk black friday
buy canada goose jacket While Klay Thompson closed the game with the final seven points to give Golden State the victory, the head to head cheap canada goose battle between Durant and LeBron James, the best players in the sport, will be analyzed and dissected most. buy canada goose jacket
canada goose factory sale Twice in the final two minutes, James tried to drive past Durant. Both times, James lost the ball out of bounds, resulting in Cleveland turnovers that essentially iced the game for Golden State. canada goose factory sale
Replays left the impression that both plays could have been called fouls, though James only took issue with the second one when Durant blocked a shot off James’s hands and out of bounds, giving the ball back to the Warriors after a replay review with 24.5 seconds left. Durant’s play prevented Cleveland from getting a shot at tying the score.
Canada Goose Outlet “I lost it on the left wing,” James said. “He got me a little bit, but I lost that one. But obviously the overturned one, he fouled me twice. But whatever. What are you going to do about it?” Canada Goose Outlet
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Canada Goose online Durant, not surprisingly, saw it canada goose outlet store vancouver a bit differently particularly the debate about whether he fouled James that was ongoing on social media in the moments after the plays. Canada Goose online
“It felt clean,” Durant said. “It’s probably the same play a bunch of those dudes on Twitter are probably arguing about in 24 Hour Fitness, that it wasn’t a foul. They’ve been in that position before but just not on Christmas at the Oracle Arena.
buy canada goose jacket cheap “So they know, they know if they ain’t call it, it’s not a foul. But I’m sure if they get that call at 24Hour Fitness, they’re going to be pissed they called it a foul.” buy canada goose jacket cheap
Then Durant paused, and as he started to get up from the podium in the interview room, he canada goose jobs uk turned back to the microphone.
“So keep that s on Twitter.”
canada goose clearance sale It was a lighthearted moment at the end of a day in which both teams could take away a similar perspective. There was little doubt this game meant more than a typical regular season contest to everyone involved. But it also was one both teams played with the knowledge that the more important games between these teams are the ones that are still cheap canada goose coat to come. canada goose clearance sale
The absences because of injury of Stephen Curry for Golden State and Isaiah Thomas for Cleveland loomed large. There were, though, impressive contributions from newcomers on both sides. Golden State’s rookie center, Jordan Bell, got a surprise start Canada Goose online and made the play of the game by grabbing a key offensive rebound to set up Thompson’s go ahead three with 1:33 remaining. Cleveland forward Jae Crowder provided both the floor spacing (15points) canada goose outlet jackets and defensive versatility that made him a key part of the package the Cavaliers got from the Boston Celtics for Kyrie Irving canada goose outlet in winnipeg in this summer’s blockbuster trade.
“It was a feel out,” James said. “It was a great game, I think, for our fans and for both teams to see where they are. Both teams were missing very, very key pieces, obviously, but the game was great.
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