NBA Finals Game 3 post-game notes

The Cleveland Cavaliers got into the win column in The 2016 NBA Finals with a resounding, wire-to-wire win in Game Three. 

Their 30-point win (120-90) came on the heels of the Warriors’ 33-point triumph (110-77) in Game Two. 

The Cavs’ 120 points fell three shy of their 2016 Playoff high (123 in Game Two of East Semis vs. Atlanta, 123-98, May 4) and four points shy of their all-time single-game Playoff high (124 in 124-95 win over Boston in Game Three of 2010 East Semis; May 7, 2010). 

This marks only the third time in NBA Finals history in which a 20+point win for one team was followed in the next game by a 20+point win for the other. 

In 1964, Boston won Game Two by 23 (124-101), then the (San Francisco) Warriors came back to win Game Three by 24 (115-91). 

In 1996, Chicago won Game Three by 22 (108-86), then Seattle came back to win Game Four by 21 (107-86). 

The Warriors won the first two games with a total winning margin of 48 points (15 pts in Game One, 104-89; 33 points in Game Two, 110-77), the largest winning margin after two games in NBA Finals history. 

Prior to Game Three, the Cavs’ biggest lead in series was six points (Game Two). 

LeBron James scored a game-high 32 points, his second 30+ scoring game of the 2016 Playoffs (had 33 in Game Six of East Finals vs. Toronto, May 27). 

With 32 points and 945 career points in The Finals, he moved ahead of Kobe Bryant (937) and into the all-time Top Ten in NBA Finals scoring.

After scoring just eight points (3-9 FGA, 2-7 from Downtown) in the first two games, Cavs’ J.R. Smith poured in 20 points, his fourth 20+ scoring game of the 2016 Playoffs. 

With 5-10 from Downtown in Game Three, J.R. has 56 3PT FGM in the 2016 Playoffs (17 games), breaking his own Cavs’ team record for most three-pointers in one post-season (51 3PT FGM in 2015 Playoffs; 18 games). 

Kyrie Irving had 30 points in Game Three, his fourth 30+ game of the 2016 Playoffs. Fell one point short of career Playoff high 31 points (twice, earlier in ’16 Playoffs). 

Cavs’ Tristan Thompson, who had a game-high 13 rebounds in Game Three, has recorded double-figure rebounds in eight of the nine Finals games he’s played against the Warriors, averaging 12.0 rpg (108) in The Finals in the last two years. 

He had recorded double-figure boards in each of his first seven Finals games against the Warriors until he had five rebounds in Game Two this year. . .Tristan has double-doubles in six of his nine career Finals games.

PROTECT THE LAND 

The Cavs are now 8-0 at home in the 2016 NBA Playoffs. 

They were 33-8 at home in the 2015-16 regular season. 

Game Three marked the Cavs’ 100th consecutive sellout (regular season+Playoffs) at Quicken Loans Arena. 

Stephen Curry has scored 11-18-19 points in The Finals. The last time he was held under 20 points in three straight games (regular season+Playoffs) came last season, March 16-18-20, 2015 vs. Lakers, Atlanta and New Orleans (19-16-16). 

Curry, who scored 36 points in the Game Seven West clincher against Oklahoma City (May 30), has been held under 20 points in three straight Playoff games for the first time in his career. . .

Warriors’ Stephen Curry recorded the 17th four-point play in NBA Finals history late in the third quarter.