Golden State Warriors Lead Series 3-0 after Defeating Cleveland 110-102

A familiar scene played out in Game 3 of the NBA finals last night as Kevin Durant found himself midcourt. With his teammates surrounding him, they screamed in celebration as after defeating the Cleveland Cavaliers 110-102.

With a 3-0 series lead, the dreams of winning the series for the Cleveland Cavaliers took a turn for the worse. Few have ever come back from a three-game deficit and facing a team of skilled Golden State Warriors; the odds are stacked against them.

Kevin Durant had a record-breaking game scoring 43 points. After sinking a three-pointer to end the night, Durant and the Warriors once again controlled LeBron James to come within one win of earning their second NBA Championships in four years.

The Cleveland Warriors are now facing elimination after suffering defeat in three back-to-back games against Golden State. The Warriors opened the series with a 124-114 win, were successful in Game 2, and with their win last night, are on the cusp of creating a dynasty.

While they are not there yet, the celebrations could be heard loudly outside the Warriors locker room, for many, it is the lead up to a much bigger celebration that is sure to come. LeBron James and the Warriors will face a tough battle to get back into this series.

The odds are stacked against them, should they come back from a three-game deficit, they will make history. After watching Durant score from 33 feet out, the message is clear; the Warriors are in it to win it.

Commenting on the play, Durant said,

“I don’t want to downplay anything, but I don’t want to act like this is the end of the road. So just get back to work tomorrow and figure out a better game plan.”

The Dubs have a chance to close-out the #NBAFinals tomorrow night in Game 4. Get the complete preview here 📝 https://t.co/yY126h18Hg

— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) June 7, 2018

As for LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers, accepting defeat is hard to do. Speaking to reporters post-game, James said,

“Tonight will be tough, tomorrow I’ll replay some plays and some moments and things of that nature. When I wake up Friday morning I’ll be locked in on the game plan of what needs to be done to help our team win. That’s just who I am.”

With Game 4 set to get underway on Friday, it gives the Warriors four chances to wrap up the series. Should they do the expected, they will join a small list of NBA teams to win the Championship three times in four years.

The Cav’s Kevin Love scored 20 points last night for a team that seems to have lost their way. While the Cavaliers were able to rebound from a 3-1 deficit in the 2016 finals, the make-up of the teams was different.

LeBron James logged his tenth triple-double in the finals last night, and a three-time champion has the option to open the doors to offers as a free agent once the finals are over. The frustration is evident for James, and it may be time for him to move on to a team capable of beating the Cav’s and helping James earn his fourth NBA Championship.