Warriors vs. Cavaliers: 3 Things You Might Have Missed

There are 3 things that may have slipped past unnoticed during the Golden State Warriors’ Game 5 NBA Finals eradication of the Cleveland Cavaliers:

1. Irving Really Played Defense

Kyrie Irving really did play defense; it was just to no avail. The Cavaliers required that Irving outplay Stephen Curry if they were going to take Game 5, and it must be acknowledged that the point guard came very close. He was avidly hunting for steals and generally getting in the face of the 2-time Most Valuable Player winner as much as he could, and Curry almost did himself in by dribbling the ball into traps set by the Cavs more than once, but Irving’s A-game was just not good enough this time around.

2. The Appalling Officiating Went Two Ways

The dreadful officiating extended both ways, and although many felt that it may have favored the Golden State Warriors, it ultimately did not. Throughout the first quarter of the game it seemed almost like the game was fixed, especially if you were following social media reports.

Fans all over the world thought that the Cleveland Cavaliers were seeing too many benefits from the whistle because the NBA wanted Game 6 to go ahead, as the referee seemed to be ignoring the fact that they were drawing fouls thanks to the fact that the Warriors seemed to be consistently put out of position. The calls did eventually even out though, and although this game was not a well-officiated one, it was an equally badly-officiated one, and this factor did not play a part in the eventual triumph of the Warriors, as punters making use of NZ betting sites to bet on the game may have feared it would.

3. The Cavaliers and Warriors Busted Out Medium Ball

Everyone knows about the much vaunted small-ball belonging to the Golden State Warriors, and the Cleveland Cavaliers are able to use it as well. Everyone is also well aware of the Cavaliers’ ability to stay big versus the Warriors, thanks to their conventional starting line-up. During Monday night’s game, however, something in the middle of these 2 examples was discovered…
Early on in the game’s 2nd quarter, Draymond Green was the shortest player on the baseball court, with Kevin Durant and Tristan Thompson being the only tall players for both the Warriors and the Cavaliers. Furthermore, neither of the 2 teams had a true point guard player until Curry managed to check in after a few possessions, ruining the startling fun of such an unconventional stretch. Positions had become worthless, and there were suddenly just 10 top athletes on the court playing the game as well as they could.

While it could well be termed the medium-ball, it could also quite easily be called the future of the NBA, since this does seem to be where the Association is headed.

Players like the almost 7-foot tall point guard Giannis Antetokounmpo are taking their places alongside centres like Joel Embiid, Karl-Anthony Towns, and Kristaps Porzingis, who are able to connect the ball to the fall, shoot 3s, and anchor the defence, to varying degrees, and it is wonderful to watch.

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