Sigh.
Despite knowing better, it really felt like last night would be an inevitable win for the Cavaliers, that LeBron would will them to victory and we’d have some semblance of a series again.
And for most of the game that looked like the case.
Kyrie Irving went off, flipping in ridiculous layups from physics-defying angles and keeping the Cavs above water against the firepower of the Warriors.
Klay Thompson went on one of his little streaks where he makes everything, Steph Curry looked like last season’s Steph, and Kevin Durant looked was the best player on the court, but the Cavs still hung around.
It looked like it was over. The Cavs had a safe-looking six point lead with three minutes to go, and a four point lead with two minutes, and then… it all fell apart.
Kevin Durant, who has taken heat from every direction all year since he decided to join the Warriors last July 4th weekend, took over. KD went on a personal 7-0 run, including the ultimate cold-blooded pull up from 30 in LeBron’s grill, to ice the game and give the Warriors a 3-0 lead.
I mean, maybe there’s hope. If anyone can turn around a 3-0 lead it’s LeBron James, right? But yeah, this series appears to be over, no team in NBA history has come back from a 3-0 lead.
Despite the lack of a competitive series, there’s a bunch of #narrative in this series and last night’s game definitely reinforced that. Here’s how NBA Twitter reacted to Game 3 and the aftermath.
Remember last year’s unanimous MVP? He’s still out here doing his thing
Steph Curry is averaging 28.7 PPG, 9.7 RPG and 9.0 APG in the Finals and might not sniff Finals MVP. Unreal.
— Micah Adams (@MicahAdams13) June 8, 2017
Random side note: Richard Jefferson hasn’t aged since 1983
Richard Jefferson 16 years ago vs Richard Jefferson tonight pic.twitter.com/GNB0d54WiI
— Philip Lewis (@Phil_Lewis_) June 8, 2017
Kyrie really did take over for a minute, shoutout all the #FlatEarthers
KYRIE I AM BURNING GLOBES AND THEIR LIES FOR YOU
— 1 SASSY BRUNETTE (@edsbs) June 8, 2017
The Kyrie layup package in 2K next year is gonna cost 20,000 VC
— Kenny Ducey (@KennyDucey) June 8, 2017
But KD ended the series
KolD Blooded pic.twitter.com/xT5Srelr1U
— Michael Lee (@MrMichaelLee) June 8, 2017
The go ahead bucket by KD in slo-mo!#PhantomCam pic.twitter.com/DbMnGQCNbD
— NBA (@NBA) June 8, 2017
down 4 in the final 90 seconds and kevin durant goes on a 7-0 run to win the game wow
— Shea Serrano (@SheaSerrano) June 8, 2017
Kyrie stepback 3 down by 1 with 25 seconds left? Probably not the shot
what an awful shot, kyrie.
— El Flaco (@bomani_jones) June 8, 2017
12 Dribbles for Kyrie to Stepback and hit the wind RT @ESPNNBA: Klay got some Christmas Day redemption pic.twitter.com/Yb3csYahc0
— Try It! (@CoachN_J_) June 8, 2017
Tough break to effectively end the series
How do you let a team finish a game on an 11-0 run. Brutal
— Big Cat (@BarstoolBigCat) June 8, 2017
I mean, what else can the Cavs do?
Cool to know that what it takes to hang with the Warriors is two of the best players in the league playing absolutely out of their minds.
— David Roth (@david_j_roth) June 8, 2017
CLE withstood a Klay quarter,made Dray check out,38 from Kyrie, 39-11-9 from Bron. And none of it mattered bc of an insane 90 seconds KD had
— Larry Beyince (@DragonflyJonez) June 8, 2017
Let’s talk about the Cavs’ supporting cast…
Lebron James shoud have to donate 3 million dollars to a charty of my choosing every time he passes to Iman Shumpert
— PFTCommenter (@PFTCommenter) June 8, 2017
Tristan Thompson, what’s good with you?
@tomhaberstroh @blk_tray @BigWos @Mariannoo @AminESPN Bron at Tristan's locker. pic.twitter.com/NMRCt6MzlY
— Dammond Johnson (@DynstyBuilder77) June 8, 2017
Steph Curry rebounds last night: 13
Tristan Thompson rebounds for the SERIES: 11
— LL Cool A (@TrillestAC) June 8, 2017
It’s quiet for “The Land” or whatever they call it
It's quieter in here than summer league in the big gym at the end of the 7:30pm game
— Chillin in my Bacta (@AminESPN) June 8, 2017
Lot of Cavs fans just sitting here in utter disbelief. They know this was it
— Chris Herring (@Herring_NBA) June 8, 2017
Some took the loss pretty hard…
when’s the last time something good has happened
— Greg Howard (@greghoward88) June 8, 2017
LeBron is rather unslanderable, unless you’re trashyboy Skip Bayless
Every time I wanna joke slander LeBron I remember when he called us all broke
— yc (@yc) June 8, 2017
Draymond not scared to stir the pot a little…
You could tell [LeBron] was exhausted’ — Draymond, Dubs believe fatigue played huge part in Game 3 comeback
🎥: https://t.co/tEyq19nUvX pic.twitter.com/9YMURYRuQ3
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) June 8, 2017
JR will always shoot…
Jr believes in jr so believe in yourself pic.twitter.com/T8wJFva1Gw
— Desus Nice (@desusnice) June 8, 2017
…in this case he missed.
JR: [typing] "Cavs in 7"
LEBRON: delete it
JR: but
LEBRON: delete it now
JR: [deletes]
LEBRON: pic.twitter.com/F20MGMYxuE
— ☕netw3rk (@netw3rk) June 8, 2017
At least the mamas are hype…
Steph and Durant's moms are hype. pic.twitter.com/oTAkCuzjH0
— Basketball Forever (@Bballforeverfb) June 8, 2017
