If the Cleveland Cavaliers are going to repeat as champions, they'll have to do something no NBA team has ever done: Rally from a 3-0 series deficit.
The Warriors mounted a furious rally in Game 3 of the NBA Finals on Wednesday night, overcoming LeBron and the Cavs for a 118-113 victory in Cleveland, putting them on the brink of their second NBA title in three years.
Here are three big takeaways from the Warriors' win, moving them to a perfect 15-0 in this year's playoffs.
No team has ever gone 15-0 in any postseason of the four main professional sports...
Until now. pic.twitter.com/MQQWEJrSYA
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) June 8, 2017
1. Durant does the Cavs in
Kevin Durant became the third player in NBA history to score at least 25 points in each of his first eight career NBA finals games (Michael Jordan and Shaquille O'Neal are the others) -- but he saved most of his heroics for late in Wednesday's contest.
The Warriors ended the game on an 11-0 run in the final three minutes. Seven of those points came from Durant, including this triple with 45 seconds to play to give Golden State the lead for good.
Kevin. Durant. Cold. Blooded. #NBAFinals pic.twitter.com/PuFRQH9ZD4
— NBA TV (@NBATV) June 8, 2017
"He knows this is his moment... You can tell he's having the time of his life out there." -Steve Kerr on KD #NBAFinals pic.twitter.com/jOcLEGcngd
— NBA TV (@NBATV) June 8, 2017
"It's not over. Job is not done. Closeout games are always the toughest..." - KD on opportunity to win first title #NBAFinals pic.twitter.com/HmO7an01Dr
— NBA TV (@NBATV) June 8, 2017
2. Warriors' 3-point barrage
The Warriors cooled off a bit from 3-point range in the second half, but they made history with their first-half barrage from deep.
Golden State set NBA Finals records by connecting on nine 3-pointers in the first quarter and 12 triples in the first half. Klay Thompson, who scored 16 first-quarter points, accounted for a game-high six 3-pointers. The Warriors went 16 of 33 from beyond the arc for the game.
#NBAFinals record
Nine 3-pointers in a quarter for #DubNation! pic.twitter.com/3Y36ugbtz5
— NBA.com (@NBAcom) June 8, 2017
3. Kyrie, LeBron shine in losing effort
Cavs fans couldn't have asked for more than they got from LeBron James and Kyrie Irving on Wednesday night. LeBron matched his own NBA Finals best by scoring 27 points in the first half (he scored 39 points overall), and Irving emerged in the second half, scoring 38 for the game.
Wednesday night marked the first time the Cavs lost when both LeBron and Irving scored at least 30 points. They had won each of their first four games in which that occurred. In fact, their 77 combined points were the most ever in an NBA Finals loss.
LeBron dropped 27 of the @cavs 61 points in the first half! ? #NBAFinals pic.twitter.com/PEXb40PrCy
— NBA TV (@NBATV) June 8, 2017
Kyrie Irving erupts for 16 3rd quarter points on #NBAonABC! pic.twitter.com/CoIQFE6LoH
— NBA (@NBA) June 8, 2017
"They made some shots and we didn't. We had some really good looks." -LeBron on the last three 3 minutes of Game 3... #NBAFinals pic.twitter.com/Q3cXCMy4Vc
— NBA TV (@NBATV) June 8, 2017
