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Back in command: 3 big takeaways from the Golden State Warriors' win in Game 4 of the NBA Finals

Posted at 8:56 PM, Jun 10, 2016
and last updated 2016-06-11 12:01:06-04

The Golden State Warriors came back with a vengeance in Cleveland on Friday night, and they're one win away from their second straight NBA championship.

Here are three big takeaways from the Warriors' 108-97 win over the Cavaliers in Game 4 of the NBA Finals on ABC15.

1. Welcome back, Steph

After averaging just 16 points in the first three games of the NBA Finals, NBA MVP Stephen Curry awoke from his slumber. He scored 38 points and knocked down seven 3-pointers -- one shy of an NBA Finals record -- as part of the Warriors' 17 triples as a team, which is a new NBA Finals record. 

Curry, along with fellow "Splash Brother" Klay Thompson (25 points), got the wakeup call after a miserable Game 3. Thanks to their efforts, Golden State will head back to Oakland with a chance to lift another O'Brien trophy on Monday.

2. Iguodala blankets LeBron.

Warriors forward and UA alum Andre Iguodala won last year's NBA Finals MVP, and he was once again a defensive force Friday. While LeBron James put up some decent numbers Friday, here's a halftime stat that tells you all you need to know about the impact Iguodala had.

The Warriors pulled away in the fourth quarter largely due to Golden State's improved defense, as the Cavs scored just seven points in first eight minutes of the quarter.

3. As J.R. Smith goes...

There's a direct correlation to the success of J.R. Smith and the success of the Cavs. The sharpshooting guard was MIA in Games 1 and 2, which Cleveland lost. He rebounded to the tune of 20 points (including five 3-pointers) in Game 3, a Cleveland win.

In Game 4, Smith disappeared once again. He hit 3 of 10 shots (all in the first half), including 2 of 8 from beyond the arc, for just 10 points on Friday. Smith's inability to step up helped allow Golden State to set the stage for a massive party in the Bay Area on Monday night.