The Warriors will go for a 3-0 series lead when they travel to Cleveland to take on the Cavs in Game 3 of the 2018 NBA Finals on Wednesday night.
Warriors at CavaliersGame 3Wednesday, June 66:00 p.m.Quicken Loans ArenaCleveland, OH
WATCH: ABC
RADIO: 95.7 The Game, Warriors Mobile App and Warriors Radio Network
ON TO CLEVELAND
After taking the first two games of the series at home, the Warriors will try to recreate the events of one year ago when they travel to Cleveland to take on the Cavs in Game 3 of the NBA Finals on Wednesday night. This will be the first of two consecutive games at Quicken Loans Arena. Should Cleveland prevail in at least one, it would force a Game 5 back in Oakland. Tipoff is scheduled for 6:00 p.m. (Pacific). All NBA Finals games are televised on ABC, and fans can catch the radio broadcast on 95.7 The Game, ESPN Radio, the Warriors Mobile App and the Warriors Radio Network.
ORACLE WATCH PARTY
Come together with Dub Nation on Wednesday for the official Game 3 Warriors Watch Party at Oracle Arena. Tickets are $20 each and available now. FULL DETAILS
LAST TIME OUT Stephen Curry set an NBA Finals record with nine three-pointers in Golden State's 122-103 victory over the Cavs in Game 2 on Sunday night. Full Recap
MATCHUP AT A GLANCE
LAST GAME'S STARTERS
GSW: Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Kevin Durant, Draymond Green and JaVale McGee
CLE: George Hill, J.R. Smith, LeBron James, Kevin Love and Tristan Thompson
INJURY & ROSTER NOTES
GSW: Andre Iguodala (left lateral leg contusion/bone bruise) is TBD. Team Notes
CLE: No Injuries. Team Notes
RUNNING WILD
The Warriors defended home court through the first two games of the 2018 Finals, and their success in transition was a big reason why. Combining Games 1 and 2, Golden State more than doubled Cleveland’s transition offense, outscoring the Cavs 70-33 in that category. The Warriors are typically at their best when they’re running up and down the court and pushing the pace, as it often affords them more advantageous scoring opportunities. That’s exactly what’s transpired through the first two games of the Finals, as the Warriors have shot 75.0 percent from the field and posted a 20-4 assist-to-turnover ratio in transition opportunities thus far. As the series moves to Cleveland for Games 3 and 4, transition offense will be something to keep an eye on. The home team would prefer to slow things down and limit those opportunities, but if Golden State is able to enforce their style of play and get out on the run, it could be enough to put the Cavs in a 3-0 hole.
TEAM PLAYOFF LEADERS
SPLASH DIFFERENTIAL
The Warriors and Cavaliers were two of the top three-point shooting teams in the league during the regular season in both makes and percentage, but through the first two games of the Finals, the three-point advantage has been decidedly in Golden State’s favor. Over Games 1 and 2, the Warriors attempted eight more threes than the Cavs, but made nine more than Cleveland. Stephen Curry has single-handedly accounted for half of Golden State’s 28 conversions from beyond the arc, after setting a new Finals record with nine made-threes in the Dubs’ Game 2 victory. On Cleveland’s side, both LeBron James (5-of-11) and George Hill (5-of-10) have been proficient from three-point land, but the rest of the team is a combined 9-of-43 (.209), with numerous misses coming off wide-open attempts. The Cavaliers desperately need a win in Game 3 on Wednesday, and a better three-point shooting performance could go a long way towards ensuring that. On the other hand, if Curry, Klay Thompson, Kevin Durant or any of Golden State’s other sharpshooters get the hot hand on Wednesday, that might be just what they need to steal a game on the road.