The Cleveland Cavs were in a tough spot heading into game five of the NBA Finals. They were down 3-1 (we've heard that before) and had to play the Warriors on the road in a raucous Oracle Arena. They managed to come back from 3-1 last year, but this time it was different. They were down 0-3 and needed to win three straight against a Warriors team that added a former MVP in Kevin Durant. The Warriors managed to win game five and win the NBA championship. The Cavs seemed like they could pull off the comeback but fell short and everyone on the team felt the pain of losing in the Finals.
Coach Tyronn Lue and other players commented after the game.
Raw Emotions
The emotions were raw after the game, and head coach Tyronn Lue didn't hold back words when he talked to reporters. Lue commended the Warriors on a great season but says he doesn't see a huge gap many people see when it comes to the Warriors and the Cavs as he said per ESPN, "I don't see a big gap. I thought we played well and got better each game." Lue makes a valid point, as his team played well in games 3-5 in the series. It was games one and two that hurt the Cavs as they were blown out in both games. The Cavs had a chance to win game three as the game was winding down, but the gave the game away via Kevin Durant three-point bomb.
Lue talked about the scene in the locker room after the game saying that he and his players "had a moment." He also was full of emotions saying, "I broke down, so I really couldn't finish my speech." This is Lue first Finals loss being the head coach for the Cavs, so this is a new position he hasn't been in. He is now entering the offseason with many questions surrounding him and his team, and he seems ready to take it on.
Everything we had
The Cavs players seemed pretty disappointed about the Finals loss. According to Lue, players were crying during his speech because they "wanted it so bad." Kyrie Irving was one of those players, as he played game five on an injured knee. Irving commented on the Warriors and their rivalry saying, "They beat us, but I'm pretty sure we'll be back and we'll be ready to battle again.
Irving was on fire in games 3-5, giving LeBron James help on the offensive end.
LeBron James put on another great Finals performance, being the first player to average a triple-double for the duration of the Finals (33 points, 12 rebounds, 10 assists). James was dominant in the paint and was shooting well from the perimeter, but it still wasn't enough to beat the Warriors. James said in his postgame interview, "Not one time did I feel like we were overmatched until probably like I looked up and there was 1:20 [remaining in the fourth quarter] and we were down 13."
James credits the Warriors for assembling a "great team" and that they "are going to be around for a while." James is confident that the Cavs will be back and ready to play for another title.
With James, Irving, and Love all under contract for next season, the Cavs will be ready to take on the Warriors next year. They will need to sign key role players and make sure they have enough talent to beat the mighty Warriors.
