It is difficult to assess the Golden State Warriors' 118-113 Game 3 win in the NBA Finals (I believe we properly called that) in terms of individual plays, stats, and scores when so much greatness and history are now at stake and so closely within the Warriors’ grasp. With great intent to not jinx anything, the Dub Sack will merely point out a few indisputable facts — with their 15th straight playoff win, Golden State now has the longest consecutive playoff win streak not just in the history of the NBA, but in any of the four major U.S. sports. No NBA team has ever gone undefeated through an entire NBA Playoffs, though this is now quite a real possibility for the home team. And the Warriors sit one win away from a championship trophy, a parade whose location we are likely to debate, and the right for this team as currently assembled to sit squarely in the center of the “Greatest Team of All Time” debate.

Deep breath, people. Let's go the tape.

In the most competitive game yet of these NBA Finals, Klay Thompson's 30-point outing (16 in the first quarter alone) was his finest work in this or probably any of the three Warriors-Cavs NBA Finals matchups. But the superlatives should rightfully be directed to Kevin Durant (31 points, 9 rebounds), whose three-pointer seen below gave the Warriors the lead for good with 45 seconds left and drew a delightfully dispirited non-verbal from LeBron.




The Cavaliers threw the hardest punch of which they were capable. This game was very close and exciting throughout, with a constant flurry of lead changes and the Warriors actually down by six points with three minutes left in the fourth quarter. The Dubs would close the game with an 11-0 run.
Golden State has Cleveland looking down the impossibly daunting 3-0 deficit (though we had Cleveland in a 3-1 predicament last year), and the Cavs have to be worried the series won't even return to Oakland. Serving to further dampen their spirits, they must deal with Thursday morning reports that LeBron is thinking about leaving Cleveland again.

But the Warriors have earned this, going back to last summer when they so shrewdly acquired Kevin Durant and the “Greatest Team of All Time” whispers started. We must continue to ignore these whispers, and focus one one win — one measly win. But that one measly win stands to inspire an outbreak of joy, history, and bragging rights greater than any this franchise has ever known.


Game 4 is Friday night at 6 p.m. PDT and will be televised on ABC.

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