Analyzing the Warriors Game 5 performance

Stephen Curry came up with an excellent performance in Game 5 to put his team in front in the NBA Finals

He sized him up, crossed him over twice and then stepped back and knocked down the three-point shot even when Dellavedova did his best to match his dance and bother his shot. Too slow, too late as the ball saw nothing but net and the Oracle arena erupted.

They had just been silenced by LeBron hitting a bomb from around 30-feet to give the Cavs a one-point lead. The crowd could feel the momentum shift. The clock read 7:01 in the fourth quarter and it was make or break time. The Warriors had seen a similar story in Game 2 where they had come up short, and to lose at home today meant giving the Cavs a 3-2 lead and an opportunity to close the deal in Cleveland. It was a test of character and an opportunity to vindicate the daemons in their own heads. LeBron had the first strike, the Warriors knew they needed an answer; and an answer they got. Curry came, he saw and he conquered.

Curry had been written off and dismissed in some quarters to have found his kryptonite in Delly. Many believed the pressure of the NBA Finals to be an insurmountable challenge for Curry. Some even believed that Dellavedova had outplayed the league MVP. This unfounded criticism would have bothered Curry, even though he may refuse to respond to questions posed about the same, and he chose the most clutch moment in the game to show the basketball fraternity how mistaken they were. Dellavedova was witness to a masterpiece in shot creation and ball-handling and despite all his best efforts, he was nowhere close to bothering Curry. By the end of the game, he looked spent and just bedazzled.

And with Curry dominating the game, the Warriors excelled as they found their shooting rhythm feeding off easy looks that Curry was facilitating for them. The Warriors outshot and outscored the Cavs in the fourth quarter and despite everything that LeBron threw at them, they just always had another extra trick up their sleeve. Iguodala made big time plays vindicating Kerr's gutsy decision to put him in the starting line-up over Bogut. Iguodala in the starting line-up had easily been the biggest turning point in the series and Kerr with this gutsy move had easily managed to get the better of the Cavs and Coach Blatt.

Curry had a huge game, scoring 37 points and shooting the lights out of the Oracle arena. Every single three-pointer Curry made, got the crowd going and the adrenaline level they infused in the Warriors was evident by the fact that down the stretch, the Warriors won all the hustle plays and just seemed to have that little bit extra in the tank. Barnes, Green and Iguodala; despite the size differential were aggressive on the boards, and the Warriors interior passing opened up multiple easy looks. The ball moved and the pace was more to the Warriors liking.

They were efficient with the ball, making the extra pass and sharing the rock. The Warriors assisted on 25 of the 36 made buckets, and shot an admirable 48% from the field and 46% from beyond the arc. They out-rebounded the Cavs and while the turnovers and the free throw shooting could still be bettered, the Warriors should take a lot of heart from their display in Game 5.

Kerr still has a healthy squad at his disposal and has an opportunity to close the deal at Cleveland. In the regular season the Warriors were the best team on the road, and with the momentum on their side, they should bank on their MVP to take them to the promised land on the King's own court. It certainly can’t be expected to be easy, but the Warriors do have a shot and of late they have been taking and making most of the shots they get. It is still a team that is new to handling the pressure an NBA Finals entails, but their poise and composure has been exceptional and a thing to behold. They need one win to cap off what has been a truly enthralling campaign.

Can Golden State seal it in Cleveland?

The Warriors still need to beware of complacency stepping in and despite knowing that a Game 6 loss won’t be their last nail on the coffin, history is witness to the fact that NBA Finals have been decided on momentum. They have it on their side and they must not relent with the comfort of Oracle Arena in the back of their minds.

The Cavs will play with a chip on their shoulders and with nothing to lose. The Warriors will play with the possibility of giving a much-deprived city its sporting legacy. Curry vs LeBron will be the centre of focus, but bank on the likes of Smith or Iguodala to decide the game.