Warriors finally finish strong, can they close out Cavs?
OAKLAND — You know what they say about Game 5.
Winner usually takes all.
That's a good vibe about now for the Golden State Warriors, who finally put away a game at Oracle Arena in these NBA Finals without having to sweat out overtime.
Using the small-ball lineup again that was so effective in Game 4, and rolling with 37 points from MVP Stephen Curry, the Warriors snuffed out the Cleveland Cavaliers, 104-91 in the pivotal game on Sunday night that moved them a step closer to the franchise's first NBA title in 40 years.
Now this series has come down to this: Will the Warriors blow it?
When the Finals have been tied 2-2, the Game 5 winner has claimed the series 71.4% of the time (20 of 28). Golden State can close out the series in Cleveland on Tuesday night.
But nothing is clinched yet.
When Sunday night's game was tied early in the fourth quarter, it seemed as though the thousands of faithful wearing the yellow "Strength in Numbers" T-shirts were holding their collective breath.
After all, LeBron James was in the house where he won on three of his four previous trips, and he was having another monster game.
But then it happened.
With Curry leading the way and draining threes — fittingly, because this is what MVPs are supposed to do — the Warriors hit one of their patented flurries and put the game away like that. In a matter of a couple minutes, they had a double-digit lead.
Ballgame. Series?
Follow columnist Jarrett Bell on Twitter @JarrettBell.
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