NBA Finals LogoThe Cleveland Cavaliers knew that they needed an away win to have any chance of taking the 2015 NBA Finals and on Sunday night, they got this. It was a close run thing but the 93-95 win away to the Golden State Warriors provided the Cavs with the perfect boost at the end of Game 2. The Cavs are at home in Game 3 on Tuesday and while there is every chance that the Warriors can win away from home too, the Cavaliers will be boosted by the away win. At 1-1 after two games, the 2015 NBA Finals are shaping up to be quite the contest.

Cleveland Cavaliers 95 – Golden State Warriors 93

Overtime was again needed to separate these times and while the Cavs looked tired in the additional period in Game 1, they had more than enough about them to seal the win in the end. It was a rougher and tougher game than Game 1, and perhaps this played into the hands of the Cavaliers.

Stephen Curry definitely felt frustrated with the nature of the play, finishing with 19 points. It was Klay Thompson who was the key man for the Warriors, grabbing 34 points in total. Of course, when you talk about star men, the only star man you want to talk about is LeBron James. Match reports are already referring to James delivering a “superhuman” performance and while this is clearly a hyped review, he was everywhere when he needed to be. With a triple-double of 39 points, 16 rebounds and 11 assists, LeBron showcased the tough side of the Cavaliers, and they were well worthy of the win that creates a whole new tone and atmosphere in the NBA Finals.

The Warriors started strongly, leading 20-12, just before the break but the Cavaliers tightened up, going on an 8-0 run to tie the game up. From this point onwards, the Warriors struggled and with just over three minutes left in the game, the Cavaliers had an 11 point lead and they looked good. They got there in the end but it was a lot closer than they may have thought. The game was hauled back to 87-87 with eight seconds left on the clock and if the Cavs had lost in a narrow and cruel manner in the same way that they did in Game 1, you could have forgiven them for collapsing. LeBron had a go at winning the game in regular time but his late shot went off the rim.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MuOVvqaZ1ek

Both teams showed strength in overtime

In overtime, it was a topsy turvy game. The Cavs grabbed a five point lead and then the Warriors went off on a 6 point turn. However, anyone in the home crowd thinking that this was going to be the catalyst for a stroll to the finish didn’t see Matthew Dellavedova coming to the fore. He bagged two free throws and at the end, Stephen Curry had a final shot, missed, and then turned the ball over. Even the MVP of the NBA season can have difficulties under pressure.

Some pundits got carried away with the 1-0 lead the Warriors grabbed, predicting a clean sweep. This overlooks the fact that the Cavs nearly won that game at that depth, and the Warriors could actually be 2-0 down at this point. However, this may be the wake-up call that they need, letting them know that the Cavs are a proper and tough challenge.

Thankfully we don’t need to wait too long for Game 3 in the NBA Finals and there are plenty of NBA basketball betting opportunities on offer this week.