‘Ottawa’ Buoyed by LeBron’s 41, Cavs Beat Green-less Warriors
OAKLAND — The fans didn’t waste any time, booing LeBron James every time he touched the ball in the layup line before Game 5 of the NBA Finals.
Nobody can remember a player being booed at that point, but the hatred and catcalls poured toward James all evening on Monday night.
Big mistake.
The taunts only fueled the four-time MVP.
With so much on the line, James merely responded with one of — if not the best — games of his stellar career (point guard Kyrie Irving matched James with 41 points), as the Cleveland Cavaliers lived to fight another day, stunning the Golden State Warriors, 112-97, at Oracle Arena.
Both former No. 1-overall Cavs draft picks scored more than 40 — the first time that’s ever happened at the Finals.
The game was 61 apiece at the half, the highest-scoring Finals game since 1987. But the Warriors’ splashes turned to splats, with misfire after misfire in a second half controlled by the Cavs.