Hold Your Temper
Cleveland superstar LeBron James was so frustrated after an overtime loss in the first game of the series that he punched a hard object and broke his right hand -- an injury he didn't reveal until after the series ended.
James had 29 points and 13 rebounds in game two, a game-three triple double of 33 points, 10 rebounds and 11 assists and 23 points in the finale -- a performance that could have been even more impressive with a healthy hand.
Superteams top Superstars
Golden State boasts four NBA All-Stars in two-time NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Kevin Durant, star guards Klay Thompson and Stephen Curry and forward Draymond Green.
Rivals scambled to lure such talent onto superteams before the season began. But the Cavaliers traded Kyrie Irving, the second-best scorer behind LeBron James who wanted a swap, to Boston in a deal that brought Isaiah Thomas, who was hurt and eventually traded away.
The Cavs scrambled to assemble role players around James and forward Kevin Love -- and while James was able to lift the Cavaliers into the finals for a fourth year in a row, the load was too much even for a playmaker who rivals Michael Jordan among the NBA's all-time best.
Lesson learned: in today's NBA, it takes three solid standouts to be a title threat.
The NRA Finals?
Some souvenir caps for the NBA Finals displayed team logos that partly covered the bottom of the “B” in NBA -- making it look like the NRA Finals.
The NRA -- the National Rifle Association -- backs gun ownership laws and cites a lack of teachers with guns as a problem in recent school shootings.
Chemistry matters
Golden State united Kevin Durant's inside skills and clutch shooting with Stephen Curry's deadly 3-point accuracy to produce a formidable combination.
When four Warriors visited Durant as he pondered free agency options in 2016 to lure him to Golden State, they formed a bond over dedication and hard work and a willingness to share the glory and combine their efforts.
In comments after their clinching win, players repeatedly cited seeing teammates enjoy the fruits of victory as a reward and thrill.
The positive bonds clearly showed just as frayed ones did when James, carrying much of the load for Cleveland, was clearly frustrated when J.R. Smith dribbled out the fourth-quarter clock with the game level rather than trying a shot in the first game of the series.
No White House, no worry
LeBron James, Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant said they weren't interested in visiting the White House to see President Donald Trump no matter which club won the NBA Finals.
Trump snubbed the Warriors after their 2017 title, revoking an offer to visit. and after being told they wouldn't come this year, Trump said Friday he wouldn't invite them anyway.
What about future White House sports champion visits? “It will be nice when we can just get back to normal, in three years,” said Warriors coach Steve Kerr.
That would be in 2021, when Trump is set to leave office -- assuming he is not re-elected.
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