OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) - The latest from Game 2 of the NBA Finals:
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8:30 p.m. PDT
LeBron James had heard the talk: With Kyrie Iriving out, the Cavaliers have no chance to win the NBA Finals.
When asked about it after the game by ABC’s Doris Burke, James said:
“This is a group of guys that love to play together. Whatever it takes. When we defend like we did tonight, we’re going to give ourselves a good chance to beat any team in this world.”
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8:20 p.m. PDT
LeBron James had 39 points, 16 rebounds and 11 assists, and the Cleveland Cavaliers tied the NBA Finals at one game apiece with a 95-93 overtime victory over the Golden State Warriors.
Matthew Dellavedova, starting after Kyrie Irving broke his left kneecap in Game 1, made two free throws with 10.1 seconds left in overtime for a 94-93 lead, then played tough defense and forced Stephen Curry to shoot an airball.
James followed with a free throw and the Warriors turned it over on their final possession.
It’s Cleveland’s first NBA Finals victory after the Cavs were swept in their previous appearance in 2007.
Klay Thompson scored 34 points but Curry was just 5 of 23 from the field for the Warriors, who won Game 1 in OT.
Game 2 is Tuesday in Cleveland
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8:01 p.m. PDT
Never.
That was the last time LeBron James took 69 shots in a two-game span.
James’ 31st shot Sunday night bounced off the rim as time expired, the Cavs and Warriors are in overtime for the second straight game - a first for the NBA Finals.
You have to wonder, though, how much legs James has left.
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7:55 p.m. PDT
The NBA Finals have gone to overtime for the second game in a row.
With a fantastic flurry, the Golden State Warriors tied the Cleveland Cavaliers at 87-all on Stephen Curry’s basket with 7.2 seconds left. The league’s MVP had been having a miserable shooting night before a late flourish helped Golden State overcome an 11-point deficit with 3:14 to play.
LeBron James then missed on a drive and the Cavaliers couldn’t knock in the offensive rebound.
Golden State won Game 1 108-100 in overtime.
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7:13 p.m. PDT
The Warriors have 59 points after three quarters, which isn’t very Warriors-like at all. In fact, it’s a season-low - at the worst time, too.
“We’re trying. We’re trying to get the pace going a little bit,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr told ABC’s Doris Burke in the televised interview entering the fourth quarter. “Haven’t had much flow tonight at all.”
Even on a night where the offense wasn’t working in the first 36 minutes, the defense was keeping Golden State close. Cleveland’s lead is just 62-59 going into the final quarter.
“Defense has been pretty good. We’re fighting. We’re scrapping,” Kerr said.
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7:03 p.m. PDT
A fan won a BMW with a halfcourt shot in the third quarter, and that was some of the only good shooting that was seen.
Cleveland continued to lead late in the period as both teams struggled, particularly the Warriors.
Golden State was 5 of 23 from 3-point range, with Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson combining for a 4-for-17 start behind the arc. Golden State had its lowest-scoring quarter of the postseason.
The Cavaliers finally went to a third player off the bench with about 4 1/2 minutes left in the quarter, bringing in Mike Miller.
The shooting was so bad that Marreese Speights missed a wide-open dunk at the end of the quarter and the Cavs lead 62-59 heading into the final stanza.
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6:27 p.m. PDT
With no Kyrie Irving, LeBron James knows he has do more for the Cavaliers to win.
And he is.
For just the second time in his NBA career, the four-time MVP finished a first half with at least 20 points, six assists and six rebounds. He also did it against Philadelphia on Nov. 21, 2009.
“LeBron James is controlling the game,” Dwyane Wade said at halftime, adding he expects more of the same from his former teammate in the second half. The Heat guard is a part-time analyst for ABC during the finals.
The only other player with a 20-6-6 first half this season was Russell Westbrook, who did it for Oklahoma City against the Knicks on Nov. 28.
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5:43 p.m. PDT
Stephen Curry’s struggles have helped the Cleveland Cavaliers rally to tie Game 2 of the NBA Finals at 20-all after one quarter.
The Warriors were rolling and led 20-12 after Curry’s behind-the-back pass led to Leandro Barbosa’s 3-pointer from the corner.
But Golden State didn’t score again and the NBA MVP’s jumper was uncharacteristically off. He missed five of his six shots, including all three 3-point attempts, and had just four points.
LeBron James had 10 for the Cavaliers, including two baskets in their closing 8-0 run. He took 10 shots in the first quarter. It’s the fourth time this season - and the first in the playoffs - that he took so many shots in an opening period.
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5:25 p.m. PDT
A quick start, and then a quick exit for Klay Thompson.
The Warriors All-Star guard scored nine points on 4-of-6 shooting in the first 5 minutes, but then had to go to bench after picking up a second foul.
Thompson had a bit of a slow start in Game 1, but came on later in the game and the Warriors thought he might be poised for a big night in Game 2.
“We’re always looking for that moment where Klay kind of just gets in that crazy zone where he can just get hot really fast,” teammate Andre Iguodala said Saturday. “I think in the playoffs we haven’t had it yet, but I feel like it’s slowly, but surely getting there.”
Thompson might be on his way, once he gets back in the game.
His second foul was against Iman Shumpert, who came out aggressively with a couple of drives to the basket. Perhaps he can help replace the offense missing with Kyrie Irving’s absence.
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5:10 p.m. PDT
Forget the Warriors and Cavaliers. The best teamwork at Game 2 of the NBA Finals might come from the Santanas.
Ten-time Grammy winner Carlos Santana and his wife, drummer, Cindy Blackman Santana, performed a rocking national anthem together before the game.
Carlos Santana gave his wife a quick kiss, then started playing his guitar while she was banging the drums.
Carlos Santana is a Bay Area native who was wearing a yellow top similar to the color of the T-shirts fans wore all around Oracle Arena.
His wife is from Ohio, but wasn’t wearing Cavs colors.
The game has started - first basket of the game went to Warriors’ Klay Thompson, who started shooting 4-for-5 from the field.
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4:55 p.m. PDT
Horse racing’s 37-year championship drought ended Saturday. Can a 40-year one in the NBA be next?
Steve Kerr sure hopes so.
He said he took some inspiration from American Pharoah’s victory in the Belmont Stakes, which made him the first Triple Crown winner since 1978.
“Well, first of all congrats to my fellow Wildcat Bob Baffert,” he said of the horse’s trainer and fellow University of Arizona product. “Bear down.”
The Warriors haven’t won a title since 1975, when they made their last trip to the NBA Finals. Their 40 years between appearances is the longest drought in NBA history.
Kerr also watched Stan Wawrinka’s French Open victory over Novak Djokovic on Sunday morning.
“I like watching other sporting events and I do draw inspiration from them,” he said.
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4:30 p.m. PDT
Miami Heat guard Dwyane Wade joined the ABC pregame crew Sunday night, and fellow analyst Jalen Rose wasted no time asking the big question - “Are you leaving Miami?”
Wade, who can opt out July 1 and become a free agent, sidestepped the question. Neither he nor the Heat have commented publicly about the status of talks about his future, but a person with direct knowledge of the negotiations say the three-time NBA champion and the only team he’s played for as a pro are nowhere near agreeing on their future together.
“We’ll worry about that in July,” Wade said. “Right now, we’re going to focus on these finals. This is our biggest showcase.”
Wade has been to the NBA Finals five times as a player, but says he’s always makes a point to go even when the Heat aren’t involved.
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AP Basketball Writers Antonio Gonzalez and Tim Reynolds, and Sports Writer Josh Dubow contributed to this report.
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