HAVING dominated at the Oracle Arena, defending champions Golden State will look to close out the NBA Finals now the two teams have flown across the USA to Cleveland.
The Cavaliers, down 2-0 but with an impressive playoff record at home this year, will hope for a major form reversal from their thrashing in game two where they were hammered 122-103.
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The Cavaliers have lost just once at home this post-season, and LeBron James — who has produced two stunning performances in losing teams this series — will be desperate to drag his side back into the contest.
The Warriors have been given a major boost with defensive star Andre Iguodala (knee) cleared to play for the first time since game three of the Western Conference Finals.
Tip off is at 11am AEST.
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It's safe to say that Wednesday is the most important night of the 2018 NBA Finals thus far, as the Cavaliers are in basically a must-win situation -- if they go down 3-0 to the Warriors, we can pretty much hand Golden State its third Larry O'Brien Trophy in four years. But LeBron James will not go down without a fight, that's for sure.
The real question is whether he'll get any contributions from his teammates, who have been wildly inconsistent all postseason. The Cavs are at home, however, and role players have a tendency to step up in their own arena. Cleveland hopes that's the case on Wednesday, as it looks to make the series interesting.
The Warriors should receive a boost as Andre Iguodala, who hasn't played since the conference finals, will make his return to the team for Game 3.
Here's how to watch the game, along with our live updates for the entire night.
Golden State Warriors vs. Cleveland Cavaliers, Game 3
Where: Quicken Loans Arena -- Cleveland, Ohio
Quicken Loans Arena -- Cleveland, Ohio When: Wednesday, 9 p.m. ET
Wednesday, 9 p.m. ET TV: ABC
ABC Stream: WatchESPN.com or WatchESPN app
Live updates
If you are unable to view the live blog below, please click here.
Iguodala a game-time decision
Andre Iguodala, who hasn't played since the conference finals due to a knee injury, will make his return in Game 3 of the NBA Finals. Iguodala is someone the Warriors look towards as a calming presence when he comes on the floor. He's a former NBA Finals MVP and is arguably one of the better players in the NBA at defending LeBron James.
Odds
For complete odds and expert picks for the game, be sure to check out SportsLine's daily picksheet. Here are a few interesting betting trends heading into Game 3:
While Coach Steve Kerr of the Warriors is known for the occasional one-liner, Coach Tyronn Lue delivered a great one in his pregame news conference. When asked who would be a key player for the Cavaliers tonight, Lue responded “LeBron James, I guess.”
• There are reports that the Warriors will be bolstered tonight by the return of Andre Iguodala. The versatile bench player who had moved to the starting lineup earlier in the playoffs, is a vital cog for the team’s offensive rhythm and for its defensive strategy. The question now is if the bone bruise in his left knee is sufficiently healed for him to be effective in a defensive assignment against James.
• Golden State’s Stephen Curry has not quite kept pace with James in terms of overall production, but with averages of 31 points, 8.5 assists and 6.5 rebounds a game so far in the finals, momentum is building for him to potentially win his first Finals M.V.P. award should the Warriors capture their second consecutive title. Curry has downplayed his interest in the award, but his fourth quarter explosion in Game 2 following an altercation with Cleveland’s Kendrick Perkins showed a competitive fire that is rarely on public display from Curry. With the series moving to Cleveland, the question now is if he can continue to succeed without the benefit of his home court.
• The game officials have been the subject of some intense debates during the playoffs, and they will be engaging directly with fans during the game via the National Basketball Referees Association’s official Twitter account. A team of referees will be answering questions and weighing in on calls during the game.
• The Warriors are hoping to get the injured Andre Iguodala back either for tonight or for Friday’s Game 4. The versatile bench player — who had moved to the starting lineup earlier in the playoffs — is a vital cog for the team’s offensive rhythm and for its defensive strategy. If the bone bruise in his knee is sufficiently healed, it could allow Golden State to put him on James in hopes that he can slow the superstar down just enough to lessen Cleveland’s chances of an upset. For now, Kerr is describing Iguodala as “likely” to play.
• Things have yet to quiet down for J.R. Smith following his enormous gaffe at the end of regulation of Game 1, with the moment still being picked apart. Smith did not exactly atone for the poor decision with stellar play in Game 2, but the streaky shooter is always a threat to go off at home, and spacing the court some for James with a big night from 3-point range by Smith would go a long way to evening the odds.
• James and Curry may be huge rivals on the court, but off it they seem to have formed an alliance in terms of how they will deal with President Trump. On Tuesday they both talked about how there will be no need for the president to invite either team to the White House after the finals are over.
• If things weren’t awkward enough between the Cavaliers and Isaiah Thomas, their former guard went on “Jimmy Kimmel Live” on Monday to participate in a parody of a game show called “Generation Gap: NBA Edition” against the Hall of Famer Isiah Thomas. As part of the skit, he announced “I’m like the Cavs, I’m going to get swept.”
