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If the Cavaliers were going to win a game, it was Game 3. However, with the Golden State Warriors edging the Cavaliers 118-113 in last night’s contest, the NBA Finals look all but over.
In 45 minutes last night, LeBron James put forth yet another staggering stat line of 39 PTS, 11 REB, and 9 AST. Although a near 40-point triple-double is hard to beat in terms of impressiveness, it was a different kind of stat that stood out as most shocking – LeBron’s net rating.
In 45 and a half minutes, LeBron posted a +7 net rating which means that while he was on the court, the Cavs actually outscored the Warriors by 7 points, but still lost by 5. This means that in the 2 minutes and thirty seconds that James sat on the bench, the Cavaliers were outscored by 12. That is almost incomprehensible, but it just goes to show how great this Warriors team is.
The only silver lining (if there is one) is that LeBron managed to improve his standing in the NBA career leader boards once again. Last night LeBron managed to:
Become 4th all-time in points scored during the NBA Finals, passing Elgin Baylor.
Become 5th all-time in made field goals during the NBA Finals, passing Michael Jordan.
With Game 4 set to take place in Cleveland on Friday night, the Cavaliers will have to pull off the greatest comeback in NBA playoff history and win four straight games against a team that in currently 15-0 during these playoffs.
LeBron Fact: LeBron James is one of only 4 players in NBA history to average 20 PTS, 5 REB and 5 AST as a rookie. The other three? Oscar Robertson, Michael Jordan and Tyreke Evans.
NBA Playoff & Finals Career Leader Boards
