NBA Finals: Warriors vs. Cavaliers Game 3 recap, full highlights
![CLEVELAND, OH - JUNE 08: LeBron James CLEVELAND, OH - JUNE 08: LeBron James](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/shape/cover/sport/2e3457fa60ab3f51245ae7ce1ce78ee210208849105998f27354f72872a58cc4.jpg)
The Cavaliers responded to the change of scenery with a resounding victory over the Warriors in Game 3 of the 2016 NBA Finals
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After the way that the first two games of the 2016 NBA Finals played out, fans had to wonder if the Cleveland Cavaliers had anything remotely resembling a chance at beating the defending champion Golden State Warriors in even one game in the series. That’s why they play the games, though, because the Cavaliers came out for Game 3 with the series moving to Quicken Loans Arena on Wednesday night and made a statement almost immediately.
Cleveland started out their first game of the NBA Finals at home by jumping out to a monster lead over the Warriors. While LeBron James obviously played a big part on both ends of the floor, Kyrie Irving was the redemptive star for the Cavaliers early on with his offense. His handles were dicing up Warriors guards virtually every possession and he was seeing a big bucket right from the opening tip.
The Cavaliers amassed a big lead over the Warriors in the first quarter, going up 33-16 to start the game. Not to be denied, strong performances by Draymond Green, Harrison Barnes, and Andre Iguodala in the second quarter made things close and got the Warriors within double digits going into halftime, trailing only by eight.
However, that second quarter seemed to be all of the fire that the Warriors had on the road with Klay Thompson and Stephen Curry struggling so mightily. Kyrie, LeBron, and J.R. Smith began leading the way without Kevin Love in the lineup and just pulled away with a plus-12 margin in the third quarter. Back up by 20 points, the home team was then able to just coast from that point forward to secure the dominant victory in Game 3 and make the series a highly intriguing 2-1 with another game in Cleveland looming not too far in the future.
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Three Stars
LeBron James, Cavaliers – 32 points, 11 rebounds, six assists, two blocks, one steal
Kyrie Irving, Cavaliers – 30 points, eight assists, three rebounds, one steal
J.R. Smith, Cavaliers – 20 points, four rebounds, three steals, one assist
Highlights
austink: #Jefferson makes it 9-0 in the first 2 and a half minutes! #cav… ABC NBA Finals: G… https://t.co/SywfXMLwqS pic.twitter.com/kxHZp4pDCw
— FanSportsClips (@FanSportsClips) June 9, 2016
gameontech: Thompson gets a rebound and throws it down ABC NBA Finals: Game 3: Warriors at … https://t.co/XOF09sfEvn pic.twitter.com/I4NuNiJjWy
— FanSportsClips (@FanSportsClips) June 9, 2016
fullcourtprez: LeBron summoning his inner Magic ABC NBA Finals: Game 3: Warriors at Cavalie… https://t.co/RGkVeadtJK pic.twitter.com/YaaVGt8zls
— FanSportsClips (@FanSportsClips) June 9, 2016
gameontech: Iguodala cuts backdoor for the dunk ABC NBA Finals: Game 3: Warriors at Cavalie… https://t.co/BuEQTKrau6 pic.twitter.com/YGX8KlrHEn
— FanSportsClips (@FanSportsClips) June 9, 2016
fullcourtprez: Handlez ABC NBA Finals: Game 3: Warriors at Cavaliers https://t.co/639ZfO2ufv pic.twitter.com/n9pc8otzLO
— FanSportsClips (@FanSportsClips) June 9, 2016
defpensports: LBJ ABC NBA Finals: Game 3: Warriors at Cavaliers https://t.co/ATHW4s5PTS pic.twitter.com/UbrmoL7tsc
— FanSportsClips (@FanSportsClips) June 9, 2016
fullcourtprez: Kyrie ABC NBA Finals: Game 3: Warriors at Cavaliers https://t.co/KGMJmSrIeA pic.twitter.com/p6hLRO6F62
— FanSportsClips (@FanSportsClips) June 9, 2016
austink: #Barbosa with the steal, #DraymondGreen with the finish! #Warri… ABC NBA Finals: G… https://t.co/knBQhfc9Gd pic.twitter.com/EY1quEoib1
— FanSportsClips (@FanSportsClips) June 9, 2016
bballsociety_: Draymond ABC NBA Finals: Game 3: Warriors at Cavaliers https://t.co/3U0PHSsc1J pic.twitter.com/t4D7gbRQ1N
— FanSportsClips (@FanSportsClips) June 9, 2016
austink: #HarrisonBarnes throws it down to make it single digits ABC NBA Finals: Game 3: W… https://t.co/BDpFQPBL5t pic.twitter.com/9LmLqbBHQM
— FanSportsClips (@FanSportsClips) June 9, 2016
fullcourtprez: Green & Barnes are really working inside ABC NBA Finals: Game 3: Warriors at… https://t.co/aqatTGClpT pic.twitter.com/CgkgkP5QZz
— FanSportsClips (@FanSportsClips) June 9, 2016
sonofthebronx: Kyrie Irving driving by Steph Curry ABC NBA Finals: Game 3: Warriors at Cava… https://t.co/yD9AdLPgt4 pic.twitter.com/HLkJ0H5Dnk
— FanSportsClips (@FanSportsClips) June 9, 2016
sonofthebronx: JR Smith's half-court almost buzzer-beater to close the f… ABC NBA Finals: G… https://t.co/eqJGfNztpu pic.twitter.com/vLzCPqZ8kD
— FanSportsClips (@FanSportsClips) June 9, 2016
welikegumballs: So close... ABC NBA Finals: Game 3: Warriors at Cavaliers https://t.co/4QrnQjgFdh pic.twitter.com/hqbVIAk5gT
— FanSportsClips (@FanSportsClips) June 9, 2016
bballsociety_: Curry and LeBron tangled up ABC NBA Finals: Game 3: Warriors at Cavaliers https://t.co/nxJESXe3yZ pic.twitter.com/3Zpe1eGtSw
— FanSportsClips (@FanSportsClips) June 9, 2016
fullcourtprez: LeBron 3 ABC NBA Finals: Game 3: Warriors at Cavaliers https://t.co/Ofum80HWH5 pic.twitter.com/FhSz8AO2zJ
— FanSportsClips (@FanSportsClips) June 9, 2016
gameontech: Irving drives to the basket ABC NBA Finals: Game 3: Warriors at Cavaliers https://t.co/3lqenpx7xE pic.twitter.com/SutSEyqKR6
— FanSportsClips (@FanSportsClips) June 9, 2016
brian_whorton: Swatted. Stuffed. ABC NBA Finals: Game 3: Warriors at Cavaliers https://t.co/Hw7h3DPMAm pic.twitter.com/CLkeQ5SynM
— FanSportsClips (@FanSportsClips) June 9, 2016
gameontech: James throws down the alley-oop ABC NBA Finals: Game 3: Warriors at Cavaliers https://t.co/a0lOMIg195 pic.twitter.com/yxf4aPQzBY
— FanSportsClips (@FanSportsClips) June 9, 2016
gameontech: Barnes scoops it in ABC NBA Finals: Game 3: Warriors at Cavaliers https://t.co/nQxXMam3Q2 pic.twitter.com/lAr6rD78PU
— FanSportsClips (@FanSportsClips) June 9, 2016
defpensports: LeBron drive and slam ABC NBA Finals: Game 3: Warriors at Cavaliers https://t.co/e8O2cJWZge pic.twitter.com/8OuKDXEpNk
— FanSportsClips (@FanSportsClips) June 9, 2016
Next Game
The Cavaliers and Warriors will meet for Game 4 of the 2016 NBA Finals on Friday, June 10 again in Cleveland. Tip-off will be at 9 p.m. ET once again as well.
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