Here are some interesting facts and figures for the 2015 NBA Finals between the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Golden State Warriors.
Schedule
Here’s the potential seven-game series schedule:
Game 1: – Thu. June 4, Cleveland at Golden State, 9 p.m. ET, ABC
Game 2: Sun. June 7, Cleveland at Golden State, 8 p.m. ET, ABC
Game 3: Tue. June 9, Golden State at Cleveland, 9 p.m. ET, ABC
Game 4: Thu. June 11, Golden State at Cleveland, 9 p.m. ET, ABC
Game 5 *: Sun, June 14, Cleveland at Golden State, 8 p.m. ET, ABC
Game 6 *: Tue, June 16, Golden State at Cleveland, 9 p.m. ETM, ABC
Game 7 *: Fri, June 19, Cleveland at Golden State, 9 p.m. ET, ABC
* = if necessary
All times are Eastern
Therefore:
- three days between Games 1 and 2,
- two days between Games 2, 3, and 4,
- three days between Games 4 and 5,
- two days between Games 5 and 6, and
- three days between Games 6 and 7.
This is the first time the NBA Finals has gone with a 2-2-1-1-1 format instead of 2-3-2 for the first time since 1985.
However, Cavs shooting guard Iman Shumpert lobbied for a modification after watching the movie “San Andreas”, which features the destruction of the Bay Area by an earthquake:
. @warriors i kno yall got home court advantage but after watching San Andreas wit wifey…can we play all 4 in CLE cuz i aint got for
— Iman Shumpert I (@I_Am_Iman) June 1, 2015
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Interestingly, the 1975 NBA Finals, which the Warriors won, was played with a 1-2-2-1-1 format due to scheduling issues involving the Cow Palace in Daly City, CA, partial home of the Warriors back then.
Team Notes
- “Good news for Golden State? In NBA history, 13 teams have won 65+ games and advanced to the NBA Finals. All 13 won it all.” — ESPN Stats
Rookie Coaches
From Antonio Gonzalez of the AP:
This is the first time rookie coaches have met in the finals time since the NBA’s inaugural season in 1946-47. And no first-year coach has won the title since Pat Riley with the Los Angeles Lakers in 1982.
.
Both took different roads to NBA coaching careers – Steve Kerr as a five-time champion player, broadcaster and general manager, and David Blatt as a coach in Europe and the Middle East.
Offense
- “Cavs led NBA in the reg season in isolation rate at nearly 12%. That number jumped to almost 16% in the postseason” — Bill Reiter, Fox Sports
- “Stephen Curry has made 73 playoff three-pointers to lead the NBA. Next on the list is Klay Thompson with 45.” — Diamond Leung, Bay Area News Group
Steph shooting 92% on left-corner 3s this postseason. Not a typo, ninety-two percent. pic.twitter.com/c711PRKsWV
— Stephen Kauffman (@StephenKauffman) May 28, 2015
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Most 3s ever, 4-gm series: Curry '15 vs NOP-20
Most 3s ever, 6-gm series: Curry '15 vs MEM-26
Most 3s ever, 5-gm series: Curry '15 vs HOU-27
— Richard Yannow (@RichardYannow) May 28, 2015
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Defense
- “The Warriors have held opponents to 47.5% FG%…at rim during postseason (1st in NBA Playoffs, minimum 8 games played)” — NBA Stats
- “Andrew Bogut and Timofey Mozgov rank 1-2 this postseason in FG% defense at rim (minimum 5 such shots defended per game and 8 games played)” — NBA Stats
(Photo: @letsgowarriors Instagram account via ESPN)
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