Golden State Warriors vs. Cleveland Cavaliers NBA Finals Preview

Regular Season Meetings

Feb 26, 2015; Cleveland, OH, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Klay Thompson (11) drives against Cleveland Cavaliers guard J.R. Smith (5) in the second quarter at Quicken Loans Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports

The Warriors and the Cavaliers played each other twice during the regular season, and they split the series 1-1.

In their first regular season matchup on January 9th, the Warriors won 112-94 at home. The Cavs were without James, as he was dealing with a strained back and left knee. However, the Cavs held their own behind 27 points from J.R. Smith, 23 points from Irving, and 17 points and 14 rebounds from Love, and it was a close game until the end.

The Warriors were able to pull off the win behind 23 points and 10 assists from Curry, 24 points from Klay Thompson, and 10 points, 11 rebounds, and eight assists from Draymond Green. The Warriors also won the fast break battle 36-3, they outscored the Cavs in the paint 40-28, and they committed 13 turnovers to the Cavs’ 16 turnovers.

In their second regular season matchup on February 26th, the Warriors lost 110-99 in Cleveland. As the MVP race heated up, James made a statement in this game, as he had 42 points, 11 rebounds, and five assists. Irving chipped in 24 points, Love added 16 points and eight rebounds, and Timofey Mozgov added 10 points and 10 rebounds.

Curry scored 18 points in this game, but he struggled with his shot, as he scored only six points after the first quarter and shot 5-for-17 from the field. Green put up 16 points and eight rebounds, and David Lee scored 19 points off the bench. The Warriors yet again won the fast break, points in the paint, and turnover battles, but James led the Cavs to this impressive victory.

Next: Key Matchups