Game 6 will be Tuesday night in Cleveland, where LeBron James and the Cavs will try to force a seventh game and maintain hope of ending that city's 51-year pro sports title drought.
After a series-low 20 points in Game 4, James was incredible once again -- collecting 40 points, 14 rebounds, 11 assists and making one clutch play after another down the stretch. But despite using a smaller lineup to match the Warriors, the Cavs couldn't find consistent offense from anyone else. Tristan Thompson had 19 points and 10 rebounds, and the enigmatic J.R. Smith had 14 points -- all in the first half -- on 5-of-15 shooting.
Curry played like the MVP when the Warriors needed it most with a 17-point fourth-quarter barrage that finished the Cavs. He was 13 for 23 from the field and 7 for 13 from the 3-point line with seven rebounds and four assists. Draymond Green had 16 points and nine rebounds, and Leandro Barbosa 13 points off the bench.
James scored, assisted on Iman Shumpert's 3-pointer, made a floater and drilled a deep 3-pointer that gave the Cavs an 80-79 lead with 7:47 left. Curry and Klay Thompson answered with back-to-back 3-pointers -- the Splash Brothers finally emerging together at the right time -- to give Golden State an 85-80 lead.
James hit a turnaround jumper and set up Tristan Thompson inside, cutting it to 85-84. But Andre Iguodala, starting his second straight game, brought the house down at the famously loud Oracle Arena with a 3-pointer and putback for a 91-84 lead with 3:45 left.
Curry then knifed into the late for a lefty layup and hit a 3-pointer off the dribble for a 96-86 lead with 2:44 left -- the first double-digit lead by either team.
When James hit another deep 3-pointer to give him 40 points for the night, adding to one of the legendary Finals performances, the Cavs were still down by seven, 96-89. James was 15 for 34 from the field.
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