CLEVELAND – With only two-thirds of the Big Three on the floor, the Cavaliers maintained their perfect 2016 playoff record at Quicken Loans Arena by trouncing the Golden State Warriors 120-90 in Wednesday’s Game 3 of the NBA Finals.
With Kevin Love benched with a concussion, Lebron James and Kyrie Irving combined for 62 points in the Cavs’ first win in the best-of-seven series.
Game 4 is Friday night in Cleveland.
James had 32 points, 11 rebounds and six assists and Irving shook off struggles in the first two games to finish with 30 points and eight assists.
J.R. Smith scored 20 points and Tristan Thompson added 14 points and 13 rebounds.
The Cavaliers lost the first two games by 48 combined points. But they played much better defense on Wednesday night.
Stephen Curry struggled mightily with 19 points on 6-for-13 shooting and six turnovers. Klay Thompson had just 10 points and went scoreless in three of the four quarters.
Love, who was injured in Sunday’s Game 2, took part in the team’s shoot-around Wednesday morning, a positive step toward his return to the floor. But the 27-year-old was not cleared by doctors and missed Wednesday night’s win.
Love has been following the league’s concussion protocol since he was diagnosed with the head injury, a result of him taking an elbow to the back of the head from Warriors forward Harrison Barnes.
According to the protocol, Love is required to gradually increase his physical activity and remain symptom free before he can be cleared.
Love is averaging 16.5 points and a team-leading 9.4 rebounds in 16 postseason games. He missed the finals last year after dislocating his left shoulder earlier in the playoffs and undergoing surgery.