Preview: Warriors at Cavaliers

[June 16, 2015]  The Golden State Warriors look to secure their first world title in 40 years when they visit the Cleveland Cavaliers in Tuesday's Game 6 of the NBA Finals. Golden State has won the past two games, including Sunday's 104-91 victory, but Cleveland's LeBron James will be aiming for another stellar effort to force a Game 7 on Friday.

James had 40 points, 14 rebounds and 11 assists in Game 5 but his second triple-double of the series wasn't enough and now Cleveland's season lies on the brink. "You cope with it by understanding it's just one game and looking at the opportunity we have on Tuesday to force a Game 7," James said in his press conference. "Obviously, for myself, I want to do whatever it takes to help our team win, and I haven't been able to do that the last two games." Warriors guard Stephen Curry had a huge 37-point outing in Game 5 and is ready to close out the series. "We're confident. We're not getting ahead of ourselves," Curry said in his press conference. "In the locker room, if you walked in there was the exact same (feeling) after a regular-season win. But we know the sense of urgency of the moment."

TV: 9 p.m. ET, ABC

ABOUT THE WARRIORS: The regular-season MVP version of Curry was on display when he scored 17 points in the fourth quarter of Game 5 and was 7-of-13 from 3-point range for the contest. He struggled with his shooting early in the series -- the 5-for-23 effort in Game 2 was particularly distasteful -- and has made 18 3-pointers over the past three games while raising his series average to 26.2 points. "He had a tough first couple of games and he got going at the end of Game 3 in the fourth quarter and that's all it takes," Golden State coach Steve Kerr said in his press conference. "Steph makes a couple shots, he feels like he's got it rolling, and he's been great ever since."

ABOUT THE CAVALIERS: With Golden State playing a small lineup, Cleveland coach David Blatt opted to match it and turned center Timofey Mozgov into a spectator one game after Mozgov was sensational with 28 points and 10 rebounds. The Warriors are happy to play the faster pace and Blatt bristled when reporters repeatedly inferred he played into Golden State's hand by using Mozgov for just nine scoreless minutes. "Did I make a mistake?" Blatt said in his press conference. "Listen, when you're coaching a game, you've got to make decisions. I felt that the best chance for us to stay in the game and to have a chance to win was to play it the way that we played it. It's no disrespect to anyone, certainly not to Timo, who has done a great job for us."

BUZZER BEATERS

1. James is averaging 36.6 points, 12.4 rebounds and 8.8 assists and has a chance to become the second player from a losing team to win Finals MVP should Golden State win the series -- Jerry West of the Los Angeles Lakers in 1969 is the only player on a losing squad to win MVP honors.

2. Warriors G Andre Iguodala is averaging 14.6 points but was a woeful 2-of-11 from the free-throw line in Game 5.

3. Cleveland F Tristan Thompson has recorded three straight double-doubles and is averaging 13 rebounds in the series.

PREDICTION: Cavaliers 96, Warriors 93

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