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The Golden State Warriors were without Stephen Curry, and the Cleveland Cavaliers were without Isaiah Thomas. Cleveland struggled to shoot the ball inside the arc, and Golden State struggled to shoot the ball outside the arc.
But on Christmas day, it didn’t matter. The teams who have met in the last three NBA Finals put on a holiday show, with a back-and-forth game that came down to the wire. Ultimately the Dubs got the best in this rivalry, and won 99-92.
The showdown between LeBron James and Kevin Durant did not disappoint. Durant did his thing on both sides of the court, with 25 points, 7 rebounds, and 5 blocks:
Kevin Durant with the denial! (ABC) #NBAVote #NBAXmas #DubNation pic.twitter.com/ZFKV6VTppg
— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) December 25, 2017
But it was Durant’s defense against James that really made the difference. James had a tough night shooting the ball and committed seven turnovers. Durant had a key block on James in the final moments of the game that sealed the victory.
Draymond Green had a brilliant all-around game with 12 points, 12 rebounds, and 11 assists, and Klay Thompson scored 24 points, including a huge three late to put the team ahead for good.
There were some offensive struggles, but a win is a win, especially against a very good team, and a rival, and especially on Christmas. Happy Holidays, everyone!!
ORACLE IS ROCKIN!! pic.twitter.com/wWXtHllAJ6
— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) December 25, 2017
Merry Christmas, #DubNation pic.twitter.com/9ZEAMJLxal
— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) December 25, 2017
Poll
Who was your Warrior Wonder against the Hornets?
This poll is closed
-
36%
Draymond Green
(371 votes) -
40%
Kevin Durant
(404 votes) -
16%
Klay Thompson
(168 votes) -
3%
David West
(35 votes) -
2%
Shaun Livingston
(29 votes)