Seven technical fouls, one flagrant foul, stars LeBron James and Kevin Durant jawing at each other and several other dustups. For Cleveland coach Tyronn Lue, the physical turn the NBA Finals took in Game 4 is just what he wanted and is the recipe he hopes the Cavaliers will follow for the rest of the series against the Golden State Warriors. [caption id=“attachment_3567147” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Cleveland Cavaliers LeBron James drives on Golden State Warriors forward Kevin Durant during Game 4. AP[/caption] “I liked it,” Lue said Sunday. “I thought the first two games we were being too nice. The first three games, helping guys up off the floor, smiling, talking to guys and — yeah, I didn’t like that. So I think Game 4, talking trash, being physical, whatever you got to do to try to get that edge to win, you got to do it.” The Cavs look to carry that same mindset into Game 5, when they once again try to stave off elimination. After two straight Golden State blowouts to open the series and a thrilling comeback in Game 3, things turned feisty in Game 4 as the teams that are meeting in a third straight Finals showed some animosity. James said the Cavs were upset about comments from Golden State’s Draymond Green about wanting to celebrate a title on Cleveland’s floor for the second time in three seasons. The game started off with an edge and things really took off in the third quarter. It started when Durant took exception to a blow to the head from Kevin Love that led to a flagrant foul and a face-to-face confrontation with James. It escalated late in the third after a scramble to the floor for a loose ball led to a jump ball. Cleveland’s Iman Shumpert stood over Pachulia and tried to grab the ball after the whistle. Pachulia then delivered two swipes to Shumpert’s groin area, leading to technical fouls on both players. “It was totally between the lines and with the respect of the rules,” Pachulia said of the physical play. “Nothing has crossed the line. It’s emotional. It’s possibly the last game of the season, so you definitely don’t want to give up anything easy. We know it’s not going to be an easy game for us. We’re going to earn it.” The more physical play appeared to be just the thing to get Cavs power forward Tristan Thompson unleashed. A key player the past two years because of his relentless rebounding and hard-nosed play, Thompson had been mostly invisible the first three games with just 11 rebounds. Thompson had 10 alone in Game 4, including four on the offensive end that gave Cleveland extra opportunities to score and prevented the Warriors from getting out in the break. “T-Lue has been saying that since Game 1, the team that has the starting lineup that comes out and sets the tone early and is more physical one through five will definitely have the advantage in the game,” Thompson said. “We did that Game 4 and we got to have that same type of effort and even more in Game 5.” That’s exactly the attitude Lue wants rather than the congeniality the bothered him so much at the start of a series between teams that have so much respect for each other. “They’re coming right after us, so we have to get after them,” he said. “I don’t see anything’s funny or anything’s to smile about. So hitting and being physical and just everything they do to us in the first three games, we have to do that. Last game, in Game 4, I thought that’s who we are. Got to be physical. If it’s talking trash or knocking guys on the floor, whatever you got to do, you got to do it.” With inputs from AP
Highlights NBA Finals, Cleveland Cavaliers vs Golden State Warriors, Game 5: Kevin Durant and Co are 2017 NBA champions
The NBA Finals return to Oakland for Game 5 as Golden State Warriors aim to seal the Championship with a win. Follow our live blog for scores and updates.
 "Highlights NBA Finals, Cleveland Cavaliers vs Golden State Warriors, Game 5: Kevin Durant and Co are 2017 NBA champions")
And with that, it’s a wrap of our liveblog of the NBA Finals’ Game 5. The Golden State Warriors has reclaimed the NBA championship that they lost to the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2016. While the championship will mean a lot to all the Warriors players and fans, a special mention for Finals MVP Kevin Durant, who has had to deal with a lot of barbs throughout the year for his contentious move from Oklahoma City Thunder. He’s proved a point or two, and HOW!
We hope you had as much fun following our liveblog as we did. Thank you and good bye.
#ICYMI: Kevin Durant having himself a Game!
#NBAFinals MVP Kevin Durant powers @warriors to Game 5 win with 39 PTS on 14/20 from the field! #ThisIsWhyWePlay pic.twitter.com/WmjXv8Iacv
— NBA (@NBA) June 13, 2017
"We Back." #ThisIsWhyWePlay pic.twitter.com/u6jnxGgPdR
— NBA (@NBA) June 13, 2017
LeBron: “I have no reason to put my head down and to look back and think I could done something better. Just not my time.”
"I left everything on the floor every game."
— NBA TV (@NBATV) June 13, 2017
LeBron James reacts following the Game 5 loss. #NBAFinals pic.twitter.com/fPjWyhZkFq
FAM 🏆👏 pic.twitter.com/SYnckKYyFx
— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) June 13, 2017
The Warriors letting their hair down:
Let the celebration begin! 🍾#NBAFinals pic.twitter.com/VzhovHZzoM
— NBA TV (@NBATV) June 13, 2017
Nike has something to say to Kevin Durant’s detractors:
Nike didn't waste ANYTIME gettin' that Kevin Durant commercial out #NBAFinals https://t.co/hYdPW8MEUS
— 𝗧𝗥𝗢𝗬 𝗛𝗨𝗚𝗛𝗘𝗦 (@TommySledge) June 13, 2017
Sarcasm, the unofficial Finals MVP pic.twitter.com/uecop4HMwi
— The Ringer (@ringer) June 13, 2017
The numbers behind KD MVP Award.
Averaging 35.2 PPG, 8.4 RPG, & 5.4 APG, Kevin Durant is the 2017 Bill Russell #NBAFinals MVP! #ThisIsWhyWePlay pic.twitter.com/BMkARRinMm
— NBA (@NBA) June 13, 2017
This moment!
#NBA champ ✔️#NBAFinals MVP ✔️#ThisIsWhyWePlay pic.twitter.com/KD2GAwgkD1
— NBA (@NBA) June 13, 2017
From one legend to another.
Game respect game. #NBAGIF
— NBA (@NBA) June 13, 2017
LeBron x KD.#ThisIsWhyWePlay pic.twitter.com/HjM0BXgZHe
A small, but not untimely reminder of the criticism Kevin Durant had to face for joining the Warriors.
Call him what you want, but Kevin Durant is now known as the 2017 #NBAFinals MVP pic.twitter.com/Imd9n5JjZC
— NBA TV (@NBATV) June 13, 2017
We had an emotional mother in the house at the Oracle Arena today!
A proud mother, @MamaDurant! #NBAGIF#ThisIsWhyWePlay pic.twitter.com/DPtXXG4fTb
— NBA (@NBA) June 13, 2017
Like we said, bedlam.
Champions. pic.twitter.com/mu533jRPKo
— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) June 13, 2017
KD can’t even believe it!
Kevin Durant, NBA champion! #ThisIsWhyWePlay pic.twitter.com/RON5asdUGI
— NBA (@NBA) June 13, 2017
Warriors fans right now
STEPH OH MY 😳 pic.twitter.com/RkLdtAOFPX
— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) June 13, 2017
Cavs 117-129 Warriors, Golden State Warriors win Game 5 to become NBA champions!
Bedlam at the Oracle Arena as the Warriors wrest back the NBA title the lost so heartbreakingly to the Cavs last year.
Congrats, #DubNation
— NBA (@NBA) June 13, 2017
The Golden State @warriors are the 2017 #NBA Champions!#NBAFinals #ThisIsWhyWePlay pic.twitter.com/iO9L4Tlvnc
He’s put in a double shift today! But clearly that’s not going to help!
LeBron has his 14th 30-point game in the 2017 #NBAPlayoffs. That's the most since Kobe Bryant in the 2010 #NBAPlayoffs (14 such games). pic.twitter.com/K61REWnZ5y
— NBA.com/Stats (@nbastats) June 13, 2017
Cavs 113-126 Warriors
Green alley-oop to Igoudala! What a game the latter is having! Just over 2 minutes remaining in this match (and Finals?)
BLOWN AWAY!
.@warriors extend the lead with back-to-back dimes! #NBAFinals pic.twitter.com/DK69xzCUZb
— NBA TV (@NBATV) June 13, 2017
Cavs 110-124 Warriors
Klay shoots, and scores, another jumper. The result starting to become apparent now.
Oh, my!
.@StephenCurry30 drives for 2⃣ #NBAFinals #StrengthInNumbers #DubNation pic.twitter.com/TSoRMsEmag
— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) June 13, 2017
Cavs 108-120 Warriors
Curry scores two, Irving misses, Curry scores another two and then gets fouled. He’s making it up for Game 4.
That’s why the call him The King.
TOO STRONG. ???? #NBAFinals || #DefendTheLand pic.twitter.com/Ko24KmlKDS
— Cleveland Cavaliers (@cavs) June 13, 2017
Cavs 106-118 Warriors
Another electrifying dunk from KD!
Cavs 104-114 Warriors
Curry drives to the paint and scores off the glass. This is a 10-point game again with just over 6 minutes remaining in the game.
Cavs 102-112 Warriors
Incredible pass from Curry to Iguodala, who rises and dunks! The Cavs need something special from here on.
Cavs 102-108 Warriors
And now Kyle Korver throws a three just to keep things interesting with 8:24 left in the game.
We can’t even…
Clutch bucket after clutch bucket.
— NBA (@NBA) June 13, 2017
Durant stretches the @warriors lead back up to 8! He's got 33. #NBAFinals pic.twitter.com/bSI6vz5bl5
Just an unnecessary reminder of how awesome KD is.
Kevin Durant with a game-high 28 points as the @warriors lead late in the 3Q! #NBAFinals pic.twitter.com/Ldf46Fxq6Z
— NBA TV (@NBATV) June 13, 2017
Andre, The Giant!
ANDRE AGAIN 👌 pic.twitter.com/eDpeY1cvLO
— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) June 13, 2017
Cavs 98-106 Warriors
KD with another monster three for the night!
Cavs 93-98 Warriors, End of 3rd quarter
JR SMITH with another three-pointer in the dying minutes of Q3. He’s now scored all 5 of his attempts from downtown!
— Cleveland Cavaliers (@cavs) June 13, 2017
Just a small reminder of why KD is a man for big ocassions.
Kevin Durant has joined Michael Jordan and Shaquille O'Neal as the only players to score 25+ points in each of their first 10 Finals games.
— Warriors PR (@WarriorsPR) June 13, 2017
NO WORDS!
WHAM with the right hand.#DefendTheLand https://t.co/czfCZBQC51
— Cleveland Cavaliers (@cavs) June 13, 2017
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