Conference Finals: Game 3's

Welcome to another edition of WhoReps' look at the NBA Playoffs. Today we'll be looking at Game 3 in both the Eastern and Western Conference Finals. Enjoy! Click a bolded name to see their page.                                            
                                                   
It was only a matter of time. Like the dawn of each new day or the transition of summer into fall, Stephen Curry is inevitable. After ten quarters of iffy play to open the series, the two-time MVP finally emerged to bury the Houston Rockets in an unguardable barrage of lightning-quick threes and acrobatic layups. Houston has spent multiple years as an organization preparing for this moment - remaking their entire roster, coaching staff, and playing style in order to better match up with the vanguard in Golden State. Instead, they lost by 40. Curry tortured them with 28 points in the second half, while playmaking big Draymond Green outmuscled every Rocket under the basket for 17 rebounds. Oh, and they also have Kevin Durant, who got whatever he wanted in this game, and whose size and shooting ability is completely unmatched leaguewide. How did this team lose 24 games during the regular season, exactly?
 

The Rockets have been the one embarassing teams all year long, engulfing them with their Hall-of-Fame level ballhandlers and limitless shooting depth. For the first time all season, they were the ones looking hopelessly overmatched. Chris Paul, not so long ago the best point guard in the game himself, hasn't looked especially healthy or effective for much of the series. The enigmatic James Harden seemed fairly disinterested from the moment the game tipped off, and put forth a particularly embarassing lack of effort on a Shaun Livingston dunk in the fourth quarter. Suffice it to say, the Rockets will need those two at their very best to have any chance of pulling this series out. They may get some help in Game 4 on Tuesday, as crucial ballhandler and defender Andre Iguodala is doubtful for the Warriors with knee soreness.
 
Over on the other side of the country, things mostly held according to form. The Cavaliers came out energized and desperate on their home floor, knowing that going down 3-0 in the series would be death knell. The Celtics were strangely lackadaisical, obviously feeling far too content following their handy victories in games one and two. The Cavs, behind who else but LeBron James, jumped out to an early lead that Boston never came close to threatening, ultimately winning by 30 in a game that wasn't even that close. Cleveland's role players finally joined the party, with shooters Kyle Korver and J.R. Smith combining for seven made threes. Prodigal son Larry Nance Jr. did his father proud in his first ever home playoff game in the conference finals, as the hometown kid didn't miss a shot while bringing an athletic frontcourt presence the Cavs haven't had all year. It's just one game, however. Brad Stevens will have his Celtics much more ready for game 4 tonight. But I wouldn't bet against LeBron James.