OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) – 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.
“Me personally, 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.