CLEVELAND -- The Warriors have dropped at least one road game in every series this postseason. Doing so Wednesday night in Game 3 against the Cavaliers would alter the complexion of the NBA Finals.
The Warriors needed overtime to win Game 1 but took control early in Game 2 and coasted. But both games were at Oracle Arena, where they are 10-1 this postseason.
[LISTEN: Warriors Outsiders Podcast: Curry's home/road Finals splits; Iguodala to start if available?]
The Warriors are 4-4 on the road, which indicates vulnerability. Can the underdog Cavs exploit that? If so, they'll be back in the series, with Game 4 at home on Friday.
BETTING LINE
Warriors by 4
MATCHUP TO WATCH
Sports
Kevin Durant vs. LeBron James: James topped Durant in Game 1 and the Cavs still lost. Durant was victorious in Game 2 and the Warriors rolled. Now that the action is taking place on James' turf, Durant's has to strive to offset the performance of James. The goal, then, is to keep James from being spectacular enough to hijack the game. If Durant succeeds, it will be exceedingly difficult for Cleveland to win.
INJURY REPORT
Warriors: F Andre Iguodala (L lateral leg contusion) is listed as questionable and expected to be a game-time decision.
Cavaliers: No injuries listed.
GAME OFFICIALS
Marc Davis (crew chief), John Goble, Zach Zarba, Eric Lewis (alternate)
THE TALLY
Game 1: Warriors 124, Cavaliers 114 (OT) in Oakland Game 2: Warriors 122, Cavaliers 103 in Oakland
ROAD TO THE FINALS
Warriors: Defeated San Antonio in five games in the first round, defeated New Orleans in five games in the conference semifinals, defeated Houston in seven games in the Western Conference Finals.
Cavaliers: Defeated Indiana in seven games in the first round, defeated Toronto in four games in the conference semifinals, defeated Boston in seven games in the Eastern Conference Finals.
SERIES HISTORY
The Warriors won both meetings in the regular season, 99-92 on Dec. 25 at Oracle Arena and 118-108 on Jan. 15 at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland. The Warriors won the 2015 Finals in six games, the Cavs took the 2016 Finals in seven and the Warriors triumphed in five games in the 2017 Finals.
THREE THINGS TO WATCH
THE SUPPORTING CAST: The Cavs are appreciably better at home mostly because the players surrounding James tend to perform better. JR Smith and Kyle Korver are key players in this regard. They combined for 19 points, on 6-of-25 shooting, 4-of-14 from deep, in Games 1 and 2. Expect these shooters to be more productive at home.
THE IGUODALA ISSUE: Iguodala has not played since May 20 but was upgraded Tuesday from doubtful to questionable. Team personnel say he has shown clear signs of improvement but still has benchmarks to meet. If he's available, it gives the Warriors their best perimeter defender and someone who stabilizes the offense.
THE WHISTLES: Davis and Goble are considered "friendly" toward the trailing team. Both, for example, were on the crew of Game 4 of the 2017 Finals, when the Cavs, down 0-2, shot 22 free throws in the first quarter. Stephen Curry, Draymond Green, Klay Thompson and Andre Iguodala all got into early foul trouble.
