The Warriors are historically incredible in the third quarter.
During the regular season, they were +371 in the third -- by far the best mark in the NBA (the Rockets were No. 2 at +172).
Golden State has been even more dominant in the playoffs, checking in at +130 through 17 games (the 76ers are No. 2 at +38).
[LISTEN: Warriors Outsiders Podcast: NBA Finals preview; series/MVP predictions; Zaza to start?]
Warriors players and coaches have repeatedly been asked why they are so successful after halftime, and nobody has really been able to provide a legitimate answer.
Until now...
Sports
"You think about how hard Houston was playing in the first half -- that was maybe the best defense we've seen all year," Steve Kerr explained to Damon Bruce of 95.7 The Game on Wednesday. "They were playing so hard and chasing every rebound and every loose ball and there was so much emotion in that building.
"And I thought in the second half -- that effort just ended up wearing them down. It's one of the reasons our third quarters, I think, are so potent, because everybody circles us on the calendar anyway even in the regular season. But you get us in a playoff game on your home floor, you expend so much energy in that first half trying to defend us and chasing us around that it takes your legs out."
So then it's simple:
During the Finals, the Cavs should play with very little energy in the first half and preserve maximum effort for the third quarter...
Drew Shiller is the co-host of Warriors Outsiders. Follow him on Twitter @DrewShiller
