Live blog: Golden State Warriors at Cleveland Cavaliers headlines five-game festive slate for NBA

KYRIE Irving caught fire in the last quarter as the Cleveland Cavaliers came back from a huge defecit to topple the Golden State Warriors their festive finals rematch. RE-LIVE THE BLOG

IT was a case of deja vu for Golden State in this morning’s NBA Finals rematch as Cleveland point guard Kyrie Irving lit up the Warriors to help the Cavaliers steal a one-point win.

Hellbent on revenge after blowing a 3-1 lead against the Cavs in last season’s NBA Finals, the Warriors led from the tip and were up by as much as 14 early in the final term. Irving was having none of it, though, pouring in 14 of his 25 points in the final quarter, including the game winner, an unstoppable turnaround fadeaway that gave the Cavs a 109-108 victory. Kevin Durant exploded for 36 points and 15 rebounds for the Warriors, but he fluffed his lines with 3.4 seconds left, losing his balance after appearing to have his foot stepped on by Cavs’ forward Richard Jefferson, his last-moment heave never a chance. Played on Christmas Day in the US — part of a five game back-to-back slate — the contest featured a finals-like intensity. Jefferson — at 36 — was throwing down on everyone, Draymond Green got his customary technical foul, LeBron was like a bull through the first three quarters and, of course, there was Irving. His statistics were eerily similar to that game seven performance in the 2016 finals that delivered Cleveland its first NBA title. In that game he had 26 points on 10-23 shooting, with two three-pointers, including the dagger that won the game. He was perhaps more complete in his latest incarnation, adding 10 assists to 25 points (on 10-27) and two treys — to go with a ridiculous seven steals. He’s made a habit of destroying Golden State. His last six against the Warriors have yielded personal efforts of 30, 34, 41, 23, 26 and 25. LeBron James had 31 points and 13 rebounds — including three treys in the third term — and Kevin Love had 20 points for the Cavs. For the Warriors, Klay Thompson had 24 points with five threes, but two-time NBA MVP Stephen Curry was well-held, finishing with 15. Earlier today, the Boston Celtics held off the New York Knicks in a five-point win, 119-114. RE-LIVE THE BLOG BELOW.

Originally published as Live blog: Golden State Warriors at Cleveland Cavaliers headlines five-game festive slate for NBA

Live Updates