Statistical storylines to watch: Cavaliers vs. Warriors

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The Cleveland Cavaliers and Golden State Warriors will meet in the NBA Finals for the second straight year, and this time both teams are at full health. There have been some additions to the rivalry that make this matchup even more intriguing.

Here are the most pressing questions entering the 2016 NBA Finals.

Will a healthy Big 3 make the difference for the Cavaliers?

Kevin Love missed the entire 2015 NBA Finals, and Kyrie Irving played only Game 1. With Love and Irving out for virtually the entire series, LeBron James had to do just about everything for the Cavaliers. James scored or assisted on 62 percent of the Cavaliers’ points in the series, averaging 98 offensive touches per game.

This postseason, the Cavaliers are plus-131 in 366 minutes with the trio on the court together (they played 89 minutes together last postseason). The trio was minus-4 in 36 minutes against the Warriors in the regular season, but Irving and Love each bring elements to the table the Cavaliers didn’t have in last year’s Finals.

Love

Love has made 31 uncontested 3-pointers this postseason, tied with Klay Thompson for most in the NBA. Love has made 60 percent of his uncontested 3-pointers this postseason (31-of-52). In the 2015 NBA Finals, the Cavaliers shot 33 percent on uncontested 3-pointers.

Love (along with Channing Frye) gives the Cavaliers a big man who can stretch the floor. The three Cavaliers big men to play in the 2015 NBA Finals (Tristan Thompson, Timofey Mozgov and Kendrick Perkins) attempted no 3-pointers in the series.

Irving

Irving gives the Cavaliers another player who can drive. In the 2015 NBA Finals, James drove to the basket 127 times, 107 more drives than the next closest Cavaliers player in the series (Matthew Dellavedova).

This postseason, Irving has driven to the basket almost as often as James, with the Cavaliers producing more on those plays. They’re shooting 49 percent on drives by Irving, 44 percent on drives by James.

How will the Cavaliers defend Curry?

The Thunder switched often against Stephen Curry in the conference finals, and Curry was able to take advantage of mismatches. He was a combined 17-of-25 on 3-point shooting against Steven Adams, Enes Kanter and Serge Ibaka in the series, and has been torching big men all postseason, hitting 57 …

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