David Blatt, the Israeli coach of the Cleveland Cavaliers, continues to shine in his impressive first year in the NBA by leading the Cavs to a NBA Finals Game 3 96-91 victory over the Golden State Warriors.
The Cavs took a 2-1 series lead after dropping the first game, and in their win Tuesday they managed to stave off a 25-9 fourth quarter spurt by the Warriors and hold on to victory.
"We were just making things hard, making every shot a contested one, making them work," Blatt said after the game, praising his team's effort.
LeBron James once again led the Cavs on the hardwood, netting an impressive 40 points while grabbing 12 rebounds and dishing eight assists, not to mention his four steals and two blocks.
But Matthew Dellavedova of Australia put in a no-less-outstanding performance with his sheer hustle and clutch shots, scoring 20 and holding NBA MVP award winner Stephen Curry to 27 points - including just three in the first half.
"He's made of steel or something," James said of his Australian teammate. "If the ball goes down he is the first one to it."
As for Dellavedova, after game 2 he had praise for Blatt, saying the Israeli coach "deserves a lot of credit."
"I think he’s done a really good job all year...I enjoy playing for him and I’ve learned a lot so far," he said.
Cleveland will hope to gain a 3-1 lead on Friday for Game 4, when they will enjoy a home court advantage.
The Cavs have never won an NBA Championship - in fact, Cleveland hasn't won a championship in any sport since the 1964 NFL Browns, marking the longest title drought in US sports.