Jamauri Bogan rushed for 215 yards and four touchdowns Thursday, powering Western Michigan past Middle Tennessee 45-31 in the Bahamas Bowl for its first bowl victory.

NASSAU, Bahamas -- Considering that Western Michigan coach P.J. Fleck has made "Row the Boat" a team motto, it's only fitting the Broncos had to reach the Bahamas to finally win a bowl game.

Jamauri Bogan ran for 215 yards and four touchdowns, powering Western Michigan past Middle Tennessee 45-31 on Thursday in the Bahamas Bowl for its first bowl victory. The Broncos had lost their previous six bowl games.

"This was what 'Row the Boat' was all about," Fleck said. "This is why it was invented. This is what it was for. There were all types of adversity in this football game that our kids could have given up, could have quit, could have folded. Two years ago, we probably would have. Last year, we'd probably have done it some of the time. This year? No way."

This latest achievement comes after Western Michigan closed the regular season by beating a Toledo team that was ranked 24th at the time for the Broncos' first win over a Top 25 team.

Western Michigan (8-5) also has consecutive eight-win seasons for the first time in school history after going 1-11 in 2013 during Fleck's first year. The Broncos accomplished that while facing a schedule that included Michigan State and Ohio State.

"They are better people than they are players," Fleck said. "They're incredible. I'm just proud I get to coach them. I'm the luckiest coach in America."

Bogan broke a tie with a 1-yard touchdown run with 6:12 left, setting up the score with a 61-yard burst. He had another 1-yard scoring run with 5 minutes remaining after Rontavious Atkins' 29-yard interception return to the 4. Bogan also had 62- and 46-yard touchdown runs. He averaged 11.3 yards per carry.

"There's no better feeling," Bogan said. "Coach told us it was going to be an amazing feeling, and I think it exceeds that."

Zach Terrell was 18 of 26 for 297 yards and two touchdowns. Corey Davis had eight catches for 183 yards and a touchdown, and Daniel Braverman added five receptions for 101 yards and a score.

Richie James had eight catches for 126 yards and two touchdowns and added a scoring run for Middle Tennessee (7-6). Brent Stockstill threw for 327 yards and three touchdowns. Stockstill was 26 of 39 and finished the season with 327 completions to break the NCAA freshman record of 321 set by Jared Lorenzen for Kentucky in 2001.

One year after Western Kentucky and Central Michigan combined for 12 touchdown passes in the inaugural Bahamas Bowl -- a 49-48 Western Kentucky victory -- Western Michigan and Middle Tennessee produced a similar shootout featuring six touchdowns of 40-plus yards. The game already was tied 17-all by the end of the first quarter.

After a scoreless second period, the big plays resumed.

Bogan gave Western Michigan its first lead with the 46-yard run on the opening drive of the second half. Middle Tennessee tied it when Christian Collis turned a short completion into a 17-yard touchdown play with 18 seconds left in the third period.

Western Michigan went back in front when Braverman caught a pass about 15 yards downfield and raced along the right sideline for a 68-yard scoring strike with 12:47 left. Middle Tennessee tied it again with 9:41 left on Stockstill's 29-yard pass to James.

But when Bogan scored twice more in the fourth quarter, Middle Tennessee couldn't respond.

"(Our) keys coming into the game were stopping the run and limiting the big plays, and we weren't able to do either one of those," Middle Tennessee coach Rick Stockstill said. "I really thought that was the difference in the game."

Middle Tennessee also failed to capitalize on a couple of early opportunities. With the score 17-17 in the second quarter, Middle Tennessee's Shane Tucker was stuffed by Grant DePalma and Austin Lewis on fourth-and-goal from the 1. On Middle Tennessee's next series, a holding penalty nullified an 85-yard touchdown completion from Stockstill to Collis.

The Aztecs (11-3) won their final 10 games to match the longest winning streak in school history.

HONOLULU (AP) -- Rashaad Penny returned the opening kickoff 100 yards for a touchdown and San Diego State routed Cincinnati 42-7 in the Hawaii Bowl on Thursday.

The Aztecs (11-3) won their final 10 games to match the longest winning streak in school history.

Penny had his third kickoff return for a score this season -- and second 100-yarder -- and broke the Hawaii bowl record for the longest return before a sparse crowd of 14,537 at Aloha Stadium.

San Diego State rushed for 207 yards, topping the 200-yard mark for the 10th consecutive game, and finished with 336 yards of total offense.

Donnell Pumphrey, the Mountain West offensive player of the year, had 99 yards on 25 carries. He threw a 16-yard touchdown pass to Dakota Gordon and had a 1-yard scoring run early in the fourth quarter. Gordon also had a 1-yard run and finished with four catches for 58 yards.

Cincinnati finished 7-5.

Redshirt freshman Christian Chapman made his second straight start with starter Maxwell Smith out with a knee injury. Chapman threw a 14-yard touchdown pass to Mikah Holder to cap an 85-yard, nine-play drive on San Diego State's first offensive possession.

The touchdown came a play after Cincinnati defensive Alex Pace left with an undisclosed injury. He appeared to be favoring his left arm and did not return.

Chapman was 8 of 11 for 113 yards and did not have an interception.

The Aztecs led 14-0 after the first quarter, the ninth time this season they held an opponent scoreless in the opening quarter.

Cornerback Damontae Kazee had his eighth interception of the season to set up Pumphrey's 33-yard halfback-option pass to Gordon, with the fullback bouncing off a defender before crossing the plane of the end zone. That made it 21-0 late in the first half.

Cincinnati turned it over on downs midway through the third quarter when it attempted and failed a fake field goal, which gave the Aztecs possession at their 33. Eight plays later, Gordon found the end zone on his 1-yard plunge.

Pumphrey capped an 11-play, 85-yard drive that took nearly 7 minutes off the clock early in the fourth quarter to make it 35-0.

Defensive lineman Alex Barrett had the third interception of Cincinnati quarterback Hayden Moore minutes later and returned it 43 yards for a score with 9:04 to play.

Moore, a redshirt freshman, made his third career start in place of junior Gunner Kiel, who did not make the trip because of undisclosed personal reasons. Moore was 19 of 30 for 202 yards.

The Bearcats finally got on the board on Mike Boone's 1-yard run with 3:21 remaining.

Cincinnati's Max Morrison had seven catches for 84 yards.

Cincinnati entered the game ranked first nationally in passing yards per game (373.1) and total offense (559.4). It was held to 279 yards in the loss.

San Diego State, the Mountain West Conference champion, improved to 21-2 under coach Rocky Long in games where it rushes for more than 200 yards. The three turnovers it forced Thursday gave San Diego State 34 on the season.

Cincinnati beat San Diego State 52-23 in September 2007 in the only other meeting between the schools.

In a much-anticipated matchup against the Golden State Warriors, the Cleveland Cavaliers will get another look at a style that gave them fits during the final three games of the NBA Finals, the kind of attack that Tristan Thompson is hoping won't become the Cavaliers' Achilles heel. Watch video

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- In a much-anticipated matchup against the Golden State Warriors, the Cleveland Cavaliers will get another look at a style that gave them fits during the final three games of the NBA Finals, the kind of attack that Tristan Thompson is hoping won't become the Cavaliers' Achilles heel.

The Warriors downsize better than anyone and their small lineup that shredded opponents last season en route to an NBA title is back at it again.

Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Andre Iguodala, Harrison Barnes and Draymond Green have played 64 minutes this season, outscoring opponents by 91 points and shooting 63.6 percent from the field, including 62.5 percent from three-point range. 

A number of teams have tried to match or even duplicate Golden State's successful style. The Indiana Pacers made an identity change this off-season, sacrificing size and strength for quickness, athleticism and floor spacing. It has led to Indiana's resurgence, climbing to No. 7 in the Eastern Conference.

The Washington Wizards have taken the same approach, using Jared Dudley, an undersized forward, to help space the floor.

But few teams have the personnel to scale down as effectively.

The Cavs will take another shot at trying to solve the puzzle on Friday. Only this time the Cavs will enter the game with their full squad, believing they have the pieces and lineup combinations to contend.

"We know what we're capable of," Iman Shumpert said recently. "We're capable of throwing out a lot of different lineups. We can go small, we can go big, we can go quick. We got a lot that we can throw at teams. There's no breaks. Everybody that comes in is looking to produce, everybody is going to produce and we're just looking to win."

Versatility is probably the Cavs' best attribute. Being able to play a variety of styles effectively is key for any championship-contending team. So, too, is being able to adjust, just as the Warriors did in Game 4 of the NBA Finals. 

For a long time, physical play was Golden State's kryptonite. But playing big isn't the answer. Memphis tried staying big, hoping their burly frontcourt would overwhelm the smaller Warriors. It worked for three games, but the Warriors adjusted and wiped out Memphis in six games during last year's second round, winning the final three games by an average 16.6 points.

The Cavs tried that same approach at times in the Finals, using Timofey Mozgov to bully the Warriors in the paint.

In pivotal Game 4, the Russian center scored a game-high 28 points, as the Cavs exploited the matchup offensively. But Mozgov couldn't keep up with the Warriors' quickness on the defensive end and he was glued to the bench the next game before Cavs head coach David Blatt tried him again in one last act of desperation in Game 6.

Morphing into another version of the Warriors is the Cavs' best chance.

They have to get out in transition, space the floor, hoist a handful of threes, whip the ball from side-to-side to avoid isolation and, most importantly, play with a small lineup. They also have to find the right mix of offense and defense, trying to avoid sacrificing one for the other.   

The Warriors have their well-established "Death Lineup." The Cavs are still looking.

Blatt should start his search with Kyrie Irving, Matthew Dellavedova, Shumpert, LeBron James and Tristan Thompson. The group hasn't gotten an opportunity this year because of Irving's knee injury, but that unit should give the Cavs the best chance to match up with the Warriors both offensively and defensively.

There's enough firepower, having four legitimate offensive threats, all of which are capable of knocking down three-pointers thanks to Dellavedova's improvement. The feisty point guard throwing his patented lobs could even mask Thompson's offensive limitations. 

On the other end, the Cavs would have their four best defenders on the court at the same time. That would allow them to match up one-on-one and avoid sending help, which would prevent open looks for the most dangerous three-point shooting team in the league. The five-man unit would also allow the Cavs to use the switch-everything approach that has helped guide Golden State's underrated defense.

Dellavedova would attempt to pester Curry -- at least stay close to him, challenging the MVP with toughness. Shumpert's length, quickness and fast hands could give Klay Thompson issues -- just as it did during the Finals when Thompson shot 41 percent from the field and 30 percent from distance. James would likely take the challenge against Green, the heart and soul of the Warriors and one of the most unique players in the league. Irving could be hidden on Iguodala. And Thompson possesses enough athleticism to stay connected to Barnes on the perimeter and keep him from driving to the basket.

The key to this group is Shumpert, who like James, is capable of defending all five players in Golden State's best lineup. 

It was a few years ago when the Miami Heat boasted a lethal small-ball lineup that few teams could handle. The Spurs finally solved the riddle. But it took them copying Miami's formula and changing their starting five.

It might not happen on Christmas, but if the Cavs and Warriors meet again in June, Blatt should consider doing the same thing, sending Mozgov to the bench and playing with a three- or four-guard lineup for a bulk of the series, especially in crunch time. 

Kevin Love playing the five instead of Thompson is another option, especially if the Cavs need an offensive boost. Flammable J.R. Smith, who has improved defensively, could also replace Dellavedova or Shumpert.

That's the difference this year, at least for now, as the Cavs prepare for their NBA Finals rematch. Just like the Warriors -- the deepest and most talented team in the NBA -- Blatt has numerous options.

Golden State sits atop the NBA's perch. In order to knock them off, it will take mimicking their approach and finding an answer for the NBA's best lineup -- Curry, Thompson, Barnes, Iguodala and Green. 

Blatt's latest test begins Friday. 

Steph Curry and the Warriors present the Cavaliers a small but formidable gift: Crowquill

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- In a rematch of last year's final, LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers play Steph Curry and the Golden State Warriors today.

So far this year the Warriors are almost perfect, having reeled off 24 straight wins to start the season and the Cavaliers own the best record in the Eastern Conference.

Golden State likes to play 'small ball' with virtually the same lineup that they won the championship with last year. Cleveland will have two players they didn't have in last year's final, Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love.

Will the healthy Cavaliers be able to handle the small lineup gift of the Warriors this time around?

Crowquill, by Plain Dealer artist Ted Crow, appears three times a week on cleveland.com.

Sean McDonough and Spielman will call their second Ohio State game of the season.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Ohio State and Notre Dame fans are getting the best broadcast team in America for the Fiesta Bowl.

So says SI.com media critic Richard Deitsch.

As part of his year-end look at sports media, a comprehensive review that's always worth a read, Deitsch named Sean McDonough and Chris Spielman the Broadcast Team of the Year. That's not just for college football, but for all sports on all networks.

I have always thought that Spielman is a really sharp analyst, offering insight without schlock while providing an interesting listen, and Dietsch agreed about the former Ohio State star.

Dietsch called Spielman a "non-shtick analyst rooted in film work and preparation, with a specialty on defense." He also had plenty of praise for McDonough.

That's the crew working the Fiesta Bowl on Jan. 1. It will be the second Ohio State game of the year for McDonough and Spielman, who also called Ohio State-Illinois. 

With Chris Fowler and Kirk Herbstreit working Alabama-Michigan State in one playoff semifinal in the Cotton Bowl and Brad Nessler and Todd Blackledge calling Clemson-Oklahoma in the other playoff semifinal in the Orange Bowl, the Buckeyes and Fighting Irish got a great crew.

The other three major bowl game assignments?

* Dave Pasch and Brian Griese on the Florida State-Houston Peach Bowl

* Brent Musberger and Jesse Palmer on the Iowa-Stanford Rose Bowl

* Bob Wischusen and Brock Huard on the Ole Miss-Oklahoma State Sugar Bowl

Here were the TV broadcasters for the 12 Ohio State regular-season games. Vote for the best crew you heard on the Buckeyes this season.

Virginia Tech: Chris Fowler, Kirk Herbstreit, ESPN

Hawaii: Kevin Kugler, Matt Millen, Big Ten Network

Northern Illinois: Mike Patrick, Ed Cunningham, ABC/ESPN2

Western Michigan: Adam Amin, Kelly Stouffer, ABC/ESPN2

Indiana: Mike Patrick, Ed Cunningham, ABC/ESPN2

Maryland: Eric Collins, Glen Mason, Big Ten Network

Penn State: Chris Fowler, Kirk Herbstreit, ABC

Rutgers: Chris Fowler, Kirk Herbstreit, ABC

Minnesota: Brad Nessler, Todd Blackledge, ABC

Illinois: Sean McDonough, Chris Spielman, ABC

Michigan State: Chris Fowler, Kirk Herbstreit, ABC

Michigan: Brad Nessler, Todd Blackledge, ABC

TOTALS

Fowler-Herbstreit: 4

Nessler-Blackledge: 2

Patrick-Cunningham: 2

McDonough-Spielman: 1

Collins-Mason: 1

Amin-Stouffer: 1

Kugler-Millen: 1

See Players of the Week for Dec. 25.

Take a look back at the 2015 NBA Finals between the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Golden State Warriors. Watch video

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Cleveland Cavaliers and their fans have been waiting for today's rematch with Golden State since the Warriors celebrated the 2015 NBA Championship on the floor of Quicken Loans Arena after Game 6.

The Cavs entered the playoffs with high hopes of winning their first title behind the play of the "Big Three" of LeBron James, Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love.

They would have to try to win it all without Love, whose season ended in the first round when his arm was yanked by Boston's Kelly Olynyk, dislocating his shoulder.

In Game 1 of the Finals, Cleveland suffered another key injury when Irving fractured his kneecap in the overtime loss in Oakland.

The Cavaliers won the next two games with James giving it his all and Matthew Dellavedova stepping up for the injured Irving.

The series took a major turn when when Warriors rookie head coach Steve Kerr decided to go with a smaller starting lineup in Game 4. He replaced center Andrew Bogut with swingman Andre Iguodala, the eventual series MVP.

The short-handed and exhausted Cavaliers struggled and lost the fourth game by 21 points.

Golden State went on to win the title in six games, celebrating on the Cavs' home court.

Watch the video above as Chris Fedor takes a look back at what could have been the first championship for the Cavaliers.

Share your thoughts about today's game and the season in the comments below.

On Twitter: @CLEvideos

On Facebook: CLEvideos

Laurinaitis got a taste of the OSU defense in 2005 thanks to injury then started in 2006. Booker got that taste in 2015 and should take a starting role in 2016.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Both the 2005 and 2015 Ohio State football teams were stocked with talent that was headed to the NFL, and both played Notre Dame in the Fiesta Bowl. For the 2005 team, a win in Arizona was the first step of a 2006 season that led to the national title game, with players in changing roles leading the way.

Can the 2015 team use a win over Notre Dame in the Fiesta as a springboard for 2016. And can these current Buckeyes emerge with more important roles next year, the way their 2006 counterparts did?

In the days leading up to the New Year's Day game, we will look back at a 2005 Buckeye who had a big 2006 season, and look at a 2015 player who could have the same impact in 2016. 

* Facing Notre Dame in the Fiesta Bowl - How 2005/2006 Ohio State could be like 2015/2016 Ohio State

LINEBACKER

Can Dante Booker be James Laurinaitis?

What Laurinaitis was in 2005: As a true freshman, the three-star recruit from Minnesota, ranked the No. 483 recruit in the country by 247sports.com, sat behind veteran linebackers A.J. Hawk, Bobby Carpenter and Anthony Schlegel.

"They never want to come out, ever," Laurinaitis said as a freshman. "And that's good. If I was a starter, I wouldn't want to come out."

He was ready when needed. When Carpenter broke his ankle against Michigan, Laurinaitis went into the game and then started in the Fiesta Bowl against Notre Dame.

It was the beginning of what the veterans saw coming.

"Talk to anyone on this team and they realize James is going to be a great player. He's got it mentally and physically," Hawk said then.

What Booker was in 2015: Booker arrived in Columbus with a much higher recruiting ranking, with Ohio's Mr. Football ranked as the No. 54 overall player in the Class of 2014 and No. 4 outside linebacker.  

After playing special teams as a true freshman in 2014, Booker served as senior Joshua Perry's backup at weakside linebacker this season, which included action against Penn State when Perry went out with an ankle injury. Booker also dealt with cramps in that game, admitting later he was "overanxious" at the opportunity.

"I've got to stay calm and get out there and wait for the running back, then attack," Booker said.

He has played in every game and ranks 13th on the team with 21 tackles.

What Laurinaitis was in 2006: Moved to middle linebacker, Laurinaitis started every game the rest of his OSU career as a first-team All-American in 2006, 2007 and 2008. 

He won the Nagurski Trophy in 2006 as the best defender in the nation and the Butkus Award in 2007 as the nation's best linebacker. 

That's a high bar. 

What Booker could be in 2016: Current middle linebacker Raekwon McMillan has already been compared to Laurinaitis, and the idea here isn't to call every new OSU linebacker the next Laurinaitis. 

But Laurinaitis got a brief look in 2005, then proved he was more than ready in 2006. Booker will be a junior next season, and it's that readiness that's the issue at hand. After backing up Perry, he'll get the first shot at replacing a three-year starter and captain, and he should be ready to slide right in.

True freshman Jerome Baker was another linebacker we could have compared to Laurinaitis here. The OSU linebackers - with McMillan, Perry and Darron Lee - played very well in 2015. Perry for sure and possibly Lee will be gone.

But with Booker, Baker and Chris Worley among those waiting their turns, the linebacker transition from 2015 to 2016 could be as smooth as it was from 2005 to 2006.

Ohio State products Ted Ginn Jr., Kurt Coleman, Philly Brown and Andrew Norwell didn't come to the Carolina Panthers with fanfare, but all have made contributions to their unbeaten season.

JODIE VALADE
Special to The Plain Dealer

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Just to the left of Philly Brown in the Carolina Panthers' locker room is where Ted Ginn Jr. readies for each game.

Across the room from both receivers, is offensive guard Andrew Norwell's locker.

And farther down the cavernous room where all the Panthers prepare for games is Kurt Coleman's locker.

All four are Ohio State products. All four play for the undefeated Carolina Panthers -- the most represented school on the squad.

But all four players have another bond: All experienced the highest of highs while with the Buckeyes. Both Ginn and Coleman played for a national title (though the Buckeyes lost in both 2007 and 2008). Brown and Norwell played for the 12-0 2012 squad.

Since leaving Ohio State, all have had their share of struggles in the NFL with everything ranging from going undrafted to being labeled a reach for a first-round pick.

And all are now integral parts of the 14-0 Panthers team that is two games away from an unblemished regular-season record. The last NFL team to go the entire regular season without a loss was the 2007 New England Patriots, which lost in Super Bowl XLII to the New York Giants.

The Panthers put their unbeaten record on the line at the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday at 1 p.m. on FOX. They close the season Jan. 3 at home against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

The four Buckeyes have come a long way from their time in Columbus.

"I think that's life. Life in general," Coleman said. "You look at anybody's success -- nothing good should come easy. I feel like whether it be me, Philly, Ted, Andrew, really anybody in this locker room, to get this level you have to work hard.

"But to actually be a key and prominent player, it takes a special person, someone who's gone through adversity. I've had my ups and downs, but every time that I've had my down, it's made me stronger and a lot more focused player."

Coleman is a safety who was selected in the seventh round of the 2010 NFL draft by the Philadelphia Eagles. He had six interceptions over the 2011 and 2012 seasons, but didn't start a game in 2013 and his career was in the valley of a roller coaster.

But since signing with the Panthers this season, he's not only been relied upon more steadily -- he's started all 13 games -- but he's recorded seven interceptions, so far, including one in five straight games.

Ginn was the ninth overall pick in 2007, the draft immediately after he saw his Buckeyes lose in the national championship game to Florida and the Gators then-coach Urban Meyer.

Always sporting blazing speed, he's had questionably sound hands in the NFL. He went from being a regular starter with Miami, to a spot performer in San Francisco, a first stint with Carolina in 2013 when he he had 556 yards receiving, to Arizona, and now back to the Panthers, where he already has 43 catches for 730 yards and 10 touchdowns through 14 games.

Ginn has found his perfect pairing in quarterback Cam Newton, he said.

"We're about 50 percent on me out-running him or him out-throwing me," Ginn said.

Meanwhile, Norwell and Brown both were undrafted when they left OSU in 2013. But both quickly joined the Panthers, and have been regular contributors. Brown has four touchdowns this season, and Norwell has started all 11 games he's played for Carolina this season.

"Coming from Ohio State, you learn to be mentally strong playing in big-time games every week, playing in front of 100,000 people," Brown said. "You learn how to deal with adversity and also how to work through it.

"I knew I was going to have to work, regardless of whether I was a high-round pick or an undrafted guy. I knew I was going to have to come in with the same mentality, that's come in and try to play as soon as possible. Obviously, that (going undrafted) was a little extra motivation. But at the same time, I would have had the same mindset, regardless."

The four don't always have time to gather to watch Buckeyes games together during their own busy season, but have joined forces in talking trash to teammates about opposing schools.

And they've also found common ground in knowing that they've come from the same place, all endured struggles in the NFL, and now have found success together with the Panthers.

"It's a common bond," Coleman said. "Whether I meet a guy for the first time from the '70s or I'm going to see some of the new guys who are still playing, it's a sacred brotherhood. No matter what generation you come from, there's always a close tie to it."

It's the regular season affair that everyone has been waiting for: the NBA Finals rematch between the champion Golden State Warriors and the Cleveland Cavaliers. Watch video

OAKLAND, Calif. - It's the regular season affair that everyone has been waiting for: the NBA Finals rematch between the champion Golden State Warriors (27-1) and the Cleveland Cavaliers (19-7).

Tipoff: 5:00 p.m. at Oracle Arena.

TV/radio: ABC; WTAM 1100, 87.7 La Mega.

Last game: Cleveland snatched its sixth straight with a 91-84 win over New York.

Primers: Kyrie Irving on returning to Oakland, the scene of his season-ending injury and is Kevin Love a fit for the Warriors' small-ball lineup?

Cavaliers' probable starting lineup: 6-3 Kyrie Irving (8.5 ppg, 4.0 apg), 6-6 J.R. Smith (10.6 ppg, 3.0 rpg), 6-8 LeBron James (26.4 ppg, 7.6 rpg, 6.3 apg), 6-10 Kevin Love (17.5 ppg, 10.6 rpg) and 7-2 Timofey Mozgov (7.3 ppg, 4.3 rpg).

Warriors' probable starting lineup: 6-3 Stephen Curry (31.2 ppg, 5.4 rpg, 6.3 apg), 6-7 Klay Thompson (19.3 ppg, 3.0 rpg), 6-8 Brandon Rush (5.2 ppg, 2.9 rpg), 6-8 Draymond Green (14.3 ppg, 8.8 rpg, 7.1 apg) and 7-0 Andrew Bogut (5.6 ppg, 7.0 rpg, 1.7 bpg).

2014-15 season-series record: Cleveland, 1-1.

Warriors' record last season: 67-15.

Key additions: Jason Thompson.

Key losses: Justin Holiday.

Injuries for Cleveland: None.

Injuries For Golden State: Harrison Barnes (ankle) is doubtful and Kevon Looney (hip) is out.

Cavaliers' next opponent: The Portland Trail Blazers will get the Cavaliers on the back end of a back-to-back on Saturday at the Moda Center. The game will start at 10 p.m. on FOX Sports Ohio. Cleveland leads the season-series 1-0.

"It was an absolutely magical season to spend that much time with the boys and see that many visiting teams and games in a season."

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Mark Firkins pulled out the souvenir poster and started to circle dates.

He looked at his two sons and asked: "Guys, what do you think of this kind of schedule? What if we were able to make this many games this year? Can you do this much traveling? Is this too much?"

Of course it wasn't.

Firkins joined capacity crowds at Silver Stadium when he was young and Baltimore Orioles prospects Eddie Murray, Dennis Martinez, Mike Flanagan, Wayne Garland and Cal Ripken Jr. pass through Triple-A Rochester in the late '70s and early '80s. But when he first saw Cleveland Municipal Stadium, a massive -- and often abandoned -- structure that hosted the Indians, he was hooked on baseball. He has regularly made the trek to Cleveland ever since.

Now, he has Thomas, 17, and Travis, 11, and they're just as eager to embark on the 250-mile journey from their New York home to their parking spot on Prospect Street.

When Firkins was young, his father occasionally did business in Twinsburg, Ohio. During the summer, Firkins and his two older brothers would accompany their father on his trip. They would attend an Indians game while in town.

"I remember being mesmerized by old Municipal Stadium, the sheer size of it," Firkins said. "I had only ever seen a Triple-A baseball game in Rochester, so going from that to the mammoth size of Municipal Stadium just impressed the heck out of me.

"The road trips with my dad are what introduced me to Cleveland and turned me on to my love of Indians baseball."

Once he became old enough to drive, he made the 4.5-hour journey himself. Eventually, friends and significant others joined.

Firkins had seen 10,000 or more pack into Silver Stadium. He saw similar crowds filter into the cavernous Municipal Stadium on the Cleveland lakefront.

"There were not a lot of folks there, but that's not what got me," Firkins said. "It was the big Chief Wahoo sign outside of the stadium. It was like a magnet for me and then being on the shores of Lake Erie. To me, seeing Cleveland as a kid, that was a big city. When I traveled there and saw the Terminal Tower and the other big buildings, it was like, 'Wow, this is a huge city my dad is taking us to.' That was a huge stadium to visit and see. It was an experience that I never forgot. It stuck with me."

Firkins' father is an avid Buffalo Bills fan. His brothers are into football and hockey. Firkins holds the Indians in high regard, a result of the bonds he has forged with his sons over baseball. In 2015, the trio established a new high with 11 trips from Hilton, N.Y., to Cleveland. They attended 25 games in all.

Firkins always extends an invitation to his wife and his daughter, but it always ends up as a boys trip. The three stop at a Country Fair with a Citgo gas station in Erie, Pa., along the way. There, they stretch their legs, use the restroom and eat sandwiches. About 45 minutes later, they'll be close enough to Cleveland to be able to listen to the city's sports talk radio.

The three grab a bite to eat at Panini's on the corner of Huron and E. 9th, a short walk from Progressive Field. They arrive at the ballpark in time for batting practice. They watch the game, order a pizza to their hotel room in Independence, watch TV, get some sleep, wake up and do it all again. After a Sunday game, they'll head back to New York.

"The relaxing part is the game and then you realize you have to drive home," Firkins said. "It can get tiring."

Firkins usually picks up a Coke and a candy bar before reaching the highway to ensure he has enough energy to complete the drive. The three of them all have the routine down pat, especially given their frequent travels this year.

"They were on board with it as much as I was," Firkins said. "They couldn't believe we were going to see the Cubs, Brewers and Reds. They were just as psyched as I was to do that.

"I don't have to twist arms. If they don't want to go or have other plans, I certainly understand that. But they are just as jazzed up and they know the routine and they love it just as much as I do. Especially my younger one. I think he's going to be a baseball nut as much as I am. He already told me he's going to get a job in baseball some day.

"It was an absolutely magical season to spend that much time with the boys and see that many visiting teams and games."

Firkins arranges his work schedule at a children's museum in downtown Rochester around his trips to Cleveland. In 2011, he and Thomas set out to see Jim Thome visit as a member of the Minnesota Twins. Then, Thome was traded to Cleveland. That made it even more special. Travis joined in on the tradition on a regular basis in 2013.

Late in the 2015 season, Firkins penned a letter to Indians management detailing his family's excursions. Paul Dolan read it. Terry Francona read it.

Travis and his father attended the Indians' final series of the season against the Red Sox at the beginning of October. During a rain delay, an Indians employee led the two through the Indians' dugout, down a tunnel and into an empty room across from the home clubhouse. A few minutes later, Francona entered the room and greeted father and son. They chatted for 10 minutes and then moved to the manager's office, where the two also met Chris Antonetti. Francona then grabbed his batting practice jacket and handed it to Travis.

"My mind was blown and my son was speechless," Firkins said. "It was the thrill of a lifetime."

Firkins and his son returned to their seats and watched the game unfold. They retreated to their hotel, got some sleep and ventured back to the ballpark in the morning for the final contest of the season. Then, they headed home.

Who knows how many games Firkins will circle this spring? He'd like to eclipse the 2015 totals. Thomas will be wrapping up his senior year of high school. Travis will have summer activities. Maybe they won't be able to match the 11 trips and the 25 games. Firkins will take whatever he can get.

"The idea that they enjoy and can share in the magic of what a live baseball game is," Firkins said, "as a parent, just being able to spend tha touch quality time with them -- win, lose or draw, this is what I get to do with my kids. It's a dream come true just to be able to make that many games with them."

We're taking the holidays off, but we'll be back in 2016.

Talk Cleveland sports with Dennis Manoloff during his weekly podcast today at 3 p.m.Allison Carey/The Plain Dealer

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- It's been a fun year of podcasts with Dennis Manoloff. That being said, since Christmas and New Year's Day fall on Fridays, we'll be taking a brief hiatus over the next couple of weeks to catch our breath and bring you another great year of Cleveland sports talk.

Want an archive of our podcasts? Subscribe to the Cleveland.com Sports Podcasts channel on iTunes.

Can't go without hearing DMan talk sports? We'll still have our Browns postgame show immediately following Sunday's game in Kansas City and following locker room availability on January 3 against Pittsburgh. You can find posts for those shows on game days at cleveland.com/browns.

Have a great holiday and Dennis and I will talk to you in 2016!

The Pro Bowl alternate, who just signed a new contract, believes pro athletes have the obligation to give back to their communities. Watch video

BEREA, Ohio - Gary Barnidge owns a pink bunny costume just like the one Aunt Clara made for Ralphie in A Christmas Story.

Naturally, the Browns tight end bought one in adult size, and intends to wear it at some point over the holidays. He couldn't find one in XXL so he made do with an XL, which is a bit snug on his 6-foot-5, 250-pound frame.

"The extra large is short in the legs," Barnidge said. "But it fits, somehow. Ears don't stand up right."

Barnidge loves movies. He talks about them almost as much as general manager Ray Farmer -- who's in need of some happy endings for his draft picks. The tight end also enjoys giving to the less fortunate. It's why the Browns (3-11) are a better fit for him than his bunny outfit.

His contributions, so vast and varied, have made Barnidge one of the most compelling sports stories in Cleveland this year. He is like a character out of the holiday movies he treasures, a creation from the fecund mind of some screenwriter.  

A year ago, Barnidge was quirky, dependable veteran backup who liked pro wrestling, cinema and doing good deeds for others. This season at age 30 when some athletes' production begins to wane, he's generated an out-of-nowhere campaign earning him Pro Bowl-alternate status and a new three-year, $12.3 million contract.

Browns' Gary Barnidge (82) catches his ninth touchdown of the season in Seattle.Associated Press 

Want to know the most surprising element from the last paragraph? Barnidge hasn't yet spent all the money on movie giveaways, scavenger-hunt prizes, holiday shopping sprees for needy kids and trips around the globe to spread the gospel of football.

He is as charitable with his time and money as George Bailey only without the need for a guardian angel.

As a professional athlete, Barnidge believes it's his duty to give back. He's not alone. Many Browns share his willingness, but few do it with as much conviction or creativity. He co-founded American Football Without Barriers, a non-profit organization which enables him to travel the globe teaching disadvantaged children the sport.

"So, I'm fortunate enough to be able to do that, I want to be able to do that," said the Browns' Walter Payton Man of the Year recipient, an honor presented annually to one member of each NFL team for community service and playing excellence. "Plus, the fans, they support us, they do so much for us. I wanted to do something to give back to them."

Thank you @garybarnidge for helping make the holidays bright for some of #stepstoneschool scholars! #give10 pic.twitter.com/N224jraxXo

-- OhioGuidestone (@OhioGuidestone) December 22, 2015

Barnidge rented a theater at Crocker Park's Regal Cinema on Christmas Eve and, using his Twitter account, invited the first 500 people who showed up to watch Star Wars with him. It's an extension of what he does throughout the season, picking a select group of fans who answer his online movie trivia questions and treating them to a film of his choice.

On Wednesday, while speaking to reporters in the locker room, he listed his top-four Christmas Classics: It's a Wonderful Life, Miracle on 34^th Street, Christmas Vacation and, of course, A Christmas Story.

"Everyone loves 'Elf,'" he noted. "I like 'Elf,' but I don't put it up there with those four."

Barnidge is a Pete Travers in shoulder pads and cleats, a film enthusiast who owns 3,000 titles and estimates he watches 90 percent of movies released in theaters. That's how the bachelor with no children plans to spend his Christmas Day. It's a tradition he started three years ago.

"If I wanted to go to somebody's house, I could do that," said Barnidge, who developed a passion for movies as a child watching Goonies. "But I feel like that's something that's more intimate, you should do with your family. I'm not able to do it with my family, so I always go to the movies, relax, chill with my dogs. My dogs are my family, too."

Since his time at the University of Louisville, the tight end hasn't had the opportunity to live out many Hallmark holidays. His family is scattered throughout The South and Barnidge says his mother, who works in the gift shop at the Jacksonville Zoo, only gets off Christmas Day.

"You just make up for it when you go home," he said of the offseason.

Some people alone around the holidays tend to dread them, tune them out. Not Barnidge. He runs an online scavenger hunt for fans - this year's first prize was a $250 Amazon gift card - and organizes an annual shopping spree for kids through Ohio Guidestone, a non-profit that aids children and families in Cleveland.

Earlier this week, Barnidge and teammates Connor Shaw, E.J. Bibbs and Jim Dray took 20 kids from the Stepstone Academy to Toys "R" Us in Parma and allowed them to spend $100 each.

Bibbs arrived dressed as Santa Claus, wheeling into the parking lot in a truck blasting, "Santa Claus Is Coming To Town."

"Some of the kids have never seen a toy store in their life," Barnidge said. "It was a great feeling."

Browns tight end unfazed by Pro Bowl snub

There have been several great feelings this season for a player who tied Ozzie Newsome's franchise record for touchdowns (nine) by a tight end with two games remaining.

Given an opportunity to start, Barnidge has registered 68 catches for 930 yards, sums better than two of the four Pro Bowler tight ends, the Bengals' Tyler Eifert and the Chiefs' Travis Kelce. All four honorees --- the Patriots' Rob Gronkowksi and Panthers' Greg Olsen are the others - are from teams with winning records.

The eighth-year veteran said he didn't feel slighted by the Pro-Bowl exclusion and pointed to his club's 3-11 mark. Barnidge wants to improve it next season and he likely took less money to re-sign with the Browns rather than waiting to maximize his career year in free agency.

How often are athletes willing to make less to remain in Cleveland?

Then again, we're talking about Gary Barnidge, a Christmas reveler who has everything he needs. Except maybe a XXL pink bunny suit.      

LeBron James isn't shy, to say the least.

OAKLAND, Calif. -- LeBron James awoke Christmas morning without his family, but wearing holiday pajamas nonetheless.

James shared his festive PJs -- they say "falala," for goodness sake -- on his Instagram account, juxtaposed with the several-thousand-dollar suit he wore to Oracle Arena for today's Cavs-Warriors game.

Merry Christmas to you all out there from the both of us today! Hahaha. Enjoy the time with the family and cherish every moment. #NoGrinchAllowedHere #LiveLaughLove

A photo posted by LeBron James (@kingjames) on Dec 25, 2015 at 12:39pm PST

James' wife, two young sons and 1-year-old daughter are celebrating Christmas at the family's mansion in Los Angeles.

Also today, James arrived early to Oracle Arena for some early, on-court shooting for the first time before a game this season.

LeBron, headphones and all, getting some pregame shots up. https://t.co/jvSA5qjoaz

-- Dave McMenamin (@mcten) December 25, 2015

LeBron James scored 25 points, grabbed nine rebounds, and contributed two assists in an 89-83 loss to the Warriors.

OAKLAND, Calif. - LeBron James wasn't fooling anyone when he tried to claim over and over that the Cavaliers' Finals rematch on Christmas with the Golden State Warriors was just "one of 82."

Of course this regular-season contest meant more than the others. It was no coincidence that for the first time all year James was out early at Oracle Arena for a personal shooting workout.

The result was not what James and the Cavs were looking for. They let a chance for a sliver of revenge slip away in an 89-83 loss to the Warriors when James had several misfires in the game's closing minutes that could've turned it.

But something else James said in the run-up to this delicious holiday showdown was perhaps more prescient, when on Wednesday he said "I'm not going to put everything into this game."

Translation: Win or lose to the Warriors, the Cavs' season - and their chances of winning a Finals six months from now - would not be defined by what happened on Christmas.

He was right about that, and what unfolded on the court supports it. The Cavs weren't blown out or overmatched or anything else, they merely lost a close-but-ugly game on a day when the now 28-1 Warriors weren't especially sharp, either.

Start with James, who led the Cavs with 25 points and contributed nine rebounds but shot 10-of-26 from the field. He was a brutal 4-of-9 from the foul line, highly uncharacteristic for him given his performance at the stripe lately.

Before this game, James was shooting .864 (70-of-81) from the line since Nov. 11.

With 1:33 left and the Cavs trailing by just four, James missed two free throws. The Warriors' Stephen Curry (19 points) converted a layup at the other end for a four-point swing. With 49.8 seconds remaining, James missed a layup, and with 20.3 seconds left and the game still winnable, he converted on just 1-of-2 free throws.

An airball on a 3-pointer with 12.7 seconds left finished his relatively tough day.

In the Finals against these same Warriors, James averaged 35.8 points, 13.3 rebounds, and 8.8 assists, becoming the first player in league history to lead both teams in those categories in the championship round.

Meaning, what transpired for James here on Christmas was an aberration.

Kyrie Irving played in just his third game this season and shot 4-of-15. He couldn't finish the game because of a minutes restriction (he played 26). Kevin Love shot 5-of-16. Overall, the Cavs shot 31.6 percent and assisted on just 12 of 30 baskets.

All of that, and the Cavs had a great chance to stop a team that has now won 32 in a row at home during the regular season, dating back to last season.

The last time the Warriors lost at home was Game 2 of the Finals.

The Cavs shouldn't put everything on this loss.

It had the feeling of an extension of their series in June, and unfortunately for the Cavaliers, it garnered the same result: The Warriors came away on top, 89-83 on Christmas Day at Oracle Arena.

OAKLAND, Calif. - The anticipation, the suspense, the build-up to Friday's Christmas Day Finals rematch between the Cleveland Cavaliers and Golden State Warriors didn't disappoint.

It was a back and forth affair. The atmosphere was rowdy. Matthew Dellavedova was booed viciously upon entering the game midway in the first quarter. There's no love lost.

It had the feeling of an extension of their series in June and unfortunately for the Cavaliers, it garnered the same result: the Warriors coming away on top, 89-83 on Christmas Day at Oracle Arena.

Draymond Green flirted with a triple-double by registering 22 points, 15 rebounds and seven assists for Golden State (28-1). Stephen Curry dropped 19 points, Klay Thompson put in 18 points and Shaun Livingston provided 16 points on 8-of-9 shooting off the bench.

Judging by the players' facial expressions, every wasted possession looked as if it was a colossal failure. 

This game mattered for both teams. There's a mutual respect with each team observing the other from afar.

"I think it's good for the NBA," Warriors interim coach Luke Walton said of the fan interest in watching these two teams face off. "I wouldn't call it a rivalry, but we are linked. We had a really competitive NBA Finals last year, and they're one of the best teams in the East and we're one of the best teams in the West. So I think it's good for the fans to buy into that."

It was six months ago that a frustrated Cleveland squad departed Oracle Arena after a Game 5 loss in the NBA Finals.

The Warriors had something clicking with their small-ball lineup and it was responsible for them snatching two straight wins to go up 3-2 heading back to Cleveland. The Cavaliers had to have had a feeling they wouldn't be coming back to the Bay Area. They eventually did, but it was on Christmas.

"I was thinking when I was on the bus and I guess about six months has passed and I was like, 'Geez, we were just here yesterday," Cavaliers coach David Blatt said. "That's kind of what I felt. It's obviously still fresh in my mind. No question."

Cleveland was held to 32 percent shooting. The Big Three of James, Kevin Love and Kyrie Irving was 10-of-26, 5-of-16 and 4-of-15, respectively. The ball movement was stagnant, the offense relying on isolation ball that translated into tough contested shots that couldn't find the bottom of the net. Golden State's defense was able to stay set and zone in on its target.

James had difficulty finishing around the rim the entire contest. When he got by one defender, the help defense rotated swiftly to alter his shot or block it. Collectively, the Warriors swatted away 10 shots.

Meanwhile, the Warriors moved the ball in perfect harmony and set themselves up for wide-open looks. They made the Cavaliers work on defense, although the Warriors weren't knocking down shots with regularity (41 percent).

James ended the game with 25 points, nine rebounds and two blocks. Love had 10 and a game-high 18 rebounds. J.R. Smith scored 14 points and Irving chipped in 13.

Cavs center Timofey Mozgov was a wreck. He missed all five of his field goal opportunities right at the basket. It's a mental battle he's fighting. He finished with 0 points and three boards in 14 minutes.

James missed two consecutive free throws that would have cut it to two with 1:32 remaining in the contest. Curry then went onto to perform two straight blow-by layups to give the Warriors a five-point lead with 57.6 remaining. Cleveland would not be able to close the gap.

Dellavedova had 10 points off the bench, and Tristan Thompson went for eight points and 10 boards.

On deck

The Portland Trail Blazers will get the Cavaliers on the back end of a back-to-back on Saturday at the Moda Center. The game will start at 10 p.m. on FOX Sports Ohio. Cleveland leads the season series, 1-0.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Draymond Green had 22 points, 15 rebounds and seven assists and Steph Curry scored 19 as the Golden State Warriors defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers, 89-83, Friday at ORACLE Arena in Oakland, Calif. LeBron James scored a game-high 25 but needed 26 shots from the field and nine from the line to get there. The teams met...

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Draymond Green had 22 points, 15 rebounds and seven assists and Steph Curry scored 19 as the Golden State Warriors defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers, 89-83, Friday at ORACLE Arena in Oakland, Calif. LeBron James scored a game-high 25 but needed 26 shots from the field and nine from the line to get there.

The teams met for the first time since the 2015 NBA Finals, which the Warriors won, 4-2.

Here is a capsule look at the game, which was televised by ESPN:

On another level: The Warriors (NBA-record 28-1) improved to 14-0 at home. They have won four straight.

Cooled: The Cavs (19-8) had won six in a row.

Scary thought: The Warriors shot 41 percent (32-of-78) from the field, scored a season-low (previous: 95), and were without forward Harrison Barnes (left ankle) -- and still won. They entered averaging 115.5 points.

If the Warriors can win offensive and defensive games, the rest of the NBA is in serious trouble. And the Warriors won a defensive game against one of the best teams in the NBA.

Absolutely abysmal: The Cavs lost primarily because they shot 31.6 percent (30-of-95) from the field, including 16.7 percent (5-of-30) from 3-point range. They also missed seven foul shots (18-of-25 for 72 percent).

Cavs other than J.R. Smith were 1-of-22 from 3-point range. The Cavs missed their share of open looks, but Golden State's ability to close quickly seemed to bother them on numerous occasions.

The Cavs' halfcourt offense was anything but fluid. They were particularly unsure of themselves when the shot clock ticked below 12. As a result, attempts from inside and outside did not occur in rhythm and assists were low.

Coming up short: The Cavs can't expect to win when their Big Three -- LeBron, Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love -- shoots a combined 19-of-57 from the field, including 1-of-16 from 3-point range.

Love, who did not play in the Finals because of injury, shot 5-of-16 and scored 10 in 39 minutes. He had 18 rebounds, four assists and two blocks, but the Cavs desperately needed him to score from distance and he fizzled. He missed all five of his 3-point attempts.

ESPN studio analyst Jalen Rose said: "Kevin Love gets overlooked a lot in this equation, but only two players in league history have averaged 17 points and 10 rebounds and shot 35 percent from three -- Larry Bird and Kevin Love.''

Irving shot 4-of-15 from the field and 5-of-5 from the line for 13 points in 26 minutes of his third game this season. He missed all six of his 3-point attempts. At least he has rust as an explanation.

LeBron shot 10-of-26 from the field, including 1-of-5 from 3-point range, and 4-of-9 from the line in 39 minutes. He grabbed nine rebounds but had just two assists and committed four turnovers.

The Cavs can't expect to win when LeBron endures one of the worst shooting games of his career.

Because of what is asked of him by his team, LeBron's minutes are hard minutes, especially against an excellent opponent. The grind caught up with him in a fourth quarter in which he struggled at both ends.

Rose said: "The Golden State Warriors have multiple players on the perimeter that they can throw at him, and you saw that LeBron started to wear down.''

Remember me?: Green was superb and Curry and Klay Thompson played well in spurts, but the Cavs should be able to prevail when the combined point total of Golden State's Big Three is 57.

The complementary piece who stung the Cavs was reserve guard Shaun Livingston. The former Cav shot 8-of-9 from the field for 16 points in 22 minutes. He had his way with turnarounds against Smith, and others.

ESPN studio analyst Doug Collins said: "I thought Shaun Livingston really was the difference-maker.''

Unbalanced scales: The Cavs commit plenty of fouls that aren't called. Of course they do. But for this season, at least, the opposition has gotten away with considerably more.

The main reason for the discrepancy is, Cavs defenders haven't been willing enough to subtly push or shove their respective counterparts during the act of shooting, thereby altering shots without making it appear egregious. Cavs opponents have become adept at doing so -- whether by hand, arm or torso -- as a means to recover from being beaten one-on-one.

The most glaring of many examples Friday happened to occur within the first minute of the first quarter. On the Cavs' second possession, Love out-maneuvered Green on the left block and darted underneath him for what should have been an easy basket. Green drove his right knee into Love's body, directly affecting Love's shot and not drawing a whistle.

That Green got away with that one should come as no surprise, because no player in the NBA gets away with more.

Regardless, Green deserves props for a game well played. He is immensely talented and a matchup problem for the Cavs.

The Cleveland Cavaliers wanted another shot at redemption with the champs so badly, but couldn't make a shot to get the job done.

OAKLAND, Calif. - The Cleveland Cavaliers wanted a shot at redemption with the champions so badly, but couldn't make a shot to get the job done Friday night.

"I think it was heavy on all of our minds," Cavs guard J.R. Smith said of the build-up to the game. "I think we put too much pressure on ourselves to want to go out there and play well."

The ultimate holiday achievement for the Cavaliers would have been the successful delivery of a second loss into the Christmas stockings of the Golden State Warriors.

Instead, the Warriors weren't in the mood for receiving. They were in the giving spirit. In an NBA Finals rematch on Christmas Day the Warriors handed the Cavaliers a loss, 89-83 at Oracle Arena.

For some reason, the Cavaliers weren't in the giving spirit because they refused to share the wealth. They gave the Warriors' defense the day off by choosing to play isolation basketball, rather than swinging it around for easier scoring opportunities.

LeBron James, as good as he is, had trouble all night scoring against a defense that's already set and focused on him. Since the Warriors (28-1) didn't have to rotate all over the court, their legs were fresh, which gave them an advantage on the offensive end.

James got blocked at the rim multiple times due the Cavs' unwillingness to play team-oriented ball. Cleveland (19-8) as a whole distributed 12 assists, tied for their lowest output of the season, and it contributed to their season-low of 32 percent shooting.

"Guys, if you look at the stats, we shot 95 shots," Cavaliers coach David Blatt said. "You got to knock down some shots to beat a team like that, and that says we were here to compete and win. No complaints on my part to the guys, that's for sure."

Most of those shots were well contested and of a high degree of difficulty. It wasn't the quantity; it was the inefficiency of quality that was the issue. Cleveland wanted to slow the game down and play half-court ball, and that was correct plan of attack.

"What we didn't want to have here was a track meet, because Golden State at home in a track meet is a team that doesn't lose," Blatt said. "Again, I thought we game-planned properly and executed that game plan. We just had to make more shots."

Even in slowing up the pace, crisp ball movement is still necessary. Blatt and James raved about how well they played defensively in holding the Warriors to 41 percent shooting, but the Warriors could certainly rave about the same thing.

"Man, we gave ourselves a chance," James said. "When we play like that defensively, we're going to be a very tough team to beat. Offensively, we didn't have it. No one had it."

There was a reason they didn't have it: too much hero ball.

That's not going to fly against an opponent like the Warriors. The Cavaliers of all teams should know that by now. The Big Three of James, Kevin Love and Kyrie Irving was 10-of-26, 5-of-16, and 4-of-15, respectively.

Where was the pick-and-roll action? The backdoor cuts? The movement without the ball? The crosscourt screening action? Golden State seemed to have no trouble finding some of those offensive sets for themselves.

It is fair to mention the Eastern Conference champs are trying to work players into the rotation who have been injured for some time, including Kyrie Irving. Blatt is still experimenting with different players, trying to come up with the right blend at the right time. It's going to take a few weeks.

It's far from panic time. The Cavaliers are thinking big picture. Just every now and then, hero ball creeps up from time to time, and even a fully healthy Big Three won't be enough to outduel the Warriors if they're playing that way.

James admitted such later in his postgame address.

"We've still got to be a little better, we've still got to move the ball, we've got to share the ball, get the ball moving from side to side. But, offensively we're all out of rhythm," James said.

Time will tell if they recognized why that was the case.

LeBron James said "all of us, not just the players, but everyone, to get back in rhythm," a likely call for greater clarity to David Blatt's substitution patterns.

OAKLAND, Calif. - LeBron James was mostly upbeat after his Cavaliers fell to the Golden State Warriors in a Finals rematch on Christmas, but he also made a call for perhaps more clarity to coach David Blatt's lineup patterns that is worth monitoring.

After the Cavs lost 89-83 to the defending-champion Warriors on Golden State's home court, where it's now won 32 in a row during the regular season, dating back to last year, James repeatedly mentioned the lack of continuity the Cavs had on the court and suggested that at least some of it had to do with Blatt's rotation.

"It's going to take some time to get back into rhythm, and all of us, not just the players, but everyone, to get back in rhythm," James said.

The lineups and the newness need some context, and what James said about them was nothing like the cool attitude he directed toward Blatt at times last season.

In fact, James didn't name his coach specifically on Friday, but the bottom line was James called for Blatt and his staff to gain perhaps a clearer sense of who they want to play, and when, now that the entire team is healthy.

"For us to have a full unit, we've got to practice, we've got to play some games where we know what we want to do, what lineups we want to play out there," James said.

"It's an adjustment period, it's not just going to happen - you plug a guy in there, plug two guys in there and it automatically happens," he continued. "It's going to be an adjustment period, but we'll be fine. We'll be fine toward February and March."

This was just the second game this season that the Cavs had all 15 players available, due to season-long injuries to Kyrie Irving and Iman Shumpert.

That's not Blatt's fault, but, it was the head coach who placed James, Shumpert, J.R. Smith, Matthew Dellavedova, and Tristan Thompson on the court to start the fourth quarter. It was the first time all season they'd all been on the court at the same time.

When Irving and Kevin Love subbed in for James and Smith with 10:06 left in the quarter, the Cavs still had a lineup that had never played together. Those are just two examples.

Richard Jefferson did not play at all against the Warriors. Mo Williams logged 4:39, and James Jones, a favorite of James, played just 1:34.

James led the Cavs with 25 points and contributed nine rebounds, but shot 10-of-26 and was a brutal 4-of-9 from the foul line. He took the blame for that, saying "I wasn't very good, inefficient, and it trickled down to everybody else."

The Cavs' 83 points, 31.6 percent shooting from the field and 16.7 percent shooting from 3-point range were season lows. Irving (13 points) shot 4-of-15 and Love (10 points, 18 rebounds) was 5-of-16. Cleveland assisted on just 12-of-30 baskets.

"For the first time, for a long period of time we had some different lineups out there," James explained, talking about the woes on offense. "And against a championship team like this, it's kind of hard to do that on the fly. We're not making no excuses, we still got to be a lot better, still got to move the ball, got to share the ball, get it moving from side to side, but offensively we were all out of rhythm.

"You credit to their defense, for sure, and then the lack of detail."

Blatt said the Cavs executed the game plan, slowing down the pace to take the Warriors out of transition. He said "I didn't think we had a problem today, in terms of fit," but he was referring to Irving playing extended minutes (26) for the first time this season, and not to his general substitution patterns.

But, again, it wasn't like James only saw gloom in Cleveland's performance.

As he had all week, James continued to waive off most of the added importance being placed on this game by pundits, saying the Cavs "want to see that we can play against the best and we know we can, so it was good."

The Warriors, who lead the NBA in scoring at 114.6 points per game, failed to score 100 at home in a regular-season game for the first time in 48 contests. Stephen Curry, the league's top individual scorer at nearly 31 points per game, was limited to 19 points.

"We play like that defensively, we're going to be a very tough team to beat," James said.

Irving perhaps most succinctly melded the issue of new lineups with the bright future the Cavs see for themselves.

"We had different lineups that we're not used to yet," Irving said. "It's going to take us some time before we start clicking on all cylinders. When we do, I mean, it's going to be scary."

A senior guard, Villanueva averaged 25.3 points in his last three games leading up to the contest.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- North Olmsted's Paris Villanueva was chosen by cleveland.com readers as this week's boys basketball Game Ball winner.

A senior guard, Villanueva averaged 25.3 points in his last three games leading up to the contest. The Eagles carried a 7-0 record into the week after Villanueva scored 26 points Friday, Dec. 18 on 9-of-13 shooting against Amherst. That came after he scored 22 on 10-of-13 shooting Tuesday, Dec. 15, at North Ridgeville.

Here is how the top three broke down among 1,018 votes:

• Paris Villanueva, North Olmsted (38.4 percent, 391 votes)

• Jaylen Harris, Cleveland Heights (36.8 percent, 375 votes)

• Josh Hufstetler, North Olmsted (7.1 percent, 72 votes)

Villanueva also was selected a cleveland.com Player of the Week.

Did we miss someone?

Make sure your player is considered for Player of the Week and Game Ball honors. Coaches are encouraged to send nominations to POTW@cleveland.com by noon Monday each week.

See Stover's performance, which also helped St. Ignatius coach Brian Becker to career victory No. 300, in the video below:

For more high school sports news, like NEOvarsity on Facebook and follow us on Twitter. Contact high school sports reporter Matt Goul on Twitter (@mgoul) or email (mgoul@cleveland.com). Or log in and leave a message below in the comments section.