Down 0–2, the Cleveland Cavaliers responded in a big way back in “The Land,” with a 30-point Game 3 win. Who has the edge heading into tonight? We dive into the numbers for insight, with the help of NBA.com/Stats!

Team Shooting

After shooting just 36.8 percent (60–163) from the field and 27.3 percent (12–44) from 3-point range in the first two games of The Finals in Oakland, the Cavaliers finally found their shooting stroke in their home gym in Game 3. The Cavs shot a blistering 15-of-21 (71.4%) in the opening quarter as they took a commanding lead and never trailed.

The Cavs’ starting five scored the team’s first 89 points of the game and finished with 105 points on 54.5 percent (42–77) shooting from the field. Meanwhile, the Warriors starting five combined for just 57 points on 41.2 percent shooting.

Impact Players

While LeBron James scored a game-high 32 points in Game 3, it was the contributions of Kyrie Irving and J.R. Smith that lifted the Cavs to their blowout victory. Kyrie Irving got things going early, scoring 16 first-quarter points to nearly match his scoring average from the first two games.

Irving’s 12 field goals in Game 3 matched his combined total from Games 1 and 2, when he shot just 12-of-36 (33.3%) from the field. As for Smith, he was both cold (33.3% FG%) and hesitant (only 9 FGA) in the first two games on the road. The starting guards both broke out of their shooting slumps in Game 3 with Irving dropping 30 points and Smith knocking down five 3-pointers, including three out of four pull-up attempts from beyond the arc.

Richard Jefferson’s Defense

In his first NBA Finals start in 13 years, Richard Jefferson was a key cog in defending the Warriors potent offense. Jefferson and Tristan Thompson were able to seamlessly switch and rattle the Splash Brothers, holding the duo to a combined 4/15 as the main defenders. This flexibility was a major factor in the Cavs trouncing in Game 3. The Warriors lived on mismatches in the early going of the series, whether it was a big on a guard, or Livingston shooting over Kyrie. With Thompson and Jefferson having the skill-set to switch on the perimeter unlocked a new gear for the Cavs defense. Good defense turned into good offense as the Cavs were not only able to force turnovers, but also capitalize on them. Richard Jefferson discovered the fountain of youth and he also pitched in with 8 rebounds. In arguably the best game of his career, the bruising forward Thompson was locked in. The defensive versatility of these two will play a paramount role for the Cavs in Game 4.

Winning Indicators

Going into Game 4 of The Finals, patterns of key stats are starting to form. The two teams have seen Points in the Paint, Points off Turnovers and the ability to knock down a contested field goal to be in favor of the winning team in all three games.

Although the Warriors are known for their three-point shooting, Points in the Paint have been a major indicator of playoff success. Their Game 3 loss was the first time in The Finals the Warriors didn’t outscore the Cavs in the paint. Throughout the playoffs, the Warriors average a +5 differential in Points in the Paint in wins, while a -8 differential in losses.

The winner of each game has turned their opponent’s miscues into an offensive advantage. Highlighted by LeBron’s Alley Oop in Game 3, the Cavs scored a series high 34 Points off Turnovers.

Making tough shots has been a key to Finals success as the winner of each game has shot greater than 50% on Contested Shots. Cleveland has consistently shot just under 50 Contested Field Goals per game but saw a big spike in shots made for Game 3.

What to Watch For

Golden State’s resiliency has led them to an astounding 13–1 record in games immediately following a loss, with their only back-to-back loss coming in the Conference Finals. What is more impressive is that the Warriors do not just squeak by with wins — they have an average +/- of 12.6 across these 14 games. They are led mainly by, who else, the Splash Brothers. The two-time MVP, Steph Curry, has scored 27.6 points in these bounceback wins. He has shot 43.2% from downtown, knocking down an astounding 4.4 three pointers per game.

Even when Steph doesn’t score much, like in Games 1 and 2, his presence on the court transforms the offense. The gravity he has pulling defenders away opens up the offense for Klay Thompson. Klay has upped his scoring average to 23.8 points per game in the bounceback games, and is shooting 46.2% on triples. Look for these two to start cooking early so they regain their confidence on the Cavs home floor.

NBA Finals History

The fact that The Finals are at 2–1 after three games with each team defending its home court is not surprising. The fact that no game has been decided by fewer than 15 points — and two have been 30-point blowouts — has not only been surprising, but it’s never been seen before.

The 78-point margin over victory in the first three games of this series is the highest in the history of The Finals. A team rebounding from a 30-point loss with a 30-point win had also never happened before Cleveland pulled it off on Wednesday night.

LeBron James also made a bit of history in Game 3 as he passed Kobe Bryant for 10th place all-time in Finals scoring and joined Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for the most 30–10–5 games in Finals history.