Irving sparks Cavaliers over Warriors to end perfect playoff run

Kyrie Irving scored 40 points and LeBron James added 31 as the defending champion Cleveland Cavaliers spoiled Golden State's bid for a perfect playoff championship run Friday, downing the Warriors 137-116 in the NBA Finals.

Golden State still leads the best-of-seven series 3-1 with game five set for Monday in Oakland, California.

No team has escaped a 3-0 deficit to win an NBA playoff series but the Cavs made the greatest NBA Finals comeback last year from 3-1 down to beat the Warriors.

Opening the game with the highest-scoring quarter and half in NBA Finals history, the Cavaliers snapped Golden State's unbeaten playoff run at 15 games, still the longest playoff win streak in major North American pro sports history.

The Cavaliers became the first finals team trailing 3-0 to force a fifth game since the 1996 Seattle SuperSonics. The only finals team down 3-0 to force a seventh game was the 1951 New York Knicks.

James added 10 rebounds and 11 assists for his ninth career NBA Finals triple double. That broke the record he shared with Los Angeles Lakers legend Magic Johnson. No one else has more than two.

Kevin Durant led Golden State with 35 points while Draymond Green added 16 points and 14 rebounds and Stephen Curry had 14 points. Kevin Love added 23 points for the Cavs.

(AFP)