Two reasons Warriors better equipped this year to handle 3-1 lead over Cavs

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The bitter memories of a year ago, even as they live in the back of their minds, are just that. This is, the Warriors say, a new year, a new team and a wholly dissimilar set of circumstances.

And they’re exactly right.

The Warriors of last June are not the Warriors of this June. Moreover, there is little resemblance between the team that took the floor for Game 5 of the 2016 NBA Finals and the team that will walk into Oracle Arena Monday night for Game 5 of the 2017 Finals.

“Man, different team, man,” Stephen Curry said early Saturday morning, after the Warriors took a 137-116 loss in Game 4.

There is one thing, however, that’s exactly the same. The Warriors hold a 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven series and are one game away from an NBA title.

“We felt great about last year, up 3-1,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said. “That's kind of what you want to do, right? When you have home court ideally you take care of business at home and get a split on the road. So we're in a great spot, and now we have to capitalize.”

There are at least two reasons the Warriors are much better equipped to do that.

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Four-time scoring champ Kevin Durant at this time last year was a member of the Oklahoma City Thunder. He is now a Warrior, and the leading candidate to be named Finals MVP.

And fellow All-Star forward Draymond Green last season was serving a suspension during Game 5, a Warriors loss that sent the series back to Cleveland, where in Game 6 the Cavs tied it -- the very act the Cavs are trying to repeat.

“But last year is last year, this year is this year,” Kerr said. “I'm pretty sure Draymond won't get suspended for Game 5. Maybe he will. I don't know.

“But we'll go back and tee it up again.”

The Warriors will do so healthier than they were at any time last June, Andre Iguodala and Curry were playing hurt.

If there is a worrisome trend for the Warriors it is that the Cavs have gotten better with each passing game. The Warriors won Game 1 by 22, Game 2 by 19 and Game 3 by 5 before being battered by 21 in Game 4 in Cleveland.

“We’ve got to be way better,” Durant said. “We can't go home and just expect that just because we're at home it's our game. We got to go take it, and I think it starts on the physical side of it. And both teams are going to be battling. So it should be fun.”

It may be easier to have fun -- and play more freely -- now that sideshow is gone. The Warriors entered Game 4 with a chance to be the first team in American sports history to come through four postseason series and emerge unbeaten. For two full days, after the Warriors won Game 3, chatter related to a 16-0 record dominated conversation.

With their pursuit last season of the 73 wins needed to post the best record in a single-season, the Warriors became familiar with the “chasing history” narrative.

That postseason perfection is no longer in play might ease pressure ever so slightly.

“You can’t hold on to it,” Klay Thompson said. “It’s gone. It’s over with.

“Sixteen-and-one sounds pretty damn good anyway. Forget about that undefeated talk or whatever. It’s time to put on a show for our fans in Oakland and the rest of the Bay. Try to close out at Oracle.”

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