Thompson, sea roar lend Warriors edge

IN yesterday’s NBA Pulse, the injured Warrior Klay Thompson outpolled chief Cavalier LeBron James, 8,533 to 5,100.

James has always been the top concern, the most-talked-about star of the season. But Thompson got deserved attention when he was cleared to see action in Game 1 of the 2015 NBA Finals, after taking a knee on the head and being concussed in Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals.

***

Of course, reigning MVP Stephen Curry remains the top Warrior, although he was only third—behind Thompson and James—in the attention survey among fans early yesterday.

Curry’s total worth would’ve been diminished without Thompson, an All-Star guard, on the floor. Other than ease the pressure on Curry by sniping from around the same shooting area exclusive to the prodigious 2015 MVP, Thompson has been sporadically assigned to chase or try to stall James.

So far, there’s been nothing clear on how coach Kerr hopes to stop or hold down James.

***

The last time James faced the league-leading Golden State Warriors in February, he flourished with 42 points for a 110-99 startler in Cleveland.

As Game 1 of the Finals nears, the only word (from Golden State) was that the hosts would try a diversity of men and tactics on James who, other than being unstoppable under or near the goal, has proven his ability to slice through smoldering defensive pressure.

Maybe the best Golden State could do is fence off and make James attempt far from the basket?

***

Anyway, with James ready and raring to lead an invasion, suggestions came about the power of the roaring home crowd to tip the odds in Golden State’s favor come gametime at the Oracle Arena in Oakland.

They now call this previously nameless factor “Roaracle.”

“The interior of the Oracle will sound powerfully like the Pacific Ocean. The noise will crest in waves and the Warriors will ride its edges, to propel them, to inspire them,” wrote Ian Thomsen for NBA Archive.

They have an old name for this sea roar: shaking the arena down its foundations.

“It’s so loud you end up going into the locker room with a headache, a good kind of headache,” said big Golden State team pillar Andrew Bogut, who added the thundering crowd is sure to disorient the visiting opponents.

Maybe, although nobody could tell for sure if almighty LeBron can’t himself play deaf and immune to this blasted heady intangible.