The Cleveland Cavaliers hit the reset button on Wednesday night, storming past the Golden State Warriors in Game 3 of the 2016 NBA Finals to claim their first win of the series. Fronted by LeBron James’ 32 points, the Cavaliers showed their first signs of life after an embarrassing effort in the first two games in Oakland.
It appears that some faith has been restored in Cleveland as well, at least in terms of secondary market ticket prices. Game 4 will be held on Friday, and ticket prices for the game have increased following the Cavs’ victory Wednesday.
According to TiqIQ, the average resale price for Game 4 Cavaliers vs Warriors tickets is $1,250.57. That marks an 11.5% boost from Wednesday’s average of $1,121.61. The cheapest ticket is currently listed from $417, up nearly 40% from Wednesday’s $298 get-in price.
So what does that say about the Cavaliers and their fans? The team has life, and loyalists will be forced to pay big prices to see them potentially tie the series at two games apiece.
Those traveling from out of town won’t have to bear the brunt of high travel costs when heading to Cleveland, however. Flights to Cleveland can be arranged from anywhere in the world on Hipmunk while hotels in the city start from just $72 per night this weekend.
If fans thought Cleveland was posting big price points, they can expect to pay even higher prices when the series moves back to Oakland for Game 5 on Monday. As it stands now the average secondary market price for Game 5 tickets is $1,784.63, easily making it the most expensive game of the series thus far. The cheapest tickets are now listed from $823.
Hotel costs won’t be much higher 2,400 miles west, however. Oakland hotels start at $79 per night while three-star hotels and up can be found from $171 each night.
The burden of evening the series will largely rest on James’ shoulders Friday night. The 31-year-old willed his team to a 30-point win in Game 3 after posting the highest point-differential in NBA Finals history through Games 1 and 2. While the Cavs fired on all cylinders, Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson were again missing in action, combining for just 29 points in comparison to the 50 points the Cavs’ backcourt of Kyrie Irving and J.R. Smith posted.