Oh, how quickly the tide can turn. 

With the Cavaliers clinging to a six-point lead with under 2:30 left in Game 3 of the NBA Finals, Kevin Love missed a layup that would have given Cleveland a comfortable eight-point cushion. Six seconds later, Stephen Curry finished with an uncontested layup on the other end. It sparked an 11-0 run to close the game for the Warriors, who took a 3-0 Finals lead minutes later.

Instead of headed for what appeared to be a competitive series, Golden State is now within one win of achieving a perfect 16-0 NBA playoff record -- something no team in history has ever accomplished.

It's too early to go into offseason mode just yet so let's look at three things that could affect Friday night's potential season-ending Game 4 at 9 p.m. ET.

1. LeBron James' second-half woes

It's no coincidence that fast starts by the Cavaliers have coincided with fast starts by LeBron James. He has paced his team through three games by averaging 32 points, including a 39-point explosion in Game 3. 

It's also no coincidence that James' second-half fades have coincided with Cleveland's recent second-half struggles. He has shot a red-hot 70.5 percent in the first half, but just 38 percent in the second half through three games.

James has drawn the assignment of guarding Kevin Durant, who is likely to win the Finals MVP award, while also shouldering the biggest workload on offense. While he insists guarding K.D. has not drained him physically, the numbers clearly suggest otherwise.

If the Cavs want to avoid a sweep, they need James to be in peak form for 45 minutes or more Friday night.

2. Cavs looking for revenge after Curry's Randy Moss-like celebration

Durant drilled a dagger from 3-point range with 45 seconds left in Game 3 that gave the Warriors the lead -- one they would never relinquish. During that sequence, Curry squatted to the floor as if he were imitating a bowel movement or paying tribute to Randy Moss' mooning routine, and it reportedly did not sit well with some Cavs players. 

No team in NBA history has ever overcame a 3-0 series deficit, and most presume the series will end in Cleveland on Friday. If the game gets out of hand early and the Warriors begin showboating, that Curry celebration could be one that brings up bad blood for the Cavaliers players who have been embarrassed in a non-competitive Finals series.

Blowout or not, I expect Game 4 will be especially chippy between both sides.

3. Keep an eye on the Kevins

We all know the impact Durant has had on this series. He has averaged 34 points, 10.3 rebounds and six assists. He hit the dagger in Game 3 that put the Warriors over the top. And he has proven to be all but unguardable even matched up against LeBron. No one will be surprised if (and when) K.D. is awarded the Finals MVP award.

But Love's importance in this series, from the Cavs perspective, is equally as important.

Last season in the Finals, Love was relegated to a lesser role as the Warriors targeted him and his deficient defense. But he has had a great playoffs and a respectable Finals on both sides of the floor -- at least he did in Games 1 and 2. In Game 3, though, he scored just nine points on 1-of-9 shooting.

The way Durant has breezed through this series, it won't be shocking to see him drop 35 in closing out and clinching the Finals. But for the Cavs to be competitive, they need the Game 1 and 2 version of Kevin Love to step up. Look for Cleveland to get him involved and in the action early to avoid another sluggish start.