CLEVELAND — This certainly doesn’t feel like a series that’s essentially over. Not after one of the more physical NBA Finals games in recent memory between a team desperate to avoid embarrassment and one trying to make history.

The Cleveland Cavaliers spent two days hearing about all their flaws, a possible offseason rebuild, the potential departure of LeBron James, and their inability to compete with the Golden State Warriors for a full 48 minutes.

That wasn’t the case Friday night, when seemingly the state of the Cavaliers franchise, as well as the season, was at stake. A Warriors sweep would have left the Cavaliers questioning their short-term future. Instead, the Cavaliers that dazzled the Celtics in the Eastern Conference finals reappeared, hit 24 3-pointers, and pulled away with a 137-116 Game 4 win.

This doesn’t mean there won’t be any offseason changes in Cleveland, as the Cavaliers undoubtedly will revamp for another title run, but it does gain back a semblance of their respect and extend the series another three days.

If you recall, last year the Warriors led the Cavaliers, three games to one, heading back to Oakland, and then . . . they blew the series. It’s the same scenario on Monday with the pressure creeping back to the Warriors’ side, while James and Kyrie Irving have their swagger back.

Irving was simply sparkling Friday with 40 points on 15-of-27 shooting as well as four assists and seven rebounds, dwarfing Stephen Curry, who finished with 14 points on 4-of-13 shooting.

Golden State wasted its opportunity to become the first team to finish the postseason undefeated, but it has another chance to clinch Monday. However, there is a cloud of doubt hanging over the Warriors after they looked vulnerable in Game 4 for the first time in the postseason.

The desperation that Cleveland played with was exemplified by its physicality. The Cavaliers were fouling hard and shoving Warriors out of their offensive comfort zones. There were a handful of arguments and altercations, such as a third-quarter exchange between James and Kevin Durant after Durant was swiped across the head by Kevin Love on a drive.

Durant screamed at Love and officials after the call. James chided Durant for his belligerent reaction, seemingly lecturing his fellow former MVP in a rather poignant moment.

These two have been the central figures of this matchup. James’s grip perhaps slipping as the best player in the NBA, while Durant seeming intent on snatching that title away with his brilliant play. Durant finished with 35 points Friday night, 19 more than any of his teammates, but the Warriors could not get closer than 11 in the second half.

Still, the Cavaliers’ faithful were anxious until the waning moments, considering the power of the Golden State offense. But something was different Friday. As if the series needed more fuel, the Cavaliers claimed they were well aware of the Warriors’ overt comments about wanting to make history by closing out the series in Cleveland in Game 4.

The Warriors won the title at Quicken Loans Arena two years ago and celebrated boisterously in the visiting locker room, bringing Curry to say he smelled dried champagne on the Warriors’ subsequent trip to Cleveland.

“You know, you hear some chatter going on throughout the Warriors’ locker room in terms of them trying to end it here,’’ Irving said. “[I heard] all of it. It’s part of the game, I understand that, but we knew what we were faced with. That was what it was. But then you add, of course, some chatter in there, and that adds some extra motivation. And you give us a day in between, and we were ready to come out. Especially me, because that taste wouldn’t have been the same if we would have lost and they would have celebrated on our home floor. So, I’ll just leave that at that.’’

In Game 4, the Cavaliers put on an impressive offensive display ­— similar to their Eastern Conference finals performance against the Celtics — indicating they weren’t ready for their season to end.

Irving scored 28 first-half points in 21 minutes, converting 11 of 14 shots and draining four 3-pointers as the Cavaliers led by as many as 22. The ball was whipping around the floor. Tristan Thompson snapped his series-long slump and returned to his menacing ways on the boards.

Cleveland, which hit 14 3-pointers in the first half of Game 3 against the Celtics, canned 13 in the first half Friday, with Love adding four and James swishing a pair.

Golden State looked a step slow, even though the Warriors were themselves offensively. Irving­ was allowed to drive and penetrate at will, while James looked energetic and revived after tiring in the waning moments of Game 3.

The Cavaliers looked defeated after Game 3, getting outscored, 11-0, to conclude the game. No NBA team has ever rallied from a 3-0 deficit, but Cleveland stored up enough pride to send the series back to Oakland.

Of course, this was the same situation the Cavaliers found themselves in last year, heading on the road for Game 5 with the series at stake. The Warriors are well aware of the situation. They spent the entire offseason lamenting their wasted opportunity at another championship, and then signed Durant as a response.

“Man, different team, man,’’ Curry said. “Obviously we haven­’t­ felt this feeling walking off the court with a loss in a while, but we have done a good job of bouncing back and being resilient all year, and obviously learning from all different experiences we have been through. I love the vibe we had in the locker room after the game, understanding what we need to do differently to play better, to have a better first punch in that first six minutes, to play with more force and aggressiveness­ and physicality. Talked about it.

“Going home is a good feeling, but it has to go with playing better. We obviously know you can’t just go home and expect to win. We like the fact that we can correct a lot of things going into Game 5 and just put a better foot forward, especially in that first quarter and not lose the game right there.’’

Gary Washburn can be reached at gary.washburn@globe.com.