Warriors take Game 1 of NBA Finals
In a battle of contrasting styles of offense versus defense, Game 1 of the NBA finals went to the Golden State Warriors as their offense overwhelmed the Cleveland Cavaliers. The Warriors’ X-factor, Kevin Durant, came through when they needed him the most. The Cavs could not contain the forward and he found ways to score at the bucket and from long range.
Cleveland Cavaliers 91 – Golden State Warriors 113
Kevin Durant was a leand, mean, scoring machine for the Warriors. He ended the night with a game-high 38 points, which came on the heels of some effecient shooting. Durant hit 14-of-26 shots from the field, 3-of-6 from 3-point range, and 7-of-8 from the free throw line. He also added eight rebounds and eigh assists to round out his line. He led the team in the third quarter to blow the game wide open, with the Cavs resolved to throw in the towel with a little less than half of the fourth quarter remaining.
Stephen Curry chipped in 28 points and 10 assists. He was lethal from deep, knocking down six triples for the game. The Warriors came prepared and the defending champions had trouble adjusting to Durant’s scoring outburst when they focused their sight on tightening defense along the 3-point line.
LeBron James led the Cavs with 29 points, 15 rebounds, and eight assists. He also committed eight turnovers as Golden State focused their efforts in making things difficult for thim. Kyrie Irving added 24 points.
Game 2 will played on June 7th with Golden State still keeping the the homecourt advantage. It will be important for Cleveland to steal an away game, and of course, the earlier they do it the better. So expect some key adjustments to be made by coach Lue. Definitely count on Kevin Durant not being left open as much as he was in this game. Klay Thompson had a dismal shooting game, hitting just 3-of-16 shots from the field. The Cavaliers made sure the streaky shoter would not get into a groove. He might be a key piece for the Warriors in Game 2 as the defense shifts more towards Curry and Durant, so keep your eye on how well he adjusts.
Kevin Love was a beast on the boards in Game 1 of the NBA finals with 15 points and 21 rebounds. So what went wrong for the Cavs? They played thin, with their supposed depth not coming into play nor being a factor. They will need role players like J.R. Smith, Kyle Korver, and Deron Williams to make an impact if they intend to steal on at Oracle Arena.