Warriors Dominate Cavaliers In NBA Finals Game 1
Kevin Durant was absolute perfection in Game 1 of the NBA Finals. – EZRA SHAW / GETTY IMAGES
38 points from KD. 20 turnovers by the Cavs — eight of them by LeBron. A goose egg from Tristan Thompson. And a 31-15 assist differential for the Warriors. These are just a few of the numbers to stick out from Golden State’s 113-91 victory over Cleveland in game 1 of the NBA Finals.
When asked what was different between this year’s Warrior’s team and last year’s, LeBron simply answered, “KD.”
Durant Hands Cavs Best NBA Finals Performance
And surely, Durant was the difference maker in this game. He slashed to the basketball for some stellar dunks. He dished out assists when he could’ve taken it to the hole. Oh, and he shot fifty percent from three point land on the way to a 38 point, eight rebound, eight assist game. It was exactly the kind of performance the Warriors needed from their newest superstar acquisition.
While the Cavs gave up 21 points on 20 turnovers, the Warriors turned the ball over just four times — two coming from Steph Curry and two from Draymond Green. That ties an NBA Finals record low. Aside from those four turnovers, Golden State was flawless in that regard. The Cavs on the other hand imploded late in the third quarter when they had a chance to cut a 12-point lead. Instead, it went the other way and suddenly the Warriors were up 20.
Shooting Themselves in the Foot
LeBron finished with 28 points, 15 rebounds, and eight assists. But aside from his passing, the Cavs were largely stifled in their team ball.
“We were victims of ourselves,” James said in the postgame conference.
There’s no getting around that 20-turnover statistic. It’s the shadow that will hang over game 1 for Cleveland. The Warriors thrive on fast break opportunities. They slash down the wings. They put players in position for three. And they open up the paint for the kind of dunks that had GS fans on their feet all night.
‘Best I’ve Ever Seen’
Cleveland coach Ty Lue called this Warriors squad “the best team [he’s] ever seen.”
You can’t disagree with that. They’re 13-0 in the postseason, and while few expect them to complete a sweep in the Finals, it’s ludicrous that we’re even talking about it as a possibility. The addition of Kevin Durant has rendered an already dominant team nearly unstoppable. With the Cavs still listed as heavy underdogs in this series, it’s going to be interesting to see how they respond when game 2 kicks off Sunday back at Oracle Arena.
