Game One: The King Does His Thing, Before Momentum Swings
Photo via Jonathan Sherman (cavaliersnation.com)
After a long NBA season, we got the matchup we all saw coming. The Cleveland Cavaliers escaped a 2–0 hole in the Eastern Conference Finals to defeat the Boston Celtics in seven games, while the Golden State Warriors knocked off the Houston Rockets, who won 65 games during the regular season, the most in the NBA, in seven games.
Entering the game
This is the fourth straight season the two teams will face off in the Finals, but this matchup doesn't have nearly the same flare. Without point guard Kyrie Irving, Cleveland is a heavy underdog against the reigning champions. Prior to tipoff, the Warriors were favored by 13 points in Game 1 on their home floor, with most experts predicting for the series to only be stretched to five games.
With that said, the Cavaliers received reinforcements for the series opener. Power forward Kevin Love, who exited midway through Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals, was removed from the concussion protocol hours before game time. Love, widely regarded as LeBron James' only source of help, averaged over 17 points and nine rebounds this season and was also consistently a double-double threat in the playoffs.
The Warriors weren't so lucky, as starting forward Andre Iguodala was forced to miss his fifth straight game with a left lateral leg contusion. The 2015 Finals MVP had been a reserve player for the majority of the last four seasons, but was moved into the starting lineup when Steph Curry missed time late in the season and remained there after he returned. Once a member of the team's "death lineup," Iguodala had become a part of the "Hamptons Five," a reference to the recruiting pitch to Kevin Durant. Additionally, he, along with Draymond Green, was in line to guard LeBron James frequently.
The game
Cleveland did not appear to be outmatched in the first quarter. The quarter was tightly contested, with the Cavaliers leading more often the they trailed and converted on 55% of their shots. As is customary, James and Love led the attack with 21 points combined, but JR Smith, one of the punchlines most of this season, also chipped in with seven, and Cleveland led 30–29 after 12 minutes.
Klay Thompson left the game midway through the first quarter after his leg collided with Smith's, but he returned to start the second.
A 15-footer by Love gave Cleveland a 51–40 lead with 5:19 remaining in the half. However, Golden State came roaring back to tie the game at 53 with just over a minute to go. Green picked up a technical foul shortly thereafter, his fourth of the postseason, giving the visitors the lead back.
The Cavaliers led by three with a few seconds remaining, but "Chef" Curry served up his speciality, a 38-foot jumper in transition to beat the buzzer, tying the score at 56 as the teams entered the locker room. His 18 first half points paced the home squad, while James had a game-high 24 at the break. Oddly enough, both teams were 22–42 from the floor in the half.
The Warriors have outscored their opponents by 130 points in the third third quarter of games this postseason, and Thursday night was (at least initially) true to form. They went on a 10–3 run in the first three minutes of the period, with JaVale McGee, who only played three minutes in the Western Conference Finals, appearing to be particularly active.
The best player on the court responded, though, scoring the next seven points, knotting the score once again. During the run, James also reached 30-plus points in the postseason for the 109th time of his career, tying Michael Jordan's record.
Despite making 13 of his first 16 attempts, James missed his next five. With less than two minutes left in the quarter, he took a rare seat on the bench. By the end of the period, Golden State led by six, 84–78.
The Cleveland role players stepped up in the fourth. Jeff Green, who had 19 points in Cleveland's last game, made a couple of buckets, and Kyle Korver knocked down a three-pointer to bring the Cavaliers within one point at the 8:52 mark.
The Warriors made consecutive threes, but James drove hard to the rim for back-to-back bunnies. After a Curry layup, Love knocked down a three, cutting the margin to one with two minutes to go. Then LeBron converted an and-one with 50.8 seconds on the clock to put the Cavaliers on top by two.
On the ensuing possession, James was called for a blocking foul, and Kevin Durant put both free throws through the net, tying it up with 36.4 seconds to go. LeBron made up for it with a layup, but Curry converted an and-one of his own, giving Golden State a 107–106 lead.
George Hill went to the line and made one of two attempts. JR Smith got the rebound, but may have committed a mental error, as he dribbled out towards center court, forcing a rushed shot ahead of the buzzer. With that, the game went to overtime.
The Warriors are regarded as historically good, and they looked that way in the extra session. They scored the first seven points of the period and seemingly couldn't miss, running away with a 124–114 victory.
LeBron James scored 51 points in the opener. Meanwhile, Curry, Durant, and Thompson each topped 20 points, Draymond Green nearly had a triple-double, but above all else, the better team stepped up when in counted, and the at times enigmatic Cavaliers crumbled.
Looking ahead
Not much has changed. LeBron is the best player on the court, but Golden State is the deeper team and controls home court. Someone else will have to step up for Cleveland, or else this game may be as close as they get to a win.