NBA Finals Game 1 Recap: Warrriorrrrs
In last night’s opening game of the 2017 NBA Finals, The Golden State Warriors handily dominated the Cavaliers 113-91 to take a one game series lead. Kevin Durant was simply the best player on the floor that night, scoring 38 points to go along with 8 rebounds and 8 assists while keeping the best player on the planet LeBron James to his lowest scoring game of the playoffs, minus the 11-point anomaly in Boston. The Chosen One finished with 28 points and 15 boards to go with eight assists, but it was Durant who developed a groove with untouched drives through the lane for timely thunderous dunks, converting on six open court dunks within the first 20 minutes, and proved without a doubt he is in fact an upgrade from Harrison Barnes.
Steph Curry also balled out, scoring 28 points with six 3-pointers and 10 assists, although the segment with him rapping before the game made me question if I truly even wanted to watch the game anymore. Kyrie scored 24 points on 10-of-22 shooting, while making the most absurd 4-point play since Durant’s wild corner 3 a couple years ago. Klay Thompson appears to have taken the world's strongest edible in early May and still doesn't know which way is up, which is the only explanation for his horrendous playoffs and 3-16 performance in Game 1. Dray finished 3-12, but provided stellar defense and hustle, while also not kicking anyone or getting any technicals, so I guess we can call it a wash on his front. Kevin Love scored 15 points and grabbed maybe the quietest 21 (!) rebounds in NBA history, despite getting bullied by Draymond and Igoudala all game. Tristan Thompson, who signed for $82 mill, scored zero points and grabbed a whopping 4 rebounds. I’m not blaming the Kardashians (Khloe to be exact), but you can’t convince me they aren’t in some portion responsible for this, they just ruin athletes it’s in their genetical makeup. ‘Earl’ JR Smith, only had three points while not taking very many attempts (not very JR-like of him) which makes me believe him and Klay are tokin it up in the locker room together before the game. This might even be LeBron’s strategy, sacrificing JR to nullify Klay, shoot Bron probably the one that sold ‘em the work. I’m on to you LeBron.
The Warriors are still undefeated in the Playoffs, and continue their streak of their core four not losing in 140-something days when they’re all on the court, which is absolutely mind-boggling when you think about it. I’m not going to fall for the Game 1 overreaction hot take bait, as LeBron is 1-7 in game 1’s of the Finals, but I can also say that it in fact did not look good. The Cavaliers are going to need to find a way to get production out of their 4-8 guys, particularly the bench. A 50-year-old Richard Jefferson can’t look to be giving you 6th man minutes when Golden State’s bringing Iggy in the same times. LeBron seemed to ease up in the fourth, as the game was never competitively close after midway through the second, which is something you rarely see watching a Cav’s game. The King has made a career of not only managing games but entire series, so I’m pretty confident we’ll see a different Cavaliers team come Game 2 after they find out what went wrong (Hint: the 17-2 turnover ratio might be the place to start). Rihanna also made headlines, causing Jeff Van Gundy to instantaneously splooge his pants when she walked in front of him in the middle of his play by play of a LeBron dunk. She also tried to yell “Miss!” at Durant during a free throw (which if she knew his FT percentage, was a poor choice to bet on a rim out) in the second quarter, which he then snapped the net then Reggie Miller stared her down as he jogged back. All around good Twitter meme content. Although this game followed the theme of blowout, nearly-unwatchable basketball these playoffs, I’m looking forward to Game 2 in the Oracle, which I predict will be a closer-fought battle than Game 1.