This is the Hangover. We get basketball-wasted all the time. Yes, we recap the NBA every night in our own way.
(PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images.)
#1 CLEVELAND CAVALIERS 89 @ #1 GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS 104
NBA Finals – Game 1 – WARRIORS lead series, 1-0
Before the Finals started (which I did not do a full-blown preview because we were transferring servers), I had this as my prediction.
Like I said earlier, Warriors in 5. Go to me for Powerball numbers and relationship advice.
— Rey-Rey (@TheNoLookPass) June 3, 2016
I didn’t like the match-up and I felt the Cavs defense would get exposed because of bad defenders in their starting line-up (Kevin Love, Kyrie Irving) and going big would be exploited by the champs.
But, hey, the Cavs got off to a good start. Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson looked very ordinary throughout.
The rest of the Warriors, though, were extraordinary. Andrew Bogut and Harrison Barnes took over the scoring load early. Then Leandro Barbosa came in like Avril Lavigne was still ruling the charts and showed why he was known as the Brazilian Blur for years. The Warriors went up by 13.
But the Cavs came back as the Splash Brothers continued to struggle. LeBron James, Kyrie Irving, and Kevin Love overpowered the Dubs; Love’s basket gave them a one-point lead.
(PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images.)
Steve Kerr was so frustrated that he did this:
(PHOTO CREDIT: ESPN.)
So this is what Kerr has been doing when he’s not coaching basketball:
Near the end of the third quarter, Matthew Dellavedova hit Andre Iguodala in the groin as he tried to steal the ball. While it was only ruled a personal foul, it was a bad night for the rest of the Cavs.
LeBron would sit down and Iguodala immediately made a three to give the Warriors a six-point lead. Then the Warriors, behind Barbosa and Shaun Livingston, scored the first eight points of the fourth. The lead ballooned to 14.
By the time LeBron came back, it was too late. The Warriors role players had a field day. Livingston couldn’t miss from midrange. Iguodala was making big dunks. Finally, the struggling Splash Brothers made back-to-back threes to finish off the game.
(PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images.)
The Cavs struggled on taking care of the ball as they turned the ball over 15 times (the Warriors scored off 25 from those giveaways). And the Cavs’ role players were silent because they were either uninvolved or of match-up problems. J.R. Smith only shot three times. Meanwhile, Cleveland couldn’t stop the Warriors’ ball movement and their “STRENGTH IN NUMBERS.” The Warriors had seven players in double figures and one of them was NOT Klay Thompson. The Cavs shouldn’t expect Curry and Thompson to shoot this badly again.
While Love, Irving, and James had good numbers, maybe they should try to 1) get their players involved, 2) take care of the ball, and 3) I don’t know… they should be able to stop everyone else if they can stop Steph and Klay.
BEHIND THE LINES
Shaun Livingston (GS): 20 pts.
Draymond Green (GS): 16 pts, 11 rebs, 7 assts, 4 stls.
Kyrie Irving (CLE): 26 pts, 3 stls.
LeBron James (CLE): 23 pts, 12 rebs, 9 assts.
Kevin Love (CLE): 17 pts, 13 rebs.
Tristan Thompson (CLE): 10 pts, 12 rebs.
WATCH THIS PLAY
I love no-look passes. Here’s one from Curry to Dre.
https://youtu.be/XWodkCeA9tI
(VIDEO CREDIT: Ximo Pierto.)
Game 2 is back in NorCal on Sunday. But don’t mess with Steve Kerr because he might uppercut your head off.
Follow Rey-Rey on Twitter at @TheNoLookPass for all tweets about the NBA and terrible pop music. Also, check out his podcast, Rey-Rey Is Fundamental.
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