If the Golden State Warriors were favourites before the NBA Finals started, they are now unbackable with the Cleveland Cavaliers facing an uphill battle to get back into the series. Join The Roar for live scores and coverage of Game 2 from 10am (AEST).
The Cavaliers were absolutely woeful in Game 1. They ended up going down to the tune of 113-91, but the stat sheet told the real story of the 22-point loss.
20 turnovers, including eight for LeBron James is the stat that jumps off the page. Combine that with a mountain of second chance points for the Warriors, and it’s easy to see why the Cavaliers were never in the game.
They got no production off their bench, and it was all down to LeBron, with Kyrie Irving, Tristan Thompson and Kevin Love also struggling throughout the match.
The Warriors, meanwhile tied the record for least turnovers in an NBA Finals game with four and made Cleveland pay for it, as Kevin Durant and Stephen Curry went to work against an almost non-existent defensive effort.
Durant was able to get into the lane and throw down dunks with ease, while Curry had plenty of wide open three point shots. The margin could have been worse as well, had Klay Thompson not thrown up bricks all game long.
While Cleveland’s offence was bad, their main issues stem from defence. That’s where winning this series is going to start and it needs to in Game 2, but with awful structure and seemingly no inside presence to stop a high-flying Durant, that’s going to be easier said than done.
The scary thing is noting the Warriors still have improvement in them. Their first half was far from perfect, going into the break with only an eight point lead, while Draymond Green, ever present on defence didn’t score a point till the end of the third quarter.
Simply put, the Cavaliers need to be a cut above in this important Game 2. While it starts with James not making as many turnovers, he is going to need support doing that. Irving and Love will be feeling the pressure to make better decisions, but others including Thompson, Iman Shumpert, JR Smith and Kyle Korver must stand up or it could be another blowout.
Prediction
Still on home court, in fantastic form and against a side who looked all at sea. It should be closer – LeBron doesn’t do two straight blowouts, but my original prediction of the Cavaliers taking one of the first two is out the back window.
Durant and Curry to fire the Warriors to another win.
Warriors by 11.
Be sure to join The Roar for live coverage of Game 2 in the NBA Finals from 10am (AEST) and don’t forget to add a comment in the section below.
steve
Guest
Unsurprising really when he has to carry the team on his back now it appears that the Warriors have worked out how to take Kyrie out of the game and limit his influence. The Cavs big three has now become a 2 and a 1/2 and no one else is stepping up.
R2D2
Guest
Lebron was run off his feet , he looked totally knackered. GS just play at pace and work the ball until the opposition is in a spin...lovely to watch.
Chris Kettlewell
Roar Guru
Looks like it was a much improved performance from the Cav's in many ways, in fact being very much in the positive on the turnovers this time, yet still going down by 19. The Cav's actually hit more shots from the floor than the Warriors, but the Warriors made a lot more 3's and a few more free throws and there's your 19 point differential. Hopefully the Cav's are able to find something extra on their home court. I doubt anyone other than die-hard Warriors fans would want to see a 4-0 finals scoreline. But then, you take the team that last year set a record for most regular season wins, and then add another MVP to the roster, even the best player in the game with a pretty decent team built around him can be powerless against that sort of a team. Could we be seeing the first 16-0 playoff run? Certainly hope not, and you can never rule out a team with Lebron in it. But it GSW are looking neigh on unbeatable in their current form. Klay Thompson was playing shocking and they were still blowing out everyone, if he's now found his range also suddenly, that doesn't help the Cav's either!
Scott Pryde
Expert
Well, that'll just about do it here on The Roar for our live coverage of Game 2 in the NBA Finals as the Golden State Warriors ran over the Cleveland Cavaliers. Hopefully you enjoyed the call. Game 3 will be at 11am (AEST) on Thursday Morning. The Roar will be back for that. Bye for now.
Scott Pryde
Expert
Thoughts on the game Roarers?
Scott Pryde
Expert
Stephen Curry with a triple-double as well today.
Scott Pryde
Expert
FULLTIME We are done and dusted here. Few more buckets to the end as the seconds wind down, but none of it matters. It's a huge victory for the Warriors and they are up 2-0. Kevin Durant and Stephen Curry again absolutely phenomenal. Klay Thompson with his best performance of the playoffs, and while the Cavaliers went basket for basket with them in the first half, they got blown off the court in the second with LeBron unable to do anything about it. A brilliant performance from the Warriors, and it really feels like we may have seen them play their last game in the Bay this season. Golden State Warriors - 132 Cleveland Cavaliers - 113
Scott Pryde
Expert
Q4 0' Clark with a miss from the high post before Jefferson gets into the paint and completes a finger roll. Warriors - 127 Cavaliers - 110
Scott Pryde
Expert
Q4 1' The Cavaliers work it around but not much happening there. Missed three to finish off the possession. This one just winding down now. Just waiting for this final buzzer. Derrick Williams with a dunk for the Cavaliers. Warriors - 127 Cavaliers - 108
Scott Pryde
Expert
Q4 2' The Warriors with it and Clark misses a three-pointer from the wing before Frye misses after a fake. Dante Jones grabs the offensive board before Williams misses inside off a nice move into the paint. Warriors - 127 Cavaliers - 106
Scott Pryde
Expert
Q4 3' And the Warriors now taking Curry out of the ball game with 3:09 on the clock. Thompson swiftly follows him to the bench. Time out on the floor. Warriors - 127 Cavaliers - 106
Scott Pryde
Expert
Q4 3' Yep, here is the white flag of surrender from Lue. LeBron and Irving to the bench as Irving fouls Curry in the mid court. Warriors - 125 Cavaliers - 106
Scott Pryde
Expert
Q4 4' We are getting into garbage time here. Durant with a big slam on the back door cut before Love answers back with one of his own. Good movement from the Warriors but Durant misses the three, before Irving misses from the strike. Warriors - 125 Cavaliers - 106
Scott Pryde
Expert
Q4 4' Jefferson misses both. Warriors - 123 Cavaliers - 104
Scott Pryde
Expert
Q4 4' Jefferson now gets around his man on the perimeter and draws the foul throwing up an off balance shot from the top of the key. Warriors - 123 Cavaliers - 104
Scott Pryde
Expert
Q4 5' The Warriors turn it over out of the timeout before the Cavaliers work it into Thompson who misses through heavy traffic. Green back out there with five fouls, grabbing the board before Curry goes to Igoudala off the pick and roll and he throws it down. Warriors - 123 Cavaliers - 104
Scott Pryde
Expert
Q4 5' Steve Kerr takes no time in calling timeout as the Warriors run comes to an abrupt end. Warriors - 121 Cavaliers - 104
Scott Pryde
Expert
Q3 6' Irving now rises up for a shot just inside the arc and quietens the crowd down before Curry misses on a pull up from the high post. Back the other way and Love makes a wide open three. Warriors - 121 Cavaliers - 104
Scott Pryde
Expert
Q4 6' The Cavaliers get a bucket out of the time out, but how about you try stopping Durant? It's impossible! He makes another three from the wing on the run. This is insane. Irving with another miss before CURRY! He pulls up in transition and makes another three. The lead is 22. Warriors - 121 Cavaliers - 99
Scott Pryde
Expert
Q4 7' Timeout on the floor. Warriors - 115 Cavaliers - 97