Game 1 Thoughts
The Cavaliers were 13 point underdogs against the Warriors in Game 1 on Thursday night. Cleveland didn’t win, but they gave Golden State all that they could handle. It was an instant classic, with several confounding moments sprinkled in. Here are five thoughts I had after the first game from what just might be a competitive NBA Finals.
With Andre Iguodala sidelined, the Warriors have no one to check LeBron. The King went for 51 points, 8 rebounds, and 8 assists and it seemed like he never broke a sweat. Iguodala isn’t a LeBron stopper per se, but he at least makes LeBron really labor. Golden State will likely win with or without their heady veteran, but it will be a lot tighter than previously anticipated.
KD was just another guy. The supposed second best player in the world surely didn’t play like it. In the fourth quarter, Durant scored only three points and looked flustered. If he truly wants to be in the discussion among the best in the world he cannot defer to his teammates in the manner that he did in Game 1.
Subjective calls should not be subject to review. In the most crucial moment of the NBA season, the officials, after going to the monitor, overturned an offensive foul on Kevin Durant and changed it to a blocking foul on LeBron. While I do admit that it was a bang-bang play, there is no way such a foul should be reviewable. It is the equivalent to reviewing a holding or a pass-interference call in the NFL. There is a reason those types of reviews don’t exist– it’s a subjective call. The referees were suspect all night, but this block/charge call decided the game.
What’re you doing JR Smith? Over the course of his career, JR has made many boneheaded plays, but this one will live in infamy. It is the type of play that will define his tenure in the NBA. Twenty years from now when his name is brought up, this bizarre sequence will be the first though that jumps to mind. Forgetting the score in any game is unprofessional, let alone an NBA Finals Game. The dude had a 4-footer to win the game and chose to run to half court thinking Cleveland was leading. This is the type of stuff you cannot even make up.
Game 2 is a must win for Cleveland. There is no question that the Game 1 loss was a gut-punch for LeBron and company. However, if you would’ve told the Cavs that they were tied 1-1 coming back to Quicken Loans for Game 3 they would’ve signed up in a heartbeat. That possibility is still on the table, but LeBron will have to lead his troops to a victory in Game 2. It will be no easy task, but if anyone in the history of the sport can do it LeBron is the guy.
