NBA Finals Game 1 Recap, LeBron’s 44 Not Enough

The first game of the NBA Finals has produced many ecstatic basketball fans in the Bay area. The Golden State Warriors defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers by a score of 108-100.

This game went back and forth all night before during regulation. In overtime, the Warriors showed up big on defense, holding the Cavaliers to only two points. They were finally able to stop the tyrant that was LeBron James, who led his team by scoring 42 points during regulation.

Not only did the Cavaliers lose Thursday’s game, but they lost perennial all-star point guard Kyrie Irving to an apparent ankle injury. Talk about adding injury to insult! The Cavaliers have yet to release the extent of this injury, but Irving looked as if he was in heavy pain as he grimaced while limping to the locker room during overtime.

This game was a much different one than most Warriors viewers are used to. The team was not led by the Splash brothers, comprised of MVP Stephen Curry and all-star Klay Thompson. The team shot a measly 37 percent from the three-point line and obviously were unable to find a match defensively for LeBron James, who made just about everything during this game, except for three-point field goals. He shot eight three pointers during the game and only made two.

Warriors Veteran Andre Iguodala, who came off the bench, made a great impact in tonight’s game. Not only did he score 15 points on 75 percent shooting, he also fired up the crowds with powerful dunks. In addition to his offensive prowess, he seemed to be the only player who had the ability to guard LeBron James.

The biggest surprise for the Cavaliers was Russian center Timofey Mozgov, best known as being posterized multiple times by DeAndre Jordan, who scored 16 points and pulled down seven rebounds. Tristan Thompson led the team on the boards with 15 rebounds.

One big disappointment was in the play of Draymond Green, the energy-filled small forward of the Golden State Warriors. He has played so well throughout the playoffs thus far, but tonight he was a liability at best. Green shot 4-13, and many of those shots were unwarranted and heavily contested.

Matthew Dellavedova, who has brought so much energy and athleticism to the Cavaliers during these playoffs, was non-existent tonight. He scored zero points in nine minutes.

If the following games are anything like this one, we have a lot to look forward to, but this is doubtful due to the injury sustained by Kyrie Irving.

Game 2 takes place on Sunday, June 2 at 8 p.m. ET.

[Image Source: Jason Miller/Getty Images]