© Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
OAKLAND — For an NBA Finals series that has been replicated an unprecedented four straight times, the Warriors entered as massive favorites. But Game 1 offers a blank canvas. And for a masterful artist like LeBron James, Thursday night was perhaps his best chance to steal a game in Oracle Arena, where the Warriors won a playoff record 16 consecutive games earlier this postseason.
The Warriors prevailed 124-114. But this was one of the all-time best, craziest, must-watch games you will ever see on this stage. James finished with 51 points, Stephen Curry had 29 points, J.R. Smith had an unimaginable blunder — and that was not all.
Let’s start with the Smith gaffe, perhaps the defining play of the game.
With 23 seconds remaining and Golden State leading by one point, a scattered Cavs possession ended in George Hill being fouled. He made the first free throw, missed the second, and what ensued was incredibly bizarre.
Smith caught Hill’s miss and dribbled the ball out, almost to seem as if he thought the Cavs had taken the lead. James frantically motioned for Smith to pass to Hill, but the pass was too late, and the buzzer sounded — overtime.
At this point, the Cavs had already expended themselves, having played 48 minutes of some of their best basketball in a place nearly impossible to win. The Warriors smelled blood, then pounced.
They jumped out to a 9-0 run in overtime. The quality of Cleveland’s offensive possessions deteriorated, while the Warriors converted on the other end.
Consecutive Draymond Green (13 points, 11 rebounds, and nine assists) and Klay Thompson (24 points) threes extended the Warriors lead to 11, and the game was effectively sealed. Golden State 1, Cleveland 0.
This was a classic from the start. The first half featured James and Curry trading blows, a scary-looking injury to Klay Thompson, and a 38-foot Curry heave that found the net as time expired.
For a matchup so heavily tilted in Golden State’s favor, the Cavs gave them all they could handle in the opening half.
James shot out to a quick start, making all four of his first quarter field goals for 12 points. He exploited mismatches on switches and attacked the rim. After one half, he amassed 24 points and four assists. Kevin Love chipped in 12 points and six boards.
The Warriors had Curry to thank for keeping the game close with Kevin Durant (26 points) struggling early and Thompson sidelined for several minutes after colliding with JR Smith. The first half featured vintage Curry, who pulled up from wherever he pleased and used his soft touch to finish inside the perimeter. He entered the half with 18 points and six assists. The Warriors took advantage of eight Cleveland turnovers to produce 14 fast break points.
Did the Warriors have another ridiculous third quarter run in store, just as they have all playoffs?
It almost seems as if plus-6 is a disappointment, but the Warriors ended the quarter leading 84-78. They went up seven points in the first three minutes, but the Cavaliers responded behind one tough James’ make after the next. Golden State went on a 7-0 run as the quarter winded down, and a Larry Nance free throw cut the Warriors’ lead to six entering the fourth quarter.
The game seesawed late in the fourth quarter. In the the waning minutes, James threw down a thunderous dunk to cut the Golden State lead to two. Curry responded with a layup. On the other end, after a hectic possession, Love hit a three. A couple possessions later, James made a tough layup while fouled. He made the free throw to give the Cavaliers a 104-102 lead.
Durant drove and was fouled. The initial call was a charge, but the officials overturned it, one of the many unique plays of this game, and Durant hit two free throws to tie the game at 104 apiece with 36.4 seconds remaining.
James responded with a crafty layup, hanging in the air and finishing only as he can. Curry responded with a layup — and the foul. He made the free throw to give the Warriors a 107-106 lead.
Hill’s made free throw, and Smith’s miscue forced overtime. The Warriors cruised, and took a 1-0 series lead after 53 amazing and bizarre minutes.
