Warriors roll to 113-91 win vs. Cavs in Game 1

Golden State may have taken Game 1 and may well also win Game 2, which takes place on their home floor, but this series only gets done when one team wins four games.

And we know how that turned out.

With the loss, LeBron is now 1-7 for his career in Game 1 of the NBA Finals, including 0-6 on the road. “They capitalized. And we get an opportunity to get a couple days to see what they did and see what we did wrong and how we can be better in Game 2”.

And based on early returns, he’s not going to apologize for it. What did the Oklahoma City Thunder guard do instead? Bam, a dunk for you.

Dunks for you and you and you.

“I have great memories of (the 2015 title) and awful memories of a year ago”, he said, “but they’re both lessons you learn, knowing what it takes to win, how important every possession is, focusing on the details, especially against the same team for the third time”. Stephen Curry backed Durant up with 28 points of his own, including six three-pointers.

He was asked to elaborate too.

That’s the KD effect.

If they do, the Warriors could become the first team in National Basketball Association history to make an unbeaten playoff run to the title. They will need to adapt, creating different looks and timely movements to keep the Warriors off balance. He’d rather focus on the positive. They also have to decide what to do with their supporting cast as they have only five players signed through next season without counting Durant. “That’s what you dream about as a kid is to play at the highest level”.

‘I don’t know about that but Rihanna just walked in front of me! “I just tried to stay locked in and at the same time have some fun with it”. “But we can play better”.

“We were victims of ourselves, for one”, he said. “That’s all it’s about”.

It all added up to an entertaining but not unexpected Game 1 result.

“I don’t even remember that”, Durant said while looking at Curry, who was laughing and telling him to not “fall into that trap”.

Golden State took 61 shots in the first half compared to 43 by the Cavaliers.

Dynamite Jackie MacMullan piece (which goes without saying) on how Durant’s injuries in 2014-15 changed his worldview and led him to Oakland. For example, it’s been years since money was a divisive issue in the Warriors’ franchise.

The heavily favored Warriors beat the Cavs 113-91 but Rihanna remained steadfast in her support. They did not want to give up the corner 3-pointer and forced LeBron to make cross-court passes to crowded areas, seldom giving up open attempts to the Cavaliers’ best shooters. As a dazed and confused Oracle Arena crowd watched, that late six-point lead was devoured by Kyrie Irving’s deep 3, LeBron James’ chase down and block of Andre Iguodala, Kevin Love’s surprising perimeter defense against a less-than-healthy Steph Curry.

Golden State has gone 13-0 in the playoffs, winning 11 of those games by double-digits.

“It’s been a great motivating factor”, Curry said before the game.

“This feels a lot like past year”.

The four turnovers by the Warriors tied the NBA Finals mark for fewest in a game done twice before last night by San Antonio in 2013 and Detroit in 2005.

There was no comeback. Of course, Cleveland’s transition defense was the second worst in the league this year, so … Durant was doing enough scoring for the both of them, with 23 points in the first half alone.