Cavaliers come up short as Stephen Curry, Warriors seize Game 1 of Finals

Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors defeated LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers 108–100 in Game 1 of the NBA Finals.

Rob Mahoney | Jun 5, 2015

Cavaliers come up short as Stephen Curry, Warriors seize Game 1 of Finals /

The Cavaliers have shown the formula. Their way to the NBA title is through strong defense and the steady hand of LeBron James, who still rates as the league’s most terrifying shot creator. Cleveland leveraged his ability in the post on possession after possession in Game 1 of the NBA Finals. By the final buzzer, 44 of the team’s 100 points came off James's fingertips—an amazing sum, even for the NBA’s predominant superstar in a league ruled by them.

Somehow, it wasn’t enough.

James’s bludgeoning offense helped keep the Warriors on their heels through regulation. Golden State, in an uneven offensive performance, responded by scoring just enough to force overtime. It was then that Cleveland’s offense turned dry. The shallow, exhausted Cavaliers fizzled out as their deadlocked game churned beyond the planned 48 minutes, scoring only a meaningless basket in the extra frame to the Warriors’ 10 points. Game 1, which swung like a pendulum from one team’s small lead to the other’s, ultimately went to the Warriors in a 108–100 final Thursday night.

Warriors' strategy for LeBron James pays off, barely, in Game 1 Finals win

A series with eight days of preamble turned out two considerable surprises. Andre Iguodala, while taking the brunt of James’s post work throughout the game and wonderfully contesting every attempt along the way, played one of his best games as a Warrior. It’s been years since Iguodala looked to the basket with any consistent intent to score. Early in his Finals debut, he crossed up James on one of his very first touches and drove into the teeth of the defense for a dunk. This is the same player who scored in single digits for 12 of the Warriors’ first 15 playoff games. Then, against Golden State’s stiffest competition in its highest-stakes game yet, he kept looking for opportunities to contribute in a way that has largely eluded him during his time with the Warriors.

• MORE NBA: LeBron sets Finals high | Curry shakes LeBron | Highlights

Cleveland benefited from the welcome contributions of Timofey Mozgov, a player whose role in a matchup against the well-spaced, fast-paced Warriors seemed reasonable to question. It took Mozgov time to feel out how he might participate in Cleveland’s offense. After some initial awkwardness, he found the right cadence to roll and cut to the rim without getting in James’s way as he worked from the opposite post. Mozgov corralled passes and finished strong around the rim to beat the Warriors’ help outright. Bolstered by his solid work on defense and a handful of tap-out offensive rebounds, Mozgov staked claim to a place in Cleveland’s finishing lineup and its greater plans for this series.

lebron-james-cavaliers-stephen-curry-warriors-nba-finals-game-1.jpg — John W. McDonough for Sports Illustrated

This is the beauty of the NBA Finals. Players likes James and Stephen Curry (26 points, eight assists) are expected to show. The swing of the series often comes from the play of their less heralded counterparts: Those like Iguodala and Mozgov who give their teams just the right lift at just the right time. Had the Cavaliers hit another shot or two in regulation, Mozgov—who also made two clutch free throws to tie the game with 31 seconds remaining—would be a folk hero in a Game 1 upset. Instead, Iguodala will ride high knowing he turned out to be a perfect complementary ingredient on a night when his team wasn’t quite clicking.

Kyrie Irving's injury dooms Cavaliers in Game 1, and possibly rest of Finals

One can only hope that every game the rest of the way in these Finals is decided by so thin a margin. Unfortunately, an overtime collision between Kyrie Irving and Klay Thompson ended Irving’s strong performance in a limp. He was forced to exit the game early, his televised retreat marked by evident and considerable pain in his left leg. Irving was a necessary counterbalance to James and a surprisingly effective defender in his Finals debut. Everything Cleveland does changes without him, if only for the effect that losing a player capable of playing 44 quality minutes must now be replaced by piecemeal role players.

• MORE NBA: SI's Finals coverage | Playoff schedule | Finals subplots

A game like Thursday’s, by the nature of its tied score through four quarters, was decided by the smallest of plays. It’s possible that the series could now pivot on that single one—a fateful possession with unfortunate, incidental contact. We’ve seen how close these teams are and how competitive their bouts might be. Losing a healthy Irving unsettles the entire balance, putting a damper on what had been a fantastic look at a series that may never be.

GALLERY: SI's best photos from Game 1 of NBA Finals

SI's Best Photos from Game 1 of the NBA Finals

John W. McDonough for Sports Illustrated

SI's Best Photos from Game 1: Steph Curry and the Golden State Warriors got the better of LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 1 of the NBA Finals, winning 108-100 in overtime. The Game 1 victor of the NBA Finals has a 48-20 series record.

LeBron James scored a finals-best 44 points against Golden State, but saw his team fall in overtime in Game 1 of the NBA Finals.

Andre Iguodala scored 15 points off the bench for the Warriors, including this dunk.

Kyrie Irving had a great opening game, beating the Warriors off the dribble to score 23 before he left with an injured leg.

Cleveland center Tristan Thompson and Golden State center Andrew Bogut battle for the ball.

Timofey Mozgov had a couple of massive slams against the Warriors.

Steph Curry pressures Kyrie Irving.

Klay Thompson puts up a runner over the outstretched hands of Tristan Thompson.

LeBron James was matched up against Steph Curry on more than one occassion.

Tristan Thompson looses the handle on the ball in a second-half sequence.

Marreese Speights of Golden State keeps the ball away from J.R. Smith. Speights scored eight points in nine minutes and had two rebounds.

LeBron James launches one of his 38 shots.

The Warriors rallied from an early 14-point deficit, much to the delight of their bench and their fans.

Kyrie Irving played solid defense on Steph Curry at times, blocking this shot and another in the final seconds of regulation to force overtime.

Fans show their love for Riley and Steph Curry.

Andrew Bogut attempts to stop LeBron James.

Klay Thompson sizes up Iman Shumpert.

J.R. Smith made 3 of 13 from the field and was the only Cleveland reserve to score in Game 1.

LeBron James gave Golden State fits in regulation, but missed three shots and had two turnovers in overtime.

Draymond Green brings the ball upcourt.

Tristan Thompson played a team-high 47 minutes for Cleveland, scoring two points and pulling down 15 rebounds.

J.R. Smith's hairdo was flashier than his game in the Finals opener.

Kyrie Irving made 10 of 22 shots and contributed six assists, seven rebounds, four steals and two blocks.

Steph Curry does a postgame interview after scoring 26 points with eight assists.

The Warriors treated the home crowd and a national tv audience to a rendition of the National Anthem by 10-year-old San Jose resident Nayah Damasen.

Published Jun 5, 2015

ROB MAHONEY

Rob Mahoney is an NBA writer dedicated to the minutiae of the game of basketball, its overarching themes and everything in between. He joined the Sports Illustrated staff in 2012.