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Game 1 – Missed Opportunities

Wow what a game, what a story.

The big Russian dunks on everyone!
The big Russian dunks on everyone!

First off, message sent.  Everyone claiming the Warriors were clear favorites, ready to wipe the pathetic “leastern conference” champs out with ease, watched the Cavs handle the Warriors for most of the game. Cleveland responded to every Warriors run, made just as many big shots, and controlled much of the game. The “Roaracle” sat nervously on it’s collective hands.

Secondly – what a huge missed opportunity! The first team to get a road win takes the advantage and the Cavs had one right in their hands. They couldn’t finish it out in regulation, let the Dubs take a late lead, then had to tie it and had nothing good for the last shot. Lebron was very good but a stepback three is not needed there, he should have driven and looked for contact.

Then after 44 minutes played Kyrie tweeks his knee again and the Cavs collapse in OT. Uncle Drew had looked good until then, scoring on and defending MVP Curry, but it wasn’t enough.

Warriors are the deeper team but they looked small compared to the Cavs. They are also dirtier under the glass than I thought — holding, pulling, and applying arm-bars all over Tristan and Mozgov, and very few were called. Bogut and Green used every trick in the book to keep the Cavs off the glass, and most of them were illegal, but almost nothing was called.

I’m more surprised than mad about that. The Warriors were more physical than the Cavs and they got away with more dirty plays, and I expected that to be opposite.

I still say Cavs in 6 or Cavs in 7. Lebron, Mozgov and Kyrie played well for the Cavs but no one else really did. Lebron outscored the splash-bros by himself. If/when the Cavs click they are going to blow the Warriors out, hopefully they do it at least once in Oakland.


Previous NBA Finals posts:

NBA Finals Tales of the Tape

Cavs v Dubs: The Main Event