Game 2 Notes: Nothing Stunning At All
The Cavs have been having their way with the Warriors for most of the series so far. The first 2 games have been controlled by Cleveland throughout, with leads being elusive and short-lived for these overly-hyped regular season Warriors. It could be 2-0 either way, but each game had the Cavs ahead with the Warriors making late runs to get back in the game.
I sense the virginity at Oracle. True, the Cavs organization has no NBA championships, but there’s 9 championship rings on that roster compared to 0 worn by Warriors. I don’t even think a Warrior player has ever even been to the Finals, whereas the Cavs have 22 previous Finals games on the roster. [See Tales of the Tape for the lowdown]
Steve Kerr is much loved and respected around the NBA. He won 5 rings as a player and was popular on TV. But he’s a virgin as a coach. Blatt has coached 17 championships. 17. Discount that all you want, it’s still more than Kerr.
Steph Curry is much loved and respected around the NBA. Steve Nash perhaps helped the Cavs last week by declaring Curry the best shooter of all time! But he’s a baby-faced virgin too, on a bigger stage than he’s ever been on.
The media is still amazed at how this supposedly superior Warriors team and being handled by what they consider a 1-man show from a weak conference coached by a newbie. None of this is true, even though it’s the narrative they are all pushing.
Golden State is the latest NBA gimmick, and gimmick’s don’t always win championships. Sometimes they do, and I’m not writing off the Warriors completely. I do believe they were the best regular season team but that means nothing now. They are still capable of shooting 50% from 3 and spanking the Cavs. It’s a long series.
You are now going to see the best basketball player in the world play in front of the best fans in the best NBA arena. Sure Oracle might be slightly louder, but it’s due to the ancient building’s lack of acoustic treatment, not because Warriors fans are somehow more psyched than Cleveland fans.
No California sports fans are out-rooting Cleveland sports fans. Cavs fans know the game, know that defense is more important than “splashing”, and know when it comes down to the game on the line, they’d take Lebron Ramone James over anyone not named Michael circa 1992.
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