Finals Live Thread: Cavs @ Warriors, Game 1 (#Threequel)
2017-06-01
Blame the recent Ct:B debate about who’s the best Joker for the title picture on this thread… y’all should know by now that’s how my entertainment-corrupted brain works. Yet, it’s a pretty fitting reference to the Cavs’ de facto Batman and Robin in LeBron James and Kyrie Irving. The dynamic duo will have to be at the top of their game once again to fell the Suicide Squad of Warriors and prove their legions of national media hype-o-chondriacs spend way too much time gushing over regular season analytics.
It’s probably going to be difficult for this threequel to live up to last year’s sequel, though. It’s rare that you even get a sequel that’s better than the original (Godfather II, Star Trek: Wrath of Khan and The Empire Strikes Back are the only ones that stand out to me), let alone a threequel. Especially, when that sequel resulted in a historic comeback that culminated in the first Cleveland major sports championship in more than five decades. However, both teams are significantly better than their previous incarnations. There are new players in the mix, deeper benches, and no real injuries to speak of, as both teams are well rested.
These two teams know each other, have watched and studied each other from afar all season, and also don’t particularly like each other all that much. Somehow, and maybe for the first time in recent memory, the reigning champs are cast as the underdogs. The challengers who were at one point the golden boys of basketball, have been recast as the villains. Both of these narratives were made possible by Kevin Durant adhering to the old adage of “if you can’t beat ’em… join ’em.”
At this point… everything’s been said. The die is about to be cast. The pressure will be officially on…
The starting lineups look like this…
For the Cavaliers: Kyrie Irving, J.R. Smith, LeBron James, Kevin Love and Tristan Thompson.
For the Warriors: Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, Kevin Durant, Draymond Green and ZaZa Pachulia.
Prediction: There’s nothing rational at all about this series or the hype leading up to this series… so why not go with an irrational prediction… Cavs outlast the Dubs 125-122 in overtime to shock the sellout crowd at Oracle… and the 93% of the population who think Golden State will win this series easily.
Catch all the action on ABC starting at 9pm (EST). And, don’t forget to share your thoughts here on Cavs: the Blog!
Here’s my favorite threequel hype video so far this year… (yes, there are a few GS highlights in there too, but make sure you watch it until the end…)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W4YpM7gkVPs
LET’S GO CAVS!!!
![Instacap [R4G1]: Warriors 113, Cavs 91 (The Feelout Game)](https://cavstheblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/WIN_20170602_01_00_31_Pro.jpg "Instacap [R4G1]: Warriors 113, Cavs 91 (The Feelout Game)")
cavs have 12 TOs and ton of missed wide open shots really aren’t running an offense and have lost bunch of rebounds…yet are only down 8….gotta get good start to third quarter and maybe a hard foul on durant or curry?
We need to continue limiting Curry/Dray/Klay. Minimize their impact. The team should be prepared that GS will make adjustments too.
Given the 12/1 turnover ratio and 42/16 pts in the paint, you would think we should be down 20.
Easily could be…
MAYBE GIVE CHANNING A LITTLE RUN FOR T.T. THE 2ND HALF
Down 8 much better than down 18. Lots of things to clean up. Tt and Jr have been awful, korver cold and RJ looking like a corpse. Lets see the second half!
Durant has to be tired after all those monster dunks…he’ll be a shadow of himself second half… the
WHEN T.T. IS A NO SHOW THIS IS WHERE BOGUT WOULD HAVE BEEN A NICE ADDITION
Yep. That was a huge loss.
Last year, Game 1 was 52-43 GS at the half…
It’s a miracle that Golden State isn’t up by 20. If we can fix the defensive rebounding issues, we have a chance.
They get a lot of calls.
I think it’s certain we’re going to step up the overall game come 2nd half.
And only down 8.
I’m fine with this ATM.
The Cavs should be down by double digits. They have to wake up defensively.
It’s very difficult to be mad at the score. But man we played terribly
11 TOs to 1. Getting killed on the defensive glass. Korver firing bricks. Poor D. Only down 8.
Cavs played like Total garbage and are down 8
Lots of miracle shots though, from Kyrie especially but also Love. Can’t rely on that.
My guts told me that Korver doesn’t deliver under the spotlight. I’ve never seem him deliver in a big moment. I really hope I’m wrong and he comes through in this series, but not so far.
Someone needs to hit him upside the head and piss him off to get his mind off it.
He has had wide open looks. KK hits two of those and it’s a 2 pt game
They HAVE to slow down in the second half and make the Warriors work on D.
I actually like the feel of this game. Cavs playing well, just need to clean up turnovers. They have the warriors in range.
Looks like LeBron just said he can’t get a feel for the ball
KK not hitting opened shots…
Could be a lot worse.
Damn it Kyle!
It would be freaking amazing if Korver could hit a freaking shot…that was a huge miss…
Man, they needed that shot from Korver. But lucky to be within single digits.
Korver has to hit that
Why the eff didn’t JR shoot that?
Exactly!
Well… at least it’s single digits…
Only down 8 with how bad they are playing. We got this game. False confidence gonna doom GS. KD SAYING THEY CANT GUARD HIM. Wait till second half bruh
An unbelievable 12/1 on turnovers and we still could be just down six
Just a complete flop by Durant. He started falling before Lebron ever made contact
Flop maybe, but Lebron was out of control…easy call for refs…
Ohmigod. Flop by KD.
Durant MOVING the WHOLE TIME
It’s a no call. He was falling backwards before LeBron even hit him
We can’t end up with Kevin guarding Kevin.
Gotta agree with van Gundy blatant Carry by KD
These guys are pointing out what KD gets away with… carrying every possession…
He always has, but it’s poitnless to talk about it, since it is never called…
https://twitter.com/cavs/status/870462404915625984
Big blown calls already
Why would they switch Kyrie onto KD?
Our Big 3 is performing well. Time for the rest of the team to step up the 2nd half. TT MIA.
We need to try something in the second half if Tristan is gonna suck
Wow… KD clearly out of bounds on that last one…
Another missed call by the refs gives the dubs two points.
Second-chance points feels like it’s about 40-0. But only 14-8? According to ABC graphic.
Kyridiculous! And he should have an and one every time since Dray hacks him…
LEBRON MAY HAVE TO HAVE A ” FATHER–SON ” TALK WITH T.T. AT HALFTIME —THIS IS WHERE WE WERE SUPPOSED TO HAVE THE MOST LOPSIDED MATCH UP
Getting Love going will even this out…
Stopping the turn overs, giving up second shots and wide open dunks wouldn’t hurt.
Well this wasn’t ever going to be easy. The warriors are the real deal.
Agree.
Nice 3 Kev. Gotta slice this lead below 5
Nice Kev!
Love in your face Draymond with the 3!
On pace for 20+ turnovers…ain’t gonna cur it…
James. With way too many blind passes.
Six to’s
Rar. Only good news is tons of room for improvement
Man, did we take stupid pills? Awful D. Poor shooting. Poor rebounding. Lucky we aren’t down 20. We will be soon at this rate. Go at Green.
Still a close range game. Officiating will even out on the second half.
Things that I worry are Steph, Green and Klay aren’t doing much yet.
If they let this get physical then put the pain in them. Wore these guys out
Cavs refusing to allow them to get in a three point rhythm in transition even to let Durant dunk it. I’m not sure it’s a bad decision. We can handle two points…but if they hit a couple threes in a row we’ll have a tough time stopping the momentum
Thats fine then just foul him at least
It’s almost like they WANTo give up dunks instead of threes…
TT looks like a shell of himself so far
F*ck Khloe
Wtf are the Cavs doing? Cavs playing at GS pace.
Wrap him and take him down… Stop giving him an opened lane.
What are the Cavs doing? Seriously?!
Lue’s secret layup line defense…classic rope-a-dope…let the Dubs exhaust themselves dunking…
Lol! ?????
How many dunks are we going to let KD have uncontested?
NEED MORE OF THE “CELTICS ” T.T.—-SHOULD BE DOMINATING
How many wide open dunks can they give the Spineless Wonder.
Warriors don’t even look like they’re trying on O. On D, they’re just putting length in front of guys. Crazy
Does KD have a force field around him that we can’t see??
Dunk/ layup line for the Dubs so far….I’m sure Cols thinks it’s horrible basketball…
Tristan has been Terrible…
Pass the gd ball, get it back ki.
lue won’t sleep tonight trying to come up with defense for game 2
Bout time