The Associated Press
OAKLAND, Calif.–Kevin Durant drove through the lane untouched for dazzling dunks. He dished off even when he could have slammed it home and did it all on defence.
Oh, he hit from long range, too.
What a dominant NBA Finals opener with the Warriors.
Durant finished with 38 points, eight rebounds, and eight assists to lead Golden State past LeBron James and the defending champion Cleveland Cavaliers 113-91 last night in Game 1.
As this highly-anticipated rematch tipped off at last, the biggest difference from last year was clear.
“KD,” James said.
Stephen Curry did his share by scoring 28 points, including six three-pointers, and adding 10 assists as this sure-to-be thrilling trilogy began–a long-expected, spectacular grand finale envisioned ever since that July day Durant left Oklahoma City to join the loaded Warriors.
“We could be a lot better than we were tonight but in the Finals you get a ‘W,’ we’ll take it,” Durant said.
James wound up with 28 points, 15 rebounds, and eight assists a day after dealing with bigotry far away from basketball.
Someone painted a racial slur–the N-word–on the gate of his home, leaving James to address racism rather than his seventh-straight Finals appearance or stopping KD.
James said he would do his best to be ready for the series-opener when his mind was elsewhere, concerned for his wife and children back in Ohio.
“We did a great job of covering the three-point line but other than that, they played a hell of a game,” he noted.
Durant punished Cleveland for leaving him free, taking the ball to the hoop for emphatic dunks as a man on a mission to deliver what he came for: a championship.
He had six slams in the first half alone for the Warriors, who at 13-0 already are the first team to go this far in a post-season unblemished.
“They’re the best I’ve ever seen,” said Cavs’ coach Tyronn Lue said.
“They’re 13-0. They’re constantly breaking records every year.”
Game 2 goes Sunday night back at Oracle Arena with its deafening sell-out crowd.
Kyrie Irving, who hit the deciding three-pointer with Curry’s hand in his face last June as Cleveland rallied from a 3-1 series deficit to win its first championship, scored 24 points on 10-of-22 shooting.
Kevin Love grabbed 21 rebounds and scored 15 points while Tristan Thompson was held scoreless to go with four boards.
This marks the first time in NBA history the same two teams played in three-straight Finals, and just the fourth time it has happened in the four major sports leagues.
