NBA legend Magic Johnson knows exactly what made the difference for the Los Angeles Lakers in their Game 1 win over the Golden State Warriors.

Defense.

According to Johnson, the Lakers' ability to make key stops allowed them to edge the Warriors in crunch time and eventually take the 117-112 win.

“The key to last night's victory was the Lakers defense!” Magic Johnson wrote in a tweet on Wednesday.

Johnson also heaped praise on the Lakers' role players like D'Angelo Russell, Dennis Schroder and Austin Reaves for stepping up offensively. However, he knows very well that the win wouldn't have been possible had it not been for the intimidating defense they established early on.

Anthony Davis, who led the way for the Lakers with 30 points and 23 rebounds, took the lead on the defense as well with his four blocks. His rim protection forced the Warriors to think twice when attacking the basket, and the Dubs eventually settled to take more triples even in tough situations.

The Warriors attempted 53 triples in the game but made only 21. The Lakers held the Dubs to just roughly 40 percent shooting overall and from the 3-point line.

Making matters worse for the Warriors, Curry was limited to just 24 shot attempts in the contest after attempting 38 in Game 7 against the Sacramento Kings. The Lakers forced Curry to surrender the ball multiple times, thereby limiting his effectiveness.

For what it's worth, even LeBron James himself credited the Lakers' defense for the win following Game 1. While he warned his teammates that it's just the first step for them, he was proud of the way the team locked down the Dubs.

It remains to be seen if the Lakers can maintain their defensive intensity, but they are definitely on the right path.