The Golden State Warriors beat up the Cleveland Cavaliers 104-89 on Thursday night in Game 1 of the NBA Finals. The biggest story of the night was the Warriors’ bench who was able to outscore the Cavs’ bench 45-10, while Klay Thompson and Steph Curry only combined for 20 points.
One of the major factors in the Warriors’ win was 2015 Finals MVP Andre Iguodala, who came off the bench with 12 points, 7 rebounds, and 6 assists in 36 minutes. He also played a vital role on the defensive end, guarding LeBron James.
Warriors’ head coach Steve Kerr knows well enough just how important Iguodala has been to the Warriors' tremendous success and couldn’t say enough about what Iggy does for the team.
Kerr on @andre: "He’s a brilliant basketball player. He doesnt get enough credit…he always settles us down & knows exactly what’s happening"
— GoldenStateWarriors (@warriors) June 3, 2016
Not to be outdone, Shaun Livingston also had an amazing game, scoring 20 points in 27 minutes off the bench and providing a lift for the Warriors with his mid-range jump shot, just as the Cavs seemed to be back in the game.
Game 1 comes as a bad sign for the LeBron and the Cavs who were able to shut down Curry and Thompson but somehow still lost the game by 15 points. It’s hard to imagine both Klay and Steph having many more off-nights like Thursday. And when they start making their shots, that 15-point lead could very well become 25 or 30. If the Cavs are to stand any chance, they are going to need bigger nights from their supporting cast off the bench. We’ll see what adjustments they make, if any, when Game 2 begins on Sunday at 8pm (EST).
[button width=”full” button size=”bigger” color=”custom” align=”center” textcolor=”#ffffff” texthcolor=”#ffffff” bgcolor=”#8b0000″ link=”https://clutchpoints.com/andre-iguodala-speaks-on-matthew-dellavedovas-foul-below-his-belt/”]NEXT: Andre Iguodala speaks on Matthew Dellavedova's foul below his belt[/button]
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