NBA: Thanks to Record Curry – Warriors also win Game 2!

The Golden State Warriors have beaten the Cleveland Cavaliers again. Game 2 of the NBA Finals goes to the reigning champion with 122:103 (BOXSCORE) – Stephen Curry sets a new record for three scored in the finals.

As in Game 1, the Warriors had to do without Andre Iguodala and coach Steve Kerr admitted he did not know if the final MVP of 2015 will still play in this series. Klay Thompson, on the other hand, got fit in time and was in the starting five – as was JaVale McGee, who preferred the centre position over Kevon Looney this time. The Cavaliers’ lineup remained unchanged.

However, the game got off to a different start than in the first game. The Warriors acted immediately with more focus and hit their first seven litters all together – six of them were Dunks or Layups, plus a Thompson triple. After less than four minutes, it was already 15:6 for the Dubs when Ty Lue took his first break. However, the Cavs did not let themselves be intimidated and were also better in the game afterwards. Kevin Durant got his second foul early and went out, so the Cavs got closer again. Despite the good Warriors start, there was only a 32:28 lead after twelve minutes.

This quickly grew to 9 points in the second quarter, as Durant and Thompson hit their throws and Jordan Clarkson nipped the Cavs momentum in the bud on the other side. Cleveland pushed back briefly, then it was Stephen Curry and Shaun Livingston who raised the score to 11. The Cavs were left without field goal for five minutes at times, Curry and Durant hit back-to-back threesomes for a 15-point lead. We took a break at 59:46.

While the third quarter usually belongs to the Warriors, this time it was the Cavs who found their rhythm offensively and started the run again. Kevin Love caught fire and sunk three triples, James also mobilized his reserves again and brought the Cavs up to 6 points. On the other side, however, Thompson prevented something worse again and again. Before the last run it was 90:80 for the Dubs.

The Cavs tried a last comeback, especially Curry had obviously no desire for excitement any more. Twice he let Larry Nance fly into space and then hit from downtown, then he let several completely wild off-balance triples fly over Love – and then it was all at once 18 points ahead. Consequently, Lue took his starters off the field four minutes before the end.

Curry ended the game with 33 points (11/26 FG, 9/17 3FG), 8 assists and 7 rebounds, Durant made 26 points (10/14 FG), 9 rebounds and 7 assists, Thompson scored 20 points, McGee 12 points (6/6 FG). In the Cavs, James scored 29 points, 13 assists and 9 rebounds, and overtook Kareem Abdul-Jabbar during the game to earn the second most final points in NBA history. Love scored 22 points and 10 rebounds, George Hill scored 15 points.

Game 3 of the series takes place on the night of Thursday in Cleveland (at 3 am on DAZN).

Golden State Warriors v Cleveland Cavaliers 122:103, Series 2:0 (BOXSCORE)

More than three quarters of Curry was outstanding in transition, but in half-field he had problems as a scorer. In the last quarter, however, all the dams broke and with several wild throws the double MVP decided the game in the end almost single-handedly. He scored a total of nine threesomes, surpassing Ray Allen’s old finals record – and in addition, he sometimes had quite outstanding playmaking. But Durant and Thompson were also really strong.

Smith didn’t have a drop-out like in game 1 this time, but again he didn’t get enough. At the front the throw did not fall (5 points, 2/9 FG), defensively he tried but did not look good in some scenes. Jeff Green didn’t exactly cover himself with fame either.

McGee’s entry into the Starting Five was no surprise, as McGee had also opened the second half in Game 1, but it paid off even more in this game. Even though the center has had mental dropouts in the defense from time to time – his athleticism and his skills as a finisher make him the only real roll man in the Warriors, which gives the team an offensive new component. Pick’n’Rolls with the classic Rim Runner McGee proved to be a good remedy against the more defensive switchery of the Cavs, especially since Cleveland has no Rim Protector to keep him from finishing at the basket.