The Wine and Gold enter Game 2 looking to bounce back and even the series after dropping Game 1, 104-89, on Thursday night in Oakland.
Despite the loss, three Cavs players register point-rebound double-doubles for the first time this postseason: LeBron James (23 pts, 12 rebs), Kevin Love (17 pts, 13 rebs) and Tristan Thompson (10 pts, 12 rebs). The last time the team accomplished that feat in the playoffs also occurred against the Warriors on June 16, 2015 (James, Thompson, Mozgov).
The Cavs are outrebounding opponents, 43.3 to 37.3 (+6.0), the 2nd-biggest differential among all 16 postseason teams. In Game 1 against the Warriors, Cleveland won the battle on the glass, 47-41.
Golden State will look to take a 2-0 series lead on Sunday after their bench carried them to a victory in Game 1.
The Warriors second unit outscored the Wine and Gold’s reserves, 45-10, led by former Cavalier Shaun Livingston’s playoff career-high 20 points of the bench. In three games against Cleveland, regular and postseason, Livingston has gone 18-of-21 from the floor, averaging 13.3 points per.
The Warriors needed all the help they could get from their second unit as the Splash Brothers struggled from the floor, going a combined 8-for-27 on the night. Draymond Green doubled-up with 16 points and 11 boards, but even he wasn’t as big a factor as Golden State’s reserves.
LeBron James posted his 8th double-double of the 2016 Playoffs after tallying 23 points, 12 rebounds, a game-high nine assists, two steals and one block in 41 minutes during Game 1. He also passed Larry Bird (1,683 REB) for 10th place in postseason rebounds and is now the only player in NBA playoff history to rank in the Top 10 in points (4th w/5,387), rebounds (10th w/1,691) and assists (3rd, w/1,295). He also became the all-time Finals leader in three-pointers made (57) with his second triple on Thursday, passing Robert Horry (56) and Ray Allen (56).
Kyrie Irving finished with a game-high 26 points, a playoff career-high 11-12 (.917) makes from the free throw line, three rebounds, four assists and three steals in 38 minutes at Golden State on Thursday night. Irving has now scored at least 20 points in 13 of the 15 playoff games so far.
Kevin Love notched his 10th double-double of the 2016 Playoffs with 17 points, a game-high 13 rebounds, two assists and one steal in 37 minutes against the Warriors in Game 1. Love’s 10 double-doubles rank 2nd in the NBA this postseason.
Tristan Thompson posted his 1st double-double of the 2016 Playoffs (10th of postseason career) in Game 1 after recording 10 points, 12 rebounds and one block in 31 minutes. Thompson has pulled down 10 rebounds or more in all seven of his NBA Finals appearances, which includes a double-double in each of the last five Finals contests. Over his Finals career, he is averaging 10.0 points and 12.9 rebounds (5.4 offensive) in 39.7 minutes.
