The Golden State Warriors have hit the first blow in the NBA Finals, after winning Game 1 of the NBA Finals. They defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers in the first game of the best-of-seven series. It finished 104-89.
Golden State's bench proved to be the difference between the two teams. Shaun Livingston was the Warriors' top-scorer. He scored 20 points and ended up playing more than half of the game.
The Cavaliers' main stars performed far better than their rivals. LeBron James, Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love ended up scoring a combined 66-points for the team as the rest of their players struggled.
The Warriors' bench outscored the Cavs' bench by 35 Pts, the largest bench scoring differential in the last 50 yrs. pic.twitter.com/2uBd6yJP8n
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) June 3, 2016
Steph Curry, the NBA's unanimous MVP, struggled in the opening game. The 28-year-old scored 11-points, and saw four of his team mates end up with higher totals, including two from the bench.
Despite the win, head coach Steve Kerr showed his frustration at the team, by taking out his anger on a clipboard. After the game, Kerr admitted he did to the clipboard what he could not do to the players.
The second game of the Finals takes place in the early hours of Monday morning in California, before Cleveland are given home advantage in the following two games.
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