NBA 2018 Finals Game 1: The Battle Begins
Contents
The 2018 NBA Finals are here, and the battle for the championship begins tonight with Game 1 between the Golden State Warriors and the Cleveland Cavaliers Who will come out on top in this matchup of two basketball titans?
The lead up to the NBA Finals
It’s been a long road to the NBA Finals for both the Golden State Warriors and the Cleveland Cavaliers For the Warriors, it started back in training camp in September. The team has battled through injuries, slumps, and tough competition to come out on top of the Western Conference For the Cavaliers, it started with a trade deadline shakeup that saw them bring in a new lineup of players. The team has gelled together and forged a new identity under Head Coach Tyronn Lue. Now, after 82 regular season games and two months of playoff basketball, the NBA Finals are finally here.
The teams: Golden State Warriors vs Cleveland Cavaliers
The Cleveland Cavaliers and the Golden State Warriors will once again face off in the NBA Finals The Cavaliers are coming off a tough series against the Boston Celtics while the Warriors had a relatively easy time dispatching of the Houston Rockets This will be the fourth consecutive year that these two teams have met in the Finals, and it is sure to be an exciting series.
The Warriors are led by basketball superstar Stephen Curry who is fresh off of winning his second consecutive NBA MVP Award Curry is one of the best shooters in NBA history and is always a threat to score from anywhere on the court. He is supported by a talented group of players, including All-Stars Kevin Durant and Klay Thompson The Warriors are heavy favorites to win the series, but they will not take the Cavaliers lightly.
The Cavaliers are led by Lebron James who is widely considered to be one of the greatest basketball players of all time. James is coming off another stellar season in which he averaged over 27 points per game He will need to be at his best if the Cavaliers want to have a chance against the powerful Warriors team. Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love are also key members of the Cavaliers team and will need to step up their games if Cleveland is going to pull off an upset.
Tune in tomorrow night to watch Game 1 of this exciting series!
Game 1: The Battle Begins
The battle for the NBA Championship continues tonight as the Golden State Warriors take on the Cleveland Cavaliers in game one of the 2018 Finals. After an intense seven-game series, the Warriors emerged victorious against the Houston Rockets in the Western Conference finals, while the Cavaliers battled their way past the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference finals.
Both teams are coming into this series with a lot of momentum and will be looking to take an early lead in the best-of-seven series. The Warriors will be led by Steph Curry and Kevin Durant who are both averaging over 25 points per game in this year’s playoffs. The Cavaliers will be looking to Lebron James to help them take down the defending champions. James is averaging 34 points per game in this year’s playoffs and has been carrying his team throughout the postseason.
This will be a highly anticipated matchup between two of the best teams in the NBA and it is sure to be a battle until the very end. Be sure to tune into game one tonight at 9:00pm ET on ABC.
The Key Players Lebron James vs Steph Curry
In the best of 7 series that is the NBA Finals game 1 will set the tone for the rest of the games. The stage is set and the players are ready. The two best players in the world – Lebron James and Steph Curry – will go head to head. Who will come out on top?
There are many factors that will determine the outcome of this battle. Lebron James is coming off an injury, while Steph Curry is coming off a hot streak. Both players are incredible athletes with extraordinary skills.
The key to this game will be which player can impose their will on the other. Lebron James is a physical force, while Steph Curry is a master of precision shooting. If LeBron can keep Steph from getting into a groove, then he has a good chance of winning. If Steph can knock down some shots early, he could put pressure on LeBron and force him to make mistakes.
It’s going to be an exciting game, and we can’t wait to see who comes out on top!
The role of home court advantage
In the NBA, the home court advantage is often said to be worth about three points. This means that, on average, the home team can expect to score three more points than the away team.
However, this doesn’t mean that every team with a home court advantage will win by three points. In fact, home court advantage can be worth more or less than three points, depending on how good the two teams are. For example, if one team is much better than the other, then their home court advantage might only be worth one point. On the other hand, if the two teams are evenly matched, then their home court advantage might be worth five points.
In the 2018 NBA Finals both teams have a strong home court advantage The Golden State Warriors have a 67-15 record at home this season, while the Cleveland Cavaliers have a 61-21 record at home. This means that we can expect both teams to play well in front of their home fans.
In game one of the Finals, we saw how important home court advantage can be. The Cavaliers played very well in front of their home fans and won 113-91. This just goes to show that, even though the Warriors are favourites to win the series, it’s going to be tough for them to win games in Cleveland.
The importance of a strong start
In the NBA, the importance of a strong start cannot be understated. The team that wins the first game of the Finals has gone on to win the series 83% of the time. So, for the Cavaliers, starting off strong against the Warriors is crucial if they want to have any chance of winning the championship.
While the Cavaliers have been struggling as of late, they did manage to put up a good fight in Game 1. They were down by only four points at halftime, and they even took a brief lead in the third quarter. However, ultimately, the Warriors were too much for them and ended up winning by 11 points.
Despite their loss, there are still some positives that the Cavaliers can take away from Game 1. LeBron James was his usual brilliant self, scoring 41 points while also adding eight assists and eight rebounds. If he can keep playing at that level, then the Cavaliers will always have a chance. In addition, Kevin Love also had a good game, scoring 21 points and grabbing nine rebounds.
The Cavaliers will need to play better if they want to win Game 2 and even up the series. They will need to find a way to slow down Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant who combined for 57 points in Game 1. In addition, they will also need to find a way to score more consistently themselves. If they can do all of that, then they might just be able to steal a victory in Game 2 and head back home with the series tied at 1-1.
The x-factors in the series
In a best-of-seven series, every game matters. But some games matter more than others. Here are three x-factors that could make all the difference in the NBA Finals
The first is home court advantage. The team with the better record gets to start the series at home, and that can be a big advantage. The home crowd can be a big factor, and the home team usually gets more rest between games.
The second x-factor is fatigue. Both teams will be playing a lot of basketball over the next two weeks, and that can take a toll. The team that can stay fresh and focused will have a big advantage.
The third x-factor is coaching. The head coaches in this series are two of the best in the business, and they’ll both be trying to outsmart each other. The coach who can make the right adjustments could swing the series in his team’s favor.
The predictions
Both teams have been preparing for this moment, and the stage is set for an exciting battle. The Warriors are coming in as the favorites, but the Cavaliers have proved time and again that they should never be underestimated. Who will come out on top?
The reaction to Game 1
The reaction to Game 1 has been mixed, with some people calling it one of the best games ever and others saying that it was simply okay. However, one thing that everyone seems to agree on is that the level of competition was extremely high, with both teams giving their all.
Many people are predicting that the series will be a close one, with both teams having a strong chance of winning. However, some analysts are already giving the edge to the Golden State Warriors citing their experience and depth as major factors. Time will tell how this series plays out, but one thing is for sure – it is sure to be an exciting one!
The way forward
The Golden State Warriors and Cleveland Cavaliers will once again face off in the NBA Finals with Game 1 taking place on Thursday, May 31 at 9 p.m. ET on ABC.
The Warriors are seeking their third consecutive championship and fourth in the last five years, while the Cavaliers are looking to dethrone the defending champions and earn their second title in franchise history.
The two teams have met in the Finals in each of the last four seasons, with the Warriors winning three of those series. Golden State has won 12 of the last 13 games against Cleveland overall, dating back to the 2015-16 season.
During the regular season the Warriors went 58-24, while the Cavaliers went 50-32.
Golden State is led by two-time MVP Stephen Curry and reigning Finals MVP Kevin Durant The Warriors also have All-Stars in Draymond Green and Klay Thompson
Cleveland is spearheaded by Lebron James who is looking to make his eighth straight Finals appearance The Cavaliers also have All-Stars in Kevin Love and Kyrie Irving
This will be a battle for supremacy between two NBA juggernauts that are driven by their respective Big Threes.