The Golden State Warriors narrowly squeaked past the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 1 of the 2018 NBA Finals. Here are three keys to a more comfortable win in Game 2.
It’s rare that one image tells more of a story than highlights, but the look on LeBron James‘ face after J.R. Smith’s blunder at the end of regulation in Game 1 of the 2018 NBA Finals says it all.
James perplexingly grimaced at Smith, hands raised as the guard sauntered off aware of his own mistake. The Cleveland Cavaliers missed a golden opportunity to steal Game 1 at Oracle Arena. The Golden State Warriors know they must improve to avoid finding themselves down late in Game 2.
The Cavaliers are 8-1 at home in the playoffs with only two losses in Cleveland since early March. So it’s vital for the Warriors to repress the pedal, as a Game 2 home loss would completely change the feel of the series.
The Warriors didn’t play bad in Game 1. The team shot 51.1 percent from the field while sinking of their 20 free throws. They were demolished, however, in multiple vital areas of the game. Here are the changes that need to be made for Golden State in Game 2.