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Game 1 of the NBA Finals didn’t go as planned for LeBron James as the Cleveland Cavaliers fell to the Golden State Warriors 113-91 in disappointing fashion.
What started as a tightly knit, back-and-fourth contest quickly became an offensive showcase for the Warriors' dynamic duo, Kevin Durant and Stephen Curry, who finished with 38 and 28 points respectively.
Both LeBron and Kyrie Irving had decent games, but neither played well enough to overcome the poor play of their surrounding cast and the dominant display by the Warriors. Irving finished with 24 PTS on 46% and 2 AST while James added 28 PTS on 45% shooting to go along with 15 REB and 8 AST. Unfortunately, the rest of the Cavaliers combined to shoot a miserable 11/41 (26.8%).
Although I’m sure he’d prefer the win, even in loss LeBron was able to bolster his resume. In Game 1, James managed to:
Become the first player in NBA history to reach 6,000 career points in the NBA playoffs
Become the first player in NBA history to make 70 career 3-point shots in the NBA Finals
Pass Reggie Miller for second all-time 3PT made in the NBA playoffs
Pass Horace Grant, Elvin Hayes, and Darryl Dawkins for 12th all-time in blocked shots during the NBA Finals
Pass Tom Heinsohn for 7th all-time in made field goals during the NBA Finals
Pass Magic Johnson for 8th all-time in rebounds during the NBA Finals
The Cavaliers will look to bounce back in Game 2 of the NBA Finals which takes place on Sunday, June 4th at 8:00 PM EST.
LeBron Fact: LeBron James is one of only eight players in NBA history to have won Rookie of the Year, Regular Season MVP, and Finals MVP. The other seven - Wilt Chamberlain, Willis Reed, Wes Unseld, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Larry Bird, Michael Jordan and Shaquille O’Neal.
NBA Playoff & Finals Career Leader Board
