The Golden State Warriors crushed the Cleveland Cavaliers 113-91 in the opening game of the 2017 NBA Finals. The Cavs’ regular-season defensive struggles came back to haunt them as Kevin Durant shot for 38 points and Steph Curry sank an additional 28. After the game, Cavs star LeBron James admitted that he and his team have “got to figure out how to combat” an overpoweringly balanced lineup like the Warriors’. Sports analysts note, however, that game-one losses have not necessarily determined the series overall, as James has now lost six consecutive opening finals games but has come back to win three of the previous five series.
