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A20 SPORTS
Saturday 3 June 2017
Curry, Durant power Warriors past Cavs in Game 1, 113-91

JANIE McCAULEY in the Finals you get a ‘W,’
AP Sports Writer we’ll take it,” Durant said.
OAKLAND, California (AP) James wound up with 28
— Kevin Durant drove points, 15 rebounds and
through the lane un- eight assists a day after
touched for dazzling dunks. dealing with bigotry far
He dished off even when away from basketball.
he could have slammed it Someone painted a ra-
home, and did it all on de- cial slur on the gate of his
fense. Los Angeles home, leav-
Oh, he hit from long range, ing James to address rac-
too. What a dominant NBA ism rather than his seventh
Finals opener with the War- straight Finals appearance
riors. Durant finished with or stopping KD. James said
38 points, eight rebounds he would do his best to be
and eight assists to lead ready for the series opener
Golden State past LeBron when his mind was else-
James and the defending where, concerned for his
champion Cleveland Cav- wife and children back in
aliers, 113-91 on Thursday Ohio.
night in Game 1. “We did a great job of
As this highly anticipated covering the 3-point line
rematch tipped off at last, but other than that they
the biggest difference played a hell of a game,”
from last year was clear. James said.
“KD,” James said. Durant punished Cleve-
Stephen Curry did his share land for leaving him free,
by scoring 28 points with six taking the ball to the hoop
3-pointers and 10 assists as for emphatic dunks as a
this sure-to-be thrilling trilo- man on a mission to deliver
gy began, a long-expect- what he came for: a cham-
ed, spectacular grand fi- pionship. He had six slams
nale envisioned ever since in the first half alone for the
that July day Durant left Warriors, who at 13-0 are
Oklahoma City to join the already the first team to go
Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James (23) shoots against Golden State Warriors forward Kev- loaded Warriors. this far in a postseason un-
in Durant (35) during the first half of Game 1 of basketball’s NBA Finals in Oakland, Calif., Thursday, “We could be a lot better blemished.
June 1, 2017. than we were tonight but “They’re the best I’ve ever
Associated Press seen,” Cavs coach Tyronn
Lue said. “They’re 13-0.
They’re constantly break-
ing records every year.”
Game 2 in the series is Sun-
day night back at Oracle
Arena with its deafening
sellout crowd.
Once his night was finally
done, Durant found moth-
er Wanda at the end of the
Warriors bench and held
her in a warm embrace.
He had won the first battle
with King James.
“Those are two big house-
hold names, so we know
you guys and the fans are
going to want to see that
and pick up on it,” said act-
ing Warriors coach Mike
Brown, facing a Cleveland
franchise that fired him not
once but twice. “I’m sure
LeBron probably thinks he
could play better, and you
tip your hat off to KD.”
Kyrie Irving, who hit the
deciding 3-pointer with
Curry’s hand in his face last
June as Cleveland rallied
from a 3-1 series deficit to
win its first championship,
scored 24 points on 10-of-
22 shooting.q