The reigning and back-to-back champion Golden State Warriors handed the Portland Trail Blazers a dispiriting 116-94 loss in Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals. The Warriors’ mission in Game 2, of course, will be to keep rolling over the Trail Blazers’ spirits on their way to a 2-0 series lead.
Taking care of business tonight will keep Golden State on track in its quest for a third-straight championship trophy. For starters, the Warriors must continue moving the ball because a big reason for their commanding 22-point Game 1 win was ball movement.
Golden State’s identity is rooted in passing. When the Warriors are patient and make the right pass, as often as necessary for the right shot opportunity to emerge, great things happen.
With fewer than three minutes on the clock in the first quarter, Shaun Livingston dished the ball to Stephen Curry who had rotated right, beyond the arc, to the same spot from which he had banked a three-pointer on the previous possession.
Drawing a crowd, Curry dished the ball to Livingston, who was cutting through the paint. But instead of attempting a layup or slam through traffic (which probably would have been blocked or stripped away), Livingston threw it out to Alfonzo McKinnie near the top of the key.
McKinnie was wide-open for a three-point attempt and banked it in.
From Curry’s initial pass to Livingston to McKinnie’s three-ball swishing through the net took all of five seconds.
Moreover, all but two players recorded assists for the Warriors, with Curry tallying a game-high seven, followed by Draymond Green and Andre Iguodala (five apiece) and Klay Thompson and Jordan Bell (three apiece).
As a team, the Warriors out-assisted the Trail Blazers, 30-21, but also managed to record seven fewer turnovers than Portland. If the Warriors maintain their legendary ball movement, taking Game 2 tonight in the Western Conference Finals for the 2-0 series lead should be no problem.
Tipoff is Thursday, May 16, at 9 p.m. from Oracle Arena (ESPN).
