If Game 1 between the Cleveland Cavaliers and Golden State Warriors was any indication, this NBA Finals has the makings of being one of the best.
Let’s look at the tale of the tape:
The stars. It was the Big 2 vs. The Splash Brothers. The stars were ready to perform on the NBA’s grandest stage Friday. LeBron James and Kyrie Irving combined for 67 points (James with 44) in the Cavs’ losing effort. League MVP Steph Curry (whose ) and Klay Thompson totaled 47 points for the Warriors.
And it wasn’t just their offense. Irving had one of the game’s biggest defensive plays with a in the final minute of regulation.
Momentum shifts. Any good storyteller knows that the key to capturing an audience’s attention is holding its emotions. With 13 lead changes and 11 ties, the bout was a nail-biter.
The game pulled a 12.9 overnight rating, the , according to Forbes. At its peak, the game garnered a 15.6 rating from 9:30-9:45 p.m. It was a 24-percent increase from last year’s opening game between the Miami Heat and the San Antonio Spurs.
The storylines. From LeBron’s legacy hanging in the balance, to Curry looking to cement his own to an NBA Finals, with two first-year head coaches, to the adorable Riley Curry, this series has it all.
The biggest one for the Cavs right now is Irving’s knee injury. If he comes back and is effective, that’s changes everything. If not, James needs a super-Herculean effort to carry Cleveland to the title.
Well, here’s to a great series. Game 2 on Sunday night can’t come fast enough.
CHEW ON THIS
• It’s National Doughnut Day. Go celebrate and get a sweet treat. To help, .
• Columnist Mark Kiszla writes how .
• Ben Paulsen has some big shoes to fill at first base, after the likes of Andres Galarraga, Todd Helton and Justin Morneau. Baseball reporter Patrick Saunders writes whether .
• The was announced Wednesday. The biggest snub? I’ll go with The Legend of Zelda.
• Happy 39th birthday, !
Joe Nguyen: jnguyen@denverpost.com or twitter.com/joenguyen
