It wasn’t easy, but Stephen Curry and the Warriors beat the Rockets to capture the first game of the conference finals.
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Warriors’ Game 1 win shows why Curry was the MVP
Harden didn’t have anyone helping him that way. Most of his shots looked like this.
This is part of Curry’s brilliance. He’s able to dominate in a way that makes the game look easy. It starts with that effortless release but it’s also because of his understanding of how an offense should run. Teams can’t load up on him because he never pounds the ball into the floor. They can’t make one game plan for him because he can beat them in numerous ways. There’s the pick-and-roll, which no one is better at running. There’s the pull-up three-pointers. And, as we saw Tuesday night, there’s his ability to play off the ball.
Read Article >Curry outduels Harden, Warriors take 1-0 lead
The teams traded baskets for the next 12 minutes. Curry continued to launch, and hit, bombs from deep. Green, who had 13 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists, created plays and points with his passing. James Harden, who hit 11 of his 20 shots from the field, hit some acrobatic left-handed layups.
But less than two minutes into the fourth quarter, Howard was forced to exit the game. He appeared to be dealing with a left knee injury, one which he likely sustained on the play below, during the first quarter.
Read Article >Green, Ariza pile up during Game 1
Draymond Green has never shied away from doing anything to gain an advantage. During Game 1, that included subtly holding Trevor Ariza from getting back on defense despite the fact it meant Green got hit in the face several times.
In the end, officials ruled the knees to the head and grabbing were all incidental and no foul was called.
Read Article >Curry beats halftime buzzer with nasty step-back
How many other guys in the league can pull this off?
Read Article >Smart Warriors kid uses protective ear muffs
Note to all parents: this is how you playoff sports.
Read Article >Howard leaves Game 1 with knee injury
Ezra Shaw/Getty ImagesDisaster almost struck the Houston Rockets early in the first quarter of its first Western Conference Finals game against the Warriors. Dwight Howard injured his knee on a rebound sequence and had to leave the game. He returned for a while, but left the game again in the fourth quarter.
It looked like Josh Smith rolled into Howard’s left knee as he was chasing a rebound. Howard tried walking it off, but eventually walked back to the locker room under his own power before coming back in late in the first quarter.
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