2018 NBA Finals - Game 2: Cleveland Cavaliers 103-122 Golden State Warriors - 5 Talking Points

2018 NBA Finals - Game Two
2018 NBA Finals - Game Two

For the third straight year, the Golden State Warriors began their Finals campaign against their nemesis - the Cleveland Cavaliers - by taking care of home court in Oakland and ensuring that the series shifts to Cleveland with the home team staring at a 0-2 series deficit.

And a lot like the previous two years, both of these wins came by double digits - Game 1 by 10 and Game 2 by 19. However, what was different this year, was that the Dubs got lucky and escaped with a win in Game 1 but they weren't about to allow the same thing to happen in Game 2.

The defending champions put up a clinical performance on both ends of the floor to cruise to a far more comfortable and far less controversial win in Sunday's Game 2 as compared to Game 1 on Thursday.

Without beating around the bush any further, let's get right to it and discuss the biggest talking points from this Game 2 win for Golden State:

#The Cavaliers defense took an off-night on defense

2018 NBA Finals - Game Two
2018 NBA Finals - Game Two

Ideally, the Cleveland Cavaliers should have come out more focused than ever, wanting to at least steal one at Oracle Arena. If their demeanor at the media availability on Saturday was anything to go by, they seemed to have flipped the page on their disastrous end to Game 1.

But their performance in Game 2, especially on defense, said otherwise. First of all, they had the worst start possible, going down 15-6 while allowing the Warriors to shoot 7-of-7 over the first four minutes of the game. They did claw their way back into the game and hung around for most of it but some key stats are something they are going to need to work on.

The game was the Stephen Curry show but the Warriors, as a whole, shot 80% (20-of-25) in the restricted area and 71% in the paint. If you are the Cavaliers, that is just inexcusable. For anybody who watched the game, these numbers aren't surprising because Golden State had plenty of open drives and cuts to the lanes off of missed rotations and miscommunications by the Cavaliers.

Everytime Cleveland made a run, they failed to get a stop on key swing possessions and at the end of the day, those momentum changing sequences are what impact a game the most.

#4 3-ball doesn't fall for Cavaliers

2018 NBA Finals - Game One
2018 NBA Finals - Game One

Taking and making long-range shots is part of the Cavaliers' identity. Unfortunately, for them, they've struggled to find their groove in the Playoffs, making between 40-50% of their threes in only four of their 20 games so far.

With the 3-ball not being much of a weapon consistently, Cleveland has had to hang its hat on LeBron James and their team defense, both of which were neutralized in Game 2.

Last night, in Game 2, they shot 9-of-27 from distance. Of which, 8 were knocked down by LeBron, Kevin Love and George Hill so no "others" knocked down more than 1. Now, the Warriors have got to do a lot with why Kyle Korver has been non-existent in the Finals so far bu the Cavaliers have got to try harder to get this all-time 3-point shooter open.

Yes, he's a defensive liability but he can provide consistent reliable offense which Cleveland isn't running. While the "others" are struggling to make shots, Korver is averaging 3.0 3-point attempts per game in the Finals so far. They've got to run more plays, and be more disciplined so as to make him effective and thus be able to help the team stay afloat and get some bench offense.

#3 Led by JaVale McGee's energy, Warriors start hot and take control of the boards

2018 NBA Finals - Game Two
2018 NBA Finals - Game Two

A well-documented problem for the Warriors these Playoffs has been slow starts. There was none of that in Game 2, as they scored 32 in the first quarter by making 15-of-23 shots (65.2%).

A lot of that had to with JaVale McGee's insertion into the starting line-up. His numbers don't attract any attention on the stat sheet but it was the attitude and the energy that he brought that the Warriors carried forward. Instead of playing a slow, mucked-up game, they were deciding the game's tempo by running on every possession, especially when the Cavaliers were missing on their shot attempts.

Winning Game 1, the Warriors were lucky. Not only because of Cleveland's errors but also because of Golden State's shortcomings on the glass. They got outrebounded 53-38 in Game 1, which included getting beat 19-4 on the offensive glass. Although the offensive glass massacre continued, the Warriors better overall at rebounding the ball in Game 2.

In Game 2, the Warriors lost the rebounding battle only by 1 (41-42) despite being outrebounded on the offensive glass 16-7.

#2 Warriors' increased ball pressure on LeBron James

2018 NBA Finals - Game Two
Kevin Durant and LeBron James

The 51 points that LeBron James dropped on the Warriors in Game 1, was the most the franchise had allowed since 1994 when Charles Barkley erupted for 56. Given how great this Golden State team is as compared to that one, they weren't going to allow such a performance again and to their credit, they didn't.

They trapped LeBron on pick-and-rolls, forcing him to give up the ball and make the "others" on the Cavaliers make plays. They didn't switch on the screens involving Curry's man, something they did in Game 1 which meant Kevin Durant would remain on LeBron even after the screen.

From an eye test, they constantly had either KD or Draymond Green guarding James. Even when some other player was taking the duty to guard the King, they were in his face and making him uncomfortable, something Steve Kerr repeatedly mentioned he wanted the team to do.

Give the Warriors a lot of credit for making LeBron work harder and forcing the "others" on the Cavaliers to step-up, something that hasn't happened all Playoffs this year.

#1 Stephen Curry goes insane

2018 NBA Finals - Game Two
Stephen Curry

By Stephen Curry's superhuman standards, a tally of 33 points is quite pedestrian but by no means can his impact on the game be overlooked. On a night, where Durant and Klay Thompson also found their stroke, Curry reigned supreme by knocking down an NBA Finals record of 9 3-pointers while also grabbing 7 rebounds and dishing out 8 dimes.

The 2-time MVP was 9-of-17 from long distance and actually 2-of-9 inside the arc.

And unlike previous games in these Playoffs, his 9 daggers weren't a one-quarter onslaught. Yes, he did score 17 of his 33 points in the fourth but he had his flow and rhythm all through the game, knocking one down or making a play for the others everytime it seemed like the Cavaliers were getting close.

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Edited by Yash Matange