How Does Kyrie Irving's Injury Impact Warriors in Finals vs. Cavaliers?
The Golden State Warriors had enough trouble finding answers to every question LeBron James posed. Kyrie Irving playing like his healthy self presented the NBA's top team with a whole different set of problems in Game 1 of the 2015 Finals.
Irving was everywhere—dribbling Golden State's defense dizzy, flashing his silky smooth jumper, getting to the hole with complete control, picking off four Warriors passes and twice blocking Stephen Curry, the league's MVP—as if the Cleveland Cavaliers' eight-day break following a conference finals sweep of the Atlanta Hawks had miraculously rid his left knee of tendinitis.
Then, three minutes into overtime, with 44 minutes under his belt, Irving slipped and fell to the floor with the ball in his grasp, that pesky left knee once again giving way. The Warriors were already up seven at that point, but the sight of Irving limping off the floor all but sealed the deal for Golden State on the way to a 108-100 win.
"This one felt a little different," Irving said afterward (via Brandon Schlager of Sporting News). "I just felt something a little different in my knee. This time it was all my weight falling down on it. I don’t know exactly what happened."
The Cavaliers certainly hope Irving's latest setback won't be any worse than the one with which he's been coping since the second round of the playoffs. As it happens, so does Warriors coach Steve Kerr.
As much as Kerr may prefer the best of health for all the players involved in this series, deep down, he must know that Irving's absence can only strengthen Golden State's eventual claim to the NBA's throne.
Irving gave the Dubs fits in regulation. He tallied 23 points, dished out six assists and scrapped his way to seven boards before his knee buckled. With him fluid and effective on the floor, the Cavs could claim two game changers, two one-man offenses and two giant headaches for Golden State to handle.
If Irving can't go in Game 2, or even if he can't be something resembling that healthy self on Sunday, the Warriors' list of troubles will be that much shorter.
Not that Golden State will be out of the woods if Irving sits. James is still a load all his own, one the Warriors will be hard-pressed to stifle. The four-time MVP exploded for a Finals career-high 44 points to go along with eight rebounds and six assists on Thursday. His mid-range jumper was working early and his low-post game was lethal throughout.
The Dubs did have success against James, though. He needed 38 shots to rack up all those scores of his. Andre Iguodala, Golden State's hero of the game, earned at least half his stripes (if not more) by bodying up James on defense. It was Iguodala who stood up to James on the final possession of regulation and forced Cleveland's not-so-secret weapon into a tough 21-footer that went wanting—and wound up in Iman Shumpert's hands for yet another miss at the buzzer.
"I got to where I wanted to get, step back, made them before," James said (via the Associated Press' Antonio Gonzalez). "It's a make or miss league, and we had our chances."
As unstoppable of a force as James may be, he still struggled to move Golden State's typically immovable defense, with only a handful of attempts at the rim on the evening. The Warriors' passel of perimeter defenders, Iguodala chief among them, did well to wall off the paint. Andrew Bogut, Golden State's superb rim protector, stood behind them at the ready.
Even so, James had his way more often than not. Yet still, the Warriors managed to come out on top in overtime.
Should Irving remain out of commission as this series progresses, Golden State will have that many more resources to commit, not only to slowing down James, but also to bottling up his teammates.
Like Timofey Mozgov, who stepped in as Cleveland's most reliable third wheel with 16 points. Like J.R. Smith, who scored all nine of Cleveland's bench points—but none after halftime. Like Iman Shumpert, whose two threes late in the second quarter were his only scores of the game. Like Matthew Dellavedova, who was a game-worst minus-13 in the box score.
Less Irving means more Dellavedova. No Irving at all probably portends more of the irksome Australian than the Cavs can afford against a team as talented as Golden State.
Either way, the Warriors still have three wins to secure before they can claim their first championship in 40 years. But if Irving can't be a consummate threat for Cleveland from here on out, Golden State shouldn't have too much trouble answering whatever questions it may face on the way to lifting the Larry O'Brien Trophy.
Josh Martin covers the NBA for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter.
