NBA Finals Schedule 2018: Cavaliers vs. Warriors Game 2 TV Schedule, Predictions
The Golden State Warriors may hold the early series advantage in the 2018 NBA Finals, but they were far from perfect in Game 1 against the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Cleveland had an opportunity to win the game in regulation, and even though it got buried in overtime by the defending champion, it has to take some confidence into Game 2.
In order for the Cavaliers to challenge again in Game 2, they'll need additional contributions from their supporting cast, while the Warriors must receive stellar shooting performances from their collection of superstars.
In the previous three NBA Finals matchups between the Cavaliers and Warriors, the series has been tied 1-1 once, while Golden State took a 2-0 lead in the last two championship series.
Game 2 Information
Date: Sunday, June 3
Time: 8 p.m. ET
TV: ABC
Predictions
JR Smith Responds to Game 1 Blunder With 20-Point Performance
There's nothing JR Smith can do about his late-game blunder in Game 1 except bounce back from it in Game 2.
Smith understandably took the Game 1 defeat hard, but his teammates, including LeBron James, have confidence he'll rebound based off what they've seen from him in the past, per Marc J. Spears of The Undefeated:
The 32-year-old forward scored in double digits on nine occasions in 19 postseason games against Indiana, Toronto, Boston and Golden State, with only one being of the 20-point variety.
While it may seem like too bold of a prediction to call for Smith to drop 20 points on the Warriors, the Cavaliers need a third scorer to step up behind James and Kevin Love, and Smith needs to make a statement to prove he's over the Game 1 disappointment.
Smith is capable of filling into the scoring role in the NBA Finals, as he reached double digits in the final three games of the championship series a year ago, including a 25-point performance in Game 5 when the Warriors clinched the title.
Since Golden State's defensive focus will be on James, who dropped 51 points in Game 1, and Love, who has proved to be the only other consistent scorer on the Cavs roster in the playoffs, the door should be open for Smith to get hot in the first half and continue the success after halftime.
Draymond Green Breaks Out of Offensive Slump
Since the start of the Western Conference final, Draymond Green's offensive production has been less than ideal.
Although he's contributed in other facets of the game, Green hasn't scored more than 13 points in his last eight contests.
Green doesn't have to be the star scorer in the Warriors lineup because of the presence of Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Kevin Durant, but when he's shooting well, the defending champion is unstoppable.
With Cleveland taking advantage of the Warriors' defensive struggles without Andre Igoudala in the lineup, Steve Kerr's team needs all hands on deck offensively.
Green showed some signs of improvement in the second half of Game 1, as he knocked down a critical three-pointer with just under five minutes left to put Golden State ahead 97-94.
Game 1 marked the first time since Game 4 of the second-round series against the New Orleans Pelicans in which Green made more than one shot from beyond the arc.
With more pressure expected to come from James, Love and the Cleveland supporting cast, all of Golden State's top scorers need to find a way to contribute, and if Green reaches close to 20 points, we could witness a dominant offensive performance from the Warriors.
Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90.
Statistics obtained from Basketball Reference.
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