OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — The latest from Game 1 of the NBA Finals:
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8:02 p.m. PDT
Another 40-point game against the Warriors may be in reach for LeBron James. It might be necessary, too.
He’s up to 31 after three quarters, though his turnover at the end of the period led to Andre Iguodala’s fast-break dunk that tied it at 73-all going to the fourth.
James, on the bench getting a breather to start the fourth quarter, had his season high of 42 points against the Warriors in a victory in Cleveland in late February.
He had 19 in the first half of this one, then followed that with a 12-point third quarter.
But the Cavs have had only six players score, meaning James may have to keep carrying them if they’re going to pull out the road victory.
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7:40 p.m. PDT
Whatever concerns Cavaliers fans had about Kyrie Irving’s health should be eased with the way he’s playing.
Irving’s foot and knee injuries haven’t slowed him at all so far, as he’s been able to attack the basket and essentially match fellow All-Star point guard Stephen Curry.
Irving has been banged up most of the postseason, even missing two games in the Eastern Conference finals. He said Wednesday it had been difficult with his body unable to always do what his mind wanted.
But he’s come out with 13 points and five assists while shooting 6 of 12, helping the Cavs hold onto the lead in the third quarter.
On the other side, Curry has 16 points and four assists.
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7:30 PDT
The celebration of basketball that is the NBA Finals broadcast grew somber toward the end of ABC’s halftime show with an emotional tribute to Stuart Scott, ESPN’s extremely popular sportscaster who lost a long battle with cancer about five months ago.
Scott was a fixture at the finals, having covered the previous 18 of them in a row.
Michael Wilbon narrated a short piece on Scott’s larger-than-life presence at the finals, while Sage Steele’s voice cracked as she came in and out of the piece.
“We love you, we miss you, we know you’re watching,” Steele said, her voice trailing off.
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7:15 p.m. PDT
Stephen Curry is showing why he is this year’s MVP.
With a pair of his trademark long-range jumpers, he sparked a Warriors rally that helped Golden State battle back from a 14-poimt deficit and take the lead — and turn the game around.
Curry hit a 3-pointer from the left corner to knot the game at 36-all. Curry has now made 13 of 14 3-point attempts from that spot on the floor this postseason.
That was Curry’s first basket from long range this game and fans erupted.
Curry scored 14 points in the half, LeBron James poured in 19 and when the dust settled the Cavs were holding a 51-48 lead at halftime on a late J.R. Smith 3-pointer.
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6:50 p.m. PDT
The Cavaliers have plenty of finals rookies on this squad, including coach David Blatt.
LeBron James, of course, has been here plenty before, playing in his fifth straight finals. In his interview with ABC’s Doris Burke after James scored 12 points to get the Cavaliers off to a fast start, Blatt said his aggressiveness helped the newbies ease into the game.
“It gave the guys confidence,” Blatt said. “I think that with his experience in these situations the other guys are looking for him. He certainly helped everybody play calm and play correctly.”
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6:43 p.m. PDT
LeBron James had his highest-scoring opening quarter ever in Game 1 of the NBA Finals.
James scored 12 points on 4-for-9 shooting as he came out aggressively against Harrison Barnes and the Warriors defense. That surpassed the eight he scored in the first quarter of the 2011 finals against Dallas and marked his most shots ever in the first quarter of Game 1 in six trips to the finals.
James hasn’t traditionally gotten off to fast starts in the finals. He didn’t make a single field goal the first quarter of his first finals appearance in 2007 against San Antonio and has shot just 34.6 percent in the first quarter of Game 1 in his previous five trips.
The Cavaliers lead 29-19 after the first quarter.
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5:40 p.m. PDT
The Cavaliers weren’t exactly on a health kick in the minutes leading up to Game 1 of the finals.
Cleveland guard Iman Shumpert’s pregame meal of choice was a plate of chicken fingers and fries from a concession stand. As he ate his meal, assistant coach Tyronn Lue walked into the coaches office with a large tray of nachos.
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5:30 p.m. PDT
Things got off to a good start for Stephen Curry and the Warriors.
Curry connected on his pregame “tunnel shot” on the third try. Fans surrounding the tunnel behind the Warriors’ bench erupted in cheers, and Curry signed a few autographs before heading to the locker room.
Curry attempts the shot after his extensive warmup routine, which includes dribbling two basketballs and a series of shooting drills. Curtis Jones, the security guard assigned to the area next the Warriors’ bench, throws the ball to Curry. If Curry misses, somebody fetches the ball and tosses it back to Jones.
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5:20 p.m. PDT
There’s been a little confusion over the color of those T-shirts fans wear at every Warriors home game during the playoffs.
Well, they’re not quite gold, and not quite yellow. Officially, the shirts are “California golden yellow.”
Including Game 1 of the NBA Finals, the Warriors have handed out more than 175,000 shirts during these playoffs.
The slogan on the front, “STRENGTH IN NUMBERS,” is the same each time. But the slogan on the back has changed each round. Those awaiting fans before Game 1 on Thursday had “The Finals” on the back.
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