The Cleveland Cavaliers will defeat Warriors in game 2 of the Finals if…
4. Kevin Durant struggles
Kevin Durant was dominant in game one. He was the focal point of the Warriors’ offense all game and was able to score at will. He was shooting lights out from all over the court, and didn’t make a single turnover while having an extremely high usage rate. If he plays even close to the level that he played at in game one, the Cavaliers will be in serious trouble.
Durant has been dominant throughout the playoffs, so slowing him down will be a daunting task for the Cavaliers. Cleveland will need to make defensive adjustments to limit the amount of uncontested looks available to Durant.
For a player of Durant’s caliber, it’s inexcusable to leave him open all game long. He had numerous uncontested dunks, including a few off of a fast break.
If the Cavaliers can limit their turnovers and get back on defense to slow down the Warriors’ fast break, that should help limit the number of easy shots that Durant will make. It’s easier said than done, but the Cavaliers need to do a better job locking down Durant.