OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — The latest from Game 2 of the NBA Finals:
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5:45 p.m. PDT
LeBron James took 10 shots and scored half of Cleveland’s 20 points, which shouldn’t be surprising given the decimated state of the Cavaliers’ roster.
“We know we need a big game from him,” Cavs coach David Blatt told ABC’s Doris Burke in a televised interview after the first quarter. “And he’s up to the task.”
Burke also asked about the contributions of J.R. Smith and Iman Shumpert — two needed offensive weapons for Cleveland — and Blatt said they were doing better than they were in Game 1.
“They’re trying to make plays,” Blatt said. “I thought once we started running offense, we were in much better shape.”
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5:43 p.m. PDT
Stephen Curry’s struggles have helped the Cleveland Cavaliers rally to tie Game 2 of the NBA Finals at 20-all after one quarter.
The Warriors were rolling and led 20-12 after Curry’s behind-the-back pass led to Leandro Barbosa’s 3-pointer from the corner.
But Golden State didn’t score again and the NBA MVP’s jumper was uncharacteristically off. He missed five of his six shots, including all three 3-point attempts, and had just four points.
LeBron James had 10 for the Cavaliers, including two baskets in their closing 8-0 run. He took 10 shots in the first quarter. It’s the fourth time this season — and the first in the playoffs — that he took so many shots in an opening period.
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5:40 p.m. PDT
Leandro Barbosa picked up right where Klay Thompson left off.
Entering the game early because of Thompson’s foul trouble, Barbosa made his first two shots, including a 3-pointer from the corner after a behind-the-back pass from Stephen Curry.
The Warriors’ early lead to eight points and was greeted with a huge roar, which extended into the timeout when former Warriors star Baron Davis, who is in the crowd, was shown on the overhead screen.
But that didn’t bother LeBron James and the Cavaliers, who responded with a run of their own to tie the game at the end of the quarter at 20.
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5:25 p.m. PDT
A quick start, and then a quick exit for Klay Thompson.
The Warriors All-Star guard scored nine points on 4-of-6 shooting in the first 5 minutes, but then had to go to bench after picking up a second foul.
Thompson had a bit of a slow start in Game 1, but came on later in the game and the Warriors thought he might be poised for a big night in Game 2.
“We’re always looking for that moment where Klay kind of just gets in that crazy zone where he can just get hot really fast,” teammate Andre Iguodala said Saturday. “I think in the playoffs we haven’t had it yet, but I feel like it’s slowly, but surely getting there.”
Thompson might be on his way, once he gets back in the game.
His second foul was against Iman Shumpert, who came out aggressively with a couple of drives to the basket. Perhaps he can help replace the offense missing with Kyrie Irving’s absence.
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5:10 p.m. PDT
Forget the Warriors and Cavaliers. The best teamwork at Game 2 of the NBA Finals might come from the Santanas.
Ten-time Grammy winner Carlos Santana and his wife, drummer, Cindy Blackman Santana, performed a rocking national anthem together before the game.
Carlos Santana gave his wife a quick kiss, then started playing his guitar while she was banging the drums.
Carlos Santana is a Bay Area native who was wearing a yellow top similar to the color of the T-shirts fans wore all around Oracle Arena.
His wife is from Ohio, but wasn’t wearing Cavs colors.
The game has started — first basket of the game went to Warriors’ Klay Thompson, who started shooting 4-for-5 from the field.
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4:55 p.m. PDT
Horse racing’s 37-year championship drought ended Saturday. Can a 40-year one in the NBA be next?
Steve Kerr sure hopes so.
He said he took some inspiration from American Pharoah’s victory in the Belmont Stakes, which made him the first Triple Crown winner since 1978.
“Well, first of all congrats to my fellow Wildcat Bob Baffert,” he said of the horse’s trainer and fellow University of Arizona product. “Bear down.”
The Warriors haven’t won a title since 1975, when they made their last trip to the NBA Finals. Their 40 years between appearances is the longest drought in NBA history.
Kerr also watched Stan Wawrinka’s French Open victory over Novak Djokovic on Sunday morning.
“I like watching other sporting events and I do draw inspiration from them,” he said.
And maybe from Stephen Curry.
he squared up, let it fly, and the crowd went wild.
That was still 75 minutes until the start of Game 2.
He was taking his pregame ritual of launching 3-pointers from the tunnel in the corner, and he swished one with fans on both sides surrounding him and cheering loudly.
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4:50 p.m. PDT
Matthew Dellavedova is getting the start in place on injured Kyrie Irving as expected for the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Cavs coach David Blatt went with the same lineup that won Games 2 and 3 of the Eastern Conference finals when Irving was out with an injured knee with Dellavedova starting in the backcourt with Iman Shumpert.
Dellavedova had 28 points in those two wins and the Cavaliers are hoping for a similar impact in this game with Irving sidelined with a fractured kneecap.
Dellavedova struggled in the Game 1 loss, taking no shots in just over 9 minutes of action.
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4:35 p.m. PDT
ABC’s opening to “NBA Countdown” on Sunday night had some powerful sound from LeBron James, who missed a potentially game-winning shot in the final seconds of regulation of Game 1 of the NBA Finals.
That was, of course, before Cavs’ guard Kyrie Irving got hurt in overtime — fracturing his left kneecap and ending his season.
“LeBron, if you make that shot, he don’t get hurt,” James is heard saying as the show begins, and a replay of his left-wing jumper sailing long is played.
Moments later, the replay of Irving crashing to the court was shown.
“Seeing him walk out the locker room on crutches, it’s a tough blow for our team,” James said.
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4:30 p.m. PDT
Miami Heat guard Dwyane Wade joined the ABC pregame crew Sunday night, and fellow analyst Jalen Rose wasted no time asking the big question — “Are you leaving Miami?”
Wade, who can opt out July 1 and become a free agent, sidestepped the question. Neither he nor the Heat have commented publicly about the status of talks about his future, but a person with direct knowledge of the negotiations say the three-time NBA champion and the only team he’s played for as a pro are nowhere near agreeing on their future together.
“We’ll worry about that in July,” Wade said. “Right now, we’re going to focus on these finals. This is our biggest showcase.”
Wade has been to the NBA Finals five times as a player, but says he’s always makes a point to go even when the Heat aren’t involved.
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4:20 p.m. PDT
All was quiet in the Warriors locker room before Game 2.
Most players were in the trainer’s room getting tapped up or on the floor warming up. A replay of the series opener was showing on the big TV at the center of the room for those who passed through.
Warriors assistant coach Alvin Gentry wrote out some points of emphasis, as he always does, on the whiteboards on each side of the TV. But he covered them up with blue pull-downs, which are lifted when reporters have to leave 45 minutes before tipoff.
“You guys don’t get to see this,” Gentry said, chuckling.
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4 p.m. PDT
Fans got started early outside Oracle Arena for Game 2 of the NBA Finals.
There were dozens of tailgaters grilling in the parking lot more than two hours before the game, the scene resembling a smaller version of the one that occurs before Oakland Raiders games on fall Sundays.
The giant video boards at the neighboring Coliseum, home of the Raiders and Athletics, were lit up with a golden-yellow background with big blue letters that read: “We are Warriors.”
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AP Basketball Writers Antonio Gonzalez and Tim Reynolds, and Sports Writer Josh Dubow contributed to this report.
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