OAKLAND, Calif. — The Golden State Warriors had the best home-court advantage in the N.B.A., the season’s most valuable player and 40 years of bottled enthusiasm uncorked for the chance at another championship.
Those and a five-minute overtime were just enough for the Warriors to slip past LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers, 108-100, Thursday in Game 1 of the finals at the Oracle Arena. Game 2 is here Sunday evening.
The Warriors scored the first 10 points of overtime to overcome a game-high 44 points from James, a career-high in the finals.