On a day of many records from both sides of the court, Golden State edged a contest that took them a step closer to avenging the defeat of last season: LeBron James passed Jerry West for most assists in NBA Finals history to go 2nd on the list, Stephen Curry joined the exclusive list of players with his first triple-double in the NBA Finals, a 30-point one at that. James and Curry became the first two players in NBA history to record triple-doubles as opponents in the Finals, Steph and Kevin Durant became the first team mates in NBA history to average 30+ points in the first two games in the Finals, the list goes on.

The Cavaliers started out determined to take something away from the Oracle Arena, and led early on as the Warriors missed shots. But the team with four All-Stars turned it around quickly, and went on a 10-2 run, to regain control of the game. They never looked back after that. The major keys for the Warriors were the usual performers; Kevin Durant and Steph Curry, plus a heavy dose of Klay Thompson, who finally showed up for Dub Nation.

Curry showed another dimension to his game, and it triggered an avalanche for the Warriors. Steph recorded a triple-double of 32 points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds. But the biggest intangible he brought to the Warriors was the hustle. The two-time MVP is perceived as ‘soft’, with Draymond Green acting as the enforcer of the team. Against the Cavaliers in Game 2, Curry kept working when his shots were not falling early. His aggression led to turnovers, which his teammates profited from, then he caught fire.

Kevin Durant, who has been a key factor for the Warriors in these playoffs, and it is much more than the points he puts on board, kept being KD, and also added a key element on the defensive end. He scored 33 points on 13-22 shooting, and added 13 rebounds and six assists. But KD also helped the Warriors with his defense. According to ESPN Stats and Information, he held Cavaliers to 37 percent shooting when he is the primary defender. Warriors are shooting 61 percent directly off his passes, but much more than that, he held LeBron to zero points when he is guarding the king (0-1) and made LeBron commit three TO’s.

Then there is Klay Thompson. The hosts went to him early to boost his confidence, and it paid off big. The 22 points he contributed in Game 2 is the most he’s scored since he dropped 24 on Portland in the First Round of the Playoffs, and the 2nd highest total in the playoff this season.

Then, the Warriors took care of their defense; they crashed the boards more (53-41) with 43 of their rebounds on the defensive end. And they profited from the mistakes Cavs made. The Warriors were uncharacteristic in the number of turnovers they recorded. 20 in all, as opposed to the Cavaliers nine TO’s, but Golden State scored 23 points off the Cavs’ nine turnovers, while Cleveland managed just 14 points off the Warriors 20 TO’s.

Cleveland made a contest of this to be sure, as the game did not break open until midway into the third quarter, however, the same ills still slowed the Cavs. They shot 45-100 field goals as against the Warriors who made 46-89 of their field goal attempts. We can credit the Warriors defense, but we can also point at the isolation plays of the Cavaliers. The Warriors moved the ball quickly and crisply, and recorded 34 assists, Cavs had 27… with more possession. The Cavs forced the Dubs to commit more turnovers, but failed to profit from it. They need to repeat the early aggression at the Quicken Loans Arena, and make it count.

Also, the Cavaliers need LeBron James to be the facilitator. LeBron will not defeat Golden State by himself, he needs his teammates, and it has to start with Game 3. Last season, the tide turned when Kyrie Irving started imposing himself on games. LeBron must give the reins of the team to Kyrie, and give the Warriors a second headache.

Finally, the other Cavaliers must become warriors (not literally, but figuratively). JaVale McGee, Shaun Livingston and the rest of the Golden States bench step on court fully pumped up. The Cavaliers reserves haven’t had the same impact. Home cooking? Well, the action returns to Cleveland, and the Cavs bench must bring the same energy when called upon.

By Akinbode Oguntuyi