NBA Finals: 5 observations from Game 1, a look ahead

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Game 1 of the NBA Finals was a thriller.

Game 2 could be a huge disappointment.

With Kyrie Irving out for the remainder of the series with a fractured left kneecap, the landscape drastically changes for the Cavaliers.

Here are five observations from the Finals with one game in the books:

1. If anyone is capable of singlehandedly carrying his team to victory, LeBron James is the guy.

Unfortunately, despite scoring 44 points on 38 field goal attempts Thursday night, his efforts did not equate to a win. And that was with Irving as his running mate for 44 minutes.

The Cavaliers' star point guard attempted 22 field goals. Together, the Cleveland dynamic duo accounted for 64 percent of the shots taken by the visitors.

How many shots will James take in Game 2 and will it be enough to even the series before returning to Cleveland for three games?

In the playoffs over the last 30 years, there have been six games where a player attempted at least 38 shots and scored 44 points ore more. Michael Jordan did it three times; his team won only once. Allen Iverson had two such performances — his team won both times.

And then there was LeBron's outing on Thursday.

Since 1985, a player scored 44 points or more 88 times in a playoff game and 58 of those occurrences did that player's team won.

James has scored at least 44 points nine times in his postseason career to date. Jordan had 28. James is more than capable of dominating the scoreboard and it looks like the situation requires him to do so to keep Cleveland's championship dreams alive.

2. When fans think of Golden State, they think Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson. However, in Game 1, a tandem of former Sixers played a significant role in the Warriors prevailing.

Marreese Speights and Andre Iguodala were terrific in their respective roles. Speights scored eight points in a nine-minute run, while Iguodala provided defense in addition to 15 points on 6 of 8 shooting. Neither was a fan favorite when they played for the Sixers.

After the departure of A.I., Iguodala never developed into the star Sixers fans had in mind. And Speights, who was selected with the 16th overall pick in 2008, started four games in three seasons with the Sixers, averaging 14.7 minutes.

So much good has happened for both players in their post-Philadelphia journey.

Iguodala has been an All-Star. He played on the 2012 U.S. Olympic gold medal team. He was a member of the 2010 FIBA World Championship team. And he has NBA first team all-defense honors on his résumé.

Speights is not a high-volume minutes guy, but he's one of 12 active players averaging 18.2 points and 9.8 rebounds per 36 minutes for their career — minimum 199 games. He joins Tim Duncan, Dwight Howard, Kevin Garnett, Kevin Love, Carlos Boozer, Al Jefferson, Zach Randolph, Blake Griffin, Anthony Davis, DeMarcus Cousins and Nikola Pekovic.

Nine of those players have appeared in the NBA All-Star game at least once.  Davis has appeared in the fewest NBA games (199), but Speights has the fewest starts with 73 in 499 games.

3. No matter which team wins the 2015 NBA championship, it will be the first time a rookie head coach has guided a group to the title since Pat Riley did so with the Lakers in 1982.

David Blatt came to the Cavs with plenty of head coaching experience overseas, but this is his first opportunity to coach at the NBA level.

Steve Kerr came to the Warriors with experience as an NBA broadcaster, as well as being the Suns' general manager. His 67 regular-season wins are the most by a rookie coach in NBA history.

4. Time and place mean everything.

Former Sixers point guard and All-Star, Jrue Holiday, may have an NBA championship in his future being teammates with New Orleans' rising star Anthony Davis, but his older brother, Justin, could get to the NBA's top first.

The elder Holiday appeared in 59 regular-season games with the Warriors, but he's played only a handful of minutes in the playoffs.

Justin Holiday joined the Sixers in 2013, teaming up with his brother, Jrue, who is nearly three years younger.

Jrue had a disappointing season with the Pelicans this season, having played only 40 games because of a lower leg injury.

5. Brett Brown has ties to both teams in the Finals. On one hand, there is Australian-born Matthew Dellavedova. Brown coached the Cavs' guard in the 2012 Olympics when Brown was the head coach of the Australia's men's national team.

On the other hand, there is the Warriors' Andrew Bogut. He's also Australian and would have played on that same Olympic team if not for an injury. Brown has repeatedly spoken with admiration about Bogut's talents.

Brown also coached Irving's father in Australia.

Then there are Brown's relationships with Blatt and Kerr. Brown's involvement with the Boomers for so many years had him cross paths with Blatt at international competitions.

And, in 2003, Brown developed a close friendship with Kerr. Brown was in player development with the Spurs when Kerr played for San Antonio the last of his amazing 15-year NBA career.

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