OAKLAND — Last season, for the final three games of the NBA Finals, Steve Kerr started Andre Iguodala and brought Harrison Barnes off the bench, a switch made because of Iguodala’s defense on LeBron. Kerr did the same thing for Game 7 in the Western Conference Finals this year against Oklahoma City.
But not in Game 1 of the NBA Finals.
Harrison Barnes will start for the Warriors in Game 1, the team announced just before the start of Game 1.
That puts the Warriors back in the team’s regular rotation, the one they used all season long. It also puts a more dangerous offensive player in Barnes on the court in a game where the Cavaliers are going to want to play fast and go more at the Warriors speed (although Barnes has struggled at points these playoffs). Barnes will get a chance to show how he can defend LeBron (1-on-1 in the post he may be able to hold his own, but that’s going to be a tough match up on the perimeter).
Kerr said pregame this was a decision he made “about 48 hours ago,” and one he seemed very comfortable with.
