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NBA FINALS: CAVALIERS v WARRIORS

June 2, 2016

LeBron James

Oakland, California: Game One

Warriors 104, Cavaliers 89

Q. You guys came out really strong in the third quarter, got a lead. It seemed like you had the momentum and then there was that small altercation with Delly and Iguodala. Did that break you guys, the momentum, and did you feel like you guys kind of maybe lost your composure after that happened?
LEBRON JAMES: No, we're not a team that loses our composure over anything. We played well in the third quarter to get ourselves back into the game, even taking the lead a couple times. It was a six-point game to start the fourth, and we just didn't start the quarter like we should have, and they did a great job of pushing the lead up to double digits really fast.

Q. Obviously holding Steph and Klay to a combined 20 would seem to be a great blueprint. Is it discouraging to then see their bench erupt for 45?
LEBRON JAMES: When you get outscored 45-10 on the bench and give up 25 points off 17 turnovers, no matter what someone does or doesn't do, it's going to be hard to win, especially on the road. And that's what it was. Obviously the game ball goes to Shaun Livingston. Came in, gave them a huge spark.

But don't matter what you do with Steph and Klay, don't matter what you do with Draymond. Give up 45 points off the bench and 25 points off turnovers on the road, it's not a good ingredient to win.

Q. LeBron, taking a step way back from it all, this is your seventh Finals, and I think you've only won Game 1 once. So you've been in this situation a bunch. What do you make of just what happened tonight and where you are now and just how you get into this series?
LEBRON JAMES: Well, we've got to be much better in Game 2, obviously. I think defensively we had a game plan and we followed it as much as possible. Well, as great as we could for 48 minutes. We had some breakdowns, which we know we can get better with. Offensively, we've got to be much better. We've got to be much better moving the ball, moving bodies. They're a great team when you just hold the ball and pound the ball. So we've got to do a better job with that, which Coach Lue and the coaching staff will make sure we do in Game 2.

So we look forward to the challenge again. Just two days in between doesn't help. It doesn't feel good. But it gives our body a chance to get some rest.

Q. LeBron, obviously this team and this series is a lot different than last year. But how much different after this game here do you think it is?
LEBRON JAMES: I don't quite get your question.

Q. The Warriors roster is the same, but last year it was Curry, it was Klay and some of those guys taking over. But after Game 1, having the bench go and score 45 points, does that change your view of how this series might go and what you have to prepare for?
LEBRON JAMES: I think you're wrong in the fact of saying it was just Klay and Steph. I mean, they got to the point where they were last year and won a championship because of their whole team and their bench. And they're here once again in The Finals because of their whole team. So nothing has really changed.

They're a team that's had another year under their belt, and they've exceeded what they did last year. So it's kind of hard to answer that question because it's not really true.

Q. What's happened with our bench? Your bench combined scored 10 points and J.R. scored three points?
LEBRON JAMES: What happened? They scored 45 points, we scored 10. That's what happened.

Q. Joe touched on it earlier, you've been in this position before already. Curious to some of your guys, the other guys. This is a loss in Game 1. This is The Finals. A stage like that, this is a time where some younger players can possibly get overwhelmed. What have you seen from the other guys?
LEBRON JAMES: Well, I think they look forward to seeing what we can do better tomorrow in our film session and seeing ways we can get better going into Game 2. Yeah, we've got some young guys, but as far as confidence in those guys not believing, that's never been the case for us or any of the guys in the locker room.

I know they're excited. We had a chance in that third quarter to do something special, but we didn't counter and do it. Didn't make it happen in the fourth quarter.

So I'm looking forward to seeing the film session and seeing ways we can get better going into Game 2, and I think our team will as well.

Q. You guys had 17 assists in this game tonight. Were you happy with the flow of the offense? It seemed like you and Kyrie a lot of times were taking it upon yourself to try to score?
LEBRON JAMES: At times I was and at times I wasn't. We've definitely got to do a better job getting the ball moving side-to-side, getting their bodies moving. They're a great team. When you have the ball on one side, they're able to load and do things of that nature.

So, you know, we will have a better game plan going into Game 2 for sure offensively. Sometimes your offense dictates your defense, and the fact that we had 17 turnovers and that led to 25 points is not a good ingredient for our offense for sure.

Q. We saw Iguodala strip Westbrook and Durant in the close of Game 6. Tonight he got one on you, one on Kyrie. Anything you can do knowing about his wingspan, his quickness, and his anticipation to prevent that?
LEBRON JAMES: Well, he's great at doing that, for sure. Just got to do a better job protecting the ball. It's that simple.

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