The Golden State Warriors need to take better care of the ball

Jun 4, 2017; Oakland, CA, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) dribbles the ball against Cleveland Cavaliers center Tristan Thompson (13) and guard Kyrie Irving (2) during the first half in game two of the 2017 NBA Finals at Oracle Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
Jun 4, 2017; Oakland, CA, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) dribbles the ball against Cleveland Cavaliers center Tristan Thompson (13) and guard Kyrie Irving (2) during the first half in game two of the 2017 NBA Finals at Oracle Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit

The Golden State Warriors can go up 3-0 on the Cleveland Cavaliers in the NBA Finals if they cut down on their turnovers and value possessions.

The Golden State Warriors have won the first two games of the NBA Finals in convincing fashion. They’ve been, for the most part, really great. They’ve played freely and loosely, which normally results in the highest possible level of play for this team.

In Game 1, the Warriors were significantly faster and more focused from the get go. They cut with purpose and their passes were crisp. Their offense was clicking.

More from Blue Man Hoop

They dished out 31 assists and only turned the ball over four times. Stephen Curry and Draymond Green were the culprits of the Warriors’ giveaways, but even for them, that’s a great number. They were able to play fast, but they were still in control.

Game 2 was a different story. The Warriors were sloppy. They had 34 assists, but they had 20 turnovers as well. By comparison, the Cavaliers had just nine turnovers.

Despite that, the Warriors still won by a lot. It helped that they drained an NBA Finals record 18 three-pointers on 41 percent shooting from beyond the arc as a team. Cleveland, a team that depends on the three-point shot, only connected on eight of their attempts.

Golden State was able to get away with their carelessness partly because of the fact that they were at home. The margin for error is larger on your own home court. They were able to continue to run and play loosely.

That won’t fly in Cleveland. If the Warriors put out a careless performance in Game 3 like they did in Game 2, then they will get run out of the gym. Especially if they do this early in the game.

The Warriors know what LeBron James and the Cavaliers can do if they’re given free possessions. Live ball turnovers turns into easy transition baskets for James and Kyrie Irving. Those are momentum-shifting sequences that can destroy your chances of winning.

Golden State has to value possessions more. They can’t just give the ball away. They need to continue to play hard and fast, but with poise as well.

Cleveland is a difficult place to play in–the Warriors know that. They’re in wonderful position to take a commanding lead in the series, but they can’t get careless or relaxed. They need to stay focused.

Turnovers have been Stephen Curry and the Warriors’ biggest problem over the last few years. They try to go for the home run play too often and it comes back to haunt them. Basketball (especially on the road) isn’t won after an amazing no-look pass or dribble move. They need to execute over the course of 48 minutes.

The Cavaliers’ defense has offered little resistance over the last two games. Most of the turnovers should be attributed to Golden State carelessness rather than Cleveland defensive execution. If they make the smart pass instead of the difficult one, then they’ll continue to pick apart their opponent’s lackluster defense.

The Golden State Warriors will go up 3-0 if they take care of the ball. They need to be more like Game 1. However, if they are careless like in Game 2, then the Cavaliers will go into Game 4 with a chance to tie the series up.