The Latest: Cavs’ Irving being evaluated by team doctors

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — The latest from Game 1 of the NBA Finals:

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9:25 p.m. PDT

Kyrie Irving is being evaluated by Cavaliers team doctors after limping off the floor with 2 minutes left in overtime.

Coach David Blatt said right now he can’t provide any specifics on Irving’s injury because the team doesn’t know yet. He added he didn’t think the injury was caused by any contact.

Irving had played well, finishing with 23 points, seven rebounds and six assists in 44 minutes while looking healthy after knee and foot injuries had forced him to miss two games during the Eastern Conference finals.

With Kevin Love already out, the Cavs obviously need Irving. And Warriors coach Steve Kerr said he hopes Irving is able to play the remainder of the series.

“I mean that,” Kerr said. “You probably don’t believe me, but I mean that.”

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9 p.m. PDT

Stephen Curry scored 26 points, including the first four of overtime, and the Golden State Warriors overcame LeBron James’ 44 points for a 108-100 victory Thursday night over the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 1 of the NBA Finals.

The Warriors scored the first 10 points of the extra period, pitching a shutout until James’ meaningless basket with under 10 seconds to go.

James had his highest point total ever in the finals, but missed a jumper with about 3 seconds left in regulation that could’ve won it. Iman Shumpert just missed a follow attempt from near the sideline on a long rebound at the buzzer, and it was all Warriors from there.

Kyrie Irving had 23 points for the Cavs but limped off the court with about 2 minutes left in OT. Irving looked to be in a lot pain heading to the locker room, throwing his jersey to the ground in frustration.

Game 2 is here Sunday night.

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8:37 p.m. PDT

Overtime!

LeBron James missed a late jumper, Iman Shumpert was just off before the buzzer, and Cleveland and Golden State went to overtime tied at 98 in Game 1.

James had 42 points, his most ever in the NBA Finals. Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson had combined for 43 on the other side.

But Kyrie Irving blocked Curry’s last shot attempt to give the Cavs a final chance, which they couldn’t capitalize on.

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8:25 p.m. PDT

So far, it looks like Commissioner Adam Silver was right about these NBA Finals.

During his annual press conference before Game 1, Silver talked about the excitement over seeing LeBron James and Stephen Curry, two of the NBA’s biggest stars, along with two of the league’s top teams in Golden State and Cleveland.

“If we get just a small percentage of what we’re all talking and writing about, it’s going to be one of the most exciting finals ever,” he said. “So I can’t wait.”

As the teams entered the final 2 minutes, the game was tied at 96 lead in a game that had already featured 13 lead changes. After the Cavs’ fast start gave them a 14-point lead, it’s been close for the final three periods.

James has 42 points, his most ever in the finals, while Curry has 20, including a dazzling move to create some space to hit the go-ahead jumper with 3:35 remaining.

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8:10 p.m. PDT

LeBron James’ ability to knock down jumpers has turned him into a nightmare for Warriors coach Steve Kerr. He acknowledged what everyone in the league knows in his interview with Doris Burke before the fourth quarter began: There isn’t a whole anyone can do when James’ shot is falling.

“He’s making shots tonight,” Kerr said. “When he’s iso-ing you can’t give too much help because they have all those 3-point shooters. We just have to try to make it tough on him.”

James has 37 points and Cavs lead 86-82 with 6:29 to play.

The Warriors shot 45 percent in the first three quarters and turned it over 11 times, but Kerr is confident the rhythm is coming in the final quarter.

“We play our style when we throw the ball ahead, move it, share the ball a little bit,” Kerr said. “We’re getting there.”

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7:40 p.m. PDT

Whatever concerns Cavaliers fans had about Kyrie Irving’s health should be eased with the way he’s playing.

Irving’s foot and knee injuries haven’t slowed him at all so far, as he’s been able to attack the basket and essentially match fellow All-Star point guard Stephen Curry.

Irving has been banged up most of the postseason, even missing two games in the Eastern Conference finals. He said Wednesday it had been difficult with his body unable to always do what his mind wanted.

But he’s come out with 13 points and five assists while shooting 6 of 12, helping the Cavs hold onto the lead in the third quarter.

On the other side, Curry has 16 points and four assists.

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7:30 PDT

The celebration of basketball that is the NBA Finals broadcast grew somber toward the end of ABC’s halftime show with an emotional tribute to Stuart Scott, ESPN’s extremely popular sportscaster who lost a long battle with cancer about five months ago.

Scott was a fixture at the finals, having covered the previous 18 of them in a row.

Michael Wilbon narrated a short piece on Scott’s larger-than-life presence at the finals, while Sage Steele’s voice cracked as she came in and out of the piece.

“We love you, we miss you, we know you’re watching,” Steele said, her voice trailing off.

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7:15 p.m. PDT

Stephen Curry is showing why he is this year’s MVP.

With a pair of his trademark long-range jumpers, he sparked a Warriors rally that helped Golden State battle back from a 14-poimt deficit and take the lead — and turn the game around.

Curry hit a 3-pointer from the left corner to knot the game at 36-all. Curry has now made 13 of 14 3-point attempts from that spot on the floor this postseason.

That was Curry’s first basket from long range this game and fans erupted.

Curry scored 14 points in the half, LeBron James poured in 19 and when the dust settled the Cavs were holding a 51-48 lead at halftime on a late J.R. Smith 3-pointer.

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6:43 p.m. PDT

LeBron James had his highest-scoring opening quarter ever in Game 1 of the NBA Finals.

James scored 12 points on 4-for-9 shooting as he came out aggressively against Harrison Barnes and the Warriors defense. That surpassed the eight he scored in the first quarter of the 2011 finals against Dallas and marked his most shots ever in the first quarter of Game 1 in six trips to the finals.

James hasn’t traditionally gotten off to fast starts in the finals. He didn’t make a single field goal the first quarter of his first finals appearance in 2007 against San Antonio and has shot just 34.6 percent in the first quarter of Game 1 in his previous five trips.

The Cavaliers lead 29-19 after the first quarter.

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5:30 p.m. PDT

Things got off to a good start for Stephen Curry and the Warriors.

Curry connected on his pregame “tunnel shot” on the third try. Fans surrounding the tunnel behind the Warriors’ bench erupted in cheers, and Curry signed a few autographs before heading to the locker room.

Curry attempts the shot after his extensive warmup routine, which includes dribbling two basketballs and a series of shooting drills. Curtis Jones, the security guard assigned to the area next the Warriors’ bench, throws the ball to Curry. If Curry misses, somebody fetches the ball and tosses it back to Jones.

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