A brief pause drew Prince a step forward, then he accelerated into the paint and opted for a floater over Claxton's defense to finish the play.
The ball rose, then quickly dropped, settling neatly into the net.
2–5.
With their signature offensive set, the Warriors quickly found their rhythm and steadied themselves in the opening minutes.
Both teams were reasonably efficient on offense at the start.
Durant, George, and Curry all played up to their usual standards.
With those stars leading the way, the score climbed back and forth, soon surpassing the average first-quarter totals of the previous few games.
By the end of the first quarter, the score stood at 39–36.
The Brooklyn Nets held a three-point lead.
Kevin Durant had 15 points, 2 rebounds, and 1 assist in the quarter; Paul George had 11 points, 3 rebounds, and 1 steal; Harden had 4 points and 4 assists.
Stephen Curry had 14 points, 1 rebound, and 2 assists in the quarter; Klay Thompson had 8 points and 3 rebounds; Wiggins had 6 points and 2 rebounds.
The stars put their elite offensive skills on full display.
Changes of direction, crossover steps, and stepbacks flowed seamlessly from one move to the next.
The viewers watching the game were loving every second.
Still, this kind of offensive shootout hardly looked like something that belonged in the Finals. It felt more like an All-Star game.
Clearly, then, this pace could not last.
Sure enough, once the game entered the second quarter, its entire complexion changed.
The Golden State Warriors adjusted first, ramping up their defensive intensity and once again deploying the approach that had worked best in the previous few games.
They sent a preemptive double-team at Harden up top, forcing Durant and George to handle the ball, then relied on