HALFTIME RECAP WITH HIGHLIGHTS: Cleveland Cavaliers On Fire, Lead Anemic Warriors, 50-31

THOMAS & MACK CENTER, LAS VEGAS, NV — Two nights after losing to the Sixers in a 2017 NBA Summer League opener, the Golden State Warriors (0-1) faced the Cleveland Cavaliers (2-0) in Las Vegas.

Warriors rookie and 38th draft pick Jordan Bell passed concussion protocol and was deemed ready to play. The team was once again without Chris Boucher (ACL rehab).

Q1: Rough Start

The Cavs got out to a hot start although Damian Jones had an emphatic early block on a Jay Felder drive.

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Xavier Munford missed a runner which turned into a Brandon Paul-to-? Prather runout fast break, Paul hit a nice jumper, and Patrick McCaw finally broke a 6-0 spell with a crossover and pull-up three.

McCaw then attacked off a missed three by Paul and made a nice Euro step to draw free throws.

But Felder hit a trey, then got another jumper to drop, McCaw rose for a jumper then lost the ball looking to pass, and Paul got a runout two-hand jam to give the Cavs a 13-5 lead.

Out of the timeout, a designed play for Kevon Looney had him convert a double-clutch layup, then after a bad screen by Damian Jones on a pick-and-roll with Jabari Brown, Brown hit a jumper on the catch off a Looney screen and got fouled in the process.

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Jordan Bell came in as Brown’s and-one closed the gap to 15-11 with 4:43 remaining.

A much bigger Edy Tavares tried to post up Bell, but Bell did well to force a bad shot and, at the other end, Alex Hamilton got an and-one as the Cavs goaltended.

After a timeout, McCaw used a screen and a between-the-legs crossover to get into the lane, showing the ball and finishing with the harm, and the Warriors were back to within 18-17.

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But Dominic Pointer hit a three, Felder got another and-one over Jacorey Williams, McCaw missed a heavily contested jumper, and Malcolm Thomas got a put-back and the Cavs were suddenly back up, 28-17.

Bell made a nice play to draw a held ball on an attack, then won the jump ball, but Pointer ended up going down the lane for a tomahawk jam.

Bell came back with a backdoor assist to Brown before Tai Webster forced a backcourt call on Sam Cassell, Jr., and the Cavs held a 30-21 lead heading into the second stanza.

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Q2: McCaw Can’t Connect

To start the second quarter, Brown forced a steal on a full-court press, Williams immediately dunked the ball, then Looney got a putback, but Joe Rahon got a drive blocked, then airballed a three, and two Cavs runouts later, the deficit was back up to 40-25.

Jones got another block in the lane, then Looney drew a foul on a nice reverse layup attempt, and McCaw made a sweet crossover step-back, but missed the triple.

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Paul hit another three, Anthony Gill got an and-one on an attack past Jones, McCaw got another drive swatted, and with 2:54 to play, the Warriors were down 47-27.

Alex Hamilton had a brief flash, converting a fast break layup after a steal by Williams, then Hamilton got a steal and drove to the hoop for a layup. Later, Hamilton also drew free throws but missed both.

Felder added another drive, Williams countered with a nice bucket in the lance, and the Cavs held a 50-31 lead at halftime.

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(Photo: @letsgowarriors Instagram account via @reviewjournalsports)