OAKLAND — What happened in Game 1 of the NBA Finals may have seemed like a playoff anomaly to people not used to watching Golden State — their starters bogged down to start the game, so Warriors coach Steve Kerr went deep into his bench early and trusted them to turn things around.

It wasn't. It's how the Warriors have played all season.

"We know we didn't play that well, it wasn't us," Warriors' Brazilian reserve guard Leandro Barbosa said of the start to the game. "We were excited and nervous because we hadn't been in that position before, it was everything new for us, so many people, it was a different feeling. Once we got our momentum, everything was very good."

"It's oftentimes our second group that gets the ball moving and gets our team going, not just (in Game 1), but we've had several games where that's been the case," Golden State coach Steve Kerr said. "Sometimes our starters get a little bogged down, and we go to Shaun (Livingston) and L.B (Barbosa). and Andre (Iguodala). Last night Mo (Marreese Speights) with his return, and the game can change. Sometimes you just need a different look. And I do believe that there is a certain chemistry that comes with relying on a lot of people too."

It's easy to point to Andre Iguodala coming off the bench and guarding LeBron James and saying that is how the Warriors' bench contributed, but it was much more than that.

In Game 1, Golden State had a lineup with at least three bench players on the court for 14 minutes and were a +4 in that time, with some key lineups doing very well. It was the Warriors bench that sparked a comeback from 14 down in the first half.

source: Getty Images

Contrast that with the Cavaliers, where David Blatt played six guys at least 33 minutes, giving limited duty to anyone else, such as James Jones (17 minutes) and Matthew Dellavedova (nine minutes).

"I think in overtime they got a little bit tired, their rotation is a little bit shorter, and our rotation is a little bit longer, I think that affected the game last night," Barbosa said, while adding it's not why he thought the Warriors won.

What Blatt did in Game 1 is what most every coach does in the playoffs, tightening his rotations — and it almost worked. Behind the brilliance of LeBron, the Cavaliers were an Iman Shupert putback at the buzzer away from stealing Game 1 on the road.

But that's not what the Warriors do. Those "Strength in Numbers" T-shirts everyone wears is not just a marketing slogan, it's a philosophy.

"I think every team is different," Kerr said. "I thought about it as soon as I got the job looking at the roster, and, in fact, the first meeting of the season the night before training camp, we had a team dinner, and that was a big theme was strength in numbers. We're going to try to use our depth throughout the regular season and in the playoffs, and that's been a big part of our team."

"I don't think it should change," Barbosa said of the rotations. "(Kerr) did that the whole season and the whole playoffs. I think there's a reason for him to do that, we kind of know what we have to do when we're out there, he's got a lot of confidence in us."

As he should — that bench is a key reason Golden State is up 1-0 in the NBA Finals. And that bench will get its shot in Game 2.

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — Ja Morant and Desmond Bane scored 38 points each to lead the Memphis Grizzlies to a 134-124 victory over the Brooklyn Nets on Monday night.

Morant and Bane also each had seven assists each. Bane, who struggled shooting to start the season, was 14 of 21 overall and 8 of 11 from 3-point range, the eight 3-pointers a career-high. Santi Aldama scored 17 points for Memphis.

Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving each scored 37 points for the Nets, Nic Claxton finished with 16 points.

The last time four players scored 35 points or more in a game, "Scarface" and "Return of the Jedi" were still in the theaters, and Michael Jackson's "Billy Jean" was the hottest song on the radio.

Memphis broke open a close game with a 17-2 run early in the third quarter. Bane scored 19 in the period. Durant was able to keep the Nets close but had little help as the Grizzlies extended their lead to as many as 15. Despite Durant's 17 in the quarter, Memphis outscored the Nets 45-28 in the third.

Memphis never relinquished its lead in the fourth.

Things got testy in the second quarter as Durant and Dillon Brooks began chirping at each other enough to draw double technicals, two of several in the first half. Those and a pretty steady stream of foul calls kept the game from gaining any pace.

Through the half, the Nets relied on its two-pronged scoring attack with Irving and Durant, along with inside help from Claxton. Morant with an assist from Aldama fueled the Grizzlies offense.

Neither team would build its advantage to double digits before halftime.

Durant passed Alex English (25,613) for 20th on the NBA's all-time scoring list.

Are we sure Ja Morant can't fly?

Because after this insane left-handed alley-oop finish the question is open to further debate.

That's not a well thrown lob pass, it's behind him and only someone with superhuman leaping abilities and body control is getting to that. Enter Ja Morant.

Morant and Kevin Durant are giving the fans in Memphis their money's worth tonight. This is fun, elite basketball.

The Milwaukee Bucks may be off to a 2-0 start with Giannis Antetokounmpo playing like an MVP (again), but the franchise is always looking ahead to May and June.

Specifically, they are looking at Jae Crowder to potentially fill a P.J. Tucker-sized hole at the four. Tucker was with the Bucks for their title run but has moved on and is now yelling at his teammates in Philadelphia. Meanwhile, Crowder is away from the Suns, awaiting his ticket out of Phoenix.

Reports of the Bucks being among the interested teams in Crowder are not new, although he is said to prefer a trade to Miami or Atlanta. Now comes a new report from Shams Charania of The Athletic saying the Bucks remain in the mix.

In addition to the Hawks, the Suns have recently been engaged in talks with the Bucks on a potential Jae Crowder trade, sources said. Milwaukee has registered interest in the veteran forward who has remained away from the Suns' organization as both sides work toward a trade. Miami is also believed to be among the current suitors for Crowder, according to league sources.

In a vacuum, the Bucks can make a Crowder trade work with Grayson Allen going to Phoenix (plus maybe a pick or minimum contract), but will the Bucks want to throw in a starter to get a backup four? Do the Suns want Allen?

Part of the reason Crowder wants out of Phoenix is the Suns planned to start and give a lot of minutes at the four to Cameron Johnson and bring Crowder off the bench. Atlanta has John Collins starting at the four, and after his hot start to this season don't look for that to change soon. Making a trade also will not be that simple now that the Hawks just extended the contract of De'Andre Hunter. Does Crowder want to come off the bench in Atlanta?

Miami has a ready-made starting spot at the four — Caleb Martin is holding it down for now — but it's next to impossible for it to find a matching salary for Crowder until January when Martin, Victor Oladipo and Dewayne Dedmon become trade-eligible (the Suns reportedly are not interested in a Duncan Robinson-based trade).

It's rare for any trades to happen before Thanksgiving, and this year the buyers may want to wait and see which teams struggle early and decide to pivot and chase Victor Wembanyama. After that, more trade possibilities could open up. But the Suns would rather move on from the Crowder situation sooner rather than later, once a decent offer comes forward.

That offer could come from Milwaukee.

The Lakers want to get 20 games or so into the season and then re-assess how their season — and the fit of Russell Westbrook in coach Darvin Ham's system — is going.

But after Westbrook was benched for the closing seconds of the Lakers' come-from-ahead loss to the Trail Blazers Sunday, that assessment may come sooner rather than later. The mood in the Lakers locker room after the game was tense, and multiple players, as well as Ham, talked about shot selection. While there were other questionable shots, what they were referencing came with :30 seconds left in the game, :18 seconds on the shot clock and the Lakers up by one — Westbrook inexplicably took and missed a mid-range jumper (he said he was trying to get the team a two-for-one). LeBron James and Anthony Davis' reactions say it all (as did the usually homer Laker broadcast, where Bill McDonald said, "no Russ, no").

The Lakers' hope in waiting out the trade market is that as teams pivot to tank for Victor Wembanyama and Scoot Henderson, better trade offers than they saw over the summer will emerge. Ones that didn't require them to surrender both first-round picks they can trade (2027 and 2029). However, the 0-3 start and the glaring Westbrook problem could push them to act more quickly. Shams Charania at The Athletic threw a couple of names in the mix — Terry Rozier and Josh Richardson.

Charlotte's Terry Rozier emerged as a trade target for the Lakers in the offseason and their interest in him remains high, multiple sources tell The Athletic. The Lakers and Hornets held discussions about a possible three- or four-team trade during the summer, and hold him in high regard among their possible trade possibilities, but the dynamic Hornets guard's availability will be entirely predicated on the franchise's direction for the future and its play as the season goes on. Despite LaMelo Ball being sidelined with a Grade 2 ankle sprain and Rozier recently suffering his own sprained ankle, the Hornets and coach Steve Clifford are off to a 2-1 start in the Eastern Conference.

The Lakers have also held preliminary discussions with the Spurs in recent weeks, sources said, showing interest in three-and-D wing Josh Richardson. The 6-foot-5 Richardson has averaged nearly 13 points to start the season, shooting 47.1 percent on 5.67 three-point attempts per game.

A Hornets trade could involve the Lakers also taking on Gordon Hayward, who is a good player when healthy (averaging 19.3 points a game this season) but is owed $31.5 million next season, eating up the Lakers' available cap space. Rozier has three seasons remaining on his contract after this one at a total of $73 million.

Richardson also is a solid winger making $12.2 million in the final season of his contract. The Spurs also have (and can create more) cap space to help absorb Westbrook's contract in a deal. The price will be high in draft picks to make that happen.

The much-discussed potential trade with the Pacers for Myles Turner and Buddy Hield makes more sense for the Lakers than Rozier or Richardson, unless the cost in draft picks is so much lower that it tips the scales.

Which leads to the big question for Rob Pelinka and the Lakers' brain trust: How much does subbing out Westbrook with a solid wing player help the team? Getting Rozier or Richardson would not make the Lakers contenders or maybe even a lock playoff team, and it's debatable how far they can go with Turner and Hield (but they likely are top six). Are the Lakers better off holding on to their picks and waiting for a bigger move down the line, a trade that could really move the needle? Can the Lakers afford to wait with LeBron turning 38 in December?

The Lakers had hoped the trade buzz and energy around the team would change once real games started, but the 0-3 start has highlighted the team's roster problems. This will not suddenly become a good shooting team, and there are no easy answers.