NBA 2018/19: 3 Talking points from Cleveland Cavaliers vs Golden State Warriors

Final Score: Warriors 120 - 114 Cavaliers

The Golden State Warriors were on the second night of back-to-back games and were coming off a win in Los Angeles against the Lakers. The Warriors entered this game looking to exploit the inexperienced LeBron-less Cleveland Cavaliers and they did just that.

They dominated the Cavaliers for the most part of the game and never really looked uncomfortable. Both the teams walked into the tunnel with the Warriors up by 19 at half-time.

The Cavaliers showed a more matured fight in the second half but it wasn't enough to stop the defending champions from getting the win. This win helped the Warriors push their winning streak to nine games against the Cavaliers. Let us take a look at three talking points from the Warriors' fourth-straight win.

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#3. Collin Sexton leads the Cavaliers in scoring with 27 points

Sexton has become the face of the franchise

The way the Cleveland Cavaliers have been playing in their first season without LeBron James has shown us all why he is still the best player in the league. They will not be in the postseason this year, after making it to four straight finals earlier.

The Cavs have been awful all season long and do not have a lot of positives to take out of this season. However, the 20-year-old Rookie, Collin Sexton has been a revelation for this team and has impressed the fans.

He is going to be the face of the franchise in this post-LeBron era and he has definitely lived up to the hype as he has been pouring in the points heavily for the most part of the season. Against the Warriors, Sexton started slow and with Klay Thompson defending him, he missed seven of his first eight shots.

However, he made adjustments immediately and ended up with team-high 27 points on 10-for-21 shooting. Sexton is averaging 16.7 points, 2.9 rebounds and 2.9 assists per game in his first season in the NBA.

#2. The Warriors shot 54.1% from the three-point line compared to the Cavaliers' 23.3%

Stephen Curry led the Warriors in three-point shooting going 9-for-12 from downtown

Even on a night when Klay Thompson could not get it going from the three-point line (1-for-7), the Warriors still ended up shooting at 54.1 % from long range. This was possible obviously because of their sharpshooting point guard, Stephen Curry.

Curry could not miss from anywhere as he went 9-for-12 from beyond the arc and dismantled the Cavaliers. Green also showed his shooting skills as he went 3-for-7 from distance. Also, coming off the bench, Quinn Cook went 4-for-5 from the three-point line and finished with 17 points.

While the Warriors were connecting nicely last night, none of the Cavaliers' players found success from the three-point line. Everybody not named Collin Sexton combined for just 4-for-23 and this was one of the main reasons why the Cavaliers lost this game.

#1. Stephen Curry becomes the Warriors' third-leading scorer of all-time

Curry scored 40 points and helped the Warriors to the victory

Stat line: 40 points, 6 rebounds, 7 assists and a block on 57.1 % shooting

Stephen Curry was in his elements last night and erupted for 40 points to help the Warriors to the victory. He went 12-for-21 from the field, including a red-hot 9-for-12 from the three-point line and registered his seventh game with 40 or more points this season.

In the first quarter, Curry had 18 points and helped the Warriors take a 36-26 lead at the end of the quarter. He also became the Warriors' third-leading scorer of all time en route to his 40 points.

Curry (16,283) trails only Rick Barry (16,447) and Wilt Chamberlain (17,783) on the Warriors all-time scoring list and is expected to eventually surpass both these all-time greats to become the Warriors' leading scorer.