The only thing more gripping and cringe-inducing than JR Smith's Game 1 blunder itself was how the Cavs handled the stunning end to regulation.
You've seen the play by now. Smith grabbed an offensive rebound, surprisingly dribbled away from the basket and eliminated any possibility of a buzzer-beater to give the Cavs a 1-0 lead in the NBA Finals. LeBron James was seen pointing and screaming at the top of the key, just as confused as the millions of viewers watching the ABC broadcast.
The play that decided Game 1. pic.twitter.com/e1UeOv57Rn
— ESPN (@espn) June 1, 2018
James' frustration did not subside as he sat on the bench for the brief break between the end of the fourth quarter and the start of overtime. That old saying "a picture is worth a thousands words" definitely applies here. Just replace "picture" with "video" and "a thousand words" with "a thousand LeBron F-bombs."
This is heartbreaking! Long uncut footage of LeBron, JR Smith & George Hill after Smith's mistake in Game 1. pic.twitter.com/MplQoAkk0a
— Ballislife.com (@Ballislife) June 4, 2018
Hill and Smith... despondent. The combination of the missed free throw and huge brain cramp was bad enough. But the worst part comes when James asks about timeouts and realizes the Cavs still could have called one to set up a potential final shot. After seeing what happened in that huddle, it makes sense that the Warriors started overtime with a 12-2 run. This team had already lost hope.
Now down 2-0 heading back to Cleveland, James and the Cavs must find a way to focus on the opportunities in front of them, not the ones they left behind.
