JR Smith explains himself, says he knew the game was tied pic.twitter.com/arRxzRnB45
— Sports Illustrated (@SInow) June 1, 2018
OAKLAND — One of the defining moments in Golden State’s wild 124-114 win over Cleveland in Game 1 came with 4.7 seconds remaining in regulation. George Hill had made a free throw to tie the game, and he missed the second. J.R. Smith grabbed the rebound and dribbled the ball toward halfcourt, as if it seemed he didn’t know the score.
Here is the play:
After the game, Smith elaborated on his thinking behind the play, and denied the idea that he was unaware of the score.
“I knew we were tied,” Smith said. “I just thought we were going to call a timeout because I got the rebound.”
It seemed on television that Smith told LeBron James, “I thought we were ahead.”
“I thought we were ahead.” – JR Smith pic.twitter.com/OjCt4VMCEj
— Agent of NBA Chaos (@World_Wide_Wob) June 1, 2018
“I was trying to get enough space, and obviously (Kevin Durant) was standing right there,” Smith said. “(I was) trying to get enough space to bring it out to maybe get a shot off. I looked over at LeBron, he looked he was trying to call a timeout, so I just stopped. The game was over.”
His head coach has another theory.
“He thought it was over,” Lue said, before pausing. “He thought we were up one.”
Ty Lue on the JR Smith fiasco: pic.twitter.com/m8NhitCVOc
— Dime on UPROXX (@DimeUPROXX) June 1, 2018
Regardless, the Cavs still had a chance as the game headed to overtime. But the Warriors jumped to a 9-0 run to begin the five-minute period, to take Game 1 of the NBA Finals.
This game will be remembered for many things, whether it is James’ 51-point effort, Klay Thompson’s injury scare, Stephen Curry’s 38-foot heave as the buzzer sounded, Smith’s blunder, or Tristan Thompson’s ejection in overtime.
One can only wonder what Game 2 will bring.