Golden State Warriors get a big assist from J.R. Smith in Game One Win
By Kevin Saito
The Golden State Warriors got a big win in Game One of the NBA Finals, but not without a big assist from Cleveland’s J.R. Smith
Whew. The Golden State Warriors hung on and notched a very important victory in Game One of the 2018 NBA Finals, putting them just three wins away from their third title in the last four years.
It’s a win though, that might not have come about, if not for a big unforced error on Cleveland’s part.
This game had it all. Big runs. Big comebacks. And big nights by the game’s biggest stars.
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LeBron James continued adding to his resume as arguably, the best player to ever set foot on an NBA court with a monstrous night. James tossed in a massive 51 points, adding eight rebounds and eight assists in 48 minutes of action.
That 51-point effort put James in rarified air. Only five other players in league history have scored 50 or more points in a Finals game. James etched his name in history alongside Elgin Baylor, Bob Pettit, Rick Barry, Jerry West, and of course, Michael Jordan.
Of that six-pack though, James is the only one to score 50-plus points in a losing effort.
The Warriors got big contributions from their Big Three. Kevin Durant had 26 points, nine rebounds, and six assists, Stephen Curry notched 29 points, six rebounds, and nine assists, and Klay Thompson, who left the game briefly with what looked like it could have been a nasty injury, returned to chip in 24 points, three rebounds and an assist.
Draymond Green, Golden State’s Mr. Do It All, just missed a triple-double, but contributed 13 points, 11 rebounds, nine assists, five steals, and three blocks.
If you looked at just the stat lines of Golden State’s stars, you might be tempted to think the Warriors blew the Cavaliers out in Game One. Which is why you need to do more than look at the box scores.
Yes, the final was a ten-point margin of victory for Golden State, but it was a hard fought win that required them to outscore Cleveland 17-7 in the overtime period.
And truth be told, they’re lucky they got to overtime to go on that 17-7 run at all.
If not for the mental lapse of on J.R. Reid – somebody known to have a mental lapse now and then – the Warriors very well may have lost the game in regulation.
Down by one with just five seconds left to play, Cleveland’s George Hill was at the free throw line, looking to put the finishing touches on what most would consider a most improbable win. He knocked down the first one to tie up the score at 107 each, but missed the second.
Smith grabbed the offensive rebound with just under five seconds to go – which should have been enough time for James, who’d been unstoppable all night long, to knock down the winning shot.
It never came to pass though, as Smith dribbled off into space, his head in the clouds, no doubt already reveling in a Game One win.
Time ran out on the Cavaliers, and in the overtime period, they simply ran out of gas.
Cavaliers head coach Ty Lue, clearly frustrated after the game, when asked about Smith’s blunder, simply snapped, “He thought we were up one.”
Obviously, checking the clock and/or listening to teammates who were yelling at him, is not a fundamental part of Smith’s game. Much to Cleveland’s chagrin and Golden State’s delight.
With Smith off in his own world, the clock ran out, and the rest, as they say, is history, as Golden State powered past Cleveland to draw first blood in this series.
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If Game One showed us anything at all though, it’s that the Warriors need to find a way to slow down LeBron James. The man is on a mission and very nearly willed his team to a win. Every time it seemed like the Warriors had the Cavs on the ropes, James found a way to fight and scratch, clawing Cleveland back into the game.
And it almost worked. If not for Smith’s unthinkable blunder.
Breathe a sigh of relief, Warriors fans. And then buckle up, because Game Two is going to be a doozy and James is going to be bringing even more fire and even more heat.