King James Gospel
Fansided

Three moments that changed the Cleveland Cavaliers forever

By Tony Pesta

CLEVELAND, OH - MAY 21: Fans react after LeBron James #23 of the Cleveland Cavaliers makes a basket late in the game against the Boston Celtics during Game Four of the 2018 NBA Eastern Conference Finals at Quicken Loans Arena on May 21, 2018 in Cleveland, Ohio. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
CLEVELAND, OH - MAY 21: Fans react after LeBron James #23 of the Cleveland Cavaliers makes a basket late in the game against the Boston Celtics during Game Four of the 2018 NBA Eastern Conference Finals at Quicken Loans Arena on May 21, 2018 in Cleveland, Ohio. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) /
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2018 NBA Finals: Cleveland Cavaliers vs Golden State Warriors

Game one: Golden State wins 124-114

After being unbelievable all playoff’s, LeBron James somehow took it to another level in game one of the NBA Finals. James opened up by scoring effortlessly. Every shot he attempted went in. By the end of the first half, James had 24 points and the game was tied.

James continued to dominate in the second half. Doing it all on both ends of the floor. James set up his teammates and scored relentlessly. With under a minute left, the Cavaliers actually held a lead. However, a blown call by the referees would give Kevin Durant two free-throws and tied the game. James charged back down the court for a layup for his 49th point and gave Cleveland a two-point lead. Then, Stephen Curry converted an and-one play to put Golden State back on top.

Still, the Cavaliers had a chance to steal this game. With four seconds remaining, George Hill was fouled. Hill hit the first free-throw to tie the game. As Hill missed the second free-throw, JR Smith dove in for the offensive rebound. Smith took the ball and retreated all the way to half-court. Seemingly unaware of the score.

Meanwhile, James stood wide open screaming for the ball and an opportunity to shoot and win the game. The clock ran out and the game went into overtime. Completely devastated, the Cavaliers lost in overtime. LeBron James became the first player in NBA Finals history to score 50+ points in a loss.

Understandably frustrated, James punched a whiteboard in the locker room. This would cause an injury to his right hand and effectively end the series. The Cavaliers went on to be swept. It is likely that the mistake JR Smith made in the final seconds of game one solidified James’ decision to leave Cleveland again. James had done everything possible and his team still fell short.