NBA Finals- LeBron James scored a career-high 51 points in vain as a J.R. Smith brain fade moment cost the Cavs heavily in 2018
LeBron James displayed nothing short of an offensive masterclass in Game 1 of the 2018 NBA Finals, leaving spectators in awe. Unfortunately, a momentary lapse by JR Smith during regulation put a damper on what should have been an extraordinary night.
The rivalry between the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Golden State Warriors had reached its final chapter in 2018. After facing each other in four consecutive NBA Finals, the two teams had grown accustomed to one another's playing style.
The 2018 Finals presented the Cavaliers with a chance to redeem themselves following their 4-1 loss to the Warriors the previous year. Game 1 witnessed one of the most explosive playoff performances in NBA history.
LeBron James had singlehandedly carried the Cavs to the Finals. While this should have taken a toll on the superstar, James was far from being done.
LeBron dropped a historic 51-8-8 performance on the Warriors to kick off the Finals. While this is nothing short of Herculean, shockingly, it wasn't enough to secure a win.
Trailing by a single point, the Cavs had a golden opportunity to take the lead with under five seconds remaining on the clock, thanks to a pair of free throws. George Hill made the first shot but missed the second.
Cavaliers guard JR Smith secured the rebound, but unfortunately, he lost track of the situation. Instead of attempting a shot, he inexplicably chose to dribble out the remaining time, causing frustration for LeBron, who clearly understood the urgency. The game proceeded to overtime, where the Warriors dominated and emerged with a 124-114 victory in Game 1.
In retrospect, the loss in Game 1 broke the Cavs. Following the loss, the Cavaliers were handed three straight losses and were promptly swept by the Warriors.
This also spelled the end of LeBron's tenure in Cleveland as he moved on to join the LA Lakers shortly after.
Read: “I’m not about to just go right up on this tall-a** motherf**ker” - J.R. Smith on his infamous dribble incident in the 2018 NBA Finals, says he thought will call a timeout
LeBron James on the move again?
LeBron James has played for three teams in his career thus far: the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Miami Heat and the LA Lakers. However, there may be a chance that James adds another team to that list in the upcoming season.
Rumors of James considering retirement occupied all the space following the LA Lakers' loss against the Denver Nuggets. The general consensus may suggest that the "King" will return next season, but there appears to be another story brewing.
Dallas Mavericks superstar and former Cavs teammate Kyrie Irving reportedly made attempts to recruit James to Dallas.
Facilitating such a move would be rather difficult. However, watching LeBron and Kyrie team up again is something fans have been looking forward tofor the past few seasons.
Read: What is the latest update on the LeBron James to the Dallas Mavericks trade rumors? Finding out more