J.R. Smith didn’t know the score in the NBA Finals and everyone went nuts
May 31, 2018, 8:58 PM | Updated: 8:58 pm
LeBron James put in one of the best performances of his career in the NBA Finals, but that would not be the main talking point around the Cleveland Cavaliers’ first game against the Golden State Warriors.
Instead, it was a play with under five seconds left.
Cavaliers point guard George Hill was fouled in the bonus, sending him to the free-throw line with his team down 107-106 with 4.7 seconds left.
Hill made the first free throw but missed the second.
In the part of the play that won’t be remembered, J.R. Smith came up big with an offensive rebound.
Unfortunately, Smith thought Cleveland was ahead and he dribbled away from the basket to run out the clock.
Smith then rushed a pass to Hill in the corner, who barely got a shot off and the game went to overtime.
WOW. We're going to overtime. pic.twitter.com/1YNEniJo1d
— ESPN (@espn) June 1, 2018
The defining image of the moment, and perhaps the series, was James telling Smith to go the other way and looking at Smith with a mystified look after the play.
#NBAFinals pic.twitter.com/Fzcn97oarV
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) June 1, 2018
On a replay, an exchange between James and Smith revealed the moment Smith realized the score.
“I thought we were ahead.” – JR Smith pic.twitter.com/OjCt4VMCEj
— J.R.ob Perez (@World_Wide_Wob) June 1, 2018
Twitter could not believe what they saw and had the memes ready to go.
What the hell was JR Smith just doing?
— Vinny Joe _____ (@Vincemarotta) June 1, 2018
What the hell is JR Smith doing!!!!!
— Jordan Byrd (@jordanLbyrd) June 1, 2018
— Mike Lisboa (@MikeLisboa) June 1, 2018
Jr is on that henny lol pic.twitter.com/0GBhgXjVyt
— Joel Embiid (@JoelEmbiid) June 1, 2018
“Wait, we wasn’t winning?” pic.twitter.com/vdCQlzsMbo
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) June 1, 2018
JR didn’t know the score.
— Russillo (@ryenarussillo) June 1, 2018
Oh JR.
— Rachel Nichols (@Rachel__Nichols) June 1, 2018
The Cavs had a timeout THAT ENTIRE TIME
— Jeremy Woo (@JeremyWoo) June 1, 2018
🚶🏾♂️<——- DAT WAY
— Evan Turner (@thekidet) June 1, 2018
