OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — The Golden State Warriors pulled out a 124-114 overtime victory over Cleveland in Game 1 of the NBA Finals after a bizarre ending to regulation.
The game went to OT after Cleveland’s J.R. Smith failed to take the go-ahead shot after a missed free throw, apparently believing the Cavaliers led by one when it was tied.
LeBron James’ highest-scoring postseason game was wasted, as he finished with 51 points, the first 50-point game in the finals since Michael Jordan did it 25 years ago and had the Cavaliers in position to stun the heavily favored Warriors in the opener before Smith’s blunder turned the tide.
Smith’s misstep wasn’t the only strange twist in the game. A late replay review that turned a charge on Golden State’s Kevin Durant into a block against James.
That helped the Warriors send the game to overtime