One charity, one rebound
AN opportunity knocks but only once, right?
That was basically the story in yesterday’s Game 1 of the NBA Finals, when Golden State scored a 124-114 overtime victory over Cleveland in Oakland, California.
Cleveland bungled one crucial play and that was it. Whatever the reason, that will remain unacceptable for years to come.
After Cleveland’s George Hill missed the go-ahead point from the line for a 107-all count, J.R. Smith grabbed the Cavs’ most meaningful rebound for the night (USA time) with a leap for the ages— mere ticks remaining.
But for one weird reason or another, Smith dribbled out of the paint instead of into the goal very reachable even for a virtual Lilliputian like my tocayo, the Energy secretary Al Cusi.
It was too late when Smith realized he had strayed too far at right quarter court beyond the arc, flicking a desperate pass to a stunned Jeff Green who could barely heave it at the buzzer.
While Hill’s freethrow miss can be forgiven as nerves had surely consumed him in the see-saw battle, unpardonable almost was Smith’s mental blackout. He is a seasoned veteran to begin with.
Thus, by failing to steal the game in regulation, Cleveland surrendered everything in overtime, including its pride.
Game 2 is on Mon- day (PH Time), again at GSW’s Oracle Arena.
It would help if Cleveland should polish its free-throw shooting during the two-day break if only to learn from Hill’s miscue before Smith’s stinker doomed the Cavs.
In fairness, the Warriors came armed to the teeth in all departments, from firing threes to sinking singles from the stripe.
While they buried all but one of their eight charities in the pivotal fourth quarter, the Cavs were a dismal 3-of-5 from the line in the same stretch.
If Hill had hit that free throw after making good the first one, it would have given Cleveland a 108-107 lead.
With time down to only 4.7 seconds, the Warriors might have found it a bit extra hard to execute in the face of Cleveland’s grinding pressure starting from the inbound.
And look at this: Only seconds before Hill’s charity split, didn’t Stephen Curry bury his own andone to complete a three-point play for the Warriors’ 107-106 lead with 23.5 ticks remaining?
I rest my case.