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LeBron James scores 51 points, but Warriors top Cavs in game 1 of NBA Finals

Posted at 12:07 AM, Jun 01, 2018
and last updated 2018-06-01 00:57:58-04

LeBron James of the Cleveland Cavaliers reacts. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

OAKLAND, Calif. – King James did it all, but it wasn’t enough.

51 points, eight rebounds and eight blocked shots from LeBron James were not enough as his Cleveland Cavaliers lost game one of the NBA Finals to the defending champion Golden State Warriors, 124-114 in overtime.

Golden State’s Stephen Curry scored 29 points as Kevin Durant and Klay Thompson scored 26 and 24 points respectively.

Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

The most-talked about play of the game was the final one in regulation. With 4.7 seconds to play in a 107-107 game, Cleveland’s George Hill missed his second of two free throws after making the first. His Cavs teammate, JR Smith, pulled down the offensive rebound with a chance to go back up with an offensive attempt. However, Smith inexplicably took the rebound back towards half-court instead of attempting the potential game-winning basket. According to his head coach Tyronn Lue, Smith believed his team was winning rather than tied. Smith said otherwise. Regardless of the reason – because of the blunder, Cleveland did not attempt a shot before time expired in the fourth quarter.

Still tied 107-107, the game went to overtime and the Warriors outscored Cleveland 17-7 in the extra period.

Tristan Thompson and Draymond Green exchange words. (Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images)

Late in the OT period, Tristan Thompson of the Cavs was ejected. On his way off the court, he got into a skirmish with Golden State’s Draymond Green.

Game two of the best of seven NBA Finals is Sunday at Oakland’s Oracle Arena.