NBA Finals 2018: JR Smith and the Wildest Moments from Warriors vs. Cavs

The 2018 NBA Finals started with a Mike Breen-like "bang" and concluded with a Golden State Warriors blowout that sent Cleveland Cavaliers fans home in disappointment.

Cavaliers guard JR Smith experienced a nightmarish Game 1 outing. It's unfair to blame him for all four losses, but it's a series that will follow him for the rest of his professional career. Social media will never allow him to forget his biggest mistake on the NBA Finals stage. 

Aside from Smith, Round 4 between the Warriors and Cavaliers produced a handful of wild moments.

LeBron James' boxing match with a blackboard didn't make the list because there's no footage. However, ESPN.com's Brian Windhorst and Dave McMenamin reported the Cavaliers superstar suffered a hand injury after an emotional outburst in the locker room: 

Let's take a look at some moments that wowed fans in real time or hold more significance when analyzing the totality of the 2018 NBA Finals.

JR Smith Rolls into Klay Thompson's Leg

When looking at the replay of Smith rolling into Klay Thompson's left leg in the first quarter, it's remarkable that the Warriors guard didn't miss extended time:

Thompson checked back into the contest at the beginning of the second quarter and logged 45 minutes.

According to Yahoo Sports' Shams Charania, Thompson suffered a high left ankle sprain with significant bruising:

Thompson was listed as questionable for Game 2 with a leg contusion and then dropped 20 points in the 122-103 victory over the Cavaliers.

As the third or fourth standout player on most nights, Thompson's contributions often go overlooked. The four-time All-Star displayed toughness to complete a fourth consecutive NBA Finals without missing a game.

Stephen Curry's Game 1 Halftime Buzzer-Beater 

Throughout the first half of Game 1, Cleveland and Golden State looked evenly matched. The Cavaliers nearly went into the locker room with a three-point lead, but Stephen Curry scored on a buzzer-beating three-pointer to tie the contest at 56.

If you look closely, Smith gambled on a steal, which left Curry open space to set his feet and take aim:

After struggling with his shot in two games against the Houston Rockets, Curry brought a hot hand into the NBA Finals, shooting 11-of-23 from the field in the opening contest.

Smith's Critical 4th-Quarter Gaffe in Game 1 

Mistakes happen on the job all the time. However, when you're playing in front of thousands in attendance and millions watching at home, an error circulates around social media for everyone to dissect—repeatedly.

Smith reportedly admitted to Cavaliers head coach Tyronn Lue that he lost track of the score in the final seconds of Game 1:

How else can anyone explain milking the clock without an intention to score in the final seconds of a tied contest? It's one of the most bizarre sequences in NBA Finals history:

A Cavaliers victory in the opening contest could've changed the complexion of the series and provided the team with enough confidence to beat Golden State. Instead, Cleveland went into overtime deflated and never seemed to recover from Smith's critical mishap.

Draymond Green Pokes James' Right Eye

LeBron drove full steam to the basket and took a finger directly to the eye:

Sometimes, James draws flak for embellishing contact, but this time you can clearly see the damage done to his eye.

According to ESPN's Rachel Nichols, he played with blurry vision for the remainder of the game:

Despite the injury, he managed to score 51 points in an overtime loss—the first player to fall into that category in an NBA Finals matchup. It's not a justification to punch a whiteboard and limit shooting ability, but you can understand James' frustration. 

LeBron Throws Alley-Oop to Himself with Injured Hand 

Now that we know James pretty much played the last three games with a broken hand, a normal alley-oop seems extraordinary considering the circumstances. He only attempted 11 three-pointers after his reported self-inflicted damage but caught his own toss off the backboard to complete an emphatic slam dunk.

In Game 3, James recorded a triple-double—33 points, 10 rebounds and 11 assists—though, he shot 1-of-6 from three-point territory.

The hand injury doesn't count for a valid excuse for going down in a sweep, but he still played a lot better than all his teammates with one fully functional hand, which says a lot about the Cavaliers' supporting cast.

LeBron Explodes on the Bench

James displayed emotions during and after a Game 1 loss, but he emptied all his frustrations as the season slipped away in Cleveland on Friday: 

It's unclear what prompted the animated reaction, but clearly, the three-time NBA champion sensed his team didn't have enough to knock off the Warriors. All the work put into the 2017-18 campaign would fall short of the ultimate goal.

It's fair to wonder if James thought about Games 1 and 3 slipping through his fingers, an uncertain future and a 3-6 NBA Finals record all in one moment, leading to a boiling point.