As seen all over the world, Cleveland Cavaliers star LeBron James was the most furious player on the court after J.R. Smith’s late-game judgment in Game 1 of the NBA Finals.
After the game, James was asked about Smith’s mental breakdown. As per Keith Smith of RealGM, James said:
“How would I know that? I knew it was tied. I thought we all knew what the situation was. I don’t know his state of mind.”
Smith did a good job at snagging the offensive rebound. Yet the game’s not won by just offensive rebounds. The team with the most points at the end of the game is declared the winner. And to know the score at every moment of the game is the most basic job of any player.
Though James was getting on Smith’s grill during the game, during the post-game interview, he revealed that they just have to move on from the mistake. He has forgiven Smith, and will never give up on his teammate. As posted by NBA on ESPN, James defended Smith as well as his fellow Cavaliers:
It’s the correct move by James. Smith has been on the receiving end of a grand sermon from fans and critics alike. James is the leader of the squad. Everyone follows his lead. Whatever he says, echoes well into the ears of everyone in the locker room.
Besides, this is just Game 1. Smith and the Cavs have six more games to prove their worth. They came back from a 3-1 deficit. This loss will be easy to forget.