I make no apologies for loving basketball in general and NBA basketball in particular, while at the same time acknowledging its flaws.
That said, I hated Game One of the NBA Finals.
OK, not all of it. LeBron James was great, scoring 51 points with eight rebounds and eight assists. Stephen Curry was really good, with 29 points. Klay Thompson and Kevin Durant had their moments as well.
But I hated the questionable decisions down the stretch — by the officials and J.R. Smith — as well as Tristan Thompson’s elbow and Draymond Green’s Draymond Greening.
More than anything I hated the fact that it felt like the wrong team won.
The Warriors will be credited with a 124-114 overtime victory over the Cavaliers. But it was an unsatisfying, unsettling conclusion, as it was decided not by the play on the court but rather by peripheral issues.
Start with 36.4 seconds left in regulation and Cleveland up 104-102. Durant, who finished with 26 points but missed 14 of 22 shots from the floor (including six of seven from 3-point range), barged down the lane but ran over James.
Referee Ken Mauer called a charge, which appeared a reasonable decision, but the play was then reviewed, as there was some question as to whether James was in the restricted area or not.
He was not, but the play was changed to a block, because, NBA Senior Vice President of Replay and Referee Operations Joe Borgia told NBA TV, James was “still sliding to his left.”
James later told reporters he “read the play as well as (he’s) read any play in (his) career.” No matter, though; Durant made both free throws to tie the game.
Golden State later moved to a 107-106 lead, but with 4.7 seconds left Thompson fouled George Hill. Hill made the first free throw to tie it but missed the second. Smith collected the offensive rebound, however.
Did he go back up with a shot? No.
Did he call timeout? Child, please.
This is J.R. Smith, who once decided to visit a friend on the opposing bench while the ball was in play, so naturally he dribbled out to the perimeter as time expired. He appeared to believe the Cavs were ahead, but wouldn’t cop to that in postgame interviews
Coach Ty Lue did, however, tell reporters Smith “thought we were up one.”
The Warriors ran away and hid in overtime, but with 2.6 second remaining Thompson was assessed a flagrant foul-1 and ejected for elbowing Shaun Livingston in the chest as he attempted a shot. (This was unwritten-rules territory. Should Livingston have been shooting at the end of a game that was already decided? Would it have not been more prudent for the Dubs to take a 24-second violation?)
It didn’t end there, either. All the players converged. Draymond, as is his wont, started yapping at Thompson. Thompson responded by shoving the ball — and, it appeared, his fist — into Green’s face. More disciplinary action is likely coming.
The game, however, is gone forever. Gone for reasons that leave one feeling cold. That leave one feeling as if the wrong team won.