NBA Finals: Are the Cavaliers done after blowing chance to win Game 1?

LeBron James scored 51 points — an an efficient 51 points on 19-for-32 shooting — with eight rebounds and eight assists (He was guilty of five turnovers, too, but nobody’s perfect.) while Kevin Love had a double-double, JR Smith had 10 points and Larry Nance Jr. supplied nine points and 11 rebounds off the bench.

If there is a most likely formula for Cleveland to win without having some scrub Cavs go insane for multiple games, this was most likely it.

(Love is not a scrub unless you’re a writer or talking head trying to burnish James’ reputation, in which case you’re likely to at least imply he was never a lottery pick who made multiple all-star teams before joining the Cavs.)

LeBron couldn’t miss and the Warriors shot below average from 3, at least in regulation.

Cleveland’s role players were kind of a mixed bag, but that’s to be expected. If they were consistently good, this Finals appearance wouldn’t have surprised anyone. If they were never good, they wouldn’t be here, either.

(Also Golden State got killed on the boards. Is there anything they can do about that? TBD, I guess…)

The Cavs took a few haymakers in the second half but managed to stay on their feet, landing counters after each trademark Warriors run.

LeBron and Co. were even in position to win in the final seconds, but George Hill missed a free throw and then Smith ran the clock out because he seemingly didn’t know the score (he denied this after the game, but but his explanation is pretty far-fetched).

The Warriors took advantage of their second life, remembered how to shoot and pretty much dominated overtime to take a one-game lead in the series…

This was not only a near-upset but almost an instant classic. 

The last few minutes changed both as some questionable officiating and dumb posturing marred the end.

People who can't think often say one call or one play never determines a game, but that is of course ludicrous, and there was such a play last night as a charge on Kevin Durant was changed to a block on LeBron James after video review.

I think they ultimately got the call correct, but this is a pretty outrageous overturn at the same time.

This speaks to both the problems with the block/charge rule and the continued disastrous implementation of replay, the fool-proof system that is continually screwed up by fools in the replay room who can’t seem to grasp the meaning of “indisputable evidence.”

Whatever the original call is there should have been upheld, and there shouldn’t be any controversy to that.

Also this play shouldn’t even happen because there should be no way LeBron is allowed to draw a charge in this situation and the rule should be changed to remove that incentive.

Then there was also some of the silliness that tends to happen when emotions are high, so it remains to be seen if there are any repercussions.

If Tristan Thompson gets suspended (doubtful), it might not matter much because he only shows up half the time anyway.

Maybe Nance is ready for primetime. After struggling early in the playoffs, he’s become a more reliable option lately…

Game Two is Sunday night. 

Can the Cavaliers avoid falling behind 2-0? Maybe, but it’s not a must-win anyway.

If Game One taught us anything, it is that they can win this series if they execute at a high level for four out of seven games — especially if the Warriors get bored, as they tend to do.

Then again, Golden State now only has to engage god mode three times in the next six to be the champion again.