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NBA Finals: JR Smith isn't the only player to make a boneheaded mistake at the worst possible time
Los Angeles Times ^ | 06/01/2018 | By CHUCK SCHILKEN

Posted on 06/01/2018 9:23:24 PM PDT by SeekAndFind

Fans in Cleveland probably will need awhile to get over the Cavaliers’ overtime loss to the Golden State Warriors in Game 1 of the NBA Finals — in particular, JR Smith’s blunder in the final seconds of regulation that cost the team a chance to win.

And they’re not alone. There are plenty of other fans from other sports towns (or in one case, an entire country) who have felt the same way after some athlete’s boneheaded play at a critical point in a huge game.

Here’s a sampling, starting with Smith’s woeful tale (sorry, Cavs fans).

With the score tied and 4.7 seconds remaining in regulation, Smith pulled in an offensive rebound under the basket. But instead of taking a shot or dishing the ball out to a wide-open LeBron James, Smith opted to run out the clock. Most assume that Smith thought the Cavaliers had the lead, although he said after the game he knew the score was tied but thought Cleveland was going to call a timeout. The Warriors would go on to win in overtime 124-114.

(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...


TOPICS: Sports
KEYWORDS: basketball; cavaliers; clevelandcavaliers; goldenstatewarriors; jrsmith; nba; nbafinals
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To: Palio di Siena

No. Jean Van de Velde royally choked on the 18th but stayed composed enough to get into a playoff where he then lost.


21 posted on 06/02/2018 5:44:20 AM PDT by bramps (It's the Islam, stupid!)
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To: MUDDOG

Vegas mob got to him?


22 posted on 06/02/2018 5:50:05 AM PDT by GranTorino (Bloody Lips Save Ships.)
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To: hirn_man
In the bottom of the 10th with 2 outs Nelson Cruz somehow managed to misplay a fly ball to right field and the Cardinals tied it up again and went on to win game 6 in the 11th inning on a walk off homerun and win game 7.

It was a little more than routine but that catch didn't require Willie Mays theatrics. Cruz's botch cost the Rangers the Series.

23 posted on 06/02/2018 5:53:44 AM PDT by Rummyfan (In any war between the civilized man and the savage, support the civilized man. Support Israel.)
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To: Palio di Siena
There was a French golfer who took a 7 or 8 on the last hole of the British open to lose.

Jean Van de Velde.... He had a three-shot lead standing on the 18th tee. A double-bogey and he would still win. He takes a triple-bogey seven to fall into a tie and loses in a playoff.

24 posted on 06/02/2018 5:57:53 AM PDT by Rummyfan (In any war between the civilized man and the savage, support the civilized man. Support Israel.)
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To: Az Joe

And yet, the ball bounces to Cleveland with 4.7 seconds left and a excellent chance to win.. is JR a weed enthusiast? Plenty of time to check the score while free throws are being shot. That’s what makes this gaffe so bad.


25 posted on 06/02/2018 6:17:42 AM PDT by ghost of nixon
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To: Az Joe

If you watch a replay the video you will notice the Baseline official called a charge while the official near the top of the key called a block. That is the reason the play was reviewed.

The video at the bottom of this ESPN Story clearly shows two things, it shows the backside official calling the block and clearly shows LeBron was still sliding and moving into the path of Durant after Durant had left his feet.

If I was a Cleveland Fan I would be more upset about JR Smith’s boneheaded decision not to put the ball back up and instead, dribbling out top after his offensive Rebound with 4.7 seconds left.

http://m.cleveland19.com/story/38323738/breaking-down-the-overturned-blocking-foul-call-on-lebron-james


26 posted on 06/02/2018 6:22:40 AM PDT by PresidentFelon
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To: SeekAndFind
although he said after the game he knew the score was tied but thought Cleveland was going to call a timeout.

He's lying now. He told LeBron James after time ran out that he thought his team had the lead.

And, this doesn't make him look any better since he could and should have called the timeout himself.

27 posted on 06/02/2018 8:10:32 AM PDT by Kazan
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To: PresidentFelon

No, that is not correct on at least two points.

First, the baseline official called the charge, IMMEDIATELY and AUTHORITATIVELY, before LBJ even hits the floor....the backside judge hesitates, begins to slowly bring his arms up for a blocking call and never does authoritatively complete that gesture. The baseline judge was within 12 feet of LBJ’s feet and had a absolutely unobstructed and clear view of the play, the backside judge did not. The baseline official KNEW to a certainty that LBJ was at least 2 1/2 feet outside of the restricted area. That FACT, right there, ends the discussion.

Second, the only way they could allowably, by league rule, go to replay review was to review whether or not LBJ was in the restricted area. You CANNOT, by league rule, use the replay review for any other reason in that situation. As several crucial calls went against the Cavs, or were just plain missed when it would be to the benefit of the Cavs, one can safely conclude that the refs intentionally refereed the game in a biased manner. There is no other reasonable conclusion. It was a hyper home team called game.

The call was the equivalent of a Superbowl game call being reversed by going to replay review to determine whether or not a played stepped on the sideline or not (when it was more than abundantly clear that he did not) and then using the replay review to reverse a call of offensive pass interference to defensive pass interference on the same play and nullifying the play.

Holding and pass interference in football and charging/blocking in basketball are subjective calls and are NEVER allowed to be reviewed by league rule. The refs essentially first made a SUBJECTIVE call of charging on KD and then intentionally misused the replay review to again, SUBJECTIVELY reverse that call in the Warriors favor.

Like I said, that was only one call, the most egregious one but if you watch the highlights you will see several crucial calls missed or made against the Cavs.

It was an egregious disgrace and it would not surprise me at all to discover, at some point down the road, that money changed hands at some point. They ripped that game away from the Cavs


28 posted on 06/02/2018 8:46:01 AM PDT by Az Joe (Gloria in excelsis Deo)
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To: SeekAndFind
Could be worse, he could have been the Liverpool goalkeeper....
29 posted on 06/02/2018 8:55:00 AM PDT by dfwgator (Endut! Hoch Hech!)
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To: ghost of nixon

www.booshsports.com/5-nba-players-who-smoke-weed/

10 NBA Players Who Smoke Weed

Wanna get high? Check out which NBA stars like to smoke up:

10. J. R. Smith


30 posted on 06/02/2018 11:20:49 AM PDT by Az Joe (Gloria in excelsis Deo)
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To: GranTorino

Havlicek stole the inbound pass from Hal Greer, to ice the one-point victory of Celtics over Sixers in the 1965 Eastern Finals 7th game.

So it would’ve been Greer whom the mob got to.


31 posted on 06/02/2018 11:21:44 AM PDT by MUDDOG
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To: dfwgator

I immediately thought of Zidane getting himself sent off in 2006.


32 posted on 06/02/2018 11:26:35 AM PDT by safeasthebanks ("The most rewarding part, was when he gave me my money!" - Dr. Nick)
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To: safeasthebanks
Yeah, but it gave us one of the greatest animated gifs of all time....


33 posted on 06/02/2018 11:28:54 AM PDT by dfwgator (Endut! Hoch Hech!)
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To: safeasthebanks

And I didn’t even mention the other howler Karius gave up on Bale’s second goal.


34 posted on 06/02/2018 11:31:35 AM PDT by dfwgator (Endut! Hoch Hech!)
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To: dfwgator

Yeah and then there was.....Andres Escobar


35 posted on 06/02/2018 11:44:34 AM PDT by xp38
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To: xp38
Yeah and then there was.....Andres Escobar

I don't even want to go there. Very sad.

36 posted on 06/02/2018 11:46:16 AM PDT by dfwgator (Endut! Hoch Hech!)
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To: dfwgator

Yes, for my money, the second mistake was worse and really killed off the game.


37 posted on 06/02/2018 12:16:41 PM PDT by safeasthebanks ("The most rewarding part, was when he gave me my money!" - Dr. Nick)
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To: safeasthebanks

Salah going down killed off the game, up to that point Liverpool was dominating.


38 posted on 06/02/2018 12:17:52 PM PDT by dfwgator (Endut! Hoch Hech!)
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To: Az Joe

My wife, after watching, was convinced that the “fix” was in place.


39 posted on 06/02/2018 12:21:14 PM PDT by KC Burke (If all the world is a stage, I would like to request my lighting be adjusted.)
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To: Dixie Yooper

A life changing event. No wait, the exact opposite of a life changing event.


40 posted on 06/02/2018 12:25:53 PM PDT by King Moonracer (Bad lighting and cheap fabric, that's how you sell clothing.)
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