Looking back at the 2017-2018 NBA Finals, it’s easy to see how the Golden State Warriors dominated the Cleveland Cavaliers. However, it wasn’t all lopsided, especially in games one and three. Those two games could have just as easily gone to the Cavs if these two plays didn’t happen. Below are the plays that changed the course of the 2017-2018 NBA Finals.
Image source: defpen.com
J.R. Smith runs out the clock
With 4 seconds left, J.R. Smith grabs the offensive rebound off a missed free throw by George Hill. Smith was in the thick of things and could’ve gone for a second chance shot from point-blank range. Instead, he dribbled it out, past the three-point arc. Lebron James screamed and screamed, but it was too late. The clock had run out, and they just missed an opportunity to either score or at the very least, call a timeout.
Image source: 12up.com
2. Kevin Durant with another dagger
Game three had been a tightly-contested battle until the final minute of the game. With a minute left, the Warriors were only up by three, and it was a one-possession game. In the next 10 seconds that followed, Durant hit a spot-up three from way deep, extending the lead to six and effectively taking away the wind from the Cavs’ sails. It was the exact same spot where he hit the dagger three from last year’s game three, breaking hearts all over Cleveland for the second year in a row.
George S. Ammar is from Cleveland, Ohio. He loves the Cavs. Follow this Twitter page for more on Lebron and the Cavs.
