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2015 NBA Finals: One Miss, One Fall Leaves LeBron James, Cavs In 1-0 Hole

By Michael Saenz

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One missed shot and a bad fall late in Game 1 have LeBron James, Cavs wondering what went wrong in their NBA Finals Game 1 loss to the Warriors

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In some alternate universe the Cleveland Cavaliers are currently celebrating their first NBA Finals game victory. LeBron James is discussing how he hit the game-winning shot in the waning seconds of said game and Kyrie Irving is talking about how eight days off did wonders for his knee, getting through a clean game.

Instead, after controlling most of the game, the Cleveland Cavaliers are left with more questions than answers. Even though LeBron James finished with 44 points, eight rebounds and six assists, it wasn’t enough. Kyrie Irving finished with 23 points, seven rebounds, six assists and four steals, but it was his overtime fall, which forced him out of the game, that will take the headlines.

After talking to reporters, Irving left the arena in crutches. And the Cavs left with a 1-0 deficit.

Irving is schedule to get an MRI at some point today, but the initial diagnosis is that his ACL/MCL are fine, which is good news. What isn’t good news, though, is the fact that Irving wasn’t sure if he was going to be able to play in Game 2. In essence, that news probably hurts the Cavs more than their Game 1 loss.

Before LeBron’s and Iman Shumpert‘s missed shots at the buzzer, the Cavs looked like the better team on the floor for most of the game. Cleveland led for what felt like most of the game, until the fourth quarter. LeBron James was hitting the shots that the Golden State Warriors wanted him to take and Irving looked closer to his old self than his injured version.

That was before the re-aggrevation of his knee injury. And before the depressing news that began to flood out of the locker rooms after Game 1.

The Cavs were so close (during regulation), yet so far (in overtime). Cleveland ultimately fell in OT by eight, 108-100, and they only scored two points in the entire additional frame. Now, the Cavs are forced with the task of beating a team that has won 80 games this season, including the postseason, four out of the next six games. Not easy.

But also not impossible.

For the better-part of Game 1, LeBron James, nearly single-handily, was well on his way to stealing homecourt advantage way from arguably the best home team in the NBA. Though, if Kyrie Irving is indeed out for Game 2, or further than that, the King is going to have to be bigger and better.

And I’m not sure THAT is possible.

LeBron finished with 44 points — it wasn’t enough. One area in which he can improve, though, is shot selection.

LeBron only shot 4 of his 38 attempts inside the restricted area. He shot 16 of his 38 inside the paint. That means 22 of his 38 shots, more than 50 percent, were essentially long jumpers. The Warriors will take that every single day against the Cavaliers.

Problem is, the Cavs can’t — and won’t. That will probably change in Game 2. LeBron’s 38 shot attempts were the most he’s ever taken in his NBA career, both in the regular season or the postseason. In a weird way, he’s going to have to be more aggressive if the Cavs are going to win Game 2.

One missed shot might’ve changed the course of this series. The Cleveland Cavaliers went from having a huge statement Game 1 to now playing for their Finals lives.

Game 2 won’t technically be a must-win for the Cavaliers, but they kind of can’t afford lose it — with or without Kyrie.

Next: NBA Finals X-Factors

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