There’s nothing better than being petty. And it only gets better in the NBA Finals.
When game one of the 2018 NBA Finals ended with a hilarious blunder by Cleveland Cavaliers shooting guard J.R. Smith, it was obvious that it would not be forgotten quickly. NBA Twitter was filled with memes about Smith’s offensive rebound and decision to run out the clock when the game was tied at the end of regulation and the jokes seeped into game two.
At the start of game two in Oakland, Golden State Warriors fans decided to help make Smith feel better (read: worse) about his costly mistake. They gave the guard a standing ovation during player introductions and even showered him with “MVP” chants early on.
JR Smith gets showered in cheers as he's introduced before game 2 ??? pic.twitter.com/bdrRMvWnU6
— Def Pen Hoops (@DefPenHoops) June 4, 2018
JR Smith got MVP chants at the free throw line ??? pic.twitter.com/wRJXNAvsWA
— Def Pen Hoops (@DefPenHoops) June 4, 2018
For a team featuring two former MVP’s and a couple of additional All-Stars, it’s saying a lot if an opposing player is getting those chants.
Fortunately, Smith has been taking all of this in stride. He even spoke earlier on Sunday about being happy that it happened to him and not another teammate because he was able to handle it better. It’s not easy to live with such a costly mistake on such a huge platform. Nevertheless, people will be wondering how this series would have ended with a Cavs’ game one win for a long time.
