A video that went viral on social media showcased never-before-seen footage of the Cleveland Cavaliers bench during Game 1. In the video, LeBron James emotionally reacts upon learning from coach Ty Lue that the team had an unused timeout that could have been used when JR Smith made a mistake with the score.
Revisiting the moment, James shared his emotions and thoughts during the critical huddle.
Reflecting on the situation, James recalled, “I was on the bench, replaying the final seconds in my mind, from JR dribbling out the ball to (George Hill) missing the free throw, and noticing Draymond (Green) breaking the lane violation. It was a whirlwind of thoughts.”
James remained silent during the huddle, declining to engage with his teammates, until Lue joined them to discuss overtime strategy. At this point, James inquired about the team’s remaining timeouts and was visibly emotional upon learning there was one left.
Recalling the critical moment, James hesitated to call a timeout when Smith made his error, unsure if the team had any remaining timeouts and fearing a technical foul.
Lue explained that the team deliberately saved the timeout, opting not to use it before the final possession to prevent the Warriors from substituting Stephen Curry out of the game and benefiting from a matchup.
Subsequently, James faced criticism for his lack of communication and leadership during the tense huddle.
