Shumpert Sick Over JR Smith’s NBA Finals Blunder

Shumpert Still Haunted by JR Smith’s Infamous NBA Finals Moment

The memory still stings. Iman Shumpert, a key member of the Cleveland Cavaliers’ 2016 championship team, revealed his deep frustration and even sickness over J.R. Smith’s pivotal mistake in Game 1 of the NBA Finals against the Golden State Warriors. The moment, etched into NBA lore, saw Smith inexplicably dribble out the clock with a chance to win, leaving Shumpert and the rest of the Cavaliers stunned.

A Blunder Born of Good Intentions?

Speaking on ‘Club Shay Shay’, Shumpert detailed the agonizing seconds that unfolded. “I was sick when J.R. did that,” Shumpert admitted, recounting the disbelief that washed over him. “I just felt like he was trying to do the right thing.” This sentiment highlights the peculiar nature of the play. Smith, often criticized for his recklessness on the court, appeared to be *trying* to avoid a mistake in a high-pressure situation.

“Usually his rap in the league was that he do reckless,” Shumpert explained. “And in that moment he was trying not to be reckless. And I was so mad cuz I’m like, ‘You are the 911, the broken play.'” Shumpert felt that the basketball gods had delivered the ball to Smith precisely because he was the one who would know what to do with it in such a chaotic scenario.

The Hesitation That Cost Them

The core of Shumpert’s frustration lay in Smith’s uncharacteristic hesitation. “He thought he liked, ‘Don’t be that guy,’ because he wanted to win that bad. Don’t be that guy that messed this up in the moment and he hesitated and thought,” Shumpert lamented. “And I’m like, you never do that.” This indecision, so out of character for the often impulsive Smith, was what truly baffled Shumpert.

“I’ve never seen you do that. I’ve actually never seen you do that. It was weird seeing a confused face on Jr.,” Shumpert continued. He contrasted Smith’s usual decisive nature with this moment of paralysis. “He usually either you make a left or you make a right. But you’re not indecisive. Jr. look you dead in the eye and make the decision. I’m like, I I didn’t understand that.”

A Wish for a Different Outcome

The weight of that single moment has clearly stayed with Shumpert. “I just wish you could have that moment where that one moment,” he trailed off, the unspoken regret hanging in the air. While the Cavaliers would go on to win the championship in an epic seven-game series, the memory of Smith’s Game 1 blunder remains a sore spot, a stark reminder of how close they came to faltering at the very start of their historic run.

The incident serves as a powerful illustration of the immense pressure and split-second decisions that define NBA Finals basketball. Even seasoned veterans can falter, and the consequences can be deeply felt by teammates long after the final buzzer.

Source: Iman Shumpert: "I was sick when J.R. Smith did that sh*t" I CLUB SHAY SHAY (YouTube)