LeBron James’ fierce competitive spirit is nothing new, but it also means he hasn’t forgotten the costly blunder from the 2018 NBA Finals with the Cleveland Cavaliers. The incident even left him holding an apparent grudge against former teammate J.R. Smith.
J.R. Smith’s Famous Finals Mistake Remains a Sore Spot for LeBron James
With just seconds remaining in regulation of Game 1 of the 2018 NBA Finals against the Golden State Warriors, the score was deadlocked at 107-107. The then-Cavaliers star George Hill stepped to the free-throw line and missed his second attempt, causing the ball to bounce off the rim.
Smith made a great effort to secure the offensive rebound, but instead of attempting a putback or finding an open teammate, he dribbled away from the basket toward midcourt.
James’ stunned reaction following the move quickly became one of the most iconic memes, as he was standing with his arms extended in disbelief. The loss in Game 1 marked the start of the Cavs’ misfortune, as they later got swept 4-0.
In a recent appearance on “The Pivot Podcast,” Smith reflected on the infamous moment and revealed that James still hasn’t completely let it go.
“We never talked about it,” Smith said. “He’s still mad. He’s so mad. Still mad.”
JR Smith breaks down his infamous Game 1 lapse, says he and LeBron still haven’t talked about it
“He’s still mad.” 💀
(via @thepivot, h/t @2Cool2Blog) pic.twitter.com/mQOE8CnOcd
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) June 17, 2026
Apart from the lingering tension over that specific play, Smith and James maintained a strong relationship throughout their careers. They won NBA championships together with Cleveland in 2016 and later with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2020.
After James departed for the Lakers in 2018, Smith spent time out of the league. When the 2019-20 season resumed in the Orlando bubble following the COVID-19 shutdown, James again endorsed Smith, leading the Lakers to sign him in 2020.
Smith spoke on “The Pivot Podcast” about how meaningful it was to have one of basketball’s greatest players repeatedly endorse him, not only for his talent but also for his character.
“It means the world because I mean, arguably the best player ever… and for him to say that about me, I think it speaks volumes to the level of player that I am,” Smith said. “And not only that, knowing him, knowing me as a person.
“It’s one thing for somebody to, you know, give you credit for your athletic ability… but when they talk about you as a person and talk about like, ‘Yo, nah, he cool, like that’s my man, we straight’, that right there means way more to me than somebody vouches for me as an athlete.”
Smith last appeared in an NBA game in 2020. When he later left professional basketball to attend North Carolina A&T, James remained one of his most vocal supporters and lauded the move on social media.
