Cleveland Cavaliers guard JR Smith was still the target of Twitter memes during Sunday night's Game 2 of the NBA Finals, but this time, he wasn't alone. The officials also came in for their share of social media bashing.
Smith's confusion over the score as time ran out during Thursday night's Game 1 sent the game into overtime when he didn't take a quick shot. Fans couldn't wait to bury him in memes. One in particular, a photo of Smith's teammate LeBron James apparently gesturing at him in horror, continued to churn out new captions all weekend.
When two of my kids fight over the same ball and there's an entire of CONTAINER of balls elsewhere in the room pic.twitter.com/0xgzHh5a6l
— Drew Magary (@drewmagary) June 1, 2018
Gotta say, exasperated dad-Lebron is my fave LeBron
— G Lam (@bigsix) June 1, 2018
“We just left a rest stop! Why didn’t you go then?” pic.twitter.com/ExXXogeocs
— David Steele (@David_C_Steele) June 1, 2018
— SabreToof 🏒 (@sabretoof) June 3, 2018
— Jessica Smetana (@jessica_smetana) June 1, 2018
Game 2 wasn't any better for Cavs' fans, as the Golden State Warriors won 122-103 to take a 2-0 lead in the series. Warriors point guard Steph Curry sank nine three-pointers, a Finals record, and combined with teammate Kevin Durant for 59 points on 40 shots.
When Steph won't miss. pic.twitter.com/XDoRXLnlJL
— ESPN (@espn) June 4, 2018
That’s usually when I throw the controller! 🎮 #VideoGameSteph 🤦🏽♂️
— Justin Anderson (@JusAnderson1) June 4, 2018
Steph Curry is undisputably the best shooter ever and shooting is a pretty important basketball thing
— Rodger Sherman (@rodger_sherman) June 4, 2018
Steph Curry made 9 threes. The Cavs' entire team made 9 threes.
— Alex Kennedy (@AlexKennedyNBA) June 4, 2018
St👌ph Curry
— ESPN (@espn) June 4, 2018
All 9 (!) of his record-breaking 3-pointers. pic.twitter.com/R3WLDWfQK5
Steph Curry is much better than LeBron James at being on teams with 3 other All-Stars.
— Barry McCockiner (@Sp0rtsTalkJo3) June 4, 2018
But the officiating came in for a lot of heat, especially from Cavs' fans. An especially sore point involved Curry tripping James, who fell. No foul was called on Curry, but instead a technical foul was called on Cavaliers' coach Tyronn Lue for protesting the lack of a call.
I must confess, the @cavs actually do have an argument today. That was a foul in the open court for @KingJames. It should’ve been called. Ty Lue didn’t deserve a tech. And these refs are missing quite a few calls that should favor them.
— Stephen A Smith (@stephenasmith) June 4, 2018
Draymond could tell a ref he slept with his wife and not get a tech. Ty Lue says something to a ref for the first time in a month and gets a tech
— Jordan Zirm (@clevezirm) June 4, 2018
On what planet is this not a foul?? (And they immediately hit Ty Lue with a tech of course) pic.twitter.com/x8k2bkLzpe
— Grant Kelly (@GrantKelly07) June 4, 2018
These refs when the Warriors foul the Cavs pic.twitter.com/cqqeifqaTp
— NBA RETWEET (@RTNBA) June 4, 2018
Where's the compilation of the refs' atrocious calls?
— John Guillen (@John_Raymond_) June 4, 2018
Warriors gonna have no cap space with the refs on the payroll
— Luke Elicker (@Lelicker) June 4, 2018
“So how much money do we owe you and the other refs after the game?”#Warriors | #NBAFinals pic.twitter.com/U3iBopNlvN
— IKE Sport Report (@IKE_SportReport) June 4, 2018
LeBron: I’m getting fouled
— Jonathan Mitchell (@Jon_Mitchell3) June 4, 2018
NBA Refs: pic.twitter.com/EPpfuAXEO1
Refs have a 2-0 series lead over the cabs #NBAFinals18
— JJ (@gruden3) June 4, 2018
Although some beg to differ.
The refs clearly made the rim bigger for Curry to hit all those shots. pic.twitter.com/ewDP1TxGFl
— Michael Jordan (@PettyAirJordan) June 4, 2018
James was poked in the right eye by Draymond Green of the Warriors during Game 1, and his eye is still disturbingly bloody, which led to plenty of Twitter users seeing red.
We know why pic.twitter.com/jPR8HWDx81
— All NBA Snub (@AllNBASnub) June 4, 2018
@BleacherReport knew it first. pic.twitter.com/2CjPXD3HFZ
— Iván Mora (@ivanmora93) June 4, 2018
— Waylon Jennings (@34jeremyC) June 4, 2018
— eric (@ericdejax) June 4, 2018
I'm officially at "Don't need to see any more closeups of LeBron's eye" stage now.
— Chris Herring (@Herring_NBA) June 4, 2018
But some fans still aren't over JR Smith's Game 1 blunder and even three days later, the tweets are still funny.
JR: we’re down 21
— DL (@davelozo) June 4, 2018
LEBRON: yep
JR: 21 points
LEBRON: uh huh
JR: I’m just saying we are losing
LEBRON: I know
JR: not winning
LEBRON: OK
[10 seconds of silence]
JR: I know the score right now is all I’m saying
“At least we’re up in the series.”
— Jerry Thornton (@jerrythornton1) June 4, 2018
- JR Smith right now
Warriors fans booing the Cavs during introductions- except JR Smith, who gets a hearty cheer.
— Rachel Nichols (@Rachel__Nichols) June 4, 2018
*Oracle crowd chants M-V-P*
— Jawn Gonzalez (@_JohnGonz) June 4, 2018
JR Smith: "FINALLY the recognition I deserve"
Stephen curry shoots like jr smith thinks he shoots
— purp nowitzki (@ChapStickThvg) June 4, 2018
JR Smith so tired of everything. Wouldn’t be surprised if he retires from the league during halftime
— Roy Wood Jr- Ex Jedi (@roywoodjr) June 4, 2018
More drama will certainly come in Game 3, which will be played Wednesday in Cleveland.
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