NBA finals: Golden State Warriors claim dramatic overtime win in game one despite LeBron James heroics
James scored 51 points - only the second player to do so in a finals games since 1970
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Your support makes all the difference.The Golden State Warriors held off the Cleveland Cavaliers to clinch a dramatic 124-114 overtime win in the first game of the NBA finals.
The Cavs were left in disbelief after LeBron James scored 51 points - joining Michael Jordan as one of only two players to score more than 50 points in a finals game since 1970 - but ultimately they still lost to the reigning champions.
In a tight contest, which saw the game tied at the halfway mark, a mistake by JR Smith in the dying seconds of regulation play proved to be the turning point Golden State finally needed to lift themselves above their opponents.
With 4.7 seconds on the clock, George Hill made the first of two free throws following a Klay Thompson foul, but Smith - presumably believing the Cavs were in front - did not take advantage of the rebound on Hill's second shot, instead dribbling up the court in what appeared to be an effort to run the clock.
Tensions were fraught, and Tristan Thompson was also ejected with 2.6 seconds to go for a flagrant two foul which spilled over into an altercation with Draymond Green.
From there, the Warriors used that momentum in overtime, kicking off with a 7-0 run.
Kevin Durant and Steph Curry led the way for the Warriors, the latter finishing with 29 points, nine assists and six rebounds, and Durant adding 26, nine rebounds and six assists.
The two sides have contested the finals each year since 2015 - and the Cavs will now be looking to even up the series when game two tips off at the Oracle Arena on Sunday night.
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