The Golden State Warriors survived a huge scare in Game 1 of the NBA Finals to take a 1-0 lead over the Cleveland Cavaliers with a dramatic overtime win. The defending champions secured a 124-114 victory but needed two huge strokes of luck at the end of regulation to even have a chance to win. With the Warriors up by two in the final seconds, George Hill was fouled by Klay Thompson and sent to the free-throw line with a chance to put the Cavs up one with just 4.7 seconds left on the clock. 

Hill made the first to tie the game at 107 but missed the second. The Cavaliers grabbed the rebound off the miss, however, and had an opportunity to get a shot up to win the game. 

But J.R. Smith, who pulled down the board, made a costly error as he decided to dribble out the clock instead of taking a shot as he bizarrely thought the Cavs had the lead. 

After the game, though, the veteran claimed he was aware of the situation.

"I just thought we were going to call a timeout. Because I got the rebound, I'm pretty sure I couldn't shoot it over KD," Smith said after the game, per ESPN. "If I thought we were ahead, I would have just held on to the ball so they could foul me. Clearly that wasn't the case."

It was certainly one of the strangest moments in NBA Finals history and it ruined a huge chance for Cleveland to cause an upset and take home court advantage away from the Warriors. 

The final minute was marred with controversy as the visitors were incensed by a huge call made by the referees down the stretch.

LeBron James drove past Stephen Curry and got a three-point play with 50 seconds to play to put his team up 104-102.

But with just 36.4 seconds left, James drew a charge on Kevin Durant but the refs overturned the call upon review and called it a blocking foul by the Cavs superstar and it gave Durant two free throws which allowed him to tie the game at 104. 

LeBron called it a "huge play" and claimed he was "outside the charge line."

"I read that play as well as I've read any play in my career, maybe in my life," James said.

After all the drama of those 48 minutes, the game went into overtime and it was the Dubs who seized control as they capitalised on the good fortune they were given and outscored the Cavaliers 17-7 in the added period. 

They managed to overcome another historic night by James as he posted 51 points on 19-of-32 shooting, along with eight assists and eight rebounds. 

He now ties Jerry West for the most 40-point games in a single postseason. 

Stephen Curry led Golden State with 29 points on 11-of-23. Durant added 26 points but didn't shoot the ball particularly well, going 8-of-22. 

There will certainly be a huge fall out from this game with the controversial and bizarre ending but it will be tough for the Cavs to take this defeat after performing so well. 

They'll somehow need to pick themselves back up and look to keep the series alive in Game 2 back at Oracle Arena on Sunday night. 

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