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NBA FINALS: CAVALIERS vs WARRIORS

May 31, 2018

LeBron James

Oakland, California: Game One

Warriors - 124, Cavaliers - 114 (OT)

Q. Now that you've had some time to reflect on the call and you're not in the moment, what is your reaction to the change from the charge to the block?
LEBRON JAMES: I thought I read that play just as well as I read any play in my career, defensively. I seen the drive, I was outside the charge line, I stepped in, took the contact. It's a huge play. It's a huge play.

Q. Obviously in the moment there was an expression of frustration with JR the way the game ended. What can be said now that you have to move past Game 1 and lift him up to get that play out of his mind?
LEBRON JAMES: We got to move on. This game is over and done with. We had opportunities. I would never give up on JR. That's not my MO. I don't give up on any of my players, any of my teammates, so I don't think that even needs to be said.

Q. Did he say anything to you guys?
LEBRON JAMES: No, he didn't.

Q. First off, how is your eye doing? Kind of what happened on that play? The second question, for the players that haven't been in the NBA Finals or your teammates that haven't been in the NBA Finals before, what is your message to them after such a tough Game 1 loss?
LEBRON JAMES: My eye's been better. It's pretty much blurry, and it kind of got worse and worse as the game went on, after I drove and Draymond poked me right square in the eye. So I'll deal with that over the next couple days.

I don't think a message needs to be said. We're in the fight now. The Finals have started, and they've got a great taste of it tonight. They know what to expect when we play again.

Q. The referees' pool report they said they had doubt as to whether you were in the restricted area and that's why it was reviewed. Did you think you were close to the restricted area, number one? And number two, how many times have you seen, when they go to review, reverse that kind of call?
LEBRON JAMES: Like I said, I read that play just as well as I've read any play in my career, maybe in my life. I seen the play happening. I knew I was outside the charge line, and I knew I took the hit. I don't know what else to say.

Q. You have a long track record of bringing your A-game to the NBA Finals. I mean, this is your eighth year, you scored 51 points. What contributions from your teammates do you think really brought your game to the next level?
LEBRON JAMES: I just try to do whatever it takes to help our team win and try to be a triple threat out on the floor offensively and being able to score, rebound, and get my guys involved. So I just tried to do that tonight.

Q. As the officials huddle on that call, are you guys being told what they're even reviewing? Did you have any idea of what it was that could trigger it, or did you know that's what they were going through?
LEBRON JAMES: No, we were told they were reviewing if I had my feet outside the line. And when I knew that, I was like, okay, that's going to be our ball. I knew I was outside the charge line, so that's what the communication was to us. We were over on the sideline, drawing up a play, you know, to try to execute, try to go up a couple possessions.

Q. How tough is it like mentally for you? I mean, you shot so well today, you were 19 for 32, you had 51, to recover in just a couple days and get ready for Game 2 after working so hard and playing -- your team playing so well today and just not coming out on top?
LEBRON JAMES: Well, I mean, we take this one. We understand how difficult and how challenging this task is. You take it all the way throughout the night thinking about it and ways you could have been better and plays that could have happened that could have gone your way and didn't go your way or things you could have done, and you wake up tomorrow with a fresh mind and you move forward.

Q. What in your view kind of happened late with Steph and Klay after your block, and then after that with the Livingston and Tristan Thompson stuff?
LEBRON JAMES: I don't know.

Q. I know there will be adjustments, but do you take any consolation when it seemed like you had a good plan, the young guys seemed to handle the moment? Do you take any consolation in that?
LEBRON JAMES: I do not. I do not.

Q. Would you say that this is probably the most frustrated or disappointed you've been coming off a Finals game knowing that you were right there and you had many opportunities to end? Is this probably more frustrated than you've been after a loss?
LEBRON JAMES: Because it's right now, I would say yeah. I always live in the present. I don't know how frustrated I was after a loss in the past. I think we played as well as -- tonight we played as well as we've played all postseason, and we gave ourselves a chance possession after possession after possession. There were just some plays that were kind of taken away from us. Simple as that.

Q. From listening to everybody's reaction to the play at the end with JR getting the rebound, there is still confusion whether JR thought the game was tied or whether he thought you guys were ahead. From where you stood on the court and from talking to him after the play, what's your reaction to it? What is your version?
LEBRON JAMES: What do you mean what's my version?

Q. Well, did he think the game was tied or did he think you guys had it salted away?
LEBRON JAMES: How do I know that?

Q. Did you discuss it at all with him at the end of the play?
LEBRON JAMES: No, they asked me if I talked to JR about it. I said no already. I knew it was a tie game. We were down 1. George Hill went up, he made the first one. We got the offensive rebound, you know, I thought we were all aware of what was going on. That's my view. So I don't know what JR was thinking. I don't know the question you're trying to ask.

Q. I was just trying to see if you knew exactly what his state of mind was. Did he think that you guys had it won, or did you think he was trying to make a play?
LEBRON JAMES: No.

Q. What do you mean?
LEBRON JAMES: No, I don't know his state of mind.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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