14 million ways the NBA Finals could play out, ranked

The Warriors were supposed to slip through the NBA Finals with nary a stumble. But the Cavaliers were a moth’s sneeze from winning Game 1 in Oakland. Does that near-victory change the calculus on the end result?

Luckily, I have looked into the future and analyzed every possible outcome from here. Here are a selection of those outcomes, ranked by order of likelihood.

No. 14,000,605: The Warriors win Game 2 on another J.R. Smith gaffe, win Game 3 on another J.R. Smith gaffe, the Cavaliers cut J.R. Smith before Game 4 and sweep the rest of the series, winning 4-3.

No. 998,328: Rodney Hood takeover. Cavs in 5.

No. 134,222: Game-saving play from JaVale McGee in Game 2, Warriors sweep.

No. 8,045: Referee That Shall Not Be Named revealed to be fixing games, Finals suspended indefinitely, no 2018 championship awarded, both teams claim it college football style.

No. 4,199: Steve Kerr burner account scandal tears the Warriors apart, they still win in five.

No. 864: Draymond Green laughs at each Cavaliers fan in the building individually between Games 3 and 4, Warriors win in five.

No. 106: Kanye West shows up to Game 3 in Cleveland as a guest of Dan Gilbert, wearing a Tristan Thompson jersey. Warriors in four.

No. 5: Kobe Bryant does a 4-hour episode of Detail on LeBron before Game 7, LeBron overcomes the curse to win Ring No. 4.

No. 1: LeBron continues to play extremely well, the Warriors continue to be much better overall and win in six, leaving generations of Cavaliers fans to wonder if Cleveland could have won the series if they hadn’t coughed up Game 1 on the road.

Some J.R. Smith-related links for you ...

Spencer Hall explaining that this is just what J.R. Smith does.

Smith came clean about the situation at the end of the game after lying about it in the immediate aftermath.

This has happened before.

The Cavaliers are not broken.

An oral history of the final minute of Game 1.

From me: the five cruelest moments of Game 1, including the J.R. moment but also that ridiculous reversal on the block/charge call.

Was it the costliest mistake in basketball history?

NBA Desktop’s take on the play.

Game 2 is at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.

Paul Flannery from Oakland: LeBron at his best couldn’t save the Cavaliers from themselves. This is the story of their season, no?

Grant Brisbee on the unwritten rules of Shaun Livingston shooting the ball with a big lead. No suspension for anyone involved (ahem, Tristan Thompson) in the ensuing brouhaha.

What’s up with Kevin Durant?

Klay Thompson is hurting and questionable for Game 2. Andre Iguodala remains doubtful.

Draymond Green is so, so good at making everyone so, so mad.

Zach Lowe’s five crucial insights heading into Game 2.

Jonathan Tjarks on the Warriors’ best lineup being their last resort.

LeBron leaving the post-game press conference in a huff after being asked repeatedly about the Smith gaffe is a big mood.

What Cleveland was successful doing in Game 1.

Initiate the Rodney Hood protocol!

Ranking every teammate LeBron has carried to the Finals.

Six stories from a new doc on the 2008 Celtics, one of which is a wild Rajon Rondo mental recall tale.

The Pistons are expanding their coaching search beyond others who have been around this summer. Candidates include Michigan coach John Beilein and Jason Kidd. Jeff Bower has left the front office, by the way.

Very cool piece on the history of Dribble Enter X, the famous play born at Montana that eventually became the Warriors’ brutally effective cyclone play.

How Wendell Carter could help the Cavaliers.

Adam Silver said he found the Sterling Brown video to be “horrific.”

Be excellent to each other.