Almost immediately after the Cavs were swept by the Warriors, a report came out that LeBron had been playing with a serious hand injury after punching a blackboard after their Game 1 overtime loss.
LeBron came to the post-game press conference in a soft cast and declared he had been playing with a broken hand for three games.
His outside shooting would support that something was wrong with his hand after Game 1. After going 3-7 from three-point range in game one, in the remaining three games he shot 3-11 from three and looked very hesitant to take jumpers.
Here is what LeBron said about the injury.
What happened? Self-inflicted, postgame after Game 1. Very emotional. For a lot of different reasons, understanding how important a Game 1 is on the road for our ballclub, what would that have done for us, the way we played, the calls that were made throughout the course of that game.
I had emotions on the game was taken away from us. I had emotions of you just don’t get an opportunity like this on the road versus Golden State to be able to get a Game 1, and I let the emotions get the best of me. Pretty much played the last three games with a broken hand, so that’s what it is.
There have been varying reports on the severity of the injury. LeBron says it was broken; others say it was just a bad bruise, whatever the case by wearing the cast to the presser it opened up a lot of discussion on if he was using it as an excuse or he was legitimately hurt.
Some conspiracy theorists point to a video immediately after the game where LeBron and his sons are doing their special handshake, and he doesn’t seem to be in any discomfort.
They believe LeBron is making it much bigger than it was. Whatever the case, good hand or not, after the Cavs blew their chance in Game 1, the series was over.
Flip the page for the handshake video and make your assessment.