OAKLAND, Calif. — True blunders, the type that stand the test of time, share three qualities: The guilty party makes a critical error in a routine situation, he’s the last one to realize what’s happened, and once the truth dawns on him it’s already too late.
In sports, blunders invariably unfold in slow motion: the ball trickles between the infielder’s legs, the punter ambles out of the pocket when he should just fall to the ground, Chris Webber cradles the ball and makes the “T” sign with his hands as his balance wavers.
J. R. Smith found himself in such a time warp in Game 1 of the Finals, as he dribbled away from the basket during the final seconds of regulation.