OAKLAND, Calif. -- Because of all the hysteria and disbelief surrounding J.R. Smith's inexplicable gaffe at the end of Cleveland's 124-114 Game 1 NBA Finals loss to the Warriors on Thursday, it's easy to forget that the situation could have been avoided altogether if Cavaliers guard George Hill would have made his second free-throw attempt late in the game.

After being held by Klay Thompson on a back-door cut, Hill went to the line with 4.7 seconds left in the fourth quarter, down one, with a chance to give the Cavs the lead. He sunk the first one, but came up short on the second attempt, leading to Smith's now-infamous blunder.

On Friday, Hill took full responsibility for his role in the Cavs' disastrous ending to Game 1, calling it the worst loss of his career and saying that he feels he cost his team the game. He also, understandably, had a rough time sleeping.

"I don't think anything got me through the night," Hill said. "I stayed up most of the night rewatching the free throw, rewatching the play. Just going over it in my head what I think went wrong.

"As a player, competitive guy, put in a situation to help my team win a game, and I didn't come through. So for me, it sucked. It was one of the worst feelings ever. But I have great teammates who have been in my ear, even last night and this morning, telling me to forget about it, continue to just focus on the next game and don't let it linger.

"So it is what it is. I blew that opportunity, but the good thing is it's a seven-game series and we have another game on Sunday."

You have to feel for Hill, who has been considered an exemplary teammate over his 10 NBA seasons, but this is the nature of the NBA Finals. Every missed shot, blown defensive assignment and mental mistake is under the brightest possible lights. The question is always how players will respond, and Hill will get his chance in Game 2 of the NBA Finals on Sunday.