In brief: J.R. Smith guides Cleveland Cavaliers to Game 1 win

NBA: J.R. Smith knocked down a tough 3-pointer, then another. Turning toward the fans, their heckling transformed to groans, he blew off his right index finger and motioned toward his side, like he was holstering his pistol.

Yep, Smith was that hot.

While LeBron James led Cleveland with 31 points, it was Smith who ignited the Cavaliers in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals. He made eight 3-pointers and scored 28 points in a 97-89 victory over the top-seeded Atlanta Hawks on Wednesday night.

“When he gets hot,” Cleveland coach David Blatt marveled, “he gets smoking hot.”

Intent on bringing Cleveland its first NBA title, James sealed the victory with a soaring dunk in the final minute.

For the Hawks, it was the second straight series in which they’ve lost the opening game at home. Cleveland will look to take command of the series in Game 2 Friday night.

Making matters worse for Atlanta, DeMarre Carroll went down with a knee injury driving to the basket with 4:59 remaining. He was helped to the locker room, not putting any weight on his left leg, and will undergo an MRI today to determine the seriousness.

Besides being the main defender on James, Carroll had been the Hawks’ leading scorer in the playoffs. He was averaging more than 17 points coming into Atlanta’s first conference final.

“DeMarre is a complete player,” Hawks coach Mike Budenholzer said. “He has a big impact at both ends of the court.”

Jeff Teague led Atlanta with 27 points. But Atlanta didn’t produce its usual balanced scoring, as two starters – Kyle Korver and Carroll – failed to reach double figures.

With Smith doing most of the damage, Cleveland outscored the Hawks 22-4 over the final 5 minutes of the third quarter and the first 2 minutes of the fourth. During that span, he made five 3-pointers and another jumper from just inside the arc.

Smith has been a huge addition for the Cavaliers since he was acquired in January as part of a three-team trade with New York and Oklahoma City. A player once known for his selfishness, he has learned to work within the confines of a team led by James.

“Once I start shooting,” Smith said, “everybody keeps telling me to keep shooting.”

Cleveland scored the first 11 points of the final period – all but two on 3s by Smith – for its biggest lead, 85-67.

Carroll’s injury silenced the raucous crowd and would be a tough blow for the Hawks to overcome. While he was being taken off, James came over to say a few words and pat the injured player on the head.

• Leonard heads All-Defensive team: Defensive Player of the Year Kawhi Leonard of San Antonio was the leading vote-getter for the NBA’s All-Defensive first team, where he was joined by Los Angeles Clippers teammates Chris Paul and DeAndre Jordan.

Golden State’s Draymond Green and Memphis’ Tony Allen are the other first-team members.

• Curry fined for flopping: Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry has been fined $5,000 by the NBA for violating the league’s anti-flopping rules against the Houston Rockets in Game 1 of the Western Conference finals.

The league says the flop occurred after Curry’s 3-pointer with 3:07 remaining in the fourth quarter of the Warriors’ 110-106 victory on Tuesday night.

American Bracy wins 100 meters

Track and field: Marvin Bracy clocked 9.95 seconds to win the men’s 100 meters at the World Challenge Beijing meet, a day after American teammate Justin Gatlin withdrew from the event.

Bracy beat Mike Rodgers by four-hundredths of a second, with Chinese sprinter Su Bingtian taking third in 10.06 at the Bird’s Nest, which will also host the world championships in August.

Gatlin had arrived for the meet with an injury concern after running a world-leading 9.74 in Doha, Qatar, on Friday.

The women’s 100 was won by Michelle-Lee Ahye of Trinidad and Tobago in 11.05, ahead of ChaRonda Williams of the United States and Schillonie Calvert of Jamaica.

Zakarin wins stage at Giro d’Italia

CYCLING: Russian rider Ilnur Zakarin won the rainy 11th stage of the Giro d’Italia, and Alberto Contador retained the overall leader’s pink jersey.

Zakarin, who recently won the Tour de Romandie, got in an early breakaway then launched a solo attack with 15 miles to go.

The 98th Giro ends on May 31 in Milan.