LeBron James left Game 1 late in 4th quarter due to left thigh cramping

The Miami Heat lost to the San Antonio Spurs in Game 1 of the NBA Finals on Thursday night, and they may have an electrical failure to blame.

With the air conditioning in the arena broken and on-court temperature soaring to a reported 88 degrees, Heat star LeBron James began dealing with exhaustion and cramping in his left thigh.

He first left the game in the third quarter for a few minutes, returning and looking fine afterward. He then asked out again with 7:31 to play in the fourth, taking a three-minute break before once again giving it another try. This time, he lasted just one possession:

From there, James didn't return in the game's final 3:59, allowing the Spurs to pull away from a two-point lead to a 15-point victory.

Before any James haters get fired up - "both teams played in the same heat" - there's little one can ask of a player once serious cramps kick in. If the muscles aren't working, there's little to do in the immediate term. James was in obvious discomfort and tried multiple times to return to the floor.

On the bright side, there are two days off before Game 2 on Sunday, so hopefully there's ample time for James to heal up. His condition after the game was not immediately available, as James was receiving an I.V. during post-game media availability.

[Dap: EOB]