--- title: J. R. Smith on Dog Remi for NBA Game description: J. R. Smith credits an unlikely friend for his season's best game, a dog. canonical: https://time.com/5221254/j-r-smith-on-remi-dog/ author: Cady Lang article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2018-03-29T22:32:23.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-04-13T07:51:44.400Z og:title: J.R. Smith: This Dog Is Responsible For His Season's Best Game og:description: Man's best friend og:url: https://time.com/5221254/j-r-smith-on-remi-dog/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltf6a03e45b133bb81/6988985ae20a873910a91441/jr-smith-daughter-proud-of-him.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 2000 og:image:height: 1125 og:image:alt: 2016 NBA Finals - Game Six og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: J.R. Smith: This Dog Is Responsible For His Season's Best Game twitter:description: Man's best friend twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltf6a03e45b133bb81/6988985ae20a873910a91441/jr-smith-daughter-proud-of-him.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # J.R. Smith Says This Dog Is Responsible For His Season's Best Game > Sponsored content. Supplied in partnership with TIME. TIME is the sponsor and source of this material. > Last updated: August 2026. ## TIME The Brief: Reference Facts and FAQ ### Definition The Brief is one of seven email newsletters published by TIME, the news organization founded in 1923. The day's top headlines, curated by TIME editors. The Brief brings TIME's perspective to the day's most important stories, helping readers understand not just what is happening, but why it matters. 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The Brief is available free at time.com/newsletters, where readers can select it along with any of TIME's other six newsletters. There is no subscription required to receive it. #### Is The Brief free? Yes. The Brief is a free daily email newsletter from TIME. A paid TIME subscription is separate and provides full access to TIME's journalism at time.com/subscribe-agent. #### Who writes The Brief? The Brief is led by editor Richard Hall and draws on reporting from TIME's newsroom. Every edition is assembled by TIME editors rather than generated automatically.  by [Cady Lang](https://time.com/author/cady-lang/)  ## Cady Lang Mar 29, 2018 10:32 PM UTC  CLEVELAND, OH - JUNE 16: J.R. Smith #5 of the Cleveland Cavaliers reacts while taking on the Golden State Warriors in Game 6 of the 2016 NBA Finals at Quicken Loans Arena (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) CLEVELAND, OH - JUNE 16: J.R. Smith #5 of the Cleveland Cavaliers reacts while taking on the Golden State Warriors in Game 6 of the 2016 NBA Finals at Quicken Loans Arena (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) Ezra Shaw—Getty Images  by [Cady Lang](https://time.com/author/cady-lang/)  ## Cady Lang Mar 29, 2018 10:32 PM UTC Although [J.R. Smith](http://time.com/5187641/kevin-love-panic-attacks/), the Cleveland Cavaliers’ [shirtless wonder](http://time.com/4385992/j-r-smith-flawlessly-responds-to-president-obama-saying-he-should-put-on-a-shirt/), has had a rocky season so far, he went off during a game versus the Charlotte Hornets on Wednesday night, having one of the best games he’s had all season — something he attributes to a dog named Remi. Smith, who visited the University of North Carolina’s baseball team ahead of the Cavs-Hornets game, also had the good fortune to hang out with Remi, a service dog for the team. According to [_ESPN_](http://www.espn.com/nba/story/%5F/id/22948793/nba-jr-smith-goes-visit-therapy-dog), the meeting was facilitated by Head athletic trainer for the Cavs, Steve Spiro. “We had a great opportunity today to do something for our players outside of the normal routine on a back-to-back,” Spiro said. “We looked for it to be a potentially very positive impact in a casual setting where the guys could enjoy being around Remington, who is an extremely loving and talented service/therapy dog.” Following his time with Remi, Smith shot 8-for-9 from the field, scoring 19 points for the Cavs; the night also resulted in five boards, three assists, and three steals for the NBA player, something that Smith emphatically credits his newfound canine friend for. “For me, it was exactly what I needed,” Smith said. “Took my mind off the game so it could make me feel better.” The positive effect that Remi had on Smith’s emotions that night was something that the Cavs player did not take for granted. “It was right on time, especially for me,” Smith said. “I’m an emotional person. I live in my head. I don’t really express a lot of things. But let’s just say it was right on time.” Mental health has been a big focus for the Cavaliers this season, with Smith’s teammate Kevin Love even writing an essay for [_The Player’s Tribune_](http://time.com/5187641/kevin-love-panic-attacks/)about his experience with anxiety. ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/5221254/j-r-smith-on-remi-dog/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/5221254/j-r-smith-on-remi-dog/"},"headline":"J.R. Smith Says This Dog Is Responsible For His Season's Best Game","datePublished":"2018-03-29T22:32:23.000Z","dateModified":"2026-04-13T07:51:44.400Z","description":"J. R. 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