NBA Finals: The fate of the Cleveland Cavaliers is on Kyrie Irving

Let’s cut to the chase.

Tonight is the biggest game in the history of the Cleveland Cavaliers.

For LeBron, it’s his biggest game since Game 7 of the 2013 NBA Finals (in my opinion).

With that being said, there is a lot of pressure on LeBron James. Seriously, when is there NOT pressure on LeBron?

While there is a ton of pressure on him, he often rises to the occasion.

Legitimate question: When was the last time LeBron James had a bad NBA Finals game?

One might say Game 2 of this year’s NBA Finals. LeBron almost had a triple-double in that game with 17 points, 9 rebounds, 8 assists. It’s not like he didn’t show up.

It was a game where the Cavaliers as a team were outplayed and Golden State exposed them defensively.

The last time LeBron just didn’t show up in an NBA Finals game was in Game 4 against the Mavericks in 2011.

In that infamous Game 4, LeBron had 8 points…..eight. In 46 minutes of action….eight points. By far the worst game of his life when you consider the circumstances of the moment.

Another game LeBron just played poorly in the NBA Finals was way back in 2007, his first ever finals game. He finished with 14 points, seven rebounds, and four assists on 4-16 shooting.

Many experts consider that 2007 Cavaliers team to be one of the worst teams ever to make it to the NBA Finals. Personally, I believe taking that team to the NBA Finals is LeBron’s greatest accomplishment. Unless of course, the Cavaliers go on to win this year’s NBA Finals.

How bad were the 2007 Cavaliers? Their 3 leading scorers in the playoffs (other than LeBron) were Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Drew Gooden, and Larry Hughes.

That’s not exactly the Big 3 that will win you a title.

My point is that over LeBron’s 7 Finals appearances, he’s really only had 2 noticeable bad games. You can count on him to show up.

Even though LeBron has been at the top of his game during his seven NBA Finals appearances, he only has two rings to show for it. Why is that?

Contrary to what the media tells you on TV, basketball is a TEAM sport. It’s not all about LeBron vs Steph Curry like the media makes it sound like. It’s the Cavaliers vs the Warriors.

When you match-up the two teams, player by player, position by position, the Warriors have the advantage 11 out of the 12 positions. The difference? LeBron.

Now, that was done with Andrew Bogut starting at center. I gave the slight edge to him over Tristan Thompson. Since Bogut is out for the rest of the series, I will give Thompson the benefit of the doubt over Festus Ezeli or Anderson Varejao.

If that is truly the case, how have the Cavaliers managed to win 2 games in these finals?

If you go back, and look at all of the championship teams in the NBA over the past decade or two, they’re either one of the following:

A team with two star players, surrounded by serviceable role players who might have a few good games to help you win the series
A team, maybe centered around one star, but they all have equal roles and play as a team. So even if that one star has a bad night, the other players are more than capable of carrying the load.

For clarification, I classify the Warriors as option 2.

In these last two finals, Stephen Curry hasn’t been overwhelmingly great. LeBron has been the best player on the court during the last 2 years.

This year, LeBron is one point away (Kyrie has 1 more point) from leading both teams in every major statistical category. It’s insane.

But the Warriors have a great supporting cast around him, so great that unless if Curry just drops 40 points in Game 6 and the Warriors win, Draymond Green might win the NBA Finals MVP. And he missed Game 5!

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If you go back and look at LeBron’s NBA Finals teams, his team has really only fit the description of these 2 options three times.

I’d say the three times in which LeBron had a teammate, consistently playing on a superstar level, was 2011, 2012, and 2013. All with Dwyane Wade obviously.

The Miami Heat won two out of those three times, except losing to the Dallas Mavericks in 2011.

As I stated before, the 2007 Cavaliers team did not have another superstar. And with Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love injured during last year’s finals, LeBron did not have another star player alongside him.

That leaves the 2014 NBA Finals. Yes, LeBron had Dwyane Wade during these Finals, but Wade was not playing up to his capability.

In that series, Wade averaged 14 points per game on 43% shooting, while LeBron averaged 28 points on 57% shooting. The Spurs defeated the Heat in 5 games that year, which ended up being LeBron’s last playoff game with the Miami Heat.

So that leaves this year’s finals. It’s not over yet, so I didn’t include it in this demonstration.

Kyrie Irving was incredible in Game 5, scoring 41 points to help keep Cleveland’s title chances alive.

With that being said, I fully believe that the fate of the Cleveland Cavaliers rests in Kyrie Irving’s hands.

Wait, what? Isn’t it up to LeBron James?

Not if you ask me.

No one in NBA history has won an NBA Finals by himself, with no other super-star teammate helping.

Allen Iverson came close in 2001, and LeBron in 2007. But no one has ever done it.

That’s what makes Kyrie Irving so important to the Cavaliers.

Michael Jordan never won a ring without Scottie Pippen. Heck, he never won a playoff series without Scottie Pippen being an All-Star.

Kobe Bryant had Shaq and Pau Gasol playing at a high level when he won his rings. Magic Johnson had Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and James Worthy.

Last year Stephen Curry had Klay Thompson and Draymond Green. The problem for the Cavs is that he still has those guys.

LeBron won rings when Wade was at the top of his game, and whenever Wade wasn’t healthy, his game suffered for it, and the Heat lost in the NBA Finals.

When Wade wasn’t playing well, LeBron still had a great series. The problem is that no one can win a championship without any help. It is a team-sport contrary to popular belief.

In LeBron’s playoff career, when a teammate scores 20+ points, his team has a record of 86-33. When a teammate scores 30+ points? 14-5 record. (Stats via Colin Cowherd on TheHerd)

All LeBron needs is some help. That’s all he’s asking for, Kyrie.

Remember Games 1 and 2 of this year’s NBA Finals? Golden State ran Cleveland out of the building.

Part of it was the lack of defense from the Cavaliers, but Kyrie Irving did not play well in any of those games. In Game 1 he shot 7-22 from the field, and in Game 2 he was 5-14 with 10 points.

The Cavaliers won Game 3, with a lot of the credit going to Kyrie, after he dropped 30 points and 8 assists. And obviously Game 5’s 41 point performance was incredible too.

Kyrie Irving and LeBron James took a lot of heat in Game 4, specifically during the 4th quarter for shooting too many isolation shots.

Although some of them were bad shots, most of them weren’t.

The NBA is a make or miss league. If you make your shots, no one questions the shot selection. Sometimes you make it, sometimes you don’t. It’s that simple.

In Game 5, LeBron and Kyrie were making about anything they threw towards the basket. No one was questioning Kyrie’s shot selection then….probably because he was making his shots. It’s a make/miss league.

If the Cavaliers want any chance to win this series, Kyrie Irving must give LeBron James SOMETHING. He doesn’t have to drop 41 like in Game 5, LeBron just needs 25-30 points from him to have a chance on winning Game 6 at home.

With Game 6 being at home, there’s more of a chance the role players such as J.R. Smith play better at home. So the demand for Kyrie Irving might be lowered just a bit.

If there’s any silver lining for the Cavaliers to win this series, it’s this:

The last two times when a team who had a chance to win the NBA Finals, and lost that potential series clinching game, has also gone on to lose the following game.

Those two teams were the Boston Celtics in 2010, and the San Antonio Spurs in 2013. Celtics were up 3-2 on the Lakers, lost a Game 6, and also went on to lose Game 7 to the Lakers.

In 2013, the Spurs were up 3-2 on the Miami Heat, lost a Game 6 on a clutch Ray Allen three pointer, and went on to lose Game 7 to LeBron and Wade.

This year’s finals is different though, since it was 3-1 series lead for the Warriors. And Draymond Green was suspended for Game 5, so it’s a different scenario.

Regardless, there is no doubt all of the momentum is on the Cavaliers side.

Not only did they keep their season alive in Game 5, but the Warriors lost Andrew Bogut for the rest of the series.

It might not seem like a big deal since the Warriors are great at playing small-ball, but it certainly doesn’t help them with him being injured.

What if Draymond Green gets in foul trouble early in the game? Who is protecting the rim? Harrison Barnes?

If Green gets in early foul trouble, we’re right back to where we were in Game 5. No Bogut, and no Green. Kyrie and LeBron will have a field day.

To start Game 6, that has to be LeBron James’ mindset. Attack Draymond Green. Get him in foul trouble, or better yet….get in his head.

If Draymond Green gets another silly flagrant foul, he will be suspended for a potential Game 7.

Green has proved that he can easily lose control of his temper and emotions. He has promised to be in better control of himself for Game 6….but sounds easier said than done.

In conclusion, the fate of the Cleveland Cavaliers rests in Kyrie Irving’s hands.

LeBron was great in the NBA Finals, but it wasn’t enough. He needs someone to rise to his level and have a clutch performance.

In Game 6 of last year’s finals, when the Warriors clinched the championship, LeBron finished the game with 32 points, 18 rebounds, and 9 assists. Yet it wasn’t enough.

Although his FG% was horrid in that game at 39%, it was still a performance that should’ve propelled his team to victory. Except no other teammate scored over 20 points, the load was too big for LeBron to carry himself.

In Game 5 on the road last year, LeBron had 40 points, 14 rebounds, and 11 assists. Yet it wasn’t enough. Kyrie, LeBron desperately needs you.

It kind of makes you wonder….how did the Cavaliers manage to win 2 games in the last finals without Kyrie?

In Game 3, which ended up being Cleveland’s last win during that series, Matthew Dellavedova had the game of his life, scoring 20 points and he did a great job defensively on Curry.

LeBron just needs a little help. When he gets help his team wins, its that simple.

If Irving had not dropped 41 points in Game 5 a few days ago, the season would’ve been over for the Cavaliers.

He was the difference in Game 5, and he will be the difference in Game 6.

It’s a safe bet to assume LeBron will have a great game in Game 6 tonight, it’s just Kyrie Irving we don’t know about.

The pressure will always be on LeBron James, but if the Cavaliers want any chance to win Game 6, they will need another great performance from Kyrie Irving.