Remembering when Kyrie Irving and LeBron James got the Cavs back in it

The first time two teammates scored 40-plus in the NBA Finals

With a chance to cap off a historical season with a 4-1 series win, the Warriors came out hot to start the game. In the first quarter, Andre Iguodala scored a couple of easy baskets off of a block and a LeBron James turnover. Both Curry and Klay Thompson each hit two three’s in the opening quarter, finishing a combined 4-of-8 from deep after one. But, the Cavaliers were not going down without a fight, as LeBron James, J.R. Smith, and Irving combined to go 10-of-15 from the field, which was good for all the Cavalier points in the first quarter.

Heading into the second quarter leading 32-29, the Warriors had to feel good about how they were playing. It made them feel even better when Klay Thompson got scorching hot in the second quarter, going 4-of-4 from deep, and scoring 18 points in the second quarter alone. However, this is also when the Cavalier tag team of LeBron and Irving started to take over for the Cavaliers.

With about seven minutes to go in the second quarter, Irving used his dazzling ball-handling to get open looks left and right. On top of that, LeBron had stepped up his defensive play, all while scoring 13 points on 6-of-11 shooting in the second quarter. Irving finished with 11 points in the second quarter. At the half the game was tied at 61, with James leading the scoring with 25 points, and Irving right behind him at 18.

The Cavs tag team started to take over in the third quarter. On the first possession after the break, Irving hit a layup and got fouled to get the Cavalier run going. Following that he and James went back and forth between one another to help the Cavalier lead grow. At the end of the third quarter, Irving showed his brilliance when he hit a turnaround fadeaway jumper, and got fouled by Thompson. The Cavalier momentum carried over into the fourth quarter.

At this point in the game with the Cavs looking to put the game away, both players just took over. LeBron James also had an incredible game on the defensive end, with a great chasedown block on Andre Iguodala, in an important moment in the game. On the final scoring play of the night, LeBron James was fouled while shooting a jumpshot, and he hit the shot to send the Warriors and their fans home salty.

The duo combined to score 82 points on 33-of-54 shooting, and the scoring package from both was something else. A big factor for both players was their three-point shooting, too. Even though the “Splash Brothers” were on the other bench, James and Irving hit them when they counted most, with James going 4-of-8 from deep, and Irving 5-of-7.

It’s easy to forget how great this performance was for both players, considering both players would have bigger moments in the coming Game 7, en route to helping wrap up the historic 3-1 comeback.

That said, I still think people don’t appreciate how incredible it was for both players to play, and win that efficiently.