With only three games left in the regular season, the Cleveland Cavaliers approach their second consecutive playoff appearance since adding Donovan Mitchell to the team. With expectations high, it is impossible not to recollect past postseason runs from Cleveland that defined the team's place in the 21st century history of the league. Mitchell has already established himself as one of the most prolific Cavaliers of all time, but the postseason is where true legends are made.
The Cleveland Cavaliers have had a multitude of memorable playoff runs since they drafted LeBron James in 2003. They have made the NBA Finals five times and brought the first NBA Championship to Cleveland in the iconic 2016 NBA Finals. Their historic run where they overcame a 3-1 deficit versus the 73-9 Golden State Warriors sits among the greatest Finals runs in NBA history. Still, the Cavaliers have stunned the world countless times before.
Let's take a trip down memory lane and countdown the 10 best Cavs playoff games since 2000.
10. 2018 Eastern Conference Semifinals Game Three vs. Toronto Raptors
This exciting Game Three will always be remembered for two things: LeBron’s buzzer-beating floater off the glass, and the solidification of “LeBronto”. The fourth-seeded Cavaliers jumped out to a surprising 2-0 series lead over the top-seeded Raptors after taking the first two games in Toronto.
The Cavs jumped out to a 14-point lead after the third quarter, and everyone started to assume this series was over as the Cavaliers were one quarter away from a 3-0 series lead. Then, with their season in growing doubt, the Raptors got aggressive and desperate, fueling a 38-24 run in the fourth quarter to tie the game at 103 with seven seconds left.
And…..well, the rest is history.
LeBron drove down the full court, went to the left side, and banked in an off-balanced floater as time expired. The Cavs win 105-103.
Social Media was immediately flooded with jokes that LeBron owned Toronto, as the Cavs were on the brink of eliminating the Raptors from the playoffs three seasons in a row. Thus, the legendary term “LeBronto” was born. They would go on to sweep the Raptors in 2018, a bitter end to the Kyle Lowry-Demar DeRozan era, as DeRozan would be traded to the San Antonio Spurs in exchange for Kawhi Leonard the next season. LeBron James had 38 points, seven assists, and six rebounds in this game. Kevin Love, who was playing arguably his best basketball as a Cavalier this series, added 21 points and 16 rebounds.
9. 2018 Eastern Conference Finals Game Seven vs. Boston Celtics
The stakes don’t get much higher than this, a Game Seven to determine who will move on to the Eastern Conference Finals and who will go home early. The 2018 season had a lot of question marks going into the year and was a roller-coaster ride the whole way through.
After Kyrie Irving requested a trade in the summer of 2017, the Cavs traded him for Isaiah Thomas and Jae Crowder alongside a 2018 first-round pick and Ante Zizic. Isaiah was coming off of a career year, averaging 30.8 points and 6.3 assists per game, and was awarded a Second Team All-NBA spot. Cavs fans were devastated to lose Kyrie, but Isaiah was supposed to be his replacement.
Unfortunately, after rehabbing from his hip injury and finally seeing the court as a Cavalier, he struggled mightily. Isaiah was shooting 36 percent from the field and 25 percent from three-point range. He only played 15 games before the Cavs decided to trade him (among others) at the trade deadline. The Cavs were in disarray and lacked an identity going into the 2018 playoffs. But, after a legendary LeBron James playoff run, along with a multitude of players stepping up in different moments, the Cavs were one game away from their fourth consecutive Finals.
The Boston series was a stressful one for the Cavalier fanbase. The Celtics were without their two new stars, Kyrie Irving and Gordon Hayward, due to injury. However, they rallied behind their young stars Jaylen Brown, Terry Rozier and then-rookie Jayson Tatum to jump out to a 2-0 series lead and an eventual 3-2 lead. According to LandOfBasketball.com, teams up 3-2 win the series 84 percent of the time.
The Cavs were also without Kevin Love for Game Seven due to a concussion. There was an anxious energy around this game for Cavaliers fans. When the lights turned on, LeBron James was ready for the moment, and the young Celtics were affected by the pressure. LeBron played the entire 48 minutes and had 35 points, 15 rebounds and nine assists. Jeff Green stepped up in his role, starting for Kevin Love, and added 19 points and eight rebounds. The Celtics shot 7-of-39 from three-point range and just couldn’t find their rhythm with the pressure on. The Cavaliers would win an intense, low-scoring game to the score of 87-79 and advance to their fourth straight Finals against the Warriors.
8. 2006 Eastern Conference First Round Game Five vs. Washington Wizards
This instant classic was Lebron James’ first NBA Playoffs moment of his career.
A 21-year-old LeBron James led the Cavaliers back to the playoffs for the first time since 1998. They were in a close series with the Washington Wizards, who prime Gilbert Arenas led. The series was tied at 2-2, setting up a pivotal Game Five in Cleveland. Even though it was LeBron’s first postseason experience, he had no fear in his body when the night came.
LeBron and Gilbert dueled for all four quarters, and the game was tied up and heading to overtime. Washington took control early in overtime, forcing the Cavaliers into a corner. The Cavs trailed the Wizards 120-119 with 3.6 seconds remaining in OT. With time expiring quick, LeBron drove down the left baseline and made a go-ahead layup with 0.9 seconds remaining leaving the Wizards with no timeouts left.
After a failed full-court shot from the Wizards, the Cleveland crowd erupted and celebrated the 3-2 series lead and the first real playoff moment for their young star. Gilbert Arenas had 44 points, 5 rebounds, and 4 assists. LeBron James totaled 45 points, seven rebounds, and six assists. Larry Hughes added 24 points against his former team. The Cavaliers would later win the series in 6 games, their first playoff series victory since 1993.
7. 2018 Eastern Conference First Round Game Five vs. Indiana Pacers
Another game from the exciting 2018 postseason came in the first round of the Cavaliers' campaign. In LeBron’s return to Cleveland, they never faced any challenges in the first round, sweeping their opponents from 2015 to 2017; however, this was not the case in 2018.
They were matched up with a hungry Indiana Pacers team, and Victor Oladipo was playing the best basketball of his career. For the series, the Pacers had seven players average double-digit points, and Oladipo averaged 22.7 points, 8.3 rebounds, and six assists a game on 40 percent three-point shooting. The Pacers were giving the Cavaliers everything they could handle, setting up for a pivotal Game Five in Cleveland with the series tied 2-2.
This was a close game all the way, with some unlikely players stepping up as big contributors. Domantas Sabonis scored 22 points off the bench for the Pacers. For the Cavs, Kyle Korver hit five threes and scored 19 points. Nonetheless, this game will be remembered for its iconic finish.
The game was tied at 95, and the Pacers had the ball with a few more seconds on the game clock than the shot clock. With under 10 seconds left in the game, Victor Oladipo drove against LeBron James and attempted a layup on the left side. LeBron makes a game-saving block against the backboard, the Cavs grab the rebound and call a timeout with just three seconds left. Then, right after swatting away Oladipo’s shot, LeBron would hit a three-pointer from the top of the arc at the buzzer. The Cleveland crowd erupted as the Cavs secured a 3-2 series lead. The Cavs would go on to win the series in seven games.
6. 2015 Eastern Conference Semifinals Game Four vs. Chicago Bulls
The Cavs' 2015 season seemed to be going to a dark place during this Eastern Conference series versus the Bulls. In Game Three, Derrick Rose banked in a buzzer-beating three-pointer to win the game and give the Bulls a 2-1 series lead. Now, in a must-win Game Four in hostile territory, the Bulls were leading the Cavs 68-61 going into the fourth quarter, and the Cavaliers seemed to be out of answers. They lost Kevin Love for the season with a shoulder injury in the first round to the Celtics, and Kyrie Irving was visibly hampered with a knee injury that limited his production drastically.
Nobody besides LeBron seemed to be able to create any offense against a stout Chicago defense, and they only managed to score 12 points in the entire third quarter. The offense looked dead, the team looked discouraged and it seemed they were heading towards an insurmountable 3-1 deficit.
In the fourth quarter, J.R. Smith came alive just in time. He hit a few outside shots and gave the offense that much-needed spark. A 19-6 run propelled the Cavs to an 80-74 lead with just over two minutes left before the final buzzer. Shortly after, the Cavs are up 84-79 with 40 seconds left. Cleveland fans felt a sigh of relief; the lead seemed safe. But, this roller-coaster of a game was not over. Jimmy Butler hit a step-back three-pointer, cutting the lead to two with less than 30 seconds remaining.
The Cavaliers were then trying to inbound the ball and draw an intentional foul. In response, the Bulls trapped LeBron at halfcourt, and instead of passing out of the double team, he tried to bulldoze through it. The refs called LeBron for an offensive foul, and the Bulls had the ball down two points. Derrick Rose would make another clutch basket, driving to the right and hitting a contested layup to tie the game with 8 seconds remaining. Cleveland had already exhausted their timeouts.
The looming sense of dread had crept back in for Cavaliers fans. LeBron would drive full court, just to have his layup blocked out of bounds with only 0.8 seconds remaining. But, the King would not be denied in the end. LeBron would hit a baseline fadeaway jumper over Jimmy Butler as time expired. The Cavs had tied the series, and there was still hope. The Cavaliers would go on to win the series in 6 games.
5. 2015 NBA Finals Game Three vs. Golden State Warriors
In LeBron James’ first season back with the Cavaliers, they found themselves in a 1-1 tied series with the Golden State Warriors, who led the NBA with 67 wins and had the MVP Stephen Curry.
The Cavs were down both Kevin Love and Kyrie Irving to season-ending injuries. Kyrie’s injury was sustained in the overtime period of Game One against the Warriors. Despite all this adversity, there was a sense of magic in the air around this Cavs team.
The fanbase still fully believed that Cleveland could win this championship, even with two All-Star players out. They had LeBron James back in wine and gold, and many different players had been stepping up all postseason when the team needed it most. And Game Three of the 2015 NBA Finals was the best example of that with the performance of Matthew Dellavedova. He emerged as an unexpected savior of the team, pushing Curry to the brink of collapse with his inescapable defense.
Dellavedova or “Delly” was starting in place of Kyrie Irving and was tasked with guarding Steph Curry. Delly played 38 minutes that night. With every minute of his time, he was giving everything he had, pestering Curry full court, fighting through every screen and doing everything he could to slow down the MVP.
Social media was calling him the “Curry Stopper” during this game, as Steph was visibly frustrated and struggling to find a rhythm with Delly’s pestering tactics. Not only was Delly giving the highest effort on defense, but he also took a big load on the offensive end. He was the secondary playmaker after LeBron and took 17 shots (second highest on the team). Delly had given everything to this game, and as a result, he actually had to go to the hospital after the game to get an IV put in due to severe cramping.
The Cavs seemed to have figured GSW out by pestering Curry full court, and they were up as much as 20 points in the third quarter. Everything was swinging in Cleveland's favor until the MVP decided that enough was enough. Curry would hit 5 three-pointers and score 17 points in the fourth quarter, bringing the Warriors back within three points. Ultimately, they still fell short. The Cavs would hold on to a 96-91 victory and take a 2-1 series lead. LeBron led the way with 40 points, 12 rebounds, and eight assists. The secret weapon Delly added 20 points, five rebounds, and four assists. To this day, this was the only time in Cavaliers history that they had a series lead in the NBA Finals while the series was still active. It was one of the most memorable and exciting nights ever to be a fan of the Cleveland Cavaliers; however, the Cavs would go on to lose the series in 6 games.
4. 2016 NBA Finals Game Five vs. Golden State Warriors
The Cleveland Cavaliers were back in the NBA Finals after falling short in 2015. In a rematch with the Golden State Warriors, but this time Cleveland entered without any significant injuries.
With Kevin Love and Kyrie Irving healthy this time, there were no excuses anymore; however, the Golden State Warriors had improved and were having a legendary season. They set the NBA record with 73 wins and had just overcome a 3-1 series deficit in the Western Conference Finals against the Oklahoma City Thunder. After a tough loss in Game Four, the Cavaliers were trailing the series 3-1 and things were looking bleak. No team had ever come back from 3-1 in the NBA Finals, and the Cavs were one loss away from losing back-to-back NBA Finals to the same opponent.
This time around, it was a much more concerning outlook if they lost. The Cavaliers were completely healthy and out of excuses, if they lost twice to the Warriors, the consensus would be that the Warriors were simply better. Would they ever get over the hump? Would LeBron leave again if this team didn’t have what it takes?
The stage was set for Game Five in Oakland, California. The Cavs would have to win on the road to keep the series alive, but good news did come before the game. Draymond Green was suspended for the flagrant foul he committed in Game Four, taking the Warriors' best defender out of the picture. With their backs against the wall, the Cleveland Cavaliers rose to the occasion, specifically their top two stars. LeBron James and Kyrie Irving had one of the greatest duo performances in NBA Finals history.
The first half was a complete shootout and was tied at 61 by the break. LeBron and Kyrie were unstoppable, LeBron with 25 points and Kyrie with 18. On the other side, Klay Thompson was on track to have another one of his legendary postseason performances. He was 6-of-8 from three-point range and had 26 points at the half. It seemed as if it was going to be a tight game until the finish. But, the Cavaliers took control in the second half. Klay wasn’t able to hit another three-pointer for the rest of the game, and the Warriors offense slowed down to a mere 36 points in the second half.
For Cleveland, LeBron and Kyrie were just getting started. They both continued to rise to the occasion, hitting big shot after big shot. The Cavaliers would get a huge Game Five win to the score of 112-97 and brought the series closer with a 3-2 record. LeBron and Kyrie had the sports world buzzing as they each scored 41 points. The Cavs were still alive and now felt a lot more hope after seeing what their two superstars were capable of together.
3. 2009 Eastern Conference Finals. Game 2 vs Orlando Magic
Hopping farther back in the time machine, 2009 was a very fun and special season for the Cleveland Cavaliers. They won an NBA-high 66 games, and LeBron James became the first Cavalier to ever win the MVP award at the young age of 24 years old.
Additionally, Mo Williams made his lone All-Star team, and Delonte West was in the midst of his prime. The future was looking promising, and it was one of the most exciting and bright times to be a Cavaliers fan.
After cruising to the Eastern Conference Finals they felt they had caught a break after the Orlando Magic knocked off the defending champions in the Boston Celtics. Instead, the Cavs, as well as the rest of the NBA, seemed to have underestimated the Magic who were led by young superstar Dwight Howard.
In Game One, the Cavaliers blew a 15-point halftime lead, and the Magic escaped with a 107-106 victory. Losing Game One on their home court was big, and the Cavs needed to respond with a Game Two victory to avoid falling too far into a dangerous deficit.
Like the first game, the Cavaliers jumped out to another early lead. The Cavs were up 43-20 in the middle of the second quarter, but they started experiencing déjà vu. The Magic slowly but surely clawed their way back in the game, and with only five minutes left in the final period, the game was tied at 86. The Magic did not have a lead in the entire game until Hedo Turkoglu hit a fadeaway jumper with one second left to take a 95-93 lead.
It felt like a hard punch to the gut for the Cavaliers community. They were about to blow two double-digit leads in a row and go down 2-0 in a series where they had home-court advantage. The anger, stress, and fear were visible on the fans during the timeout following the shot, but their moods were about to change. With only a single second on the clock, LeBron caught a pass at the top of the arc and hit a fading three-pointer to win the game.
The players' faces showed pure joy as LeBron tried to run away in excitement before his teammates grabbed and mauled him in celebration. To this day, it might be the loudest that arena has ever been. It was LeBron’s signature moment of his career at the time, silencing those who said he was not clutch in the final moments. LeBron totaled 35 points, five assists and four rebounds for the game. The Cavaliers would lose the series in six games, but nothing can take away how great this experience was for Cavs fans everywhere.
2. 2007 Eastern Conference Finals Game Five vs. Detroit Pistons
In LeBron James’ playoff debut, Cleveland took the Detroit Pistons to seven games before ultimately being eliminated in the conference semifinals. They surprised the entire league with how tough they were able to play the defending champions in their first postseason experience. In 2007, Cavs fans had a true belief that they could beat anybody. LeBron James was only 22 years old, but he looked like Superman to the Cavalier faithful.
The 2007 Eastern Conference Finals was one of the most stressful playoff series the Cavs have ever been in. The series was tied after four games, and every match had been decided by six points or fewer. Every time these two teams met, the crowd was in store for an intense and defensive fight to the finish. Game Five was no exception.
With the likely fate of the series on the line, Game Five went to double overtime as both teams struggled to put the other away, and it pushed LeBron James to a level that nobody knew he had. LeBron took over the game offensively, hitting every step-back jumper and also attacking the hoop with force.
LeBron scored the last 25 points for the Cavaliers one his own and 28 of their last 29 points. His performance was a jaw-dropping display of greatness for such a young prospect. This was the game where people started to ponder if LeBron could be the greatest player of all time by the time he hung up the jersey. LeBron finished the game with a staggering 48 points, nine rebounds and seven assists. Long-time Cavaliers center Zydrunas Ilgauskas added 16 points and eight rebounds.
More importantly, the Cavs took a 3-2 series lead and were one game away from their first NBA Finals. They would go on to win Game Six but lose to the San Antonio Spurs in the NBA Finals.
1. 2016 NBA Finals Game Seven vs. Golden State Warriors
Was there any other option?
Game 7 of the 2016 NBA Finals was the most important game in Cavaliers history and one of the greatest games in all of NBA history. As aforementioned, the 73-9 Golden State Warriors were up 3-1 over the Cavaliers, and it looked all but over. Thanks to the iconic performances of LeBron and Kyrie, the Cavaliers had tied the series to bring the Cavs to a winner-takes-all Game Seven.
The grand finale was to be played in Oakland, California, giving the Warriors a ruckus homecourt advantage. Still, there was a growing sense of destiny around this Cleveland team, and the fans truly believed that June 19, 2016 would be the day that they finally became champions. The feelings of stress and excitement were so high in the city that passersby could physically feel it. It seemed as though every single person in Northeast Ohio was watching this monumental Game Seven on Father’s Day.
As the night began, players seemed noticeably tight in the first half. On top of the nerves, they were playing the hardest defense of their lives with the Larry O'Brien trophy just one win away. Everyone struggled to find an offensive rhythm, and the Warriors led 49-42 at halftime. It was only seven points, but it added to the growing citywide anxiety.
The NBA had seen all season how quickly this Warriors squad could turn a lead from seven to 20 in a matter of minutes with their three-point shooting. The Cavs needed to come out with an answer, and thankfully they found it. Smith started the third quarter hitting a couple of deep shots, and then Kyrie Irving went on a game-changing run that climaxed with a needed three-point shot that gave the Cavs a 68-61 lead. Fans were feeling cautiously optimistic and could realize how close an NBA championship was. Still, the Warriors were undeniably desperate to pull themselves back into the game. Sure enough, the Warriors answered with their own run, and took a 76-75 lead going into the fourth quarter.
The tension was palpable for all as the teams returned to the hardwood for one final quarter to determine an NBA champion. Golden State improved their lead to 87-83 with 5:37 left in the game. The Cavaliers needed to string together another run, or the season would fall through their fingers.
Fortunately, LeBron James answered the call. After baiting Festus Ezeli into fouling him on a three-point attempt (in which he made all three free throws), LeBron then hit a step-back three-pointer over Ezeli to give the Cavs an 89-87 lead. Klay Thompson and the Warriors quickly answered, and the game was tied at 89 with 4:39 left in the game.
The next four minutes would feel like an eternity as neither team could score a point, desperately trying to take the lead. With 1:51 left in the game, LeBron would come from way behind and block a fast break layup by Andre Iguodola, in what is now known as “The Block”.
Finally, the drought came to an end when the Cavs called a timeout and called on the 24-year-old Kyrie Irving. With 53 seconds left, Kyrie would hit “The Shot”, a step-back three over Steph Curry to give the Cavs a 92-89 lead. The Cavs would hold on to win the game 93-89, securing the franchise's first-ever NBA Championship.
People flooded the streets of Cleveland celebrating, some people crying, but everybody united. The Cavaliers fan base had never seen an NBA Championship, and they just got one in the most dramatic fashion possible. On top of that, Cleveland had not won a Championship since the Browns won in 1964. A high percentage of fans had never seen a professional sports championship ever before this game. June 19, 2016, will forever be a day the City of Cleveland remembers.
As the Cleveland Cavaliers continue to another postseason run in the modern era, the past successes of LeBron-led teams will hopefully ignite a desire in Donovan Mitchell and the Cavs to establish a new legacy of playoff brilliance.