Former Cleveland Cavalier Kyrie Irving is in the Finals representing the Dallas Mavericks. And another past Cavalier, LeBron James, commented on his Mind the Game podcast about his frustrations about no longer playing with Irving. Remember when the Wine and Gold used to have it all?
At Finals Media Day, Irving was asked for his reaction to James’ remarks. He said he was grateful and that both of them, now that they are older, are more appreciative of their work together.
After years of division since Irving's departure from Cleveland, it’s nice to hear him say that. In three seasons together, James and Irving were a devastating duo, leading the squad to the Finals each season of their partnership. Everything culminated in the franchise's first championship in 2016.
Three seasons of excellence went by as quickly as a shooting star. Yet, the memories are still fresh. These are the greatest moments of Cavaliers basketball in the Finals.
4. LeBron James nearly leads the Cavaliers to victory in Game 3 vs San Antonio (2007)
In James' first Finals appearance against the San Antonio Spurs, LeBron showcased the all-time great he would ascend to be.
The squad was down 0-2, and the third outing was the first ever Finals game in Cleveland. James missed five three-point attempts but feasted inside the arc, converting nine of his 18 shots for 25 points, with eight rebounds and seven assists. The young superstar's efforts were without assistance, though, as Cleveland fell 75-72 against Tim Duncan and the Spurs.
Unfortunately, the squad didn’t have enough. The bench made three shots, and the backcourt (Sasha Pavlović and Daniel Gibson) combined to make six-of-25 baskets. James was like a cornered fighter, matched up in the ring with a rival with twice his experience, searching for answers that never came. The top defense won that night and later the series.
Despite the loss, James' performance in Game 3 gave the national crowd a glimpse of his limitless ceiling. The first Finals game in Cleveland was an unfortunate finish, but LeBron put on a stellar performance and went pound-for-pound against the league's best defense.
The 2007 championship was the Spurs’ fourth in nine seasons.