OAKLAND, Calif. — LeBron James didn’t only bring his talents back to Cleveland, he brought the city its first professional sports championship in 52 years.
The Cavaliers stunned the Warriors, all of the NBA and made history by rallying from a 3-1 deficit to knock off last year’s champions and win the title. They capped that miraculous comeback with a 93-89 win in Game 7 Sunday night at Oracle Arena. Cleveland won the series 4-3.
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“This is what I came back for,” James said during the on-court celebration.
Thirty-three teams in NBA history had been down 3-1 and the previous 32 lost the series. But James was on a mission and wouldn’t be denied. He captured his third NBA championship, and probably the sweetest all things considered.
James outdueled Steph Curry, the league’s reigning two-time MVP, and first ever unanimous winner of the award. Curry has been called the best player on the planet, but James proved that label still belongs to him.
James had a triple-double in the clinching game. He finished with 27 points, 11 rebounds, 11 assists and three blocks. He also iced the game with a free throw with 10.6 seconds to go to put the Cavaliers up four.
He was the easy choice for Finals MVP, and probably would have won even if the Cavaliers lost. He dominated the series. James averaged 29.7 points, 11.3 rebounds and 8.9 assists in the Finals.
Kyrie Irving hit the biggest shot in Cavaliers’ history. With the score tied at 89, Irving drilled a three-pointer with 53 seconds remaining. He scored 26 for the Cavaliers.
Draymond Green played great for the Warriors. He had 32 points, 15 rebounds and nine assists. But Curry and Klay Thompson had disappointing finishes. Curry was 6-for-19 with 17 points, and scored just three in the fourth. Thompson was 6-for-17 and had 14.
After leading the Heat to four Finals, and two titles, James returned to Cleveland two seasons ago. The kid from nearby Akron wanted to deliver a championship for Cleveland.
The Cavaliers lost in the Finals last year to the Warriors. But Sunday night, James’ dreams and those of the long-suffering Cleveland fans came true. He delivered Cleveland its first championship since the Browns won the NFL Championship in 1964.
While the Cavaliers celebrated joyously, the Warriors experienced heartache and heartbreak.
They have gone from being the NBA’s biggest winners to the biggest chokers, as their brilliant season was marred by this collapse.
The Warriors won an NBA-record 73 regular-season games and erased a 3-1 hole against Oklahoma City in the conference finals to reach the Finals. Up 3-1 and with two games on their home court, the Warriors couldn’t close out the Cavaliers. Curry and Klay Thompson said the season would be a failure if they weren’t hoisting a trophy at the end of this series.
Golden State’s nine playoff losses matched their regular-season total, and they dropped three straight for the first time in the two years Steve Kerr has been the coach.
The first six games were decided by double-figures, but this one was a back-and-forth, drama-filled battle of wills that Cleveland won.
In the third quarter alone there were two swings. The Cavaliers erased an eight-point deficit and the Warriors wiped out a seven-point hole. Golden State led 76-75 at the start of the fourth.
Neither team led by more than three until a Green put-back with 5:37 left gave Golden State an 87-83 edge. But the Cavaliers regained the lead 89-87 after James made three free throws and a three-pointer on consecutive trips. Thompson tied it with a layup with 4:53 remaining.
Both teams had several chances to take the lead. But James couldn’t convert a driving layup, Kevin Love short-armed a hook shot, and James missed another one inside. The Warriors missed four three-pointers, and James swatted an Andre Iguodala layup.
After Irving’s three-pointer, Curry misfired on another three with 30.7 seconds left. Irving fed James who was cutting to the basket and he went up for a dunk. Green fouled him hard. James was writhing on the floor in pain, appearing to injure his right wrist.
But he had the championship on his hand at the foul line. He missed the first, and made the second, clinching Cleveland’s first pro sports title in 52 years.
..... - Newsday