The rivalry between the Golden State Warriors and the Cleveland Cavaliers was one for the history books. The two teams fought it out in the finals for 4 years in a row. Although the Warriors won 3 times, the one time Cavaliers won the finals was one of the most historic finals ever. And reminiscing on that final, a former Cavaliers player gives a surprising insight that shocked the NBA world.
LeBron James’s ex-teammate appeared on the “All The Smoke” podcast. He said that the former unanimous MVP, Stephen Curry, was not eager to take on the challenge of guarding Kyrie Irving. And that, this revelation proved to be the turning point that led to the Cavaliers’ historic comeback.
Former Cavaliers player’s insight on the 2016 finals
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The Golden State Warriors had an exceptionally good season in 2015-16. And with their regular season record of 73-9, they set a new defining moment in the NBA. They were ready to win the NBA Championship after defeating the Cleveland Cavaliers in the previous NBA Finals. However, as the Warriors took a commanding 3-1 lead in the Finals, history took an unexpected turn. With the Cavaliers being led by LeBron James and Kyrie Irving, they executed a comeback that would rewrite the NBA Finals narrative.
The Cavaliers accomplished what no team had done before, overcoming a 3-1 deficit to secure victory. In Game 5 of the 2016 Finals, Kyrie Irving delivered a masterful performance, dropping 41 points on Stephen Curry with 70.8% shooting from the floor and 71.4% from beyond the arc. As he continued to dominate in the next two games, Kyrie contributed 23 and 26 points, respectively.
This historic comeback gains an extra dimension because of Iman Shumpert’s revelation. Shumpert revealed on the podcast that the Warriors’ defense had a significant weakness that the Cavaliers had discovered. On the podcast, he says, “We realized that Steph wasn’t trying to match up with Kai. I don’t remember what the foul situation or what it was, but all we took it as you scared of buddy“.
He further adds, “If Steph came and guarded me and they tried to do a triple switch; I said if I go down here and I set this screen and Steph switch off and try to go on me, imma bring my screen up too“. And because of this double screen, Curry would have to guard Irving.
The historic 3-pointer by Kyrie Irving
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During the finals, both teams were determined to win but exhausted. They both missed a lot of shots and switched to a more defensive play.
Cavaliers coach Tyronn Lue assigned the arduous task of the clutch shot to Kyrie Irving. The score was tied at 89-89 and there were only 59 seconds on the clock. Swishing his shot perfectly, the Warriors just had 10.6 seconds in hand and lost the game.
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Curry’s defensive reluctance against Irving adds intrigue to the 2016 NBA Finals. It reminds fans that even the most renowned players face unexpected challenges in competition.
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