Exactly 6 years ago, the Cleveland Cavaliers set a new playoff record with 25 made threes in Game 2, beating the Atlanta Hawks in a blowout win.
It was a true masterpiece for the squad and a little taste of the joy and success they would achieve later.
On Twitter, LeBron James looked back on the moment and shared some of his thoughts on his 2016 team.
“Man o man!! That was one helluva night and one helluva team! Top to bottom.”
Man o man!! That was one helluva night and one helluva team! Top to bottom https://t.co/lR5qKD4Vek
— LeBron James (@KingJames) May 5, 2022
That season was magical for James and the Cavs. After losing the 2015 Finals (their first season together), they regrouped and re-tooled around LeBron, Kyrie Irving, and Kevin Love.
They finished the 2016 campaign with a 57-25 record, locking up home-court advantage through most of the postseason.
Then they faced the 73-9 Warriors, who were nearly unbeatable at the time. They went down 3-1 in the series before mounting one of the greatest comebacks the sports world has ever known.
To this day, that title bears a lot of weight in the eye of the NBA community.
“Some titles… they just mean more than other titles,” said former Cavs forward Richard Jefferson. “That’s just the truth. I know it. Golden State knows it. But looking back on it, I really feel lucky, because I feel like 100 years from now, people will still be talking about the 2016 Finals. 100 years from now, people will still be talking about the 2016 Finals. No matter what basketball evolves to. No matter what happens to the Cleveland Cavaliers. No matter what happens to the state of Ohio. No matter if the Warriors wins four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, 10 more titles. (Sorry, Draymond!) One thing will never change. You can never take away 1–3.”
Sadly, James isn’t in a position to win a title this year. His Lakers didn’t even make the playoffs after finishing 11th in the West.
But as he enjoys a break from basketball, and spends time with family, you can’t blame the guy for looking back to better times on the basketball court.
That 2016 run may be the greatest moment of LeBron’s career.
