The 2016 NBA season as a whole was one of the most incredible ones in recent times. From Kobe Bryant‘s retirement to the Warriors making history and ultimately, LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers completing one of the unlikeliest championship wins in league history.
The 73-9 Warriors were expected to easily become champions in 2016 after they took a 3-1 Finals lead over the Cavaliers. But Cleveland fought back to even the series up after Game 6. That win led to an iconic moment for LeBron, where he was seen on camera motivating his teammates by letting them know that the Warriors are f***ed up.
“They’re f***ed mentally and physically. I’m telling you, they f***ed up.”
LeBron’s speech after Game 6 of the 2016 Finals is one of the coldest speeches of all time pic.twitter.com/KtuCWUQ4Ws https://t.co/GivX1k8hk0
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) July 23, 2023
James then added the 15th out of 16 pieces in a jigsaw puzzle that resembled the Larry O’Brien trophy. The way he galvanized the troops in this video shows they went into Game 7 with a cutthroat desire to win the title. As we know, they delivered and beat the greatest regular season team in league history by becoming the first Finals team to come back from a 3-1 series deficit.
LeBron James And Kyrie Irving Were Special
Games 5, 6, and 7 were clinched by incredible showings from the two Cavaliers stars. James averaged 36.3 points, 11.7 rebounds, 9.7 assists, 3.0 steals, and 3.0 blocks over the final three games, while Kyrie Irving averaged 30.0 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 3.3 assists.
They were motivated to take advantage of a faltering Warriors squad that looked exhausted after the brunt of an exhausting season and their own 3-1 comeback in the Western Conference Finals.
James and Irving’s partnership could’ve resulted in more titles, but the 2016 Finals win changed the NBA forever. The Warriors went and signed Kevin Durant that summer, taking him from their rivals in the Oklahoma City Thunder. That ended the competitive nature of the Warriors and Cavaliers rivalry but after one of the greatest Finals series of all time.
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