After falling behind 3-1 to the Golden State Warriors in the NBA Finals, it seemed like the Cleveland Cavaliers fell into an insurmountable hole that they would not be able to climb out of. Then LeBron James flipped the switch. 32 teams tried, and 32 teams have failed. Until now. The Cleveland Cavaliers are the first team to overcome this daunting deficit and are now NBA champions. It feels like a dream.
King James fulfilled his promise and delivered Cleveland their first professional championship in 52 years while leading all players in points, rebounds, assists, steals and blocks. And in the closeout game, LeBron got the best of Steph Curry and the Golden State Warriors by finishing with 27 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists. It was his 16th career playoff triple-double and his seventh in the NBA Finals. He was also awarded the Finals MVP for the third time, but not before making the biggest block heard around the world. With the game tied at 89, Andre Iguodala had an open layup and James had his signature moment. He chased down the play from behind and out of nowhere pined the ball against the backboard preventing the Warriors from taking the lead. After a Kyrie Irving 3-pointer and Steph Curry missed 3-pointer, LeBron James sealed the game at the free thrown line and the Cavs become World Champions. Cleveland has endured The Drive, The Fumble, The Shot and The Move, but now that is all forgotten because of The Block.
After winning two championships with the Miami Heat, James returned home with hopes of bringing a championship pedigree to Cleveland. He got them to the Finals last year, but then fell short in the NBA Finals. If Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love had not gotten hurt, we might have been talking about the Cavs winning back-to-back trophies. Then, after returning to the NBA Finals for the sixth straight year, James cemented his legacy and brought the franchise their first NBA title.
When The King made the decision to leave South Beach and return home to Cleveland, some called it a mistake. “He can’t win without Dwyane Wade and Pat Riley,” they said. “Cleveland is cursed and LeBron will never win another ring and you’re making the biggest mistake of your career.” But for LeBron, winning a ring in Cleveland became his only goal. He doesn’t listen to his critics anyways. Catching up to the Kobe Bryant or Michael Jordan ring totals was secondary.
But now, LeBron James has rewritten history, and he did it against a team who had the greatest regular season in the history of the NBA. The now three-time champion has been called a lot throughout his career – a quitter, not clutch, too passive, a front-runner, a queen, and during this series, a bitch and a baby. After tonight, he changed all of the narratives. And even though it will not quiet his doubters, leaving South Beach may have been the best decision of his career.
Last night wasn’t a dream – it was a fairy tale. The kid from Akron, Ohio returned home and ended the Cleveland’s championship drought, and the champagne never tasted so good. Don’t Hate the King.
Elie Neufeld is the founder of DHTK. DHTK’s clothing line integrates brand affiliation with positive athlete role models and an active lifestyle that pursues excellence in mind, body and spirit. Sign up for the DHTK email list to stay up to date with sales, promos and free giveaways.