Tyronn Lue breaks down how the Cavs came back from a 3-1 deficit in the NBA Finals: "Every time we lost a game, I never showed film"

The 2016 Finals were arguably the most thrilling and memorable in league history. During that period, the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Golden State Warriors built a rivalry that would be talked about for years. But if we circle back to the 2014-15 season, the Warriors defeated the Cavaliers after Kyrie Irving was injured early in the series, leaving a bitter taste for LeBron James, who made it his mission to get revenge.

The following season, the Warriors were even better. With a 73-9 record, they broke the Chicago Bulls’ regular-season record and came back from a 1-3 deficit in the Western Conference Finals against the Oklahoma City Thunder, led by Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook.

Stephen Curry became the first unanimous MVP in league history and it seemed like Golden State was destined to defend their title. And indeed, they quickly took a 3-1 lead in the Finals.

First-ever 3-1 comeback in NBA Finals history

However, what happened next is unlikely ever to be repeated. Kyrie and LeBron donned their superhero capes, took advantage of Draymond Green’s suspension and orchestrated the first-ever 3-1 comeback in NBA Finals history. Cleveland captured its first championship, and LeBron fell to his knees in tears. Balance had finally been restored.

The mastermind behind that comeback, Tyronn Lue, recalled the epic moment on the Club Shay Shay podcast, revealing how he managed such a crazy feat.

“I swear to God I thought we could win,” Lue said. “Like, even down 3-1, I thought we could. First two games we got blown out. We win Game 3, we should have won Game 4, we tricked it off the last two minutes of the game. So we go down 3-1 and I’m like, we still have opportunities to win this, but we had to make some tweaks and we made some adjustments.”

“Every time we lost a game, I never showed film. Our video guy was like, ‘Man, what the hell is he doing?’ Like, if I show film, even the Finals before, they were blowing us out. So you don’t want the guys seeing that. So it worked because you don’t want to psych your guys out thinking like, ‘Man, how can we beat them?'”

Lue’s adjustments were key

Lue, widely regarded as a master of improvisation and adjustments, did something nearly unheard of. Typically, after a loss, teams watch film to analyze mistakes. Lue, an ex-player who experienced playing in the Finals himself, changed the team’s psychology, understanding how seeing themselves as helpless would crush their confidence. He kept his squad in a positive “bubble” while making small adjustments that didn’t distract their focus from the Larry O’Brien Trophy.

Of course, Green’s suspension helped, as did the brilliance of LeBron and Kyrie, but Lue was key in all three subsequent wins.

Steve Kerr had no idea what hit him, and while Game 7 was phenomenal from both sides, it was King James’ block on Andre Iguodala and Kai’s shot over Steph that defined the moment when superstar players take over.

Lue targeted Curry on defense

It’s no secret that throughout the series, Lue targeted Curry on defense, trying to wear him down on that side of the ballgame, which paid off in the possession when Irving isolated and hit the iconic three over him. One of the main protagonists, Klay Thompson, later expressed regret over a switch in that Game 7.

“But what’s the other biggest regret I have in my basketball career besides getting busted for weed was switching that pick and roll with Steph with JR and Kyrie. I still can’t, like I can’t bring myself to watch that footage. It’s too uncomfortable, you know? You watch yourself, you know; I can’t believe I just gave you that,” Klay once said

“Now Kyrie got one of the greatest shots in NBA history, and I like Steph’s a great defender too, but I’m just like, ‘Man, I can’t believe I conceded that switch.’ It still burns me. You never get over things like that,” he added.

Klay was the Warriors’ best perimeter defender, often guarding Kyrie, while Lue expertly designed plays to isolate Steph with Kai. Everything else is history.

That loss prompted the Warriors to sign KD immediately, forming a superteam and erasing the bitter taste of that defeat. Lue’s decisions indirectly influenced major league moves and reshaped the NBA landscape in the following years.

This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Aug 28, 2025, where it first appeared in the Old School section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Tyronn Lue breaks down how the Cavs came back from a 3-1 deficit in the NBA Finals: “Every time we lost a game, I never showed film”

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