The 2015-2016 Golden State Warriors were a historic team whose remarkable 73-9 run through the regular season may never be replicated. Led by back-to-back MVP Stephen Curry, the Warriors looked unstoppable as they marched towards a second consecutive NBA championship.
Unfortunately for the Dubs, though, they weren’t able to get the job done as they faced off against a LeBron James-led Cleveland Cavaliers squad hell-bent on redemption after getting beaten by the same Warriors team in the previous NBA Finals.
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In a conversation with Steve Nash on the “Mind The Game” podcast, “King James” relayed that he thought the Dubs were the much better team. However, it was the Cavs that had rhythm and momentum in those final three games, which spelled the difference.
The tide shifted
Golden State seemed destined to repeat as champions as they established a commanding 3-1 series lead after a 108-97 triumph in Game 4. LBJ admitted the Cavs’ spirits were low at that point, but he implored them to keep their heads up, give it their all in Game 5, and see what happens.
“I told the guys before we left, like I was like, ‘Listen, we’re going to win. We’re going to win Game 5. Like I can feel it. We’re going to win Game 5. I know you guys are upset about losing Game 4 at home, but whatever you got, just bring it with you to Golden State. I promise you, if we get back to Cleveland for a Game 6, there will be a Game 7. And I’ll take it from there.’ I’m like, ‘I just need y’all to lock in,'” Bron relayed.
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The Cavs heeded their leader’s words and delivered, scoring a stunning 112-97 win in Game 5, silencing an Oracle Arena that was ready to celebrate another title in the Bay Area. With the wheels already greased, “The King” felt the momentum shifting towards their side.
“Once we won Game 5 in Golden State, you know, you win a game like that on the road — you know how hard it is to win in San Antonio in the postseason. You know how hard it is to win in certain buildings. And that momentum, when you win in certain buildings in the postseason, you’re like, ‘Oh man. We broke through a new ceiling.’ And I think that’s the momentum I felt, you know, when we won Game 5 in Oracle,” the native of Akron, Ohio, shared.
Rode the momentum wave
With LeBron producing 41 points and 11 assists, the Cavs convincingly took Game 6, setting the stage for a winner-take-all Game 7. At that point, it wasn’t just “The Chosen One” who began believing that the Larry O’Brien Trophy could finally be coming home to Cleveland. The entire Cavaliers team knew that despite the formidable odds of being on the road against one of the best teams in NBA history, they could actually pull off this improbable feat.
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“My guys believed that what I was saying, right, could come true. Y’all get me back to Game 6, we’ll come back here for Game 7,” Bron continued. “So it felt like the guys, it almost felt like destiny now. ‘Hey guys, we’re meant to win this now.’ It was like nothing is stopping us.”
The all-time great argued that the Warriors were a far superior team overall. However, the Cavs carried the momentum at that crucial moment.
“They were the better team. I just think we just, it’s the momentum wave. We hit a momentum pop. And s**t, there’s nothing they could do about it. There’s nothing they could have did about it once we got to that point,” he stressed.
The Cavs completed the sensational comeback with a 93-89 win in Game 7, giving the franchise its first title since its inception in 1970.