LeBron finally brings a title home to Cleveland

[George II]

Source: ESPN

OAKLAND, Calif. -- With 333 of the 336 regulation minutes through seven games of the NBA Finals in the books, the Cleveland Cavaliers and Golden State Warriors were tied 699-699.

LeBron James kept the Cavs alive with a late chase-down block and Kyrie Irving put them ahead for good with 3-pointer with 53 seconds left, to vanquish the championship curse of Cleveland once and for all.

James, with 27 points, 11 rebounds, 11 assists and three blocked shots in playing 47 of 48 minutes led the way. Irving - 26 points and six assists - followed in tandem.

And the Cavs, at long last, were on top of the basketball world. It's a championship 52 years in the making.

Read more: http://espn.go.com/nba/playoffs/2016/story/_/id/16347923/nba-playoffs-2016-lebron-brings-title-home-cleveland

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More to come!

[alcibiades_mystery]

1. LeBron really has a claim to the greatest of all time

Amazing.

[left-of-center2012]

3. Can't stand LeBron James - loud mouth bully

No class

[Botany]

42. LeBron's foundation to spend $41M to send kids to college

http://www.foxsports.com/nba/story/lebron-james-college-scholarships-akron-university-cavaliers-i-promise-081315

[titaniumsalute]

59. You have no idea what you speak of

Please cite once where LeBron was a bully? This guy (a kid from a very poor part of Akron) has made it to stardom. Yet he continuously gives back tot he community. He's recently pledged to send 5,000 low income Akron kids through college. His Family Foundation has provided millions in charity.

[LannyDeVaney]

5. Great player. Amazin job bringing the Cavs a title ...

not the greatest of all time.

Mr. Jordan has that title.

[KeepItReal]

16. Michael Jordan never lost a Finals. Conversation over.

Learn some history.

[phylny]

21. Have watched both of them.

Yes, MJ for the win, although I like LeBron and am happy for him, the Cavs, and their fans.

[geek tragedy]

23. Jordan had Pippen.

He probably is #1 all-time, but LBJ isn't done yet.

[KeepItReal]

26. You know a way to make LeBron undefeated in the NBA finals?

I'm all ears.

[geek tragedy]

31. Jordan is still #1 but the argument is getting more interesting.

The year after Jordan's first retirement, the Bulls went 55-27.

How did Cleveland do while Lebron was in Miami?

[KeepItReal]

34. Get at me when Bron Bron wins 7 rings.

Then he will have done more than MJ.

[PoliticalMalcontent]

52. I don't know, man. Championships seem like a very limited way to rank players in a team sport.

Everyone is entitled to their opinions, but by saying it's all about rings and subsequently ignoring other stats it sure feels like there is a lot of lost context.

Jordan has had a mystique built up around him for being the best player in the league at the time. He was also on a team that was stacked with talent and had a hall of fame caliber coach.

I don't really have an opinion one way or another about who the best is. I just think your way of ranking players is misguided in a team sport.

I know this will not change your mind.

[KeepItReal]

53. Jordan had no mystique, he was the best player. And he played like it.

Jordan would take over in the 4th quarter of any given game and you knew what the outcome would be.

How many times has LeBron needed someone else to step up to close in the 4th quarter?

Facts are facts, though: http://www.landofbasketball.com/player_comparison/lebron_james_vs_michael_jordan.htm

LeBron is right there with Jordan. But not better, IMHO.

[Chakab]

29. Jordan had Pippen and a squad that made it to the conference finals

without him when he decided to go play baseball.

[KeepItReal]

35. And your point is what?

Seriously. What is your point?

[Chakab]

36. What's yours? Seriously, what is it?

[GummyBearz]

56. Michael Jordan couldn't guard Lebron if he was allowed to wield a machete in game

Lebron is better. Just because Jordan had a better cast and less competition doesn't change the fact that Lebron is better at the game of basketball. All that said, the refs won this series... Cleveland owes them big time

[PoliticalMalcontent]

27. I enjoyed the hot takes this provoked. n/t

[alcibiades_mystery]

41. Hahaha

Indeed!

[AntiBank]

32. you forgot....... AFTER Michael Jordan

[olddad56]

37. He just might, but I have lost my respect for him...

the stunt he pulled in game 4, will keep him out off my list of all time greats forever.

I always liked him as a player, but I thought that was not characteristic of a truly great player.

He will always have an * by his name for me.

[proverbialwisdom]

38. Great read.

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2647258-lebron-james-finally-has-his-signature-moment

[Leontius]

43. You can never have a claim to being the greatest of all time

when you quit on your team on the floor during a playoff game.

[rockfordfile]

45. No

First time in a NBA series that a player was suspended to give the other team a chance.

I think that MJ is the greatest. I would put LeBron James in top 20.

[Gothmog]

2. Coming back from a 3 to one deficit is amazing

[olddad56]

20. provoking Green into a questionable flagrant foul in game 4 was brillant..

it tuned the series around.

[KeepItReal]

28. Don't forget lobbying to get him suspended for game 5

Well played Bron Bron

[Bradical79]

44. Yeah, it really was

Should have done it sooner. Green is one of the dirtiest players in the league who has gotten away with too many nut shots. Glad Lebron was able to draw some attention to it. The ugliness in that game finally got the refs to do their jobs properly. The Warriors really overly relied on the officials getting tricked by their flops, and letting them get away with mugging a strong man like Lebron. They still called some BS on the Cavs, but the remaining games were some of the most well officiated I've seen in the playoffs.

[rockfordfile]

49. No he's not

If the NBA doesn't suspend Green for game 5, most likely no game 7.

The officiating was terrible for the series. The officiating have terrible for a number of years now.

The Cavs were fouling the Warriors shooters the entire series with the hands on the body. They were called once.

That be the Cavs made the play at the end to win game 7.

[senseandsensibility]

4. Dub fan here.

Sorry, can't celebrate witcha.

[wysi]

6. I lived in Cleveland for four years...

... and a lot of my friends are from there. I am so happy for them tonight, and for Cleveland. You guys deserve it!!

[jalan48]

7. Warriors fan but James was amazing.

Cleveland can celebrate tonight!

[Dustlawyer]

8. Congrats Cleveland!

My 94 Rockets with Akeem the Dream, an aging Kenny Smith, crazy Cedric Maxwell, and rookie Robert Horry and coached by Rudy Tomjohnovich had the best comeback in Akeem's college town. "You gotta believe" was our mantra! Barkley and Drexler came the next year to get their rings.

Robert Horry led a charmed NBA career and retired with 5 or 6 rings!

[AntiBank]

33. looooved those back to back rockets teams, way underrated all time BUT its VERNON Maxwell

not Cedric

[Dustlawyer]

39. Old brain fart, you are correct! Haven't thought about the Rockets in a long time.

Stopped watching TV years ago and only catch snippets of my elderly mom.. Maybe I will watch the NBA next season again.

[oberliner]

9. What a bizarre opening paragraph

Who wrote this copy? It's awful.

[George II]

11. They updated it and I edited to include the final text.

[TheDebbieDee]

10. Congrats, Clevelanders!

The basketball experts led us to believe that Golden State had the Championship won before the series even started....

I guess that's why you have to actually go ahead and PLAY the games. Enjoy your championship - you guys deserve it!

[rockfordfile]

48. Well suspend one of the best players from any

Well suspend one of the best players from any of the teams and you got a "series".

[OhioChick]

12. Yeah Baby!

[BeyondGeography]

13. Glorious

Not only 3-1 down, but had to win two of three on the road.

[MattP]

14. Lebron speaks out on BLM and pays for kids college in Akron

On the court you may have issues buy off he does alot of good

[George II]

15. He's got a huge heart, and uses it for good works.

[scscholar]

17. You should have had a spoiler warning!

My download of the game isn't going to be finished until Thursday at the earliest since I live in Seattle, and you just ruined it for me.

[Doremus]

50. Trying to keep results of the playoffs quiet until Thursday?

A tip for next year: Stay away from the internet, all newspapers, TVs and wear a sign to let everyone you pass on the street.

[sofa king]

18. May all curses end!

Congratulations, Cleveland! I've been so lucky to see the end of the Curse of the Bambino, the Curse of Shoeless Joe and... The Curse of Everything Cleveland.

What's next, the end of The Curse of the Billy Goat?

[Yourma]

19. Bernie is a Warriors fan

This ain't over. He's taking it all the way to the parade.

[rockfordfile]

47. No but I'm a Warrior fan

Warriors had good season. Liked to seen what would've happen if Green was in game 5.

[HughBeaumont]

22. Oh yeah!!

Cleveland's blowing up right about now.

[denbot]

24. Credit due, where credit is due.

I was pulling for my home state team, but what a series, what a game! Congrats to the Cleveland organization and their fans!

[Trust Buster]

25. As a lifelong Clevelander, we are celebrating this great victory. I plan on going to the parade on

Wednesday. First team to come back from a 3-1 deficit. The Warriors didn't lose 3 straight games all season. We are very happy. It was funny to see the watch party at Quicken Loans Arena. They had to remove the floor and already had the RNC stage in place. What a story.

[craigmatic]

30. good now maybe nike stock will go up

[rockfordfile]

46. Never really cared for Nike

[Night Watchman]

40. Long Past Due!

[DemFromPittsburgh]

51. I don't know about sports anymore.

About 24 hours after the Penguins won the Stanley Cup I said to myself. OK what next?

It was an empty feeling and not in any way justifying the time I put in rooting for them.

In all honesty, the only ones who should care who wins are the owners, the players and their families.

[proverbialwisdom]

55. With each win, Cavaliers built puzzle of Larry O’Brien Trophy on way to NBA title

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/basketball/win-cavaliers-built-puzzle-larry-o-brien-trophy-article-1.2680789

With each win, Cavaliers built puzzle of Larry O’Brien Trophy on way to NBA title

BY MARK FISCHER
NEW YORK DAILY NEWS
Monday, June 20, 2016, 2:48 PM

The Cavaliers found the missing piece to their championship puzzle Sunday night.

Throughout the playoffs, the Cavs carried a replica puzzle of the Larry O'Brien Trophy with them, adding pieces to it after each win before finishing it off on Sunday night with a final piece in the shape of Ohio, according to ESPN.

Veteran small forward James Jones took the idea from his time with the Miami Heat in 2012. The Heat head coach, Erik Spoelstra, had his players — Jones and James included — sign a black version of the trophy, signaling a commitment to the team, and then added a gold mark to it after each win.

http://assets.nydailynews.com/polopoly_fs/1.2680788.1466448497!/img/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/article_750/puzzle21s-1-web.jpg

<>

http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/16357208/cleveland-cavaliers-inspired-second-secret-nba-finals-trophy

[olddad56]

57. I bet he won't hang around Cleveland to try for another.

[whistler162]

58. As the doctor said, I have good news

and bad news.

Good news - Cleveland won its first championship since 1968

Bad news - Cleveland will be the sight of a group of emotional stunted people starting July 18th.

[titaniumsalute]

60. LOL...nice post