“Kyrie Irving ‘s 41-point game is one of the greatest performances I’ve ever seen live”: When LeBron James caught the best seat to witness greatness in Game 5 of 2016 NBA Finals

Akash Murty | 16/06/2022
“Kyrie Irving ‘s 41-point game is one of the greatest performances I’ve ever seen live”: When LeBron James caught the best seat to witness greatness in Game 5 of 2016 NBA Finals

On his day, pound-for-pound, Kyrie Irving can be the best basketball player irrespective of who else is on the court. Be it, LeBron James or Stephen Curry.

He proved that when the Cleveland Cavaliers were facing the Golden State Warriors in Game 5 of the 2016 NBA Finals in Oracle Arena.

The Warriors were up 3-1 in the series after stealing Game 4 in Cleveland, 108-97, and taking an unsurpassable lead. No team had ever come back from a 3-1 deficit in the NBA Playoffs history, let alone the Finals.

But something was erupting inside LeBron James and Kyrie Irving that led them to defeat a 73-9 Warriors team, 3-games in a row who did not have even a single back-to-back loss in the regular season.

Also read: “Not as much of a chess match when you’re playing LeBron James”: Draymond Green finds comparisons of facing Celtics to former Cavs star disrespectful

 

When LeBron James saw the most incredible live performance of his life – the Kyrie Irving show

Both of them had some surreal performances to do the impossible and take Cleveland to 3-straight victories against the team that had finished with the best record in NBA history.

They had by far the best offence and the best defense in the league. But what the Cavs duo did in Game 5 to that defense was truly magnificent, especially the 6’2 Duke point guard.

LeBron, who himself had 41 points, 16 rebounds, 7 assists, 3 steals, and 3 blocks in the game, had himself the closest view of a live performance that would be the greatest and most efficient Playoffs performance of all time.

Also read: “No fear, bring it on LeBron James!”: Skip Bayless challenges Lakers star to bring him onto his personal podcast during recent Q&A with fans

Irving was 17/24 in the game while shooting 5/7 from the 3-point line, which cumulated to a 70.8% shooting night and 80.7% TS.

That game made the then 24-year-old a legend in Cleveland. A combined 49 crucial points in the next two games won the Cavaliers their first trophy in franchise history and cemented him as one of the greatest point guards of all time.

 

 

 

Post Edited By: Akash Murty
kyrie irving LeBron James

About the author

Akash Murty

An Electrical and Electronics Engineer by degree, Akash Murty is an NBA Editor at The SportsRush. Previously a Software Engineer, Murty couldn’t keep himself away from sports, and his knack for writing and putting his opinion forward brought him to the TSR. A big Soccer enthusiast, his interest in basketball developed late, as he got access to a hoop for the first time at 17. Following this, he started watching basketball at the 2012 Olympics, which transitioned to NBA, and he became a fan of the game as he watched LeBron James dominate the league. Him being an avid learner of the game and ritually following the league for around a decade, he now writes articles ranging from throwbacks, and live game reports, to gossip. LA Lakers are his favourite basketball team, while Chelsea has his heart in football. He also likes travelling, reading fiction, and sometimes cooking.

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