LeBron James and Cleveland Cavaliers needed a lot more than playing great basketball to beat a 73-9 Warriors and it was team chemistry that took them to the shore as per Channing Frye.
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Channing Frye was one of the role players in the title-winning Cleveland Cavaliers. He was in the team for just two years, arriving in a mid-season trade in 2016 from the Orlando Magic.
In his time with the Cavaliers, Frye was used as an option off the bench. A career 38.8% three-point shooter, he was always a catch-and-shoot guy for all the teams he played.
In Cleveland though, along with his great 3-point shooting skills, Channing was a veteran presence who could help keep up the team environment so that the likes of LeBron James, Kyrie Irving, and Kevin Love could just concentrate on winning.
Channing Frye felt the Cavaliers’ chemistry was their X-factor
Frye along with his childhood friend Richard Jefferson and Cavs teammate did just that. The Cavaliers of that season had the best chemistry as compared to the seasons before or after.
During Frye’s stay with the Cavaliers, he averaged 7.5 points and 3.6 rebounds per game and was a big presence in the locker room. The Cavaliers accepted Frye as one of their own within days of him joining them.
After the Cavaliers had swept the Pistons and were on a route to sweep Hawks, Channing came on to the post match presser with his “alright” and “cool” teammates.
“This is probably the best chemistry team I’ve ever been on in my 10-11 years in the league”: Channing said.
Along with upping the team’s chemistry Channing also helped them in winning games. The 7-foot center shot an unbelievable 56.5% from the 3-point line averaging 6.7 points and 2.4 assists. And Cleveland needed every shot of his to dominate the defending champions Warriors who were coming off of 73-9 regular season, the best record in the NBA.
Cavaliers beat those mighty Warriors 4-3 after trailing the series 1-3 which was also an NBA record for overcoming that deficit in the Finals. It was all possible because of godly performances by LeBron James and Kyrie Irving and the best support by the rest of the team. And Channing Frye proved to be a big part of it, even after joining them just a few months prior to the end of the regular season.
The Cavaliers’ title run was undoubtedly the best comeback in the history of the NBA. And if they stayed together instead of going to find it somewhere else, who knows LeBron after he had persuaded Kyrie to take the vaccine would have won many more championships in the Land.
