Flashback to June 19, 2016 for a brief moment. Game Seven of the NBA Finals was winding down and tied at 89 – 89 between the 73 Win High Powered Golden State Warriors, and the scrappy but beloved Cleveland Cavaliers.
Each team had gone scoreless for several minutes when one man took matters into his own hands and drove a dagger into the heart of Golden State fans, and gave the long suffering sports fans of Cleveland a gigantic reason to celebrate like they never had before!
It was one of the most joyous and memorable moments in the history of Cleveland sports and will be talked about for the next 100 years. I mean, I should know, I wrote a book about it, which you can purchase here. https://www.amazon.com/All-LeBron-Champion-Cleveland-Cavaliers/dp/1683580745/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1500686891&sr=8-1&keywords=Vince+McKee
Cheap plugs aside, the man who hit the shot was not LeBron James, who has never hit a game winning shot in the NBA Finals for the Cavaliers. Chances are he will be leaving soon and never will hit a game winner in the Finals for the Cavaliers. It is not to say he hasn’t had plenty of chances to do that for the city, he simply didn’t. Nope, the game winner, the streak ender was made by a different man.
That man’s name, Kyrie Irving, the same guy most of you are angry at right now. His 3 pointer with 53 seconds left to beat the Warriors and clinch the first World Championship for the city since the 1964 Browns in Game 7 of a dramatic NBA Finals, should have been enough to keep him cherished in sports lore and more importantly Cleveland sports lore forever. Sadly, it wasn’t.
While most media members and fans are irate with him right now, or at least confused, allow me to jump on the former 2011-2012 NBA Rookie of the Years’ side if I may….
Here are at least 3 reasons why Kyrie Irving and the fans of Cleveland have every right to be upset with LeBron James and the awful 2017 offseason thus far.
William naismith
July 22, 2017 at 12:48 am
You have nothing but negative pessimistic statements about James as if you have some personal animosity towards the guy. He has been very conscious of the duration of contracts and being noncommital not only with the Cavaliers but Miami Heat as well. He helped bring Jeff Green and worked to entice jamal crawford yet management was recalcitrant.
James is very well documented as he is a tireless worker true to his profession marvelously conditioned yet his uncertainty or apprehension of a long term contractual committment is one of his traits that is part of what motivates and drives him to greatness. Signing a long term deal may cause him to become complacent and lacksidasicalinstead of new challenges he seeks to keep him sharp efficient and motivated to succeed.
Jeff
July 24, 2017 at 9:29 am
You also forget that LeBron’s the reason that this team is in salary cap hell. They shelled out above-market prices to keep guys who were also his clients to keep him happy.
Facts can be a heck of a thing. Crawford didn’t sign here because of “management.” Crawford went elsewhere because he could get more than he could get here, period, because this team is strapped for cash.
Cavs management needs to sit both players down individually, starting with LeBron – if he won’t commit long-term, then they need to go public with that news, then sit down with Kyrie, explain that there’s one more year of this stupid childish drama to endure, and they’ll build around him.
Joe
July 22, 2017 at 5:48 am
Lebron can’t be traded he has a no trade clause in his contract
George Thayer
July 22, 2017 at 2:59 pm
Joe, Melo can’t be traded as he has a no trade clause in his contract. See how that works?
btw to William, I’d say this article is very good as it sheds light on issues that no others are talking about. I don’t know the author, but I at least read the article and make a determination that there’s at least the possibility this is true. He does state facts about Kyrie that most if not all the talking heads have missed so far.
To your point, James has been the best player on the planet, works extremely hard to be in great condition, but the thing about why he does it so he doesn’t get lazy is strange at best.