If there’s one player important to the Miami Heat who shares the very rare blueprint and experience of being involved in the biggest comeback in NBA playoff history, it’s definitely Kevin Love.
A prominent member of the legendary Cleveland Cavaliers, who won the championship in 2016, Love came out on the heels of a heartbreaking Game 4 loss at home to the Denver Nuggets by three points. You shared an important message you sent to your teammates. -1 hole in this year’s final.
“Like I’m saying here, we know what can happen,” Love said. Said reporters.
“It’s been done before… I’ve been a part of it.”
Cleveland’s epic comeback in a 3-1 series served as the ultimate cherry on top of a featured season in 2015-16. After being on the brink of another Finals collapse at the hands of a strong Golden State Warriors team that set a regular season record of 73 wins behind unanimous MVP Stephen Curry, the Cavs flip the switch and turn the tables and achieved the unthinkable.
After a devastating Game 4 loss, the Cavaliers never lost their fervent intent to hold their ground despite the Dubs’ overwhelming dominance. In Game 5 back to the opposing Oracle Arena building, LeBron James and Kyrie Irving had perhaps the best performances of the duo in the Finals, both dropping 41 points each to take the series back to Northeast Ohio. , kept the campaign alive. Then, in Game 6, James again scored a spectacular 41 points, helping Cleveland completely crush Golden State and ultimately force a title fight with the best two-letter title in the sport. It’s round seven.
It all came to an end in Game 7 of the 2016 NBA Finals in a close rubber match and players stepping up their game for the ultimate prize. Thus, the Cavaliers’ clutch play saw James deliver an unrealistic and iconic chase block against Andre Iguodala and Irving sink the winning three against Curry in less than a second. There is nothing more exquisite than this in the final game of the series, thanks to the Cavaliers’ clutch play that connects the two. 1 minute left.
Thanks to a fantastic run and an overall miraculous comeback, the Cavaliers won their first-ever NBA title and handed the entire city of Cleveland its first professional title in 52 years. James, both teams’ top player in all five basic statistical categories, was a hometown hero who spearheaded the Cavaliers’ improbable streak and delivered on his championship promise to earn the Finals Most Valuable Player Award.
Both James and Irving have amassed countless achievements in cementing the Cavaliers’ golden journey. But the real people see Love showing off one of the most underrated defensive plays in a blistering seven-game series performance, blocking Curry as he tried to answer Irving’s cold-blooded Dagger Trey. I know you played a big role in doing that.
The defensive stop Love achieved against Curry was a reflection of what his involvement in the Cavaliers’ grand finish seven years ago was exactly what the Heat needed in this daunting phase of the Finals against the Nuggets. It is proof that
Love is also still alive and shining in Miami’s epic Cinderella run, going through everything they’ve been through and still in Miami’s prime as it paints more historical images. It’s also a testament to what could happen.
Through 36 different 3-1 series head-to-head scenarios in the Final Stage, Love and the Cavs have made a name for themselves as the only, and only, team to overcome it. Despite history telling of clubs falling back far from this convincing championship series gap, still one is immeasurably better than zero.
“You really only have to have one possession at a time,” added Love. “Forget the game. Just one possession, one quarter, one half, get it done by any means necessary and we’ll take care of the rest.”
