This Date in NBA Finals History: LeBron, Kyrie Pour In 41 Each in Game 5 at Oracle to Extend Series

Photo credit: MediaNews Group, Getty Images, San Jose Mercury News.

In the 2015-16 season, the Golden Warriors set a new NBA record for wins with 73. In the opening round, they defeated the Houston Rockets 4-1, defeated the Portland Trail Blazers in the second round 4-1, and in the Western Conference Finals defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder in seven games.

With the Thunder up 3-1 in the series, the Warriors won Game 5 by a score of 120-111, overcoming Kevin Durant’s 40 as Stephen Curry (31) and Klay Thompson (27) combined for 58. Down by eight going into the fourth quarter in Game 6, Thompson erupted and the Warriors emerged victorious 108-101 behind his 41 points (11-of-18 from downtown). Back on their home floor for Game 7, the Warriors won 96-88. Curry scored 36. 

The 2015-16 Cleveland Cavaliers won 57 games - 30-11 with David Blatt as head coach and 27-14 with Tyronn Lue at the helm. Contrary to the Warriors’ top-ranked offense, the Cavaliers were ranked eighth in points per game. They were however fourth in defensive points allowed. 

They swept their way through the first two rounds (Detroit and Atlanta), and defeated the Toronto Raptors in six games in the Eastern Conference Finals. Facing one of the best offenses in league history in the Finals, James and Co. dug themselves a 3-1 hole. 

Klay Thompson remarked to the press that “maybe his feelings just got hurt” as it pertained to James dealing with trash talk. When James was about Thompson’s comment in his media availability prior to Game 5, James responded with a laugh that was more like a giggle. A laugh that said “Really? My feelings hurt?”.

Game 5, on June 13, 2016, was set for Oracle Arena. The Warriors took Game 1 by a 104-89 score, Game 2 by a score of 110-77, and lost the third game 120-90 before they rebounded in Game 4 for a 108-97 victory. Down three games to one, Game 5 was a must-win for the Cavs. 

James and Irving saw to it that there would be a sixth game. 

“And that will end the best half of these Finals,” said play-by-play announcer Mike Breen as the teams went into halftime of Game 5 tied at 61. “Brilliant offense from some of the NBA’s elite.” James had 25 points on 10-for-18 shooting, Irving had 18 points. Thompson registered 26 points in the first half.  

To begin the third, Irving connects on a driving layup plus the foul to give him 21 points. Curry promptly responds with a triple. James then nails a three from the top as the shot clock winds down. 67-64 Cavaliers. 

With 9:39 remaining in the third, Irving gets a pass from Kevin Love, drives right and hits a one-handed floater off the glass. 23 for Kyrie on 10-of-12 shooting. 

Love finds James on a baseline cut for a two-handed jam. 8:09 remaining in the third and 71-66 Cavaliers, their largest lead of the game. 30 points on 12-of-21 for James. 

James rebounds a Curry miss and finds Irving on the left wing in transition for three. Bottom. 74-66 Cavaliers. Eight consecutive Warrior misses. 26 points for Irving. 

A transition finish from James with his left hand gives the Cavaliers a 77-71 lead with 6:12 to go in the third. It was a crafty finish. 32 for James. 

James from the left wing passes to Irving at the top. 3-ball good. 80-73 Cavaliers with 5:42 remaining in the third. 29 for Irving. 

Curry looks for Shaun Livingston underneath but the pass is intercepted by Richard Jefferson. Jefferson throws ahead to James who is fouled by Thompson going up for a finish. James makes one free-throw. He now has 33 points. 83-75 Cavaliers. 

Jefferson drives and hits a layup off the glass with 4:16 remaining in the third to give the Cavaliers their first double-digit lead of the game, 85-75. 

James receives a pass in the left corner from Jefferson and makes his way up the left wing. James crosses between his legs and steps back on Livingston. The triple is good. 89-80 Cavaliers with 3:05 on the clock. 36 for James. 4-of-6 from deep. 

Thompson drives and takes a bump from Jefferson and scores a layup. 35 for Klay. 89-82 Cavaliers. 

With 1:51 to go in the third, James probes in the key and makes his way right, before handing off to Jefferson for a scoop layup. Largest lead for the Cavaliers at 93-82. 

A 32-23 advantage in the third quarter for the road team as they take a 93-84 lead heading into the fourth. 29 points on 12-of-15 for Irving through three quarters. 

Curry starts the fourth with a triple, cutting the Warrior deficit to six. 21 points on 5-of-11 from downtown for Curry. 

With James on the bench, Irving asserts himself. He drives on Curry and positions himself just outside the right block and shoots a jump shot that he softly banks off the glass. 31 points. “What a sparkling performance tonight from Kyrie Irving,” says Breen. 

James checks into the game with 10:42 remaining as ex-Cavalier Anderson Varejao makes one of two free-throws to trim the Cavalier lead to seven, 95-88. James brings the ball up the floor and gets a screen from Tristan Thompson on Andre Iguodala. James takes two dribbles and rises for an easy 16 footer. The score is 97-88 Cavaliers with 10:29 on the clock. James has 38 points on 15-of-24 shooting.

“Now, if you’re Steve Kerr, you’re betting he’s not going to beat me four games shooting jump shots,” says color commentator Mark Jackson. 

Iguodala hits a right elbow jump shot. 97-90. 

Irving, with the ball in the right corner, drives on Harrison Barnes and crosses underneath the basket before delivering a left-handed bounce feed to a cutting Iman Shumphert, who dunks the ball. With 9:15 remaining, the Cavaliers are up 99-90.

Curry with a left hand drive gets into the paint with James challenging at the rim. James blocks the shot with his left hand but Curry rebounds and puts the ball off the glass. 21 points for Curry and the Cavaliers lead 99-92 with 9:04 remaining.

Iguodala drives in transition and throws the ball away on a pass to a trailing Livingston. It is the Warriors’ 15th turnover. 

Irving brings the ball up and crosses on Curry at the 3-point line and gets into the paint where he is now guarded by Thompson. Irving maneuvers in, three dribbles to the basket, and is positioned underneath the basket. Irving turns, fading, and banks the ball off the glass for two plus the foul.

A smooth play that is footwork and fundamentals. 33 for Irving. 14-of-19 from the field and he has made 4-of-6 from 3-point range. His free-throw is good. 34 points. 102-92 Cavaliers with 7:30 on the clock.

Thompson, cutting to the left baseline from the top, receives the inbound pass from Curry, uses a left-handed dribble to go underneath the basket and finishes a layup with his right hand off the glass. The Warriors now trail by eight with 7:11 remaining. Thompson has 37 points on 11-of-20 shooting. He would finish the game with 37 points on 11-of-20. 

James has the ball on the left wing late in the shock clock guarded by Livingston. James jab steps and elevates with five on the shot clock. His attempt hits the front rim. Curry rebounds and pushes, drives on Love and pulls up at 15 feet. The ball takes a front rim bounce and another two bounces before it falls in. Curry has 25 points, and the score is 102-96 with 6:37 remaining. 

Irving handles the ball and possesses it at the left wing guarded by Curry. Irving goes through the legs before a hesitation dribble that gets Curry on his hip. Irving drives, takes one dribble, picks up his dribble and rises off his left foot, two hands on the ball as Curry contests. Irving floats for a millisecond and kisses the ball off the glass. 36 points for Irving with 6:19 remaining and the Cavaliers lead 104-96. To this point he has 18 in each half on 15-of-20 shooting. Lights out. 

Irving then turns in his most mesmerizing make of the game. He has the ball guarded by Thompson above the 3-point line on the left wing. He dribbles through his legs to his right hand, and drives with a low dribble. Another dribble before he crosses back to his left, slipping but still maintaining control of the ball, left hand on the floor to brace himself. He taps the ball on the court in an exquisite display of premier ball handling and crosses over to his left, briefly eluding Thompson. Two more dribbles from Irving before he stops on a dime and reverses, fading away just inside the left elbow. He releases a high shot that connects. Cavaliers lead 106-96 with 5:48 remaining. The crowd “ohhhs” in a combination of bewilderment and disappointment. Irving, with 38 points now, is spectacular and stupendous. Magnificent. Choose an adjective.

Curry’s jump shot is contested by Irving and hits the back of the rim. James gets his 14th rebound and gives the ball to Irving. Irving brings the ball past half court and a running Tristan Thompson calls for a pass. Irving ignores the request and keeps the ball as if to silently say “I’ll do it myself.” A stutter dribble to freeze Iguodala. A rise for three. Money. The Cavaliers lead 109-96 with 5:33 remaining. 41 for Irving. 

“One of the greatest performances offensively I’ve ever seen in the Finals, by Kyrie Irving,” says color commentator Jeff Van Gundy. 

A left corner triple from Curry draws rim with 4:10 remaining. Tristan Thompson rebounds and hands to Irving. Curry is 8-of-21, and would finish with those numbers that include 5-of-15 from 3-point range. 

Brandon Rush misses a corner triple off a pass from Curry. James leaps for his 16th rebound. With 3:42 on the clock, the Warriors are in a three-minute scoring drought. James drives inside, stops, and posts Rush near the right elbow before he curls to the middle. Two dribbles on the backdown. James turns left and back to the right. Rush, in the air, makes contact with James. James absorbs and rises and releases the jump shot. It swishes through. Cavaliers up 111-96 with 3:22 on the clock. Irving comes over and, energized, pretends to punch James’ chest before helping him up off the floor. 40 points for James on 16-for-29 from the field, four made threes in seven attempts, and 16 rebounds and 7 assists. James’ free-throw is good. 41 points. 112-96. 

Curry throws a left-handed pass to Harrison Barnes who takes one dribble before going up. James meets him and Barnes’ attempt hits the back of the rim. Thompson gets the rebound with 3:10 remaining.  

The Warriors’ starters exit the game with 2:15 remaining in the game. After 61 first half points, they managed just 36 in the second half. The Cavaliers meanwhile scored 51 in the second half. 

With their performances, James (16-for-30) and Irving (17-for-24) became the first and remain the only pair of teammates to score 40+ plus points in an NBA Finals game. James and Irving’s blistering percentages were the catalyst for a 53% collective shooting effort from the Cavaliers. Tristan Thompson grabbed 15 rebounds. Just nine turnovers for the Cavaliers, while 17 for the Warriors. Iguodala played a decent game with 15 points, 11 rebounds, and 6 assists on 6-for-13 from the field, but Barnes filling in for the suspended Draymond Green shot just 2-of-14.

Momentum was now in the hands of the Cavaliers, who returned to Quicken Loans Arena for Game 6 and prevailed 115-101 behind 41 points, 11 rebounds, 8 assists, and 4 steals from James (16-for-27 from the field, 3-of-6 from 3-point range, and 6-for-8 from the line). Irving shot 7-of-18 for 23 points. 

Back at Oracle for Game 7, James and Irving did not shoot particularly well - James 9-of-24 and Irving 10-of-23 - but James managed a triple-double of 27 points, 11 assists, and 11 rebounds and Irving scored 26 points. Green led the Warriors with 32 points, 15 rebounds, and 9 assists while Curry was 6-of-19 and Thompson 6-of-17 for just 31 points combined. James’ pin block of Iguodala in the final minutes of Game 7 is one of greatest plays in Finals history.

“CLEEEVELLLANNNND! THIS IS FOR YOU!!” yelled James during his Game 7 on-court postgame interview as he looked into the camera. 

A 73-win team was banished from the NBA Champion history books, a la the NFL’s 2007 New England Patriots’ 19-0 team that ended up ringless after losing Super Bowl XLII. No section in the championship history book for them, either.  

James, winning his third championship with 2016’s Finals win, cemented his legacy, to use a worn cliche. Legacies and all-time rankings are the conversations today, as tired as they are. But in 2016, James took his place among the legends. Irving at the age of 24 turned in in Game 5 what remains the best game of his career. His NBA life will likely lead to a Hall of Fame induction one day.

The performances of James and Irving in Game 5 provided the boost needed for the breakthrough.

The 2016 Cavaliers remain the only team in NBA history to come back from a 3-1 deficit to win the NBA Finals.