The Cavaliers celebrate their 2016 NBA championship, capping a historic comeback and delivering Cleveland its 1st-ever NBA title.
The Cleveland Cavaliers have made the playoffs 25 times during their franchise history. They have won one championship along the way, which came in 2016. Let’s dig into that season and discuss how the Cavaliers were able to win their first title.
The trajectory of the Cavaliers franchise changed when they landed LeBron James with the first pick in the 2003 Draft. Beginning with the 2005-06 season, the Cavaliers made five straight trips to the playoffs with James. They made it to the NBA Finals in 2007 but lost in four games to the Spurs. In their other four playoff appearances, they were eliminated in the Eastern Conference Semifinals.
Following the 2009-10 season, James left the Cavaliers to sign with the Heat. He played four seasons for the Heat and won two championships along the way. After the 2013-14 season, James changed teams again, this time coming back to the Cavaliers.
The Cavaliers immediately returned to the playoffs in 2014-15 with James back in the fold. They made it to the NBA Finals that season but lost in six games to the Warriors.
Following their loss to the Warriors in the finals, the Cavaliers went 57-25 the following season. James had an excellent regular season, averaging 25.3 points, 7.4 rebounds, 6.8 assists and 1.4 steals per game. That helped him finish third in MVP voting. Kyrie Irving also had a standout performance, averaging 19.6 points and 4.7 assists per game.
The Cavaliers started off the 2016 playoffs on a high note, sweeping the Pistons in the first round. They also swept the Hawks in the Eastern Conference Semifinals. They clinched their spot in the NBA Finals by defeating the Raptors in six games in the Eastern Conference Finals.
The NBA Finals brought a rematch with the Warriors. The Warriors won the first two games of the series, holding the Cavaliers to under 90 points in both games. The Cavaliers got on the board with a win in Game 3, but lost Game 4 to find themselves on the brink of elimination.
With their backs up against the wall, the Cavaliers won Game 5 by 15 points and Game 6 by 14 points. Game 7 was a close battle that saw both teams score fewer than 94 points. James came through when it mattered the most, posting 27 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists to lead the Cavaliers to their first championship. Irving also chipped in 26 points in the clincher. James was named Finals MVP and averaged 26.3 points, 9.5 rebounds and 7.6 assists over the Cavaliers entire playoff run.
