The Cleveland Cavaliers’ epic Game 7 win over the Golden State Warriors in The Finals last season was truly a game for the ages, considering all that was at stake. What made it so remarkable was the Cavaliers’ comeback from a seemingly insurmountable 3-1 deficit, a journey Terry Pluto of the Plain Dealer revisits in detail in an excerpt from his book about LeBron James ending the city’s five decade championship drought:
A member of the Cavs told me this story. The team was flying from Cleveland to San Francisco after Game 4. The Cavs had lost and were down, 3-1. The person was watching the reaction of the players. Most media people and fans believed the series was over. History pressed down hard, the Cavs’ chance to emerge as champions was barely above zero. Would the players be looking at their phones and computers, thinking about where they’d vacation after the season? LeBron and James Jones were looking at a tablet, staring at video of the game. Soon, a few players came around. Then more players. The coaches realized LeBron and Jones had their heads into the next game. They were pointing out ways the Cavs could win, how the series was not even close to being over. As this member of the Cavs told me, “That’s when I realized something very special could happen.”
It’s also when the power of LeBron and his influence on the team was never greater or more important. The Cavs won that Game 5 in Oakland. And Game 6 in Cleveland. And they flew back to San Francisco (where the team stayed) believing they could win Game 7, too. But the start of that confidence began on that flight after Game 4.
About three hours before Game 7, I arrived at Oracle Arena. I was thinking about being a full-time sportswriter for 40 years. And I was thinking about how in all those decades, I covered only one other Game 7 like this. Cleveland sports fans know it well . . . World Series . . . 1997 . . . Game 7 . . . Indians vs. Florida Marlins. A loss . . . extra innings . . . so close to a title. I had written a column under the headline: WHEN THE CAVALIERS WIN, THERE SHOULD BE NO EXCUSES FROM THE GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS. It was my story, but I admit — it was hard to stick to it. But something Cavs veteran Richard Jefferson said before Game 7 stuck with me. He was talking about LeBron. “Not many people have said, ‘Everyone get on my back,’ ” said Jefferson. “‘The city, the state, the organization, the team . . . get on my back. If we win or fail, I’ll take the blame, but I’m going to lead you.'” Those weren’t LeBron’s exact words, but it was the message the Cavs were feeling. “I can’t think of too many players who have put that type of pressure on themselves and then delivered more times than not,” said Jefferson. “He embraces it. That shouldn’t go unnoticed. It’s something that should be recognized by the fans.” LeBron kept talking about “one more game.” The season was down to one last game. One more game. “Like I told you the other day, it’s two of the greatest words — Game 7,” LeBron said before Game 7. “So I’ll play it anywhere.”
