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LeBron, Kyrie lift Cavs past Warriors for title: NBA Finals Game 7 highlights

The Cavaliers took down the Warriors to clinch their first title in franchise history. Check out the best highlights from Game 7 of the NBA Finals.

Jeremy Woo

LeBron, Kyrie lift Cavs past Warriors for title: NBA Finals Game 7 highlights
LeBron, Kyrie lift Cavs past Warriors for title: NBA Finals Game 7 highlights /

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The Cleveland Cavaliers pushed past the Golden State Warriors late in the fourth quarter to pull off a 93–89 victory in Game 7 and seal their first NBA title in franchise history.

The record-setting 73–9 Warriors were stifled at the end of an insane, back-and-forth game that ended with a critical LeBron James block, a clutch Kyrie Irving three and a clinching free throw by James, on the road, no less.

The Cavaliers are the first team to overcome a 3–1 Finals deficit.  James scored 41 points in consecutive games, then came through with a triple-double (27-10-11), three blocks and two steals in Game 7. He 29.7 points, 11.3 rebounds, 8.9 assists, 2.6 steals and 2.3 blocks on his way to being named Finals MVP.

Irving led the Cavs with 26 points on the night. Draymond Green had 32 points, 15 rebounds and nine assists to lead the Warriors.

Relive the entire game below.

• Get SI’s Cleveland Cavaliers NBA Championship package

Draymond Green got off to a solid start.

Tristan Thompson continues his stellar defensive play.

And Kyrie is still Kyrie.

•​ LeBron, Kyrie lift Cavaliers in Game 7 to claim NBA title

Here’s Steph Curry’s first three of the game.

Klay in the mix.

Hi LeBron.

​Golden State, and Curry, came out shooting well from three, typically a good indicator of where they’re headed.

LeBron to the rack. We’re off to a solid start.

Things are picking up: Iman Shumpert with a four-point play and Curry responding with an and-one the other way.

Draymond Green has started 3–3 from three.

LeBron James is chasing a triple-double already and added this nasty block on Curry.

Basketball is still fun!!!

And Draymond opened 5–5 from three...

The Warriors led 49–42 at halftime. LeBron has 12 points, eight rebounds and five assists. Golden State has made 10 threes. Draymond Green has 22 points, six rebounds and five assists.

• Was LeBron James's 2016 NBA Finals performance his best yet?

The second half opened with a J.R. Smith barrage.

It’s getting weird.

Gallery: NBA Playoff 3–1 comebacks

NBA Playoff 3-1 Comebacks

2016 NBA Finals — Cleveland Cavaliers over Golden State Warriors

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Greg Nelson

It may have been the 11th 3-1 series comeback in NBA playoff history, but the Cavaliers became the first team to rally from a 3-1 deficit in the NBA Finals after beating the defending champion Golden State Warriors 93-89. Playing his sixth straight finals, LeBron James almost single-handedly carried the Cleveland back into this series and finished with 27 points, 11 assists and 11 rebounds as the Cavs gave their city its first major sports winner since the Browns won the NFL title in 1964. He also had three blocked shots, including a key one of Andre Iguodala on a fast break in the final minutes.

2016 Western Conference Finals — Golden State Warriors over Oklahoma City Thunder

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Noah Graham/NBAE/Getty Images

The Golden State Warriors, fresh off their record 73-win season, rallied to topple Kevin Durant and the Oklahoma City Thunder in a 96–88 Game 7 classic. Led by their backcourt duo Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson, the Warriors can win their third-ever NBA title.

2015 Western Conference Semifinals — Houston Rockets over Los Angeles Clippers

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Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images

Houston overcame a 19-point third-quarter deficit in Game 6, and James Harden scored 31 points in the Rockets' 113-100 Game 7 victory over the Clippers, sending them to the conference finals for the first time since 1997.

2006 Western Conference Quarterfinals — Phoenix Suns over Los Angeles Lakers

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John W. McDonough

The Suns went from the brink to a blowout, from the edge of elimination to one of the most impressive turnarounds in NBA playoff history. Leandro Barbosa led the way in Game 7, scoring 26 points on 10-of-12 shooting in a 121-90 laugher.

2003 Eastern Conference Quarterfinals — Detroit Pistons over Orlando Magic

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Fernando Medina/NBAE via Getty Images

Tayshaun Prince — a seldom-used rookie who average just 10 minutes during the regular season and sat out 40 games — made Tracy McGrady's life difficult through most of the series. Prince had a career-high 20 points while harassing McGrady defensively as Detroit defeated Orlando decisively in Game 7, 108-93.

1997 Eastern Conference Semifinals — Miami Heat over New York Knicks

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Rick Bowmer/AP

Miami won Game 5 96–81, which was highlighted by a brawl that started when P.J. Brown objected to Charlie Ward's attempt to gain position for a rebound. During the brawl, Patrick Ewing, Allan Houston, Larry Johnson and John Starks left the bench; the league punished them for this by handing out 1-game suspensions spread out over the series' final 2 games. Shorthanded by the suspensions, the Knicks lost Games 6 and 7, 95–90 and 101–90 respectively.

1995 Western Conference Semifinals — Houston Rockets over Phoenix Suns

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David Phillip/AP

Mario Elie nailed a go-ahead three-pointer from the corner with 7.1 seconds left, known as the "Kiss of Death," as the Rockets won Game 7 115-114 at Phoenix, en route to claiming a second straight NBA title.

1981 Eastern Conference Finals — Boston Celtics over Philadelphia 76ers

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Paul Kennedy

A tight series between two 62-win teams fittingly went down to the wire. Larry Bird hit a go-ahead bank shot in the final minute as the Celtics rallied from a six-point deficit in the final 4:30 to beat Philadelphia 91-90 in Game 7.

1979 Eastern Conference Finals — Washington Bullets over San Antonio Spurs

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Focus on Sport/Getty Images

Elvin Hayes averaged 25 points in Games 5-7, and the Spurs suffered a devastating 107-105 loss to the Bullets in the final game of the series. San Antonio was called for seven fouls in the final 3:39 and Washington went on a 10-2 run in the final two minutes.

1970 Western Division Finals — Los Angeles Lakers over Phoenix Suns

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Harold Filan/AP

The Lakers rallied to win the final three games by double digits on the backs of Elgin Baylor, Jerry West and Wilt Chamberlain.

1968 Eastern Division Finals — Boston Celtics over Philadelphia 76ers

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Walter Iooss Jr

"Mr. Clutch" Sam Jones led the Celtics with 22 points in Game 7 as Boston became the first team in NBA history to comeback from a 3-1 series deficit, defeating the defending champion 76ers.

Kyrie Irving is cooking in the third. Look out.

​The Warriors punched back toward the end of the third to tie the game.

Take a bow, Shaun Livingston.

The Warriors lead 76–75 after three quarters.

Kyrie is keeping the Cavs afloat offensively in the early fourth.

#https://twitter.com/NBA/status/744713645607641089

This looks familiar.

Draymond with a hustle bucket.

LeBron with his first three of the night at a very good time.

Big defensive play from last year’s Finals MVP.

• LeBron James's first Cavs title: A timeline of his second Cleveland stint

THEN THIS BLOCK BY LEBRON.

Kyrie Irving with the late go-ahead three that would seal it.

Mayhem.

​

The championship marks the first by any major Cleveland sports franchise since 1964.

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Jeremy Woo
JEREMY WOO

Jeremy Woo has covered basketball for SI since 2014, including the NBA draft and weekly Power Rankings. He is from the South Side of Chicago.

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