This Day In Cavs History: Cleveland Makes NBA History With First Title

On June 19, 2016, the Cleveland Cavaliers won their first NBA Championship, becoming the first team to ever overcome a 3-1 deficit in the NBA Finals.

Jun 19, 2016; Oakland, CA, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James (23) and the Cleveland Cavaliers celebrate after beating the Golden State Warriors in game seven of the NBA Finals at Oracle Arena. / Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports

June 19, 2016 is a day that will forever be etched into Cleveland Cavaliers history, and fondly remembered by Cavs fans around the world.

This is because it is the day when the Wine and Gold defeated the Golden State Warriors in Game 7 of the 2016 NBA Finals, securing Cleveland’s first major professional sports championship since 1964.

The Cavaliers’ victory over the Warriors, who won an NBA-record 73 games during the regular season, was defined by three key moments, commonly referred to as The Block, The Shot, and The Stop.

The Block

With less than two minutes remaining and the game tied at 89-89, Golden State had a two-on-one fastbreak opportunity. After Cleveland guard J.R. Smith altered Warriors forward Andre Iguodala’s go-ahead layup attempt, Cavaliers forward LeBron James made one of the greatest plays in NBA history, pinning the ball against the backboard for a chase-down block.

This moment played a pivotal role in the Wine and Gold holding Golden State scoreless for the game’s final 4:39.

Jun 19, 2016; Oakland, CA, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James (23) and the Cleveland Cavaliers celebrate after beating the Golden State Warriors in game seven of the NBA Finals at Oracle Arena. / Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports

The Shot

Offensively, nearly a minute later, Cavaliers guard Kyrie Irving found himself one-on-one with Warriors guard Stephen Curry on the right wing. Irving then side-stepped to his right and drained a three-pointer, giving the Wine and Gold a 92-89 lead with 53 seconds left.

This shot marked the first field goal from either side in nearly four minutes, and ultimately gave Cleveland the lead for good.

The Stop

On the ensuing possession, the Warriors forced Cavaliers forward Kevin Love to switch onto Curry, who was named the NBA’s first-ever unanimous MVP that season. Despite the defensive mismatch, Love stayed with the Warriors guard step for step, making him miss a heavily contested three-pointer.

James finally made a free throw with 10.6 seconds remaining to seal Cleveland’s victory.