Which Cavs are most likely to crash through the Spanish Announcer’s Table?
October 17, 2014Tristan Thompson kisses Allie Clifton, calls her Tina
October 18, 2014It started on defense and ended with a glare and the leg muscles of 20,000 individuals involuntarily propelling them out of their seats. All of the synapses and impulses and awe-filled, arms-extended shrieks that, truthfully, had been bubbling up for years, were all let loose in this seven-or-eight-second sequence that began with the element of the game that has long been discussed as the Cleveland Cavaliers’ Achilles Heel.
All of the synapses and impulses and awe-filled, arms-extended shrieks that, truthfully, had been bubbling up for years, were all let loose in this seven-or-eight-second sequence.
Nelson would fire a cross-court pass only to have the ball plucked out of mid-air by the Brazilian big man. Varejao immediately put his head down and dribbled up court, advancing the ball to Cleveland’s All-Star point guard Kyrie Irving, both players streaking along the right side of the floor, across from the team benches, but right in front of the fans who would be sitting court-side to watch the entire play unfold. Irving would take just one, solitary dribble, crossing the ball from his left hand to his right hand. The very moment the leather sphere met his right hand, roughly chest high, Irving flicked the ball into mid-air, nearly out of frame for those watching at home. But those inside of Quicken Loans Arena knew—they watched as James, whose defense on the wing just moments earlier was integral in what was about to transpire, took what looked to be four or five strides down the left sideline before leapt into orbit, snagged the ball as it floated toward him, and slammed it through the rim with the utmost of authority.
James would hang on to the rim, allowing the rest of his teammates who were trailing the play to run through, ensuring the four-time MVP’s 250-something-pound frame would have a safe landing. His ass would careen off of Varejao’s head for a split second, but once his body uncoiled prior to landing, he gave a look to the crowd standing before him—the look. He would drop to the floor, face still stoic, while thousands in attendance high-fived strangers and those at home shook their heads with grins on their face, amazed by not only what they had missed for several seasons of basketball, but what was still to come.
You could just picture the scrambling in the television control truck, headset-clad individuals tripping over one another to obtain all of the footage they could in order to loop back multiple angles of what just occurred. This contest, though a preseason contest, was the first time that Irving and James would be active against an NBA opponent. Many were watching Irving who had missed the last three preseason games with an ankle injury, but the root of the curiosity was how he would play alongside James, a player who likes to facilitate the offense, but one who has also referred to the new-look Cavaliers as “Kyrie’s show.” The play itself was eerily similar to one that occurred almost exactly eight months earlier (they missed it by a day) when the two players suited up for the Eastern Conference All-Stars.
It would be Irving’s time to shine, being named MVP of the exhibition contest, but it was a game that left plenty of “What If?” moments in the minds of Cleveland fans as well as those who yearned to see the game’s best player suit up with a player who could very well be the game’s best, young point guard. (After all, it was just one year prior when James had hinted toward a potential return to Cleveland.)
Possessing the ball in the open court, streaking along the right side was Irving, providing the lax defense with a will-he-or-won’t-he moment. But Irving, a scoring point guard, deferred, lofting the ball over the head of Los Angeles Clippers forward Blake Griffin and into the hands of a ready-and-waiting James who had mirrored Irving’s moves along the left side of the floor. James hauled in the pass, contorted his body and delivered a two-hand slam behind his head.
It may not have counted, but good luck telling Cavalier fans that it never happened.
But here’s the thing about Friday night’s Irving-to-James masterpiece: You won’t find it in the box score or the play log. Irving was credited with drawing a blocking foul on Dallas’ Monta Ellis. You barely see him in the frame, but Ellis attempts to impede the point guard in the event he attempted to take another dribble toward the rim only to wind up sliding off-screen and into the padded stanchion—a footnote in a highlight and a little salt in the box score wound.
The foul was called on the floor, as Irving did ultimately turn his lone dribble into a pass, so there were not even free throws to show for it. But fans were able to bask in the moment as officials took to the sideline to see whether or not Irving deserved the attempts. Who could blame them if they watched to play a few extra times just to live in the moment a little while longer?
It may not have counted. It may not exist in anything outside of lore and GIFs. But good luck telling Cavalier fans that it never happened. You’ll likely receive a glare no different than the one emanating from James’ face after he did him damnedest to destroy that basketball.
1 Comment
Nice word play there in the headline for a moment I thought it was in reference to something else that just happened.