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As LeBron James Makes a Run for the Playoffs, a Former NBA Champion Goes Gaga Turning Back the Clock Over Iconic Moment

Published 04/07/2023, 7:50 AM EDT

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USA Today via Reuters

In the long career of LeBron James, fans have witnessed several magical moments on the court. The 4x NBA Champion has proved his all-around ability and his versatile play-making. Every fan has their own favorite James moment. A former NBA champion recently recalled one of James’ iconic moves from 2016 as the greatest play that he has ever seen. He also explained why he held it to be the greatest, narrating in detail how it played out on the court.

The now 38-year-old star played for multiple franchises in his 20-season-long career and won the championship with the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2016 – that’s right, he played alongside LeBron James when the Cavaliers won in the finals. Though he has attracted some criticism lately over his fitness and gameplay this season, James’ former teammate Richard Jefferson is still inspired by the iconic moment back in 2016 and related the on-court prowess that he witnessed on a recent podcast.

Jefferson sings praise for LeBron James

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On a recent episode of The Old Man and the Three with JJ Redick, Richard Jefferson candidly recounted how LeBron james executed an iconic block in the 2016 NBA finals. The Cavaliers created history by making a massive comeback from a 3-1 record in the finals against the Golden State Warriors.

Notably, it was LeBron James‘ crucial block at an attempt to score by the Dubs’ Andre Iguodala in the penultimate moment of game 7 that tied the championship’s fate in favor of Cleveland, continuing to hold a special place in NBA history – especially for Jefferson. 

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Jefferson described the moment as, The greatest play that I’ve ever saw.” He added, That’s Game 7, he’s [James] played every minute, it’s the last possible game, it’s the last possible minute, and he does an athletic feat of sprinting back.” 

Moreover, he reasoned that the block was the greatest play ever due to James’ sheer domination in every stat category that season and his ability to push further. Jefferson had expected a tad-tired James at the penultimate moment of the season, but he was proved wrong.

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The iconic 2016 block

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The Warriors and Cavaliers had their points tied with less than two minutes left in the game. That’s when James blocked Iguodala’s to-have-been-game-winning layup. Eventually, Cavaliers defeated the mighty Dubs with a thrilling 93-89 finish.

Notably, the Dubs entered the postseason with a historic 73-9 regular season record. The block symbolically stood as the championship-defining moment as the Cavs fought their way back from a 3-1 record against an immensely reputed team. Moreover, fans will surely agree that it will be no surprise if James repeats his magic again for the Los Angeles Lakers as they fight their way back into the top 8 in the Western Conference after their poor start this season.

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Will LeBron James bring his magic to his team’s championship run yet again this season? Richard Jefferson will surely agree! Let us know your views in the comments below.

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Written by:

Shahul Hameed

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Shahul Hameed is an NBA writer at EssentiallySports, where he brings his passion for sports and entertainment journalism to life. With a Master's Degree in journalism from a reputed institute and years of experience in the industry, Shahul always strives to provide insightful and astute coverage of the NBA to the fans. Shahul's love for sports writing dates back to his college days.
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Edited by:

Aayush Kapoor