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Former Cavaliers Teammate Claims He Carried LeBron James to NBA Finals in 2016

Published 06/27/2021, 6:00 AM EDT

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The 2016 NBA Finals was one of the greatest battles we have seen on the court for plenty of reasons. First off, LeBron James delivered on his promise to bring the Cleveland Cavaliers a championship and going against history by coming back from a 3-1 deficit. No team in the NBA Finals had ever pulled off such an upset.

However, most remember Bron as the lone hero who made this happen. Even former Chicago Bulls legend Scottie Pippen can’t think of anyone else in the Cavs team who contributed as much.

But when Pippen dropped his viewpoint on Twitter, it met with some responses. One even from a former teammate of LeBron’s at the time, Channing Frye.

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LeBron James: The sole leader in the Cavs title?

Scottie Pippen has been all over the news since his bold statements against Kevin Durant and Phil Jackson. And it doesn’t look like he will be stopping anytime soon either.

Once again, he took to Twitter to state an unpopular opinion that stirred some confusion that got him involved in banter with Stephen A. Smith.

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Pippen first contended that LeBron James won a championship “without any help.” While most thought that the Bulls legend was talking about the last season, when LBJ had Anthony Davis, Scottie clarified that it was the 2016 NBA Finals. He then went ahead and stated, “Which star was out there with LeBron (2016)?”

The man who comes to mind is Kyrie Irving. He averaged 27.1 points, and it was his step-back three-pointer against Warriors’ Stephen Curry that helped the Cavs win Game 7.

But actor Grant Liffman believes that Channing Frye was a vital piece in their victory. And undoubtedly, Frye agreed to it in a hilarious manner on Twitter as well.

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Scottie Pippen clarified further

Stephen A. Smith was fuming at Scottie’s statement and wanted Irving to be given credit for the same. But Pippen ended up rectifying his tweet by saying that he actually meant the 2015 NBA Finals.

During that time, Bron had carried Cleveland very close to the title when Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love were sidelined. Although they lost, James gained plenty of respect.

If you look at it, James has had a good supporting cast in all the titles he has won so far. He had Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade when he won with Miami Heat, Anthony Davis with the Lakers, and, of course, Kyrie Irving and Channing Frye with the Cavaliers.

Bron may be the leader, but even the GOAT needs help sometimes. Do you think LBJ alone is responsible for the Cavaliers’ success?

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WATCH THIS STORY: Moments When LeBron James’ Legacy Was on The Line But he Fought Back

 

 

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Written by:

Yashima Bhatia

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Yashima Bhatia is an NBA writer for EssentiallySports who specialises in providing nuanced predictions and updates for matches. She has a Bachelor's degree in journalism and mass communication. Yashima's love for playing the game came up at a young age, when the excitement of the games coupled with the intensity of the Playoffs had her hooked.
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