With the Cleveland Cavaliers down 3-0 in the 2018 NBA Finals to the Golden State Warriors, on the verge of losing in back-to-back NBA Finals and third Finals loss in four years, an unnamed Cavs player spoke on the game-changing ability of the team’s former All-Star point guard Kyrie Irving, according to Jason Lloyd of The Athletic:
“We’d be up 3-0 if Kyrie was still here. I have no doubt.”
It seems likely this quote came from a player who was also on the Cavaliers last season, and with only five players remaining from last year’s Cleveland roster – LeBron James, JR Smith, Kevin Love, Tristan Thompson, and Kyle Korver – speculation of who said this quote will likely be centered on players who played alongside the five-time All-Star.
Irving, who was traded to the Boston Celtics last August at his request, brought Isaiah Thomas, Jae Crowder, Ante Zizic, and the eighth overall selection in this year’s NBA Draft to Cleveland, with Zizic being the only player remaining on the roster from the transaction. Irving led the Celtics to the second seed in the Eastern Conference before undergoing season-ending knee surgery, missing the entirety of Boston’s postseason run.
While Irving is most definitely a better option at point guard than the likes of George Hill and Jordan Clarkson, the Cavaliers faced a similar fate in last year’s NBA Finals with Irving running the show, as the team faltered in just five games to the Warriors.
