When the Cleveland Cavaliers did the unthinkable and took Game 7 on the road against the Warriors to win the NBA Finals last spring, it wasn’t just LeBron James who came up huge in the clutch with a physics-defying block on Andre Iguodala in the waning moments. Kyrie Irving arguably dealt Golden State the deathblow with an ice-cold, step-back three-pointer right in Steph Curry’s grill to seal the win and deliver the city of Cleveland its first championship in more than 50 years.
With the start of the 2016-2017 NBA season drawing near, Nike is celebrating that iconic image with a giant banner in downtown Cleveland. Not only is it a shot that will go down in NBA history; it’s already the defining moment of Irving’s young career. On Tuesday, the Cavs will kick off their title defense with a home-opener at the Q, which will start with a ring ceremony and the raising of their championship banner to the rafters.
It’ll be a historic night for the city of Cleveland. Just a half-hour after tip-off, the Cleveland Indians will open Game 1 of the World Series against the Chicago Cubs as two long-suffering sports cities finally get a little taste of the good life.
