Alright so today I got this wild hair to dive back into the 2017 Cavs roster. Why? Honestly, dunno. Maybe saw an old LeBron highlight, maybe just felt nostalgic for that crazy championship hangover year. Anyway, figured I’d actually sit down and figure out who the real heavy lifters were on that squad. Way too many people just remember LeBron and Kyrie carrying them past the Warriors, forgettin’ the rest.
Digging Up the Old Roster
First thing first, I needed the actual list. Didn’t wanna trust my shaky memory. Pulled up my laptop, went straight to Basketball Reference. You know that site, looks ancient but it’s got everything. Searched “2016-17 Cleveland Cavaliers”. Bam. There it was, the whole squad. Seeing those names again? Felt like openin’ a time capsule. Remembered how hyped we all were after breakin’ the Cleveland curse.
Sifting Through the Stats
Now, just listing names ain’t enough. Gotta see what these dudes actually did. Clicked through to each player’s page, started lookin’ at the basics:
- Points per game: Obvious place to start, who was scorin’?
- Rebounds & Assists: Can’t just chuck the rock, gotta do the dirty work too.
- Minutes played: Coach Ty Lue trusted who? Big minutes usually mean big contribution.
- Shooting percentages: Efficiency matters, especially deep in the playoffs.
- Plus/Minus stuff: Sometimes the stats show who really made the team click when they were on the floor.
This part took a minute, gotta scroll, compare, scribble notes on a pad like a caveman. Seriously, ended up with pen smudges everywhere. Was seein’ big numbers from the usual suspects, but also some surprises.
The Moment of Realization
Okay, crunching all that? A few names just jumped off the page. Like LeBron James. Duh. Lookin’ at his stats again? Still insane. 26.4 points, 8.7 assists, 8.6 rebounds?! All-Star game numbers in the damn Finals. Pure alpha dog stuff. Then Kyrie Irving. That handles! That clutch gene! Remember that Game 7 shot over Steph? Yeah. 25 points a game and ice in his veins when it mattered. Kevin Love? Man, people gave him grief sometimes, but check the work: 19 points, 11.1 rebounds nightly? Double-double machine. Big rebounds when it counted too.
But then… Tripping over Tristan Thompson. Almost glossed over him! Guy was a beast on the glass that year, especially offensively. Averaged almost 10 rebounds a game! How many second chances did he give us? Loads. Pure hustle, every single night. And J.R. Smith! Streaky? Sure. Could he disappear? Yeah. But when he got hot? Watch out. And you gotta respect that defense, man. Guarded some tough assignments.
Wrapping It Up & Feeling That Pride
So after scrollin’, squintin’ at stats, spillin’ coffee on my notes (yep, happened), it clicked again. That core five: LeBron, Kyrie, Love, Thompson, J.R. were the absolute engine. LeBron drivin’, Kyrie slicin’, Love spreadin’ the floor and banging, Thompson ownin’ the paint, J.R. splashin’ and defendin’. Felt good reminding myself it wasn’t just a two-man show. Needed that whole unit firing to pull off what they did, even if the Finals heroics came down to those iconic buckets. Crazy talented group from top to bottom, man. Looking back still gives you chills.
