Is LeBron's Chase Down Block in Game 7 the Biggest Block in Finals History?

[Meticode]

I thought he officially lost any credibility to claim injury as a crutch when he scored a pretty effortless 30+ points in three straight games to help lead the Warriors back against OKC. And, he screamed "I'm back" after one of those threes. All guys get banged up during the course of the season and no one is completely healthy in a Game 7 of the Finals after a grueling season/playoffs.

He needs to take that bit of humility and hold it for a while, because I think the Warriors in general and Curry specifically were getting a little too full of themselves at a certain point ... and that artificial feeling of superiority led to some really sloppy basketball.

Well that and didn't he do a between the legs or 360 dunk during a shoot-around or practice after he came back?

[RedBlackAttack]

Just the way it is...Does anyone remember this?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7yOM4vSoqPs

Imagine if it was MJ

I do remember it, yes. But I'm a basketball nerd. lol. And that's fair enough.

But, it was also a little different situation. When two teams fail to score for over 4 minutes late in the fourth quarter of a Finals Game 7, and then a guy just stone-cold nails the game-winning three (the last basket of a game) with under a minute left and the face of the unanimous back-to-back MVP, that's normally the play that would be talked about in any game.

I'm not sure a scramble situation with seconds left that leads to a desperation cross-court inbounds pass stolen by the team winning the championship would be THE play people would focus on if you took the names off the backs of the jerseys. Like Kyrie's shot, it would probably be the play that got them the lead.

[moongaze]

Kyrie's overall play in The Finals and the playoffs has been minimized, period, let alone what was the game-winning shot.

If the roles were reversed and Kyrie blocked Curry's shot (which he did at the end of regulation in Game 1 last year) with 1:30 left and LeBron hit the three in Iggy's face, which ultimately ended up being the championship-winning shot, the media probably wouldn't be giving the block any attention.

And, I say that not minimizing the amazing athletic feat that LeBron displayed on that play. It was an amazing block and, like I said, the biggest ever, imo. But, if the roles were reversed, LeBron is still getting 99.99% of the attention.

.

I've thought this same thing. Kyrie might be the most underrated player I've ever seen. He's my favorite player all time but I'm not even mad. I said after the finals ended that lebron would probably get most to all the praise and credit and I think he should. At this stage in his career, this finals ment more to his legacy and being from Ohio the story should mostly be about him . I don't think kyrie cares and I'm sure he understands. He just goes out and does the job regardless of the naysayers and media. Curry was hyped big time prior to the finals and Kyrie came out and did what he does on him. He proves the doubters wrong. Let's just not forget about uncle drew , though

[RedBlackAttack]

Well that and didn't he do a between the legs or 360 dunk during a shoot-around or practice after he came back?

Yes, he did.

[Meticode]

Yes, he did.

I have no doubt he was injured or banged up, but as he said in his own words, it's not an excuse. He suited up and played, and was torching the Blazers.

[Leftimage]

In terms of importance, the block scores a 10/10. Undeniably the most "important" block in NBA history. I mean KD is not a warrior without that block right there...

In terms of beauty and "amazingness", it's right at the top for a chasedown. I put it ahead of Prince's block because the timing and athleticism required on Lebron's play is simply greater.

That being said, imo the most beautiful and impressive block in NBA HISTORY - disregarding the importance - was Lebron on Splitter. Just a disgusting display of strength and dominance. There have ppbly been similar ones in the past but older camera technologies don't really allows us to verify.

So yeah.... it will come off as Lebron stannery but my sincere opinion is that Bron is the author of both the "biggest" and the most visually stunning block in NBA history. Unusual since he is more associated with shots,dunks & passes but yeah that's how I feel.

[JebronLames]

Best play in NBA history

[Round Mound]

Probably

[Da_Realist]

He was timid because he was having zero success with his dribble-drives. Once you have a certain amount of turnovers and/or devastating blocks, you're going to get timid.

I thought he officially lost any credibility to claim injury as a crutch when he scored a pretty effortless 30+ points in three straight games to help lead the Warriors back against OKC. And, he screamed "I'm back" after one of those threes. All guys get banged up during the course of the season and no one is completely healthy in a Game 7 of the Finals after a grueling season/playoffs.

He needs to take that bit of humility and hold it for a while, because I think the Warriors in general and Curry specifically were getting a little too full of themselves at a certain point ... and that artificial feeling of superiority led to some really sloppy basketball.

I agree

[6 for 24]

It's probably the biggest defensive play in league history, unless someone can think of a more crucial one?

It was a solid block, but it seems like hyperbole to call it the biggest defensive play ever. I can think of several plays by Kobe that were much more crucial. For example, check out the "lockdown" defense by the self-proclaimed Mamba to save the Finals against Orlando:



It's no wonder that Kobe has so many all-defensive team selections!

Warmest regards,

Ayotunde Ndiaye

[ScalsFan21]

That being said, imo the most beautiful and impressive block in NBA HISTORY - disregarding the importance - was Lebron on Splitter. Just a disgusting display of strength and dominance. There have ppbly been similar ones in the past but older camera technologies don't really allows us to verify.

So yeah.... it will come off as Lebron stannery but my sincere opinion is that Bron is the author of both the "biggest" and the most visually stunning block in NBA history. Unusual since he is more associated with shots,dunks & passes but yeah that's how I feel.

I'm one of the biggest Bransvestites on this board, but to me even Bron on Splitter wasn't as visually stunning as the likes of:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Evq1h3prDIA

[dreamwarrior]

I don't know about the greatest block ever but it was the greatest I've ever watched live.

[Orlando Magic]

I don't know about that.

...

There's a good chance that the same sequence of events could have happened whether the block was made or not

Straight up not true. Curry and company are front runners that do better with less pressure. If they go up with 2 minutes left and the crowd going nuts I'd put money on them starting to pull away and pour the shots in.

[Mr Feeny]

I don't know about that. Remember, the block led to another Cavs miss (I believe), followed by another Warriors miss, and then the Cavs advanced the ball and called timeout ... leading to Kyrie's three-pointer, which was a play drawn up in the huddle.

There's a good chance that the same sequence of events could have happened whether the block was made or not, in which case the Cavs would have been up 1 instead of 3. The way the Cavs' half-court defense played in the last four minutes of that game and with how tight GS's offense got, I'm not sure they would have made a shot if you extended the game another minute.

The Cavs were missing shots down the stretch, too, but it was inevitable that either Kyrie or LeBron were going to make a big shot eventually. I could feel it coming, either way.

It's just impossible to reflect ahead like that. In the moment, it felt like a piece of an overriding theme of LeBron just helping to will (along with Kyrie and the overall team defense) that Cavs team to a championship.

It was an amazing play and, yes ... I don't even think it has a contender for biggest "Finals" block in NBA history. I think the bigger question is whether or not it is the biggest block in NBA history, period. Again, I can't think of one that felt bigger.


There was the famous Jordan and Pippen blocks of Charles Smith against the Knicks in the mid-90s. That guy got blocked like 3 times from under the rim as the clock was running out in a game-winning situation (series clinching).

That's the other biggest one(s) that I can think of just off the top of my head.

The Charles Smith one had Pippen, Grant and Jordan all either strip or block him 4 times at point blank range with the game on the line in the final seconds. Maybe that sequence WAS the greatest but it wasn't one individual. It was a combination. It wasn't in the finals either. And definitely not game 7 of the finals with the championship on the line.

[fsvr54]

Hakeem on Starks