Kyrie Irving underwent nasal surgery prior to Game 7

In the face of impossible odds, LeBron helped the Cavs overcome a 3-1 series deficit when he hopped into the phone booth to deliver the highlight of his career; a late game block on Andre Iguodala.

For the better part of the last calendar year, the Cavs’ franchise has experienced no shortage of ups and downs – slow climbs and faster falls – and yet James and Co. still find themselves in the same place they started this ride last June, en route to a fourth straight NBA Finals.

“I just love everything about the kid – the way he plays the game, his demeanor, where he comes from”, James said after Cleveland’s 87-79 victory. “That’s all that matters”.

Cleveland’s LeBron James invades Marcus Smart’s space with the Boston guard driving to the rim in Sunday night’s Game 7 of the NBA Eastern Conference final.

“He played 48 minutes tonight to bring us home”, Lue said.

With Kyrie Irving out the end of the regular season as well as the entirety of the postseason for the Boston Celtics, it gave other players on the team a chance to step up.

James had to do it without Kevin Love – Cleveland’s only other all-star – who sustained a concussion in Game 6 and was replaced in the lineup by Jeff Green.

It’s a quite different group than that which ended last season, but this time the changes should be minimal.

“I think we’ve played now until May 25th and May 27th the last two years, and we started on September 25th”, Celtics coach Brad Stevens said. Every day that you’re totally focused on (basketball). It’s ridiculous. With the pressure, with the scrutiny, it doesn’t matter. Don’t forget that the Cavaliers essentially overhauled their entire team at the trade deadline. “His talent, his composure, where he comes from has allowed him to be successful so he’s a very, very, very good player already and he definitely at this pace can become a great player.” . “We’ve talked about it all year, we know what the narrative has been about our team”. Keeping them all will later or much sooner mean having to pay the league’s luxury tax – a decision that is above even Ainge’s pay grade.

The young Celtics were in control for most of the way before falling apart in the final period. Michael Jordan has won six NBA Championships with just the Chicago Bulls – including three consecutive.

“I think what people don’t understand is to succeed it has to be a team effort”, an emotional James said after the game.