There are moments in basketball that define a player’s legacy and elevate him into the conversation of the greatest to ever play the game. In the NBA, few names dominate that debate more than LeBron James and Michael Jordan, while Stephen Curry is often mentioned just behind them for the dynasty he helped build with the Golden State Warriors.
But what keeps Curry a step below James, at least in the eyes of many fans, is the 2016 Finals. That series remains one of the most pivotal showdowns in league history, where the Warriors, widely viewed as one of the greatest teams ever, were stunned by James and the Cleveland Cavaliers in an unforgettable comeback.
The Warriors entered that postseason as heavy favorites. They had just completed a record-setting 73–9 regular season, breaking the mark previously held by Jordan’s Chicago Bulls. With the “Splash Brothers” in peak form and a roster loaded with depth, Golden State looked untouchable. Yet James believed his performance in those Finals rewrote the conversation about his place in history.
“That one right there made me the greatest player of all time,” James said in an interview with Uninterrupted. “There was the greatest team ever assembled. And for us to come back the way we did, it was like, ‘You did something special.’ That was one of the only times in my career where I thought, ‘Man, you really did something extraordinary.’”
LeBron’s defining Finals performance
James delivered one of the most iconic performances in NBA history during that series, lifting Cleveland from a 3–1 deficit against Golden State. His dominance on both ends of the floor, his leadership in the huddle, and his relentless competitive fire completely shifted the momentum. What had looked like a coronation for the Warriors turned into the stage for James’ career-defining masterpiece.
In Games 5 and 6, James dropped consecutive 41-point outings, overwhelming a Golden State defense that had dominated all season. He attacked the rim with ferocity, hit critical jump shots, and set up teammates with precision passing. Curry, the league’s unanimous MVP that year, struggled to find consistency, while James made sure the Cavaliers seized every opportunity to extend the series.
Game 7 in Oakland sealed his legend. James posted a triple-double of 27 points, 11 rebounds, and 11 assists, but it was his chase-down block on Andre Iguodala that became the lasting image of the Finals. That defensive play, combined with Kyrie Irving’s clutch three-pointer, powered Cleveland to its first NBA championship and stunned the Warriors on their own court.
The 2016 Finals forever changed how James is measured in the NBA GOAT debate. By toppling a 73-win Warriors squad led by Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green, James delivered on his promise to bring a title to Cleveland while putting himself firmly alongside Jordan in the greatest-of-all-time conversation. For many, that comeback wasn’t just about a championship—it was the moment James’ legacy surpassed every standard ever set before him.