OAKLAND, Calif.: Kyrie Irving and LeBron James made history Monday night and afterward James called Irving’s effort “probably one of the greatest performances I’ve ever seen live.”
Ponder for a moment that includes 987 regular-season games and 197 more in the playoffs.
The pair poured in 41 points apiece and became the first teammates to score 40 or more in the same game of the NBA Finals. With the Warriors’ best defensive player, Draymond Green, sitting out due to suspension, the Cavs staved off elimination with a 112-97 victory in Game 5 at Oracle Arena.
The Warriors take a 3-2 series lead into Game 6 Thursday night in Cleveland.
Irving was magical, hitting 17 of 24 from the field, 5 of 7 from 3-point range. He also added six assists, two steals and a blocked shot.
James had the type of night expected in a game of such magnitude, also pulling down 16 rebounds, handing out seven assists, blocking three shots and notching three steals. After shooting just 32 percent from 3-point range in the playoffs coming in, he connected on 4 of 8 from behind the arc and 16 of 30 field goals. He scored 25 points in the first half, 13 in the second quarter.
It marked the fifth time the 40-point feat has been accomplished in the playoffs. Irving and James joined the Lakers’ Elgin Baylor (45) and Jerry West (41) against the Pistons in 1962, the Rockets’ Eric “Sleepy” Floyd (42) and Hakeem Olajuwon (41) against the Mavericks in 1988, the Rockets’ Clyde Drexler (41) and Hakeem Olajuwon (40) against the Jazz in 1995 and the Pacers’ Reggie Miller (40) and Jalen Rose (40) against Philadelphia in 2000.
It was just the fourth time in Finals history that two players had reached 40, regardless of team, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. West (41) and John Havlicek (43) were first in 1969, followed by Shaquille O’Neal (44) and Allen Iverson (48) in 2001 and Michael Jordan (42) and Charles Barkley (42) in 1993.
Irving and James haven’t always coexisted so well. Their two seasons together have brought questions about whether the ball-dominant scorers would ever mesh. Irving couldn’t put a finger on exactly when it did, but he knew what prompted it.
“When we stopped caring about what everyone else said,” Irving said. “As long as we're taking care of what's going on in our locker room internally, we can power through anything. Obviously it's not going to look perfect every single game, we understand that.
“But I think that the trust factor was just a big thing. It's just been continuous and been consistent as we've continued to grow together. Just finding where he likes
the ball, where he wants the ball, how effective he is around the perimeter as well as in the post and giving him space to work, but as well as finding areas
where I can be effective. Spacing is very important, and it took a while to figure that out.”
Asked what stood out about Irving’s night that caused him to rank it one of the best he’s ever seen, James said it was Irving’s “calm for 48 minutes.”
“Even in the eight minutes that he was sitting down, he was calm,” James said. “The fourth quarter he hit timely shot after shot after shot when those guys were trying to get back into the game. Defensively he was phenomenal as well, guarding Steph (Curry) and whoever he was matched up on. They tried to post him a few times with Harrison Barnes, and he made it tough on him, got his hand on the ball a couple times. He was just locked in on both sides of the floor.”
Irving and James totaled their highest scoring games of the 2016 playoffs and 41 was Irving’s highest point total in 32 postseason games. James recorded his 16th career 40-point game in the playoffs. Three of those came in the 2015 Finals, when the Warriors won the title in six games. But a year ago the Cavs were without Kevin Love and lost Irving to a fractured kneecap in Game 1.
“They were incredible tonight,” Love said of Irving and James. “Played downhill, got to their shots, got to the free-throw line, made some miraculous plays on both ends. They were huge and got us over the hump.”
James played more point guard than he has in the series, which likely played a part in Irving getting free.
“Coach (Tyronn) Lue said he wanted the ball in my hands a little bit more,” James said, who committed only two turnovers after totaling 19 in the previous three games. “I finally did a great job of not turning the ball over and got to my
spots, got my teammates involved. Just tried to put us in position to be successful.”
Warriors coach Steve Kerr cited communication issues on defense, especially not talking on their switches.
James played 43 minutes, Irving 40, and neither seemed to wear down. Irving’s highest scoring quarter was the fourth, when he totaled 12. Steph Curry and Klay Thompson both tried guarding Irving, while Andre Iguodala spent a good part of the night on James.
“Our defense wasn't nearly as good as it's been,” Kerr said. “So when you don't play great defense for the first three quarters, your opponent isn't going to be worn down in the fourth.”
Cavs veteran James Jones called Irving “relentless.”
“I think it wore on them and it emboldened him,” Jones said of Irving. “The better he plays offensively, the better he plays defensively, the more comfortable he becomes. When he’s comfortable, he’s a handful.”
Playing in the hostile environment, the crowd incensed over Green’s suspension for punching James in the groin in Game 4, didn’t take away from what had been accomplished.
“I mean, I guess when you're done with a game of basketball and big moments like tonight and moments throughout your career you wish you could get back,” James said. “No matter how loud you turn the stereo system up in your house, you'll never be able to get it back. You just don't take these moments for granted, no matter if you're at home or on the road.”
Jones was almost taken aback when he learned that James and Irving had made Finals history.
“Wow, I didn’t even know what they scored,” Jones said. “That’s special.”
Teammates who scored 40-40 in the NBA Playoffs
Elgin Baylor (45) and Jerry West (41), Lakers vs. Detroit, March 29, 1962; West Finals
Eric “Sleepy” Floyd (42) and Hakeem Olajuwon (41), Houston vs. Dallas, April 30, 1988; First Round
Clyde Drexler (41) and Hakeem Olajuwon (40), Houston vs. Utah, May 5, 1995; First Round
Reggie Miller (40) and Jalen Rose (40), Indiana vs. Philadelphia, May 6, 2000; East Finals
LeBron James (41) and Kyrie Irving (41), Cleveland vs. Golden State, June 13, 2016; NBA Finals
Two players (regardless of team) with 40-40 in the same game in the Finals
Shaquille O’Neal (44), Allen Iverson (48), Lakers-Philadelphia, June 6, 2001 (Game One)
Michael Jordan (42), Charles Barkley (42), Chicago-Phoenix, June 11, 1993 (Game Two)
Jerry West (41), John Havlicek (43), Lakers-Boston, April 25, 1969 (Game Two)
LeBron James (41), Kyrie Irving (41), Cleveland-Golden State, June 13, 2016 (Game Five)