CLEVELAND -- The Cleveland Cavaliers won the 2016 NBA Championship. LeBron James was named the NBA Finals MVP. Point guard Kyrie Irving sunk the game-winning three-pointer. The city of Cleveland will hold the championship party on Wednesday. Richard Jefferson announced his retirement, and the Cleveland Indians completed a three-game sweep of the Chicago White Sox.
Here is a look at the top Cleveland sports headlines for Monday, June 20, 2016.
CAVALIERS WIN NBA CHAMPIONSHIP
The Cavaliers are NBA Champions!
Despite being down, 2-0 and 3-1, in the best-of-seven series against the reigning league champion Golden State Warriors, the Cavaliers fought their way to three straight wins, including a 93-89 championship-clinching win in Game 7 of the NBA Finals at Oracle Arena in Oakland, California, Sunday night.
It is the Cavaliers’ first-ever NBA Championship and the first major sports title for the city of Cleveland since the Browns took home the NFL Championship with an upset win over the Baltimore Colts in December of 1964.
By beating Golden State Sunday night, the Cavaliers became the first team to ever overcome a 3-1 series deficit in the NBA Finals and win the championship.
IRVING HITS GAME-WINNING SHOT
Irving missed all but one game in the 2015 NBA Finals because of fractured kneecap, but he more than made up for it just one year later.
With just 53 seconds to play and the score tied in Game 7, Irving hit the eventual game-winning three-pointer, a fall-away pull-up attempt from the right wing that was heavily defended by two-time NBA MVP Stephen Curry, and his 25-foot triple led to a 93-89 win over the Golden State Warriors at Oracle Arena in Oakland, California, Sunday night.
Irving scored 26 points and pulled down six rebounds to go along with a blocked shot and steal in 43 minutes of play in the series-clinching win.
Irving buried 10 of his 23 attempts from the field, including two of his five three-pointers, and all four of his free throws in the winning effort.
LEBRON DELIVERS ON PROMISE TO BRING TITLE TO CLEVELAND
When James announced his return to the Cavaliers in free agency in the summer of 2014, his stated goal was to bring a championship to Northeast Ohio, something the franchise had never done in its 46-year history.
And James delivered on that promise when he led the Cavaliers to a win over the Warriors in Game 7 of the NBA Finals at Oracle Arena.
In the championship-clinching victory, James scored a team-best 27 points, and in leading the Cavaliers to their first NBA title, he earned his third Finals MVP Award, which is tied for the second-most all-time.
Despite making only nine of his 24 attempts from the field and just one of his five three-point shots in the close-out win, James finished off a triple-double with the 27 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists to go along with three blocked shots and two steals.
In the best-of-seven series, James averaged 29.7 points, 11.3 rebounds and 8.9 assists, to go along with 2.3 blocks and 2.6 steals over 42 minutes per game. James converted 49.4 percent of his attempts from the field and 37.1 percent of his three-point attempts.
JEFFERSON ANNOUNCES RETIREMENT AFTER TITLE WIN
Jefferson announced his retirement from professional basketball after the Cavaliers defeated the Warriors Sunday night.
Although Jefferson came off the bench for the Cavaliers, he played an integral role in the team’s ability to shake off 2-0 and 3-1 series deficits and defeat the Warriors in three straight games, including twice on their home floor.
Jefferson averaged 5.7 points and 5.3 rebounds, as well as 1.3 steals in the best-of-seven series with the Warriors. He converted 51.6 percent of his shots from the field during The Finals, a level of competition he had not reached since his second season in the NBA.
“I can’t wait to see Cleveland,” Jefferson said. “I will tell you, they have the best fans I’ve ever seen. I swear they were louder more when we were down 3-1 because they wanted things to be more difficult. They never lost faith and I have to give them all the credit.”
CAVALIERS TO HOLD CELEBRATION PARADE WEDNESDAY
In partnership with the city of Cleveland, the Cavaliers will celebrate their first-ever NBA Championship with a parade and rally on Wednesday, June 22.
More details for the Championship Parade and Rally will be released by the Cavaliers soon.
After vanquishing the defending champion Golden State Warriors with a 93-89 Game 7 win at Oracle Arena Sunday night, the Cavaliers will return from Oakland, California, on Monday morning at 11:30 a.m. at Atlantic Aviation across from the IX Center.
Fans can attend the event, as parking and space allow around the IX Center.
INDIANS SWEEP OF WHITE SOX
With a 3-2 win on Sunday, the Indians earned a three-game weekend sweep of the Chicago White Sox at Progressive Field.
Utility infielder/outfielder Jose Ramirez finished the series with an RBI base hit with the bases loaded and two outs in the bottom of the 10th inning. It was Ramirez’s only hit in five at-bats in the win over the White Sox.
Offensively, outfielder Rajai Davis smacked four hits in five plate appearances and scored two of the Indians’ three runs. Davis had a double, and third baseman Juan Uribe tallied a double and home run in the victory.
At 38-30, the Indians hold a half-game lead over the Kansas City Royals for first place in the American League Central Division.
