2. A Healthy Kyrie Irving
When the Cavs swept the Atlanta Hawks last May to earn the right to face the Warriors, Irving was limited to 49 minutes over two games because of injuries. The hope that they could preserve him for the final championship push crumbled in overtime of Game 1 at Golden State when he drove to the basket and fractured his left kneecap.
Fast forward to Friday night at Toronto, with the emphasis on fast. Irving’s 30 points and nine assists in the series-clinching 113-87 victory should have silenced any lingering doubts about whether he would regain the form which made him the MVP of the 2014 All-Star Game. And while it can be infuriating to see him playing almost 38 minutes and have just one assist, as was the case in a Game 3 loss to the Raptors, that type of performance has become a rarity as he has grown to trust his teammates.
Next: Kevin Love Is Available
