NBA coach calls LeBron's game-winner the same as MJ's 'The Shot'
Call it “Cleveland’s Revenge.”
Or perhaps “The Land Strikes Back.”
Or simply “The Shot II.”
One of the most iconic plays in NBA history happened on May 7, 1989, when Michael Jordan hung in the air just long enough to hit the game-winning shot over Cleveland’s Craig Ehlo to clinch the Chicago Bulls’ first-round matchup with the Cavaliers in Game 5.
There’s no debating that LeBron James is the most dominant player in the league since MJ, and Wednesday night, he did a pretty strong imitation of Jordan — hitting a similar game-winner for the Cavs in a critical Game 5.
Afterward, Cleveland coach Tyronn Lue compared the two shots.
“I think that LeBron shot might’ve been like Jordan’s shot over Craig Ehlo in Cleveland,” Lue said. “Same play.”
His Airness x The King pic.twitter.com/8MqXtnfRfP
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) April 26, 2018
Back then, Jordan’s Bulls were down one game and the series was a best-of-five, so if he missed that shot — the Cavs had a 100-99 lead at the time — Chicago’s season would have ended right then and there.
On Wednesday, the game was tied, and the winner would take a 3-2 series lead.
But it was still an incredible moment.
📽️ Every angle of LeBron James' game-winner in Cleveland! #WhateverItTakes #NBAPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/WJDojj0JGB
— NBA (@NBA) April 26, 2018
Back in ’89, the city of Cleveland was in the middle of a playoff drought. The Browns had just lost three of the last four AFC championship games and the Indians were awful.
The Cavs seemed like the best chance for a title.
With Mark Price, Brad Daugherty and Larry Nance, anything was possible.
Now, the Browns just finished a winless season and the Indians came up short in the playoffs.
But the Cavs won a title just two years ago.
It feels like the “Oh woe is us” mentality is no longer in place, especially among the youth.
At @YahooSportsNBA: Young Cavs fan calls LeBron James' shot before it even happens (Video)
🎥: @242Crewhttps://t.co/kfhSl0qxcK pic.twitter.com/2K0iA8S05A
— Ben Rohrbach (@brohrbach) April 26, 2018
Unless the Indians come through, it’s unlikely that Cleveland will be celebrating a title anytime soon.
LeBron might even leave town after the season.
But even if he does, they’ll always remember “The King.”
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