Skip to main content

Cavs rumors: Iman Shumpert might have accidentally broken LeBron James injury news from 2015


The post Cavs rumors: Iman Shumpert might have accidentally broken LeBron James injury news from 2015 appeared first on ClutchPoints.

After Game 7 of the NBA Finals, Iman Shumpert divulged some details about a potential LeBron James surgery (when they were Cleveland Cavaliers teammates) that had not been previously known.

Advertisement

In the aftermath of the Oklahoma City Thunder's Game 7 victory against the Indiana Pacers on Sunday, much was understandably made of the impact of Tyrese Haliburton's Achilles injury in the first quarter of the game. But injuries, sometimes severe and devasta ting ones, ultimately dictate which way the Finals go.

Shumpert knows that all too well; in 2015, after being traded to the Cavs by the New York Knicks midseason, Shumpert made his first trip to the Finals as Cleveland rolled through the Eastern Conference playoffs. But injuries mounted, and in the Finals, it became too much for the Cavs to overcome league MVP Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors.

While explaining the effect that injuries can have on a team's championship hopes, though, Shumpert may have revealed that James had surgery on his back following the 2015 season.

"To my standard, I don't feel like we should have lost the first championship in 2015. Kyrie [Irving] hurt his k nee. I had my shoulder out of place. J.R. [Smith]'s back was messed up. Kevin Love's back was messed up," Shumpert said before Windhorst corrected him on that Love had dislocated his shoulder, not injured his back, during the first round of the playoffs.

Advertisement

"I can't remember what LeBron's issue was, but I believe he went and got some back operation after that before the next season," Shumpert said.

"He might have just broken news, but we'll just move past that," Windhorst replied.

If true, it would be intriguing considering James has long been considered one of the most durable players and, for the most part, avoided undergoing surgeries . While he went under the knife this offseason following an MCL sprain during the playoffs, he has otherwise — from what we've seen, at least — stayed off the operating table.

It would also make what he accomplished the following season all the more impressive; after leading the team to the best record in the East, James and the Cavs fell behind 3-1 in the Finals to the Warriors in a rematch. Despite the deficit, they won each of the final three games to win the NBA championship and become the first team (and only so far) to come back from 3-1 in the NBA Finals.

Advertisement

James, 40, is the oldest player in the NBA, and would become the first player in league history to play 23 seasons in the le ague if he, as expected, returns this fall for another season.

Related: Cavaliers offered starter in Kevin Durant trade bid

Related: Cavaliers' Donovan Mitchell shares 'no joke' reaction to Tyrese Haliburton's injury

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

NBA Monday Morning Shootaround: LeBron James, The Hunger Games, and More - Bleacher Report

Welcome to the "Monday Morning Shootaround," Bleacher Report's recap of the weekend that was in the NBA. Along with getting you caught up on the weekend’s playoff action, we’ll give you a sneak preview of what could potentially be the greatest basketball book of all time, show you the best 70-year-old playground superstar ever, and tell you about a young star that just might choose religion over the fame and fortune of the NBA. The Opening Tip * ABC cameras caught LeBron James reading The Hunger Games before the Miami Heat played the Indiana Pacers on Sunday. Shortly thereafter, the Miami Heat small forward proceeded to go into full Katniss Everdeen mode to the tune of 40 points, 18 rebounds and nine assists as the Heat pulled out a hard-fought 101-93 victory. After a slow start, Heat guard Dwyane Wade finished with 30 points, nine rebounds and six assists of his own. But Sunday afternoon was all about James and his gaudy numbers, virtually all of which we...
Post a Comment
Read more

Breaking Down the Differences Between LeBron James and Kevin Durant - Bleacher Report

LeBron James and Kevin Durant are being coined as "the future of the NBA 's next generation." That is certainly true, but they aren't exactly on the same level. LeBron and Durant are two different players, who bring varying skills to different facets of the game. Instead of just comparing them in a "who's the best" fashion, let's take a minute and break down which player excels in each and every facet of the game of basketball. Ahead is a breakdown of the differences that exist between LeBron and Durant.  Scoring Ronald Martinez/Getty Images LeBron 2011-12 Per-Game Stats: 27.1 points, 53.1 FG%, 36.3 3P%, 77.1 FT% Durant 2011-12 Per-Game Stats: 28.0 points, 49.6 FG%, 38.7 3P%, 86.0 FT% Scoring is what Kevin Durant does. It's not only his specialty, it's also what makes him such a dangerous and elite player. With that being said, LeBron isn't exactly a slouch on the offensive side of the...
Post a Comment
Read more

Luka Dončić joins LeBron James, Magic Johnson and Jerry West as only Lakers to post 30 points and 15 assists in a game

LeBron James joined a club of one on Tuesday , while Luka Dončić joined a club of four. With 30 points and a Lakers career-high 15 assists, Luka Dončić became only the fourth player in Lakers history to post those totals in a single game in a 136-115 win over the New Orleans Pelicans. The other three: James, Magic Johnson and Jerry West. We'll call that a solid group. That performance included a stretch of three straight 3-pointers to set the tone in the first quarter. It was once again the LeBron and Dončić (LeBrončić?) show, as Dončić's co-star posted 34 points on 10-of-18 shooting, eight rebounds and six assists. Center Jaxson Hayes also had one of the best games of his Lakers career, scoring 19 points on a perfect 8-of-8 shooting plus 10 rebounds. Dončić was two points away from tying his Lakers career high in points as well, and likely would have gotten it had L.A. not taken its foot off the gas in the fourth quarter. After a back-and-forth first half in which the P...
Post a Comment
Read more