The Defining Moment of LeBron James's Career | Bill Simmons's Book of Basketball 2.0 | The Ringer 

“BLOCKED BY JAMES!” is forever cemented in my basketball brain.

I WAS AT THE GAME: I’m from Cleveland. There were maybe only 300 Cleveland fans in the whole arena. Why? 4 reasons…1) There were only connecting flights from Cleveland to Oakland/San Francisco (no direct flights). 2) Tickets were INSANELY expensive. 3) If they lost, it would be a VERY depressing flight home…with a connector. 4) They are playing Game 7 in Golden State…the team that had the best record in NBA history. That said, it was a very high risk, high reward scenario. I spent $3,000 for an 18th row ticket. My heart raced the entire game. Didn’t eat and maybe took a sip of water all 48 minutes (severe dry mouth). Fast forward to when Kyrie hit the go-ahead 3 pointer (5:47)…this 65 year old woman, only fan near me, from Cleveland (I never met before) literally pulled an Elaine Benes and pushed me so hard and starting shaking me with complete and utter shock…”Holy sh*t…we may actually win this thing.”…and sure enough….I took a $3000 risk on the greatest NBA game of all time. 😊 PS: My profile pic is me at the game wearing the CLE shirt.

Durant ruined this rivalry man...imagine if these 2 teams ran it back another time or two

Kevin Love’s stop on Curry is 100% the most underrated aspect of game 7

Bad enough being put on a poster, imagine being Iggy and being immortalised as a statue.

Brian Windhorst is one of the most under appreciated things we’ve gotten because of LeBron. Dude has some incredible basketball IQ and works his ass off. Salute to you, Mr. Windhorst. ✊

This analysis/insight is incredible

The block, the shot, the stop, and Draymond crying to KD in the parking lot after the game. Legendary.

When the Cavs won I almost cried. It was such a great moment in basketball. The symbolism behind that victory was beautiful. Never give up.

The Block. The Shot. The Stop. Literally the 3 greatest plays of each of their career. Also nice 30 for 30 name.

Yo Windy coming with facts and insight i never realized at the time. Respect.

I love when two great athletes talk basketball

Epic block and epic shot. What a sequence. Even Love coming through with the defense. One of the best finals ever. Glad Cleveland got one

This is one of the best breakdowns of one of the best moments in NBA history. Wow

I think Lebron's career defining moment was that Game 6 pregame stare vs the Celtics when he was on the Heat.

Windhorst looks like he lost some weight. Stay on the grind Brian ✊🏻

That play will always give me chills

Everyone watching that game knew there was no damn way Curry was settling for a 2. After the back to back MVPs and Kyrie just hit the go-ahead in his face, no way.

I couldn't even believe it when i saw it happen. It took the energy out of the whole building. Greatest block in history, might be the greatest play in history

Definitely the most memorable single basketball game in recent history. That 4th quarter was so intense

Hearing the level of trust that Lebron had for Kyrie, unbelievable man. Would have loved to see them run it back with a few changes after they lost in 2017

Pod is all good but watch the video version of this part is so much more enjoyable. All the nuances like hand gestures, facial expressions and eye contacts between the two, plus some perfectly timed game clips make all the difference in the world. Hope to see a complete version someday.

The block has been my phone wallpaper for the last 3 years

LeBron’s BLOCK set up Kyrie’s SHOT that inspired Love’s STOP.🏀

Totally missed what happened in The Stop. Lebron was camping in the paint. That's why Curry initially passed it to Draymond and didn't drive to the basket .

The Block, The Shot, and The Stop. Greatness.

Windy, u killed this interview for being in the moment. Bill, hate the PJ jokes, but you weren't active listening without I, I, I (Brian was there, you're V.G.'n this interview). Just a great segment - production, replay and storytelling.

This final game is Goated 😮

Lost in all of the greatness, was LeBron barely missing the greatest dunk in the history of time against Draymond

Lebron should have his statue placed in front of the I Promise school

The way Lebron won his last 2 rings was just magical... seriously so crazy.

Considering the fact that it was a game 7. That makes it the greatest clutch shot ever and Lebron’s block the best block ever

The reason why Brian Windhorst is so avid about LeBron, is because he was the first and only reporter in Cleveland who would go to Lebron’s high school games when he was a freshman. He’s basically seen him grow up for the last 20 years and I’m sure they share a deep connection

curry didnt drive to the basket in the posession against love bc lebron was in the paint and lebron had been blocking curry all series

Imagine these two teams running it back the next 2 years without Durant. Woulda been so much better to watch. They both had 1 chip after this one. Woulda been cool to see who could win this 4-5 year series.

great reliving this moment

Brian gonna cry when Lebron retires.

Can we please have the full podcast on video form? This is my favourite game of all time. I’ll treasure it forever.

Brian been attached to LeBron sack longer than Savannah 😆

I’m so glad everyone appreciates the block like I do😂

There has to be a 30:30 of this series some day. Perhaps the best series in Finals history and one of the all time great sports moments.

Its When he broke the celtics apart and the brooklyn nuts. KG was crying

The last time we saw TRUE CHAMPIONS!!! Fact! Haters n the media will try to put Bron n Kyrie against each other. But the fact is they had an amazing series n basically took the 73 win warriors team out themselves. Never forget the 41 41 game from both in game 5.

Billy in his bag w the Olympic jacket!!!

Greatest play in NBA history! Superhuman

Nobody talking about that D-Fence K. Love put on Curry.

When they brought up Curry vs Love, I think they missed something important on the film. It looks more like Curry was trying to pass it to a wide open Harrison Barnes for a 3 to tie it. Draymond intercepted it and ruined the play which led Draymond kicking it back out to Curry hacking a bad shot. Key moment in the last 30 seconds of the game right there.

Top 5 moment in NBA history 😮

The block he has on splitter game 2 vs Spurs ...sheeeeeesh

Loves defense was so good on curry. But the info on the block was awesome

This breakdown makes me feel like this was a once in a lifetime event against all odds

I always wondered why he avoided contact on that play. It's a legitimate question.

Analyzing this game by someone with credibility is so amazing and totally a goosebumps

Incredible insight and detail on the breakdown of these plays 👏🏻

This was awesome ! I could listen to this all day

I didn’t realize it until now. It’s difficult to think about it as it’s happening

That game 7 was one of the most tough and exciting games I watched since Bulls x Jazz series.

I’ve taken so much shit being a LeBron fan. Nothing was ever good enough. But got damn that block was undeniably good. I remember kyrie badly missing the floater, and then Iggy n Curry on the break. Had that feeling in my stomach the game was over then I just remember seeing a blur, that I knew could only be Bron, and thinking “Did this nigga jump from behind the freethrow line?” I was so focused on the layup he basically floated into my line of sight. If only he finished that dunk on Draymond afterwards ☠️☠️☠️☠️

1:13 …certainly wasn’t expecting that one

Great stuff

Even as a Raptors fanatic, I have to say, nothing beats the 2016 Finals.

4:39 I think everyone felt like this in the moment...

Everytime ill see someone gets rejected in a bar, i will forever hear the words... BLOCKED BY JAMES!

Why did Bill compare Iguodala’s layup to JFK getting assassinated😂😭😭

Also, Curry would have gone for the and1 but Bron had broken him with the chasedown blocks all series.

Even if you’ve seen this play a million times over (which we all likely have), these takes breed new fertile ground for debate and analysis. Great stuff

That was a pretty awesome breakdown!

Awesome breakdown!

Damn I got way more respect for Brian after this video. Dude really knows his shit.

When this gonna drop on spotify

Great stuff!!!

It’s so nice to see Brian Windhorst outside of the mainstream media cycle. It’s so hard to convey intelligence when you have 10 seconds to make a solid point when Stephen A. Smith yelling over you..

Still wish that dunk on draymond would have gone in. Would have been the greatest in game dunk of all time.

Greatest ending to a basketball game I have ever seen!! The tension was so real everything on the line that's what sports is all about

Imo Breen’s greatest call is the Ray Allen’s Game tying 3 in game 6 of the finals

Is this uploaded fully

Bill: That's what I do as well...

Listening to these two is such a damn breath of fresh air instead of those blow hard talking heads who's opinions are whatever they feel is going to get them the most attention like that goblin Nick Wright

I've been watching the game since the late 80s and the block is the greatest play I've ever seen. Jordan is the greatest player ever pretty easily for me, but only Lebron would have ever made that play.

Comparing iggy moving to the right to JFK's assassination is so wild lol

This breakdown is 🔥🔥

Not fat shaming or stereotyping anyone, but the biggest, shortest dude in the room knows more basketball than former NBA players.

6:45... I always loved that Cavs' synchronized hop of joy hah

Brian windhorst is amazing

Lebron James: *exists* Brian Windhorst: I’m boutta make this man my career

JFK Assassination lol that was pretty funny from Bill

2:20 if I'm not mistaken, theres nothing wrong with hitting the backboard on a shot, unless it deviates the tragectory of the ball; what a player can't do is hit the rim

where?how do i watch the rest of this?

JR did an awesome job not fouling. JR has a high iq for the game that's why LeBron loves him.

Listening to Brian windhorst talk escape dribbles...

Two guys who never played basketball, saying what a persons legacy is. Amazing.

Lots ogf good stuff from Windy and Bill

Wow I remember that game vividly, before Kylie took that shot the called timeout , Kylie was upset he was ready to make something happen I remember being upset they called timeout because I figured they was going to run something for LeBron when they came back, and I could see kyrie was not afraid of the moment I believed he would have made the shot regardless, no timeout was needed

To me Brian Windhorst's defining moment is when he took the side of the police when they tried to arrest Masai in Golden State.

Will bill Simmons release another top100 players or something?

Legoat Block🐐

Brian got a high basketball IQ

No one ever talks about Lebrons possible Finals winning dunk Draymond green

Love how they break it down!!! He sees stuff we don’t realize in real time! Now that’s the Book of basketball

The Block is a top 3 moment in NBA history. There’s Ray Allen’s shot, and people put the Final Shot-which isn’t the same because its not game 7. But this-you had to be there man