Sunday, June 21, 2015 MN The Plain Dealer | cleveland.com S7

NBA FINALS Cavaliers season review 2014-15

Kyrie Irving leaves Game 1 with a knee injury.

LeBron James and hug after the overtime win in Game 2.

LeBron James walks off the floor after hitting his head on a camera in Game 4.

LeBron James leaves the floor in the final minute of the Game 5 loss.

LeBron James congratulates PHOTOS BY GUS CHAN AND THOMAS ONDREY / THE PLAIN DEALER, JOSHUA GUNTER AND JOHN KUNTZ / NORTHEAST OHIO MEDIA GROUP after Game 6. LeBron James uses his head to defeat the in Game 3. Cavs go all out in battle with Warriors ’s Game 1 injury proves too much for the team to overcome in NBA Finals loss

The NBA Finals came to Cleveland for the first time since 2007, and the entire city seemed to be “all in.” The Cavaliers’ Big Three was quickly pared down to one after Kyrie Irving fractured his kneecap in a Game 1 overtime loss and was out for the rest of the series. Cleveland rallied, taking the next two games on what appeared to be pure grit. Big games from LeBron James, and unlikely hero Matthew Dellavedova kept them in the series as they won Game 2 at Golden State and Game 3 at The Q. But an injury-riddled Cavaliers team with no one left to step up could not best the healthy Warriors and MVP Steph Curry as Golden State went on to win, 4-2.

March April May June 3/7: With a 40-25 record, the Cavaliers 4/15: Cavs finish the regular season with a 5/4, 5/6: Smith misses first two games of 6/4: In Game 1 of the Finals against Golden pass Chicago to top the Central Division. 53-29 record. playoff series against Bulls after punching State, a knee injury ends Irving’s season. Celtics’ Jae Crowder on April 26. 3/16: Cavaliers lose to the Heat in Miami, 4/19: Cavs open the playoffs against the Boston 6/7, 6/9: Cavaliers win at Golden State and 106-92. Celtics. They win 113-100. Irving has 30 points. 5/14: Cavs clinch series over Bulls, 4-2. then at The Q to gain a 2-1 series lead. 3/20: Cavaliers clinch a playoff spot with a 4/26: The Cavs sweep the Celtics. 5/20-26: Cavs sweep No. 1 seed Hawks in the 6/11, 6/14, 6/16: The Cavaliers’ heroics are 95-92 win over the Indiana Pacers, making is injured on a play with Celtics’ Eastern Conference finals, despite Irving not enough as they lose three games in a row them the No. 2 seed in the East. and is out for the season. being out injured for games 2 and 3 of the series. and the Warriors clinch the Finals, 4-2.