Kyrie Irving’s name has been back in the spotlight for the right reasons lately, and one of the best reminders of why came from a teammate who saw it up close. Tristan Thompson, part of Cleveland’s 2016 title team, looked back on Irving’s Finals run against Stephen Curry and didn’t soften the edges of his praise.
“Steph can't guard Kyrie,” he told HOF tight end Shannon Sharpe on the “Club Shay Shay” podcast. “He knew he was better than Steph in that series.
He believed it, and he showed it. I think he wanted to let the world know ‘Steph the MVP, but he can't guard me.'
That was Kyrie's coming out party. Like, ‘Steph, cool you could be the No. 1, but I'm on your tail.'
"Steph [Curry] can't guard Kyrie [Irving]. He knew he was better than Steph... He believed it, and he showed it. He wanted the world to know."
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) July 13, 2026
Tristan Thompson on the 2016 NBA Finals 👀
(via @ClubShayShay)pic.twitter.com/QAq8IszFDD
And you saw what he did.”
That series is still remembered for Irving’s go-ahead 3-pointer in the final minute of Game 7, but the shot was only the exclamation point on a huge performance. The top pick in the 2011 NBA Draft put up 27.1 points per game in the Finals while shooting 46.8 percent from the field and 40.5 percent from 3-point range.
LeBron James took home NBA Finals MVP, but Irving was every bit the second star Cleveland needed to erase a 3-1 deficit and win the franchise’s first championship. The end of that partnership turned messy, but the way Irving performed on the biggest stage left no question about his talent.
Now two years removed from helping the Dallas Mavericks win the Western Conference, Irving has a chance to add another chapter to that resume. A return from a torn ACL and a big age-34 season would only strengthen what’s already been a remarkable career.
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For Golden State, the appeal is obvious: a veteran who has managed different roster types and pressure points, and who has already guided the Lakers to a championship in the 2019-20 season. It is the kind of hire that can deepen a staff in a hurry, even if the full impact will only become clear once the season gets rolling. [Read more 🡒]
Warriors Just Made A Behind The Scenes Move LeBron Fans Will Notice
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Vogels most notable recent stop came with the Lakers, where he coached LeBron James and helped deliver a title, so the hire is bound to catch the attention of anyone tracking the long-running LeBron-to-Golden State chatter. Warriors players have already been openly involved in recruiting James, and while no signing has happened, the addition of Vogel gives the franchise another layer of familiarity around a storyline that refuses to go away. [Read more 🡒]
Udonis Haslem Got Pulled Into Another Heat Culture Firestorm
A social media dispute involving former Heat teammates Tyler Herro and Bam Adebayo has a way of spilling beyond South Florida, and this one quickly drew in a familiar voice from the Warriors side. The flare-up started with direct messages between Herro and a fan, then widened into a back-and-forth that got plenty of attention once Draymond Green weighed in on it.
Greens comments brought Udonis Haslem into the conversation, with the former Heat captain once again positioned as the defender of Miamis standard and identity. Haslem answered on social media and stood up for Heat culture, keeping the issue alive even as the original exchange remained the kind of online dust-up that can linger long after the posts themselves. [Read more 🡒]