After the Cleveland Cavaliers punched their ticket to the Finals for the second straight year, Kyrie Irving admitted that things feel a bit different this time around.
Last year, he dealt with a nagging knee injury throughout the postseason, limiting his effectiveness until he finally fractured his knee cap in Game 1 of the Finals.
"It just didn't feel the same hobbling into the locker room," Irving said of dispatching the Atlanta Hawks in a sweep in last year's conference final.
This time, in a water-soaked locker room - the Cavs apparently couldn't track down any champagne - he got to enjoy every bit of it. He and LeBron James shared a warm embrace after Friday's hard-earned series win.