The Cleveland Cavaliers are on the brink of elimination, down 3-0 to the Golden State Warriors in the NBA Finals. However, one veteran Cavaliers player believes the roles would be reversed if Kyrie Irving was still on the roster.
After the Cavaliers lost Game 3 on Wednesday, an unnamed player reportedly said, "We'd be up 3-0 if Kyrie was still here. I have no doubt," according to The Athletic's Jason Lloyd.
Cleveland dealt Irving to the Boston Celtics in August at his request, as the five-time All-Star wanted an opportunity to play outside of LeBron James' shadow. In return, Cleveland received Isaiah Thomas, Jae Crowder, Ante Zizic, and the rights to the Brooklyn Nets' 2018 first-round pick - the eighth overall selection in this year's draft.
Earlier this season, an unnamed player called Danny Ainge "a f------ thief" in relation to the Irving trade, according to Lloyd.
Although Irving would likely make a significant difference in the series, he was in this same position with the Cavaliers last season: down 3-0 to the Warriors in the 2017 NBA Finals, eventually falling in five games.
