Real-Time Tweets About the Cleveland Cavaliers
LeBron James went back to Cleveland as league MVP and an NBA Champion, and now he might finally bring the latter back to his home city. It’s the timeless story of a local boy who’s grown up into a successful man and eventually done right by his community. But this king knew he’d need a strong supporting cast to ensure he fulfilled his promise; enter Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love. They had come so close last season, ultimately losing in the NBA Finals to the Golden State Warriors, that fans could feel it at the beginning of the season. This was the Cavaliers’ year.
Check out below just how passionate and active the Cleveland Cavalier fans are on Twitter – and this is only the past 24 hours. They’ve been just as loud online as they’ve been in the Quicken Loans Arena.
Cleveland, the Sweep City
If the Golden State Warriors get to be “Splash City,” Cleveland’s performance in the first two rounds of the playoffs should earn them the honor of being called “Sweep City.” After losing to the Detroit Pistons in the final game of the regular season, LeBron’s team transformed into an unstoppable behemoth. It only took the minimum of four games against the Pistons in the playoffs to banish them to the postseason. Fans flocked to Twitter to share their enthusiasm, further emboldened by this sweep. (If you’re interested to see how active your team – or rivals – have been, take a look at all the engagement on our live-ranking NBA Playoffs on Twitter feature.)
The Atlanta Hawks had the next opportunity to try and make LeBron regret his decision to leave Miami. Despite the fan concern that Atlanta presented a better challenge, having beaten the Boston Celtics to advance to the second round, there was no stopping the Cavaliers. In another four-game series, LeBron, Kyrie, and Kevin managed even more impressive wins, piecing together double-digit wins in three of their four contests (11, 25, and 13 points).
Even though Cleveland fans had been watching their team manhandle the Atlanta Hawks, they had been looking ahead. Miami and an opportunity for LeBron to jettison his former team out of the playoffs, which loomed in the distance.
Raptors Ready to Rumble
While the Cavs enjoyed an extra few days of rest, they watched from their homes in Ohio to see who their next victim would be. When the Raptors roared back, on more than one occasion, extinguishing the Heat and advancing to the Eastern Conference Finals, few fans expected the series to be long.
After the first game, it seemed as if Cleveland’s place in the NBA Finals was written in the stars. When LeBron James and Kyrie Irving can combine for 51 points, a win is expected. Walking away from the first game with a 31-point victory over the Toronto Raptors, Cleveland fans tasted another sweep. They took to Twitter, sharing their excitement and cheering on their team.
A 19-point victory followed in Game 2, where the Cavaliers dispatched their opponents without prejudice. This wasn’t sport. It wasn’t even business. It was personal – LeBron wanted Cleveland to have their NBA title. James provided a triple-double and helped to keep their 10-game postseason winning streak alive and well. Fans had to start legitimately thinking about what excuse they’d use to get off work for the NBA Finals.
But then the Raptors clawed their way out of the hole. Stringing together back-to-back wins, 10-game win streak now erased, the Cavaliers were reduced to even footing for the first time in the 2015-16 NBA Playoffs. Their fans wondered where the dominant performances had gone. They were demanding that one of their big three – LeBron, Kevin, or Kyrie – step up. Kevin Love heard them loud and clear.
Playing just 24 minutes in Game 5, Kevin Love scored 25 points and helped the Cavaliers avoid losing three in a row to the Raptors. LeBron and Kyrie contributed in kind, each adding 23 points a piece. Followed up with an oppressive defensive performance, Cleveland defeated Toronto 116-78 to regain the series lead, 3-2. Faith restored, the fans once again believed that winning everything this year was a matter of destiny.
One more win and LeBron & Co. head back to the NBA Finals for the second time in two years. Be #ALLin216 and head to fanatics.com to stock up on the best Cleveland Cavalier gear.
