What separates legends from everyone else? Kyrie Irving might tell you it’s one game… and not just any game, but Game 7 of the NBA Finals! “It’s nothing like being at the pinnacle of basketball world right now,” he said on NBA TV. Irving, now the veteran sage, knows the pressure better than most. In 2016, he hit one of the most iconic shots in NBA history. And now? He’s passing the torch with reverence and anticipation. How, you ask?
As the Oklahoma City Thunder and Indiana Pacers lock horns for a winner-takes-all finale, Irving’s voice is the reminder we didn’t know we needed. This is basketball’s purest high. “They’re part of history now,” he said of the players. “We haven’t had a Game 7 since 2016. That’s an incredible feat.” And just like that, this game isn’t just about two teams anymore, but about legacy.
For OKC, the journey has been nothing short of poetic. The youngest core in the playoffs, led by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, averaging 30.5 points and 4.5 rebounds, has grown up in real time. From blitzing the West to surviving the defending champs in a seven-game slugfest, OKC has played with joy, toughness, and conviction. Game 7 is their coronation shot. And for Shai? It’s a chance to go from All-NBA to all-time.
Indiana, on the other hand, has built a Cinderella narrative that’s now a win away from glory. Tyrese Haliburton has transformed into a franchise pillar with 14.8 points and 5.3 rebounds, and the team’s gritty, fast-paced style has stunned giants all postseason. With veterans like Siakam stabilizing the moment and young guns like Nembhard stepping up, this is a team that refuses to blink. And Game 7 just might be their answer to every doubter.
“I still remember Game 7 [vs. Warriors] like it was yesterday.” @KyrieIrving joins NBA TV LIve at the Finals and talks how special an occasion a Game 7 in the #NBAFinals is pic.twitter.com/l1XvGS9214
— NBA TV (@NBATV) June 22, 2025
Both teams have been fueled by hunger. But tonight, that won’t be enough. As Irving put it: “You’re battling your brothers. You’re battling your peers. You’re trying to find little weaknesses to take advantage of.” But once Game 7 hits? “All that kind of goes out the window… It’s about the best last man standing.” There’s no time left to adjust, no series lead to protect. It’s 48 minutes for immortality. And for coaches like Mark Daigneault and Rick Carlisle, it’s a moment to either validate a journey or rewrite their place in coaching history.
Every possession tonight will be a chess match, a test of nerves, a flashpoint in careers. Every miss will feel louder, every make heavier. And yet, for all the tactics and game plans, it’s emotion that wins Game 7s. “Something you kind of dream of as a kid,” Irving said. That’s what makes this different. And just moments before tipoff, Stephen A. Smith reminded everyone why Kyrie’s words matter in this moment more than anything.
“People try and hate on [Kyrie Irving] then you gotta remember, the brother’s a champion.” And tonight, that word—champion—carries a different weight. Because when Kyrie talks about what it takes in a Game 7, he’s not just theorizing it. He’s lived it. So when Irving says he’s “ready to see this new blood get to it,” it’s a passing of the torch. And well, if you don’t remember his heroics against Steph Curry, you’re in for a shock!
Kyrie Irving knows the weight of Game 7
When Kyrie Irving pulled up over Steph Curry in 2016 and drilled that three, he etched his name in the annals of basketball mythology. That Cavaliers title, that comeback, that Game 7—it still stands as a gold standard. “We etched our names forever in one of the hardest, you know, toughest sports championships,” he reflected.
Jun 14, 2024; Dallas, Texas, USA; Dallas Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving (11) reacts after their win against the Boston Celtics in game four of the 2024 NBA Finals at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Peter Casey-USA TODAY Sports
In that unforgettable 2016 Finals Game 7, Kyrie was a stone-cold killer. He finished with 26 points, 6 rebounds, and that game-sealing three-pointer over Steph Curry with 53 seconds left. The shot broke an 89-89 tie and silenced Oracle Arena. It wasn’t just the most clutch bucket of the decade, but the definitive moment of the Cavaliers’ historic comeback. That night, he earned eternal respect. Now, nearly a decade later, Irving is on the broadcast.
But his words hit just as hard. He’s not just watching, but witnessing what could be a déjà vu for him. He sees in Shai and Haliburton the same fire that burned in Cleveland’s title run. The nerves, the stakes, the desperation… you name it. And he’s doing it while also calling out what this means generationally. “I’m ready to see this new blood, this new generation kind of get to it,” he said. And they are.
Tonight, these two young-led squads will clash for a ring, yes. But they will also define who’s next. Is it OKC’s unshakable poise or Indiana’s fearless surge? And so here we are. One game, two franchises, zero excuses. History doesn’t wait, and it certainly doesn’t repeat itself. As Kyrie said, “It’s about the best last man standing.” By the end of the night, one of these teams will walk off the court not just as champions, but as legends, rightly so.
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