During the 2016 NBA Finals between the Golden State Warriors and the Cleveland Cavaliers, Iman Shumpert was allowed to play physical defense. He loved playing against the Warriors’ guards, as he relished going against the league’s best backcourt.
The Cleveland Cavaliers won a legendary championship back in 2016, mainly powered by Finals MVP LeBron James. It is fair for people to give him major credit, but he had a strong supporting cast that helped him win the title.
A big part of the Cavaliers’ success was their defense. Iman Shumpert played a massive role because he was assigned to guard both Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson. He was given the freedom to defend them, which was instrumental in their victories.
It was physical defense that helped them succeed, as they managed to tire out the greatest shooting duo ever called the Splash Brothers.
Shumpert knew he had to play the best defense he could
As a physical defender, Shumpert was a valuable asset for the Cavaliers. They needed someone who would not have any issues with getting physical against stars like Curry and Thompson.
During that era, Curry and Thompson were hard to defend, considering they were constantly running off screens. Shumpert had the right physical profile, but he was also superb with his approach to games against a “better” team.
Shumpert did not care about what people thought of him, so he reveled in playing physical defense against the Splash Brothers. That made him one of the most important players on the Cavaliers outside the star trio of James, Kyrie Irving, and Kevin Love.
“People thought we were punking ’em. No, it was a real strategy. You can find plays of Klay grabbing my face like get off me,” Shumpert said on All In to Zach Randolph and Tony Allen.
“I blew my other assignments because I’m not letting ’em get a shot off. The danger I felt if I lost them was like no one else… I never felt I was in danger if I could see him, that’s why I got Steph and why I got Klay.”
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The defense paid off in the 2016 Finals
Shumpert played multiple years for the Cavaliers, where he was a vital piece of the system despite not liking playing with James at first. Most people thought of him as a defender, but he was a reliable option in transition or with cuts. Apart from his defense, Shumpert was also a reliable presence in the locker room.
He might have been part of the Cavaliers that lost three NBA Finals, but the 2016 Finals were still worth it. The defense he played in that series was superb, as he managed to help Cleveland win their first NBA championship.
It will always be a memorable series, considering they went from 1-3 down to winning the title with three straight wins. Shumpert might not be the most memorable name, but he was an effective member of the team.
Given how he has spoken about his defense, he and head coach Ty Lue made the right decision. He has a championship ring to prove that it worked, which came in one of the most iconic series in basketball’s history.
