Kyrie Irving received an emotional welcome back to Cleveland on Saturday night, November 14, as the Cavaliers marked the 10th anniversary of the franchise’s historic 2016 NBA championship. Returning to Rocket Arena as a member of the Dallas Mavericks, Irving was greeted with a loud ovation during pregame introductions and another surge of appreciation when the arena replayed his decisive three-pointer from Game 7 of the NBA Finals. The NBA’s official game report documented the tribute and the crowd’s reaction.
“I’m so grateful for all the Cavs fans, Cleveland in general, Ohio wrapping their arms around me as well,” Irving said after the game, reflecting on the reception and the support he received during his formative years in the league. He also thanked fans for staying with him as a young player learning to handle the expectations that came with being a No. 1 overall draft pick and a central figure in Cleveland’s championship ambitions. SB Nation’s report carried by Yahoo Sports included Irving’s postgame comments.
The recognition was especially meaningful because Irving’s relationship with Cleveland had experienced difficult moments after the title. Selected first overall by the Cavaliers in 2011, he became one of the franchise’s defining players before requesting a trade in 2017. His departure created tension with some supporters, but Saturday’s response suggested that the passage of time — and the memory of the championship — has softened much of that divide. The Akron Beacon Journal’s coverage of the reunion explored the history between Irving and the city.
At the centre of the celebration was the shot that helped change Cleveland sports history. With less than a minute remaining in Game 7 of the 2016 NBA Finals, Irving hit a three-pointer over Stephen Curry to give the Cavaliers a 92-89 lead. Cleveland held on to win 93-89, completing an unprecedented comeback from a 3-1 series deficit against the Golden State Warriors and securing the first NBA championship in franchise history. The Cavaliers’ official archive recalls the decisive Game 7 victory.
The title ended a 52-year wait for a major professional sports championship in Cleveland and became one of the most celebrated achievements in the city’s sporting history. Irving’s shot, alongside LeBron James’ late-game block and the Cavaliers’ defensive stop, remains part of the defining sequence remembered by fans as “The Block, The Shot and The Stop.” The NBA’s historical coverage of the 2016 Finals details the scale of the Cavaliers’ comeback.
Irving did not merely revisit the memory from the sidelines. He delivered a strong performance for Dallas, scoring 34 points on 11-of-25 shooting, including seven three-pointers, while adding six rebounds and five assists in 37 minutes. The Mavericks, however, lost 127-117 as Cleveland’s depleted lineup produced a spirited performance in front of its home crowd. The official NBA box score lists Irving’s statistics and the final result.
The Cavaliers were without their usual starting group, including Donovan Mitchell, James Harden, Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen, after injuries and travel disruptions affected the team’s availability. Rookie Tyrese Proctor seized the opportunity, recording 24 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists for his first NBA triple-double. The result added a competitive twist to an evening that had been designed largely around remembering the club’s championship past. The NBA game summary provides the injury context and Proctor’s performance.
Irving later said this welcome felt different from previous returns to Cleveland because he had time to settle into the moment and absorb the appreciation from the crowd. The Cavaliers played a tribute video featuring his championship-clinching shot, bringing fans to their feet and prompting Irving to acknowledge them with gestures of thanks. He described the return as an opportunity to reflect on how much he had grown since his early years with the franchise. Dallas Sports Journal reported his reflections on the reception and the anniversary celebration.
After the game, Irving also shared a brief exchange with a supporter who thanked him for what the 2016 championship meant to the city. His response — “We’re champions forever” — captured the enduring bond between the player, the franchise and a fan base that continues to celebrate the achievement a decade later. The postgame report documented the exchange.
Saturday’s reunion demonstrated that, despite the complicated ending to his first Cleveland chapter, Irving’s contribution to the city’s most significant basketball triumph remains firmly appreciated. The Mavericks left with a defeat, but Irving departed having received a reminder that his place in Cavaliers history is secure — and that, for many fans, the memory of the 2016 championship still brings the city together.