Revisiting top 5 moments from the 2016 NBA Finals

#3 Stephen Curry throws his mouthpiece, gets ejected in Game 6

To add salt to the injury, Stephen Curry fouled James 10 seconds later, with 4:22 left in the fourth quarter. Curry was so disgusted with the foul call, his sixth, that he threw his mouthguard at a fan in frustration.

Needless to say, Curry was ejected from the game, a first in his NBA career. The Warriors went on to lose 101-115, setting up a much-anticipated Game 7 back in Golden State.

#2 Chase-down block on Andre Iguodala by LeBron James in Game 7

LeBron blocks Iguodala's shot in the dying moments of Game 7

LeBron James’ block on Curry in Game 6 was good. But if you have to pick up one play that highlights James' defensive chops, then it has to be the one that he pulled out against Andre Iguodala in Game 7 of the 2016 NBA Finals.

With the score tied at 89 late in the fourth quarter, both teams were looking to break the deadlock. Neither team had been able to score for more than two-and-a-half minutes. But with the game clock winding down below the two-minute mark, Andre Iguodala grabbed a rebound off a Kyrie Irving miss and pushed the ball down the floor by himself in transition.

The Warriors were in a two-on-one situation, with Curry running alongside Iguodala. The duo only had a backtracking JR Smith in front of them. After crossing half-court, Iguodala made a pass to Curry, only to get the ball back from him on the bounce. Having crossed Smith, Iguodala went for a layup, only for LeBron James to come out of nowhere and block Iggy’s layup with his right hand.

The entire sequence was entirely incredible simply because James was trailing the play and Iguodala appeared to have an easy bucket. But James’ athleticism and his reach just snuffed the life out of Iguodala’s scoring plans.

#1 Kyrie Irving hits the dagger three over Curry in Game 7

Kyrie Irving shoots the dagger over Steph Curry

Continuing from the previous moment, when James blocked Iguodala, both teams still did not score for another minute of play. This meant that both Golden State and Cleveland had gone scoreless for three-and-a-half minutes of play.

But then with a minute left in the fourth quarter, and the score still tied at 89, Kyrie Irving found himself in a one-on-one situation against Steph Curry on the perimeter. With the Warriors fans on their feet, Kyrie showed off his handles. He dribbled the ball from his right hand to the left. He took the ball between his legs and then with one side-step from the right wing, Irving rose and made a contested three over Curry.

Outside of Ray Allen’s bizarre backtracking three in Game 6 of the 2013 NBA Finals, Irving’s shot over Curry has to be the greatest shot in NBA history. James nailed a free throw forty seconds later to give Cleveland a 93-89 win, but it was Kyrie with his dagger trey that killed the Warriors’ chances of winning a second successive NBA title.