Ken reflects on a thought that's been nagging at him: winning the 2016 championship may have set an impossible standard that now makes it harder to appreciate every Cleveland team that comes after it. The current Cavs squad is genuinely good, but fans can't help measuring them against a team that pulled off one of the greatest comebacks in sports history, and the comparison is unfair by design since that Warriors dynasty could never be replicated under today's NBA rules. The same phenomenon bleeds into how fans view the Guardians, who keep making the playoffs but can't seem to generate real excitement despite being legitimate contenders. Ken wonders if Cleveland fans can only fully move on once LeBron retires and closes that chapter for good.
Did the 2016 Cavs Ruin Cleveland Sports Forever?
LeBron James #23 celebrates with Kyrie Irving #2 and Kevin Love #0 of the Cleveland Cavaliers after scoring during the first half of Game One of the NBA Eastern Conference semifinals against the Toronto Raptors at Quicken Loans Arena on May 1, 2017 in Cleveland, Ohio.
Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images
The Ken Carman Show with Anthony Lima
The only place to talk about the Cleveland sports scene weekday mornings is with Ken Carman and Anthony Lima from 6-10a! The show guides you through…
