Kyrie Irving Didn't Exactly Ride LeBron's Wave

LeBron James sends veiled messages on social media. Ever since he’s returned to Cleveland, his subtweets have been both decipherable to guess who and what he’s talking about, but carry enough plausible deniability that he can laugh them off when he gets specifically questioned about them.

The latest episode came last night in the form of a single tweet:

If he’s indeed talking about Kyrie Irving, this would be an inaccurate sentiment. In the 2016 Finals, Irving averaged 27.1 points per game. In Game 5, with the Cavs’ backs against the walls, Kyrie and LeBron each had 41 points.

In Game 7, with under a minute left and the Cavs and Warriors tied at 89, Kyrie stepped up with Stephen Curry’s hand in his face and drilled this 3-pointer to give the Cavs the lead:

We can debate the merits of Kyrie’s trade request — if the ultimate goal is to win championships, he seems at best capricious in seeking to get away from the Cavs, who are a Kevin Durant leg injury from being ostensible title favorites — but with regards to the ring that LeBron won in Cleveland, there aren’t many people on the planet it happens with by his side other than Kyrie Irving.