Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry shot down the popular nation that the Cleveland Cavaliers are a one-man team after superstar LeBron James led the franchise to their fourth successive NBA Finals.
James was the hero in Boston, the three-time NBA champion posting a game-high 35 points, 15 rebounds and nine assists as the Cavaliers defeated the Celtics 87-79 in game seven of the Eastern Conference finals.
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The 33-year-old will now contest his eighth consecutive NBA Finals, with either the Warriors or Houston Rockets next to come.
As Curry prepared for Monday's do-or-die contest against the Rockets, the Warriors star defended James' team-mates.
"I hate when people say that," Curry said. "Like it's — they're NBA players, and yeah they're new and what-not.
"LeBron is amazing, he played an unbelievable playoff run to date and has willed his team to his eighth straight Finals and all that, which is unbelievable to think about the consistency and the longevity and just the level of greatness that he’s shown in the Eastern Conference."
Cavs head coach Tyronn Lue called James' performance on Sunday the best of his career.
Many observers believe James has been at his best this entire postseason, having helped the Cavs rally past the Indiana Pacers in the first round, while he was unstoppable against the Toronto Raptors.
The new-look Cavs traded star point guard Kyrie Irving to the Celtics before the start of the season, and then remade their roster with several moves at the trade deadline.
In the Eastern Conference finals, center Kevin Love missed game seven and all but a few minutes of game six with a concussion.
Curry praised James for his display against the Celtics at TD Garden, but said his team-mates deserve their due.
"As a basketball fan, to turn on the TV last night and watch the game and there were points in the game where you didn't know how it was going to play out and they found a way to get it done, so shout-out to him," Curry said.
"It was an amazing performance, but don't disrespect the other guys out there. They fought hard too."
