OAKLAND, Calif. — The 52-year wait is over in Northeast Ohio — from Cleveland to Akron to Youngstown. Your “Chosen One” from Akron has delivered the Cavaliers to the promised land, presenting the franchise with its first-ever title in an historic Finals series comeback.
LeBron James, nearly breaking his right wrist in the final 10 seconds, posted a triple-double in what became the greatest achievement of his storied NBA career.
James fell to his knees and cried after the buzzer, after Marreese Speights’ final 3-point miss sealed the 93-89 Game 7 thriller at a stunned Oracle Arena.
“I gave everything I had, gave my heart, blood and tears to this game against all odds,’’ James said.
Then James, who won series MVP in a unanimous vote, yelled: “Cleveland, this is for you!’’
Cleveland hadn’t seen a sports title since 1964 when the Browns won the NFL title.
Kyrie Irving’s 3-point dagger broke the tie for good at 89-89 with 53 seconds left and sent the Cavaliers on their way to legendary status.
Bay Area fans left the arena in anger as the Warriors became the first team to choke on a 3-1 Finals lead. The Warriors’ magical 73-win season will always be remembered for its epic Finals failure as the Splash Brothers dried up in Game 7.
James scored 27 points, grabbed 11 rebounds and had 11 assists. He returned to Cleveland to deliver a title to this city two years ago and he did it on his second try, winning his third title overall. James continued to cry as he hugged the NBA championship trophy on the on-court podium.
He carried two of his young kids on his arms in the postgame press conference and wore the net around his neck. He left the interview room smoking a cigar, along with his manager, Maverick Carter, a Cleveland product who convinced James to come back after his years in Miami.
“I understood what the people from Northeast Ohio have been through the past 52 years,” James said.
In the postgame press conference, James added: “I’m ready to get back to Cleveland. I can’t wait to get off that plane and hold that trophy up and see all our fans at the Jet Center, and I know they’re going to be ready. So I can’t wait to give the emotion back to them.
“Right now it’s just excitement. It’s not even relief.”
The parade is set for Wednesday in Cleveland.
“Oh my goodness, it’s going to be probably one of the biggest parties,’’ James said. ‘The biggest party Cleveland has ever seen.”
The party was on once Irving sank the right-wing 3-pointer to break the tie with 53 seconds left to make it 92-89. He finished with 26 points, assisting James, who wound up shooting 9-of-25 and committed five turnovers.
“I’m just hoping it goes in,’’ Irving said. “It was 89-89 for a long time. I’m thinking the next team that scores will win the championship.’’
Two-time MVP Stephen Curry, who finished with 17 points on 6-of-19 shooting, bricked a wild and deep 3-pointer with 30 seconds left. Curry and Klay Thompson combined to shoot 12-of-36 in Game 7.
After Curry’s big miss, James took a pass and came roaring down the lane for a dunk attempt and was fouled hard by Draymond Green, who had played exceptionally. James crashed to the court as he used his right hand to stop the fall.
James stayed down for a while, but finally got up to hit the clinching 1-of-2 free throws to make it a four-point game with 10.6 seconds left. The Warriors were done.
Cleveland native Charles Oakley, waiting to get into the winner’s locker room, told The Post: “This means so much to the city. I’m glad he came back and now people can stop hating.’’
Green scored 32 points in defeat but his one-game suspension after incident with James late in Game 4 turned this entire series around when it was 3-1 and cost the Warriors, 73-9 during the regular season, the honor of being labeled the greatest team ever.
So much scrutiny and negativity had surrounded James across his career marked by seven straight Finals appearances. Now that he’s regained the title of best player in the game away from Curry, after two straight 41-point outings topped by Sunday’s triple-double that won the title, it should stop.
“That’s yesterday’s newspaper,’’ James said. “I don’t think anybody’s reading yesterday’s newspaper. They’ll be reading tomorrow that I’m coming home. Coming home with what I said I was going to do.’’