LeBron James Says 2016 Warriors Were 'Better Team,' But Cavaliers Won For One Key Reason

LeBron James admits 2016 Warriors were better team, but Cavs won for this reason

Even with the four titles, there are fans out there who believe they let one slip away, particularly in 2016.

The Warriors had LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers seemingly on the ropes. The teams were quite familiar with each other after meeting in the NBA Finals the previous year.

Up 3-1 in the series on the way back to Oracle Arena, many felt the Warriors had it in the bag.

Desperate to get back into the series, James and Kyrie Irving torched the Warriors for 41 points each in a 112-97 victory.

It's after Game 5 that James admits something happened with the team.

"Once what happened in Game 5 happened, my guys believed that what I was saying was [expletive] coming true," James said. "Y'all get me back to Game 6, we'll come back here for Game 7.

"It was like nothing is stopping us. ... They were the better team. We hit a momentum pop and there's nothing they could do about it.

Warriors fans know the end to this story all too well, as James and Irving willed the Cavs to a 4-3 series win.

It wouldn't be the last time the Warriors and Cavs would meet with a title on the line, as the two met in the next two NBA Finals, with Golden State winning both after famously signing Kevin Durant in the summer of 2016.