Everyone remembers the block. It’s burned into the collective memory of basketball fans—LeBron James pinned Andre Iguodala’s layup against the glass with a violence that felt like it shifted the Earth’s axis. But there is a second play from those final moments of the 2016 NBA Finals that doesn't get the same documentary-level treatment. It's the moment LeBron James almost ended the basketball world by trying to dunk over Draymond Green in the closing seconds of Game 7.
Honestly, if that dunk goes down, we aren't even talking about the block anymore. It would have been the single most disrespectful, iconic, and devastating play in the history of the sport.
Instead, it became a footnote. A "what if" that still makes Cleveland fans wince and Draymond Green probably breathe a sigh of relief every time he sees the replay. Here is the breakdown of why that non-dunk is actually one of the most important sequences in NBA history.
The Setup: 10 Seconds of Pure Chaos
The situation was tense. The Cavs were up 92-89. Kyrie Irving had just drained the most cold-blooded three-pointer in Cleveland history over Steph Curry. The Warriors were reeling, but they weren't dead.
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The ball found its way to LeBron.
He didn't want to settle for a jumper. He didn't want to bleed the clock and hope for a foul. He wanted to kill the game right there. He drove to the rim with the kind of speed a 250-pound human shouldn't possess. Draymond Green, who had played the game of his life with 32 points, 15 rebounds, and 9 assists, was the only thing standing between LeBron and the rim.
LeBron took flight. He rose up, cocked the ball back, and for a split second, it looked like Draymond was about to become a permanent fixture on a poster in every bedroom in Ohio.
Why the LeBron James Dunks Over Draymond Green Game 7 Moment Failed
So, why didn't it happen? Draymond fouled him. Hard.
It wasn't a "dirty" play in the sense of trying to injure him, but it was a "no easy buckets" foul that you make when the championship is on the line. Green met LeBron at the summit, hacked his arm, and sent the King crashing to the floor.
LeBron hit the deck hard. He stayed down for what felt like an eternity, clutching his right wrist. The entire city of Cleveland collectively stopped breathing. If he misses those free throws because of a bum wrist, the Warriors get the ball back down three with a chance to tie.
- The Impact: LeBron hit the floor with massive force.
- The Injury: He was clearly in pain, holding his shooting hand.
- The Stakes: A 3-point lead is the most dangerous lead in basketball.
He eventually stood up. He missed the first free throw. The "Cleveland Curse" felt like it was rearing its ugly head for one last bite. Then, he sank the second. 4-point lead. Game over.
The Forgotten Masterclass of Draymond Green
It’s kinda wild how we forget how good Draymond was that night. Usually, when people talk about LeBron James dunks over Draymond Green game 7, they are looking for a highlight that technically doesn't exist as a finished dunk. But the rivalry between these two was the actual engine of the 2016 Finals.
Draymond was the reason the Warriors were even in it. While Curry and Klay Thompson were struggling to find their rhythm against the Cavs' physical defense, Green was hitting threes like he was prime Ray Allen. He went 6-of-8 from deep.
If LeBron makes that dunk, Draymond’s 32-15-9 masterpiece is completely erased by the humiliation. By fouling LeBron, Draymond didn't just save two points; he saved his legacy from being the victim of the greatest poster in NBA history.
Why This Play Still Matters Today
Basketball fans love to argue about "The GOAT" or the best Finals moments. Usually, "The Block" is at the top of the list. But the failed dunk attempt is the bridge between the block and the trophy.
It showed LeBron’s mindset. He wasn't playing to "not lose." He was playing to dominate. He wanted to punctuate the greatest comeback in sports history with a play that would have been played on a loop for the next 100 years.
Even though the ball didn't go through the hoop, the intent told the story. It was the moment the Golden State Warriors' invincibility officially shattered. They had won 73 games in the regular season, but in that moment, they were just another team trying to stop a freight train.
How to Re-watch the 2016 Finals the Right Way
If you’re going back to watch the highlights, don't just look for the scoring. Watch the off-ball tension between LeBron and Draymond. It started in Game 4 with the "step over" incident that got Draymond suspended for Game 5.
That suspension changed everything. It gave the Cavs life. By the time they got to Game 7, the psychological warfare was at its peak.
What to Look For:
- The Physicality: See how many times LeBron and Draymond bump after the whistle.
- The Fatigue: By the four-minute mark of the 4th quarter, both players are moving in slow motion.
- The Reactions: Look at the Warriors' bench when LeBron misses the dunk. You can see the relief, followed quickly by the realization that they still have to score twice.
To get the full picture of the LeBron James dunks over Draymond Green game 7 narrative, you have to appreciate the missed opportunities just as much as the made ones. Basketball is a game of inches, and that wrist-clutching fall was the final hurdle Cleveland had to clear before the 52-year championship drought finally ended.
If you want to dive deeper into NBA history, start by looking at the defensive tracking stats from that series. You'll see that while LeBron got his points, the way he and Tyronn Lue manipulated the Warriors' switches—specifically targeting Curry and forcing Draymond to help—was a tactical clinic that changed how teams play defense in the playoffs today.