JR Smith Flames Knicks Fans Comparing Championship-Winning Team to 2016 Cavaliers: “Who is Guarding LeBron James?”

J.R. Smith had a blunt response about the New York Knicks' chances of beating the 2016 Cavaliers.

JR Smith Flames Knicks Fans Comparing Championship-Winning Team to 2016 Cavaliers: “Who is Guarding LeBron James?”

JR Smith on 2016 Cavs vs Knicks this year (Image credits - Firstsportz)

There is no doubt that the 2016 Cleveland Cavaliers, led by LeBron James, and the New York Knicks this year are in the history books. Both teams defied the odds and came out on top in the end.

The Cavs had James, Kyrie Irving, Kevin Love, JR Smith and more, while the Knicks were led by Jalen Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns, OG Anunoby and the rest. James was the Finals MVP in 2016, and this year, Brunson was named the winner.

Recently, a fan suggested that the 2026 Knicks team would beat the 2016 Cavaliers team in a battle between NBA champions and asked who would guard Brunson. The prediction happened to catch the attention of Smith, who did not shy away from clapping back at the fan.

Who is guarding Brunson? Who is guarding LeBron James, huh? I will guard him (Brunson) and then we gonna put Shumpert on him, then what? Then the little guy that everybody swears I don’t like. Who is guarding him? Who is guarding K Love?

JR Smith in his live stream

JR Smith does pose a valid question. The 2016 LeBron James was one of the most complete players the world has ever seen.

The latter remark from Smith about not liking the little guy is a reference to Kyrie Irving. Smith and Irving have had a complicated relationship over the years, and it seemed to have gotten worse when Smith revealed that Irving ghosted everyone when the 2016 Cavs team had a golf reunion.

There is no doubt that the two championship-winning squads have some incredible players. However, James and Irving playing side by side were a force of nature and made it to three consecutive NBA Finals together.

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LeBron James and Jalen Brunson defied the odds during their title runs

The 2016 Cavs will always be remembered for their unbelievable comeback in the NBA Finals. But other than that, they were in red-hot form heading into the Finals just like the Knicks this year.

In 2016, the Cavs clean-swept the Detroit Pistons and Atlanta Hawks in the first two rounds. They extended their winning streak to 10 games before suffering their first postseason defeat, a six-game Eastern Conference Finals loss to the Toronto Raptors, then pulled off a 3-1 comeback against the Golden State Warriors in the NBA Finals.

Meanwhile, the Knicks began slowly in their championship run. They found themselves 2-1 down in the first round against the Hawks before recording clean sweeps over the Philadelphia 76ers and the Cavs in the Eastern Conference Semifinals and Finals, respectively.

The Knicks took their winning streak to 13 games when they took a 2-0 lead over the San Antonio Spurs in the NBA Finals. They won the Finals in just five games and proved their doubters wrong along the way.

The Knicks have some way to go before they can be compared to 2016 Cavs

Just like the Cavs in 2016, the Knicks were not seen as favorites heading into the NBA Finals despite displaying some impressive form. But the Cavs came up against the best regular-season team of all time and defending champions in the Warriors.

The Cavs became the first and only team in NBA history to pull off a 3-1 comeback in the NBA Finals. They reached the NBA Finals for four consecutive years from 2015 to 2018.

Jalen Brunson hoists his Finals MVP trophy
Jalen Brunson hoists his Finals MVP trophy (Image via Fox News Sports/X)

Meanwhile, the Knicks did have a dominant playoff run, but they will need to at least reach the NBA Finals next year if they have to be compared to the Cavs. Last year, they were eliminated in the Eastern Conference Finals in six games, but they have responded to their critics strongly this year. Hence, they have some way to go before they can be compared to the 2016 Cavs squad.

Prior to Brunson’s signing in June 2022, JR Smith was a part of the last Knicks team to win a playoff series in 2013. Smith played for four seasons with the Knicks before moving to the Cavs.

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