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The Cavs hung an interesting photo outside the Warriors' locker room on Christmas

Dan Devine
·Senior NBA writer

LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers weren’t about to let the Golden State Warriors forget that they blew a 3-1 lead in the 2016 NBA Finals on Halloween. Why would they be willing to do it on another holiday?

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Ahead of Christmas Day’s marquee matchup between the combatants in the last two NBA Finals, Tom Withers of The Associated Press brought us this view of what was across from the visitor’s locker room at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland:

In the incredibly unlikely event that you’re unfamiliar with what you’re looking at, that’s “The Block” — LeBron James’ chasedown annihilation of Andre Iguodala’s layup with just under two minutes left in Game 7 of the Finals, the play that kept the score knotted at 89 and set the stage for Cleveland to win the game, and the championship, in the closing seconds. That’s not all it is, though.

Let’s take a closer look at the image, shall we?

We didn't realize players were allowed to wear rings on the court. (Screencap via @TWithersAP)
We didn’t realize players were allowed to wear rings on the court. (Screencap via @TWithersAP)

Yep: that’s the Cavaliers’ 2016 championship ring on LeBron’s left ring finger as he pins Iggy’s hopes and dreams. Dang.

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Sure, LeBron having the jewelry on when he swatted Iguodala isn’t historically accurate. But history’s written by the winners, and while the Warriors and Cavs both seem eager to downplay Christmas Day’s most anticipated contest as just another game between two good teams rather than the extension of a rivalry or a “Game 8,” Cleveland certainly doesn’t seem to be making any bones about having earned that mantel last time around … or feeling any compunction about engaging in a bit of knife-twisting, artistic-license-invoking photo editing in the process.

And now, we wait for the stories about certain Dubs finding the Cavs’ Photoshop work “disrespectful.” NBA pettiness: the holiday gift that keeps on giving!

Hat-tip to SB Nation.

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Dan Devine is an editor for Ball Don’t Lie on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at devine@yahoo-inc.com or follow him on Twitter!