"Ballin bigger than LeBron, they said" comment explained: Why Rihanna's caption for LeBron James was an open dig at Steph Curry
LeBron James led the Cleveland Cavaliers to one of the biggest upsets in sports history in 2016. James' Cavaliers roared back from a 3-1 deficit in the NBA Finals to beat the 73-9 Golden State Warriors.
After Game 7 of that series, Rihanna posted on her Instagram account a photo of a frustrated Steph Curry with the caption:
“‘Ballin bigger than LeBron’ they said”
The Golden State Warriors looked unbeatable during the 2015-16 season. They seemingly lost only because they were bored with the competition. Most basketball fans expected them to sweep the entire playoffs for their back-to-back championships.
The Cleveland Cavaliers, meanwhile, had a 57-25 record that year. They picked up their level of play, however, when the playoffs started. The Cavaliers dusted off the Detroit Pistons and the Atlanta Hawks in sweeps.
The Cavaliers battled the more competitive Toronto Raptors in the Eastern Conference Finals. They lost two games before ruling the East once more. Rihanna caused a sensation after Game 2 when he posted a sizzling photo of herself on Instagram and tagged LeBron James.
The Golden State Warriors, on the other hand, suddenly looked vulnerable. They lost a game each to the Houston Rockets and the Portland Trail Blazers in the first two rounds.
The OKC Thunder, behind Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook, gave the vaunted Warriors a huge scare in the Western Conference Finals. OKC raced to a 3-1 series lead before a titanic collapse broke the Durant-Westbrook partnership.
The Golden State Warriors, however, seemed to return to their deadly selves in the 2016 NBA Finals. LeBron James and Kyrie Irving looked clueless about how to stop the juggernauts as the Warriors promptly grabbed a 3-1 edge.
Basketball fans started calling for the demise of "King James," particularly with the way Steph Curry was playing. They were calling it the changing of the guard, especially after the Warriors beat the Cavaliers in the 2015 NBA Finals.
LeBron James refused to give up and turned the series around with a Game 5 victory, partly because of Draymond Green's suspension. It was the beginning of the end for the Warriors as the Cavaliers completed a stunning upset of the greatest regular-season team in NBA history.
Today in 2016, the Golden State Warriors beat the Cleveland Cavaliers 108-97 to take a 3-1 lead in the NBA Finals. Cavs would go on to win in 7 games.
#TodayInSports #NBA #NBATwitter
https://t.co/Xqi0pSRqeH
Steph Curry would later tip his hat off to James and Irving for putting up a performance unlike anything he had seen before. Rihanna couldn't resist rubbing it in Curry's face with the aforementioned post.
LeBron James and Rihanna were at the Super Bowl LVII
LeBron James and "RiRi" attended Super Bowl LVII pitting the Kansas City Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles. "King James" was one of the millions of spectators while Rihanna headlined the halftime show.
James was with his wife Savannah and never made a comment about "RiRi's" captivating performance. Last year at the SoFi Stadium, the LA Lakers superstar called the halftime performance the "greatest ever."
The basketball superstar even caught media attention with his perfect singing of "50 Cent's" "In Da Club." He was seen drinking, dancing and soaking in the atmosphere of Super Bowl LVI.