Always Fighting // Kyrie Irving

2016 NBA Finals - Game One

Kyrie- 

I shake out my body, my legs bouncing up and down in excitement. I should be standing still, they're playing the national anthem after all. But I can't think straight, let alone focus on the famous words. My mind is scattered with thoughts that push and shove each other for dominance, and as soon as one takes control a bigger, stronger one comes along. 

Back in the bay.

Game one.

Don't get hurt. 

Play hard. 

Sabrina. 

It's strange to know that this is all I have left, after 82 regular season games and 14 games in the playoffs, it's all led up to this moment right here. And that after this series is done, it's back to the grind of off season. All of our work goes into the moment right here and it is the most mind blowing and captivating realization. 

Announcements are a blur, everything is, actually. Until we tip-off. Then it's game time. Everything becomes crystal clear once the ref blows the whistle and we run down the court after Curry. Sneakers already make that satisfying squeaking sounds as players call switches and we chase to stay on our man. 

With TT trying to outbox Bogut, I see J.R picking up Draymond as he releases a three. Golden State being Golden State, the crowd starts to cheer as the shot leaves his hands, but he misses and you can hear a collective breath being sucked from the stands. 

Our turn. Time to show what we can do. We push the pace down the court and I set a screen so LeBron can go the basket, but he slips the ball to me and I quick throw it out to Kevin who drains a three. Told you. Three's might be Golden State's specialist, but we're pretty damn good as well. 

Back on the other end, Thompson can't stop Bogut's drive to the basket and slips the ball up and into the basket from a pass from Draymond. 

Back and forth we go, trading baskets and misses and occasionally, turnovers. I blink my eyes rapidly in a failed attempt to get rid of the sweat that already threatens to drip down my face. 

We manage to stay close the first quarter, the Warriors only leading by four. Ty Lue, like usual, tells us he likes the tempo but we need to play harder. Despite his command, we start to slip offensively in the second quarter, going down by as much as fourteen before holding them to only a nine point entering the half time break. 

Draping a towel over my neck, I scan the crowd for where Sabrina told me she would be sitting, but I should have learned from last year it's too crowded for me to find one person. She is drowning in a sea of yellow and blue jerseys and there's no way I'm going to find her maroon Irving one. 

Sabrina- 

Coming from a Cleveland fan surrounded by DubNation, the third quarter was the most exciting quarter in the game. Even Dani, who sat next me rather shamefully in her Kevin Love jersey, was rather invested in the Cars climbing comeback. That is, after I told her no one would recognize her as someone who was supposed to be a Golden State fan. She admits it was kind of fun as the Cavs forced and for some moments, actually led the game, and the crowd would slowly grow quieter with each basket. Especially when Thompson slammed down an alley oop dunk to give us the lead. 

Also coming from a Cleveland fan surrounded by DubNation, the fourth quarter sucked. As Golden State climbed to a 89- 104 win. I watch carefully as Kyrie leaves the floor to see his reaction so it will give me some clue as to how to respond when I see him. Obviously, you want to win game one, but we knew that playing the first game of the Finals in Oracle would be a challenge. Is he despondent? Or excited for game two to arrive so he can have another shot? He doesn't hang his head, instead slapping his teammates on the back as they walk down the path to their locker room.  

After waiting for what feels like forever, I slip my lanyard over my head and drag Dani through the crowd of people and into the Cavs tunnel. Kyrie gave this to me a few days ago so I could find him in the locker room without needing an escort. I scan the room full of security showing the pass to all who ask and looking for Neil. I finally see the broad shouldered guard standing like a sentry by what I assume is the locker room and rush over. It takes him a second, but then recognition washes over his face. Yeah, I'm the girl Kyrie asked him to find. 

"Sabrina, right?" He asks, motioning towards me, though there is no else he could really be talking to. I nod my head in answer. 

"Is- is Kyrie still back there?" 

"He just left to go talk to the media," He pauses and stares at Danielle and I for a moment. "You can't go in to the media center, but if you wanted you could wait in the hallway. The door is left open so you could technically see him." I barely restrain myself from giving him a hug and instead ask for directions to the room. 

When we arrive, Kyrie is just sitting down at the podium. The first media member asks him a useless question as to whether or not he thought Draymond intentionally kicked him in the face. As an audience member, yes I want to know what Kyrie thought of that, but as Kyrie's girlfriend, I can't help but roll my eyes. Ask him something that actually matters, that actually has meaning, that actually has depth. 

"Back left, third row down," I head someone say and Kyrie eyes flit around the room looking for the next person. He sees me then and a small smile tugs at the corner of his mouth, his eyes brighten before his focus is drawn back to the next question. When he looks at me again I mouth "news sharks," and roll my eyes, which causes him to momentarily stutter in his words. Whoops. He recovers nicely and continues on. 

Seven minutes. This goes on for seven minutes and by the time that one person says 'final question' I can see Ky is tired. He cups his hands around his lips and mouths the words "locker room," to me. I know what it means and drag Danielle back to where we started. 

I'm a little hesitant walking into a guys locker room, but seeing as female assistants are running back and forth, I assume everyone must be decent. Beside, Kyrie will be here soon. We slip through the frosted glass door and into the locker, standing against the wall by Ky's stuff. 

That's when Kevin walks out of the shower, with only a white towel covering his waist. Dani stifles a gasp but her eyes are glued to his bare chest, still covered with droplets of water. I jab her in the waist trying to bring her focus away from Kev, but he notices us before it works. He smiles a sort of watered down smile and completely unlike the usual Kevin grin and starts walking towards. 

Oh, please, no. 

"Hey, Sabrina," He says, drying his hair with an additional towel. I'm a little caught of guard by the proximity of his naked body, but not nearly as much as Dani. Probably because I have a boyfriend who Kevin can't even begin to compare to and she is single. And in love with him. There's that little detail, too. 

"I'm sorry about the loss, Kev. You really did play well, though."

"Not well enough," is all he says. Then he looks at Dani for the first time and I'm honestly scared she's going to faint. "You must be Sab's friend, right? Ky mentioned she was bringing someone along. I'm Kevin, but you know that already," He motions to her jersey and then sticks his hand out for a handshake. She stares at it for a second before taking his hand. With a smile that doesn't reach his eyes, he leaves us just as Kyrie comes in. 

I pull Ky into a hug the second he gets over to us.

"It's okay, Babe," I say. "It's one game. We got this. I promise." He nods his head and releases me after pecking my lips lightly and then glances over at Danielle. 

"Is she okay?" he asks, seeing her face, which is somehow both as white as a ghost's and furiously pink.

I burst out into laughter and motion for him to lean forward so I can whisper. 

"No. She just met a naked Kevin Love."