The 2015 NBA Finals have been a slugfest.
Some have even debated who will win the series MVP award. After all, the award typically goes to a player on the winning team, but LeBron James — whose team, the Cleveland Cavaliers, is down 3-2 in the best-of-seven and may not win the series — has led all players statistically speaking, The Daily Beast reported.
But the true MVP of the NBA’s premier event may not be a player on the court, but rather an onlooker from the sidelines. In fact, moms, of all people, have played a significant role cheering on their sons for both Cleveland and Golden State during the Finals and have been great sources of motivation and support for the athletes.
Here are four times moms played a significant role in the NBA Finals this year:
Sonya Curry celebrates her son
On Sunday night, the Warriors and Cavaliers found themselves in a deadlock with the series tied at two games apiece. But NBA MVP Curry stepped up his game Sunday night and nailed 3-pointer after 3-pointer to earn the victory for his team.
And his mom loved it, according to The Score. Sonya Curry was caught on camera dancing and celebrating her son’s prolific achievements, which included a long-range 3-pointer to seal the game, The Score reported.
SEE MORE: Riley Curry and 9 other sports kids who stole our hearts
LeBron gets a kiss from the heart
For the majority of the series, LeBron has had to lead his team to victory by making sacrifices for his teammates. One of those sacrifices led to him smashing his head into a camera after jumping for a rebound, SB Nation reported.
Luckily, though, LeBron’s mom, Gloria Marie James, was there to ease the pain with a kiss on the cheek.
Draymond Green’s mom and grandma had a message for him
Through the first three games of the series, Golden State forward Draymond Green berated the referees for the calls they made, according to the Bleacher Report. But Green’s mom and grandma kept him level-headed and told him not to yell at the officials so much, according to the Bleacher Report.
“My mom and my grandma told me I'm crying too much,” Green said in a postgame interview. “Leave the officials alone and just play. They've got you out there looking like you're a punk and don't know how to play basketball.”
The Cavs’ owner’s mom makes a statement
It’s not just the players’ moms who are cheering on the teams. Bleacher Report reported that Cleveland Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert’s mom offered some advice to the Cleveland-based team on what it needed to do to beat Golden State. Her advice included stopping Golden State’s extensive 3-point shooting and grabbing rebounds, according to Bleacher Report.
Here’s my take on the Upcoming @cavs vs Warriors Finals Series pic.twitter.com/evCK7AA9j0
— Shirley Gilbert (@CavsDansMom) June 1, 2015
And my 3rd observation on the Finals pic.twitter.com/Yzn2GMvRsQ
— Shirley Gilbert (@CavsDansMom) June 1, 2015
Some advice for @KingJames and @KyrieIrving pic.twitter.com/4yTc7Uahuz
— Shirley Gilbert (@CavsDansMom) June 1, 2015
Related links:
LeBron James is in the NBA Finals. Would winning make him Cleveland’s prodigal son?
Why did this Muslim NBA player skip the national anthem?
Kawhi Leonard, NBA’s top defender, donates car to children’s charity
Herb Scribner is a writer for Deseret News National. Send him an email at hscribner@deseretdigital.com or follow him on Twitter @herbscribner.