What do you think?
Rate this book
The Comeback: LeBron, the Cavs & Cleveland: How LeBron James Came Home and Brought Cleveland a Championship
This epic homecoming tale recounts one of the greatest Cleveland sports stories ever―how LeBron James and the Cavaliers took fans on a roller coaster ride from despair to hope and, finally, to glory as the 2016 NBA champions. Fans felt gut-punched in 2010 when local hero and MVP LeBron James announced he was leaving the Cavaliers and Northeast Ohio for Miami. The Cavs nose-dived in the standings and struggled to recover. Then, in June 2014, LeBron announced he was coming home. And he had a Lead the Cavaliers to the NBA Finals and give Cleveland its first championship in 52 years. But would LeBron's return be enough to restore his reputation, revive the franchise, and reward the long-suffering fans? Veteran Cleveland sportswriter Terry Pluto tells how it all happened. How LeBron won back fans with a heartfelt message―and savvy PR … How the Cavs' front office crafted a championship-caliber team with a big three of James, Kyrie Irving, and Kevin Love and a bench stocked not only with talent but character and chemistry … How LeBron's added experience from four seasons and two titles in Miami prepared him for this second chance in Cleveland … How the Cavaliers reached the 2016 NBA Finals to face a Golden State Warriors team, led by MVP Stephen Curry, that had just set the NBA record for wins and had vanquished the Cavs in the Finals the previous season … How LeBron and the Cavs, down a historically hopeless three games to one, sparked an unprecedented come-from-behind surge (symbolized by LeBron's superhuman block in Game 7) to stun Golden State and bring home the NBA Championship … And how the ecstatic fans joined the team in a joyful celebration that brought more than a million people together in downtown Cleveland. Pluto tells it all with insightful analysis, extensive front-office details, and a deep empathy for the fans.
256 pages, Paperback
First published October 14, 2016
11 people are currently reading
73 people want to read
About the author
Terry Pluto
48 books50 followersTerry Pluto is a sports columnist for the Plain Dealer. He has twice been honored by the Associated Press Sports Editors as the nations top sports columnist for medium-sized newspapers. He is a nine-time winner of the Ohio Sports Writer of the Year award and has received more than 50 state and local writing awards. In 2005 he was inducted into the Cleveland Journalism Hall of Fame. He is the author of 23 books, including The Curse of Rocky Colavito (selected by the New York Times as one of the five notable sports books of 1989), and Loose Balls, which was ranked number 13 on Sports Illustrateds list of the top 100 sports books of all time. He was called Perhaps the best American writer of sports books, by the Chicago Tribune in 1997. He lives with his wife, Roberta, in Akron, Ohio."
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
March 19, 2019
Started reading before LeBron left again, and I put it down until now. I'm glad I didn't forget about it and that I picked it up and read it start to finish. Another excellent job by Terry Pluto, telling the story of what went on behind the scene as the Cavs and LeBron eventually came together for LeBron's return in 2014 and how the team was built to win Cleveland's first title in over 50 years in 2016.
This is NOT a book about LeBron. It is about the Cavs and their unbelievable 'comeback' as a team and more specifically, in the 2016 NBA finals vs Golden State. Thank you, once again, Terry Pluto.
This is NOT a book about LeBron. It is about the Cavs and their unbelievable 'comeback' as a team and more specifically, in the 2016 NBA finals vs Golden State. Thank you, once again, Terry Pluto.
January 4, 2017
Quick, easy read. and good, informative account of the years leading up to LeBron's return to the Cavs, specifically the front office's dealings during the Miami years, LeBron's Decision broadcast/building his brand, and the overall maturation of LeBron as a player, businessman, and person from his high school years on. Pluto scratches the surface on a little bit of everything LeBron: he interviews his high school coaches and teammates, covers his time with the Cavs in his first Finals, his business decisions that led to his regretful Decision broadcast, his departure to Miami, and his eventual return to Cleveland. Probably the most interesting part of the book is the front office dealings that led to LeBron's return, alongside LeBron's career transformation. Pluto is also great at explaining highly complicated salary tax issues at a much lower level. Though I will say this: Unless you're from Cleveland, or a die-hard LeBron follower, this book probably won't resonate too much, especially since Pluto gets a bit sentimental to lead off and end the book. But if you are interested in LeBron's legacy-in-making without diving into some 500 page biography, this is a solid start. And if you're from Cleveland, this is a 180 page reliving of Cleveland's first championship in fifty years, and who doesn't love that? Go Cavs.
January 8, 2017
First off, let me say I've lived in Cleveland all my life. I was born in 1964. Ive played sports all my life and have faithfully watched the Indians, Browns, and Cavs every season, regardless of their success or lack of it. But I have never seen a major sports championship in this city in my lifetime. I'm not sure, unless you've also lived here the past 52 years, that you can understand what this meant to us in Cleveland.
Terry Pluto has lived through this drought as well. But my main criticism of this book is that it reads more like a collection of separate articles than a tale building up to a city changing event. Yes, there is plenty of insightful commentary and insider knowledge. The book has plenty of that. But it feels a little haphazard in its organization and frequently explains people and relationships it has explained in previous chapters. I know Keith Dambrot coached LeBron in high school. You told us that. Give your audience some credit. It doesn't need to be explained again near the end of the book. This and other similar restatement of already established facts gives the impression each chapter having been written almost as stand alone sections focusing on individual facets of the story, written at different times and in a different order.
Still, the anecdotes and commentary are very worthwhile and Pluto has plenty to say. Well worth a read--especially if you are from Cleveland and a sports fan--though I wish it would flow a little smoother and be a bit less disjointed.
Terry Pluto has lived through this drought as well. But my main criticism of this book is that it reads more like a collection of separate articles than a tale building up to a city changing event. Yes, there is plenty of insightful commentary and insider knowledge. The book has plenty of that. But it feels a little haphazard in its organization and frequently explains people and relationships it has explained in previous chapters. I know Keith Dambrot coached LeBron in high school. You told us that. Give your audience some credit. It doesn't need to be explained again near the end of the book. This and other similar restatement of already established facts gives the impression each chapter having been written almost as stand alone sections focusing on individual facets of the story, written at different times and in a different order.
Still, the anecdotes and commentary are very worthwhile and Pluto has plenty to say. Well worth a read--especially if you are from Cleveland and a sports fan--though I wish it would flow a little smoother and be a bit less disjointed.
January 28, 2018
In The Comeback: LeBron, the Cavs and Cleveland, Cleveland Plain Dealer sports columnist Terry Pluto recounts the events that lead to the 2016 Cleveland Cavaliers overcoming a 3-1 game deficit and dramatically winning the NBA Finals. Pluto begins with LeBron James “Decision” in 2010 to leave the Cavaliers and join forces with fellow NBA stars Chris Bosh and Dewayne Wade in Miami to create a modern super team. Pluto examines the events that led up to James decision to depart and the dark days of the post LeBron Cavaliers. During his four year absence, James found the success he had been searching for in Miami while the Cavaliers toiled and began to acquire the pieces necessary to lure James back to his home town in the summer of 2014. The Comeback is an enjoyable read for any Cavaliers fan to relive the excitement of the championship 2016 season that is filled with insight and details of all the transactions that went into creating such a magical title run. The Comeback does fall short in it feels more like a collection of sports columns than a free flowing book. Some events and introductions of players and coaches feel a little overlapped and jumbled. The 3-1 series championship comeback was many years in the making and definitely a journey worth revisiting.
March 21, 2017
I read pretty much all of Terry Pluto's Cleveland sports columns online, but this book about LeBron and the Cavs was a little underwhelming. Pluto's writing, as always, is simple, fact-based, and direct, and that's one of the reasons I enjoy his articles. A wide readership base might enable some writers to become lazy, relying on opinion-based columns, but Pluto's the type of reporter who prefers to gather statistics and quotes, and he's always looking for new perspectives from fans and former players. This is great for articles, but it doesn't quite work in a full-length book.
Since I've read most of his recent columns on the Cavs, much of the book felt like a rehash of material I'd read before. In addition, the editing seemed a bit sloppy, with repeated anecdotes sometimes occurring even within the same short chapter. But more than anything, I was left feeling like Pluto wrote as a journalist rather than an author, if that makes any sense, and the result is a collection of interesting stories but not a cohesive tale that truly captured the moment.
Still, as much as I was let down by the book, I can't go too low in my review, given the subject matter. Cleveland finally gets its title!
Since I've read most of his recent columns on the Cavs, much of the book felt like a rehash of material I'd read before. In addition, the editing seemed a bit sloppy, with repeated anecdotes sometimes occurring even within the same short chapter. But more than anything, I was left feeling like Pluto wrote as a journalist rather than an author, if that makes any sense, and the result is a collection of interesting stories but not a cohesive tale that truly captured the moment.
Still, as much as I was let down by the book, I can't go too low in my review, given the subject matter. Cleveland finally gets its title!
February 26, 2017
I truly enjoyed reliving the first CLE championship in 52 years. Terry Pluto is my favorite local sportswriter and he did a nice job of recounting all that lead up to LeBron's return to CLE and how the Cavaliers organization achieved their championship goal in two years.
There were a number of historical references that were made more interesting being viewed through the perspective of having won the NBA title years later. Pluto did a nice job of summarizing the comeback in a concise but complete way.
I would say this is required reading for any CLE sports fan. Now ... let's go win another.
There were a number of historical references that were made more interesting being viewed through the perspective of having won the NBA title years later. Pluto did a nice job of summarizing the comeback in a concise but complete way.
I would say this is required reading for any CLE sports fan. Now ... let's go win another.
Read
August 9, 2017This was an in-depth account of the Cavaliers rise to the NBA championship in 2016. Terry Pluto does a great job of bringing the story to life even for those of us who watched every game. There is so much to the story than just game statistics and Pluto brings that out for the reader. This would be an interesting book for people who are not necessarily Cavs fans because it takes the reader inside the world of professional basketball.
October 13, 2019
Great if you're a sports fan. Written like a sports column by a sports columnist. Leaves the reader with the impression that the hero is just another money hungry athlete with a bit of home-town loyalty.
I would have preferred a more detailed account of the craft of basketball by one of the greats. Too redundant for words. If you're already convinced, this one's for you.
I would have preferred a more detailed account of the craft of basketball by one of the greats. Too redundant for words. If you're already convinced, this one's for you.
May 15, 2017
Very solid read covering the six-year period from Lebron's bolt to South Beach in 2010 to the NBA title in 2016.
There were a couple miscellaneous chapters that I could have done without as I didn't feel they really belonged in this story.
But for the most part it was very entertaining.
There were a couple miscellaneous chapters that I could have done without as I didn't feel they really belonged in this story.
But for the most part it was very entertaining.
May 30, 2017
Best Cavs championship book by far...
Although it's the same old facts, the author makes this book their own through thoughtful editorializing and interesting backstories. I appreciate the book skipping to the meatier portions and not outlining every game, series, headline, etc.
Although it's the same old facts, the author makes this book their own through thoughtful editorializing and interesting backstories. I appreciate the book skipping to the meatier portions and not outlining every game, series, headline, etc.
May 1, 2020
No better way to relive the moments of those championship days. This book does such a great job of reminding me of all the things that lead to the championship. I love Terry Pluto's writing because he gets us, Cleveland sports fans.
May 9, 2017
Relive all the emotion of LeBron from his departure from Cleveland to the thrilling 2016 championship! It still gets me all teared up!!!
May 29, 2017
I went in expecting this book to be mostly fluff, not sure why. Turned out to be a good read with a lot of interesting background and inside info.
May 30, 2017
6/25 and first book of the summer. Great details regarding LeBron and the Cavs. Good read to get psyched up for the 2017 Finals!
March 29, 2018
I lived through it so I t was nice to read again but it felt like it was written by an 8th grader
February 22, 2017
Let us be completely honest here, I cannot possibly evaluate this book objectively. Terry Pluto has been one of my favorite sportswriters since the 90's when he was at the Beacon Journal. Not that that actually matters since he's writing about what is without a doubt the greatest sports moment of my life to date, The Comeback (and if you haven't heard that term before, well, you clearly aren't a serious Cavaliers fan).
And yet, despite those advantages, this book isn't completely satisfactory. Too many of the chapters read like independent articles (barely) edited into a book, there is far too much repetition of basic facts. Perhaps even more annoying, despite feeling often unconnected, they also fail to stand on their own. This is not Pluto's best writing. Perhaps he was overwhelmed by the moment (unlike some sports writers, he has never even tried to hide the fact he is a fan), perhaps despite working on this book since The Return too much was rushed to get the book out when the Cavs won it all. I don't know what it is, but the book felt sloppy and disjointed, lacking any kind of a clear narrative. And I didn't really give a damn. I retain just enough objectivity to keep from giving it five stars, but that's the best I can do.
And yet, despite those advantages, this book isn't completely satisfactory. Too many of the chapters read like independent articles (barely) edited into a book, there is far too much repetition of basic facts. Perhaps even more annoying, despite feeling often unconnected, they also fail to stand on their own. This is not Pluto's best writing. Perhaps he was overwhelmed by the moment (unlike some sports writers, he has never even tried to hide the fact he is a fan), perhaps despite working on this book since The Return too much was rushed to get the book out when the Cavs won it all. I don't know what it is, but the book felt sloppy and disjointed, lacking any kind of a clear narrative. And I didn't really give a damn. I retain just enough objectivity to keep from giving it five stars, but that's the best I can do.
February 19, 2017
I'm not much of a sports person but I do believe in trying to read on a variety of different topics. Terry Pluto is thorough, concise and easy to follow. I've read several of his books now and always look forward to reading his newest. This one was especially fun to read because it details an event I honestly never thought I'd see in my lifetime- a national championship trophy. The Cavs won it all, against incredible odds, in 2016. I wouldn't be surprised if there was already a movie script in the works. Pluto states he had been working on this novel for a while, and it must have been rewarding to end it the way he could. He starts with the departure of LeBron James (infamously known as The Decision). He goes through the struggles of the Cavs in the next four years, the return of James, the injury-plagued 2015 championship games and the sweet success of the 2016 victory. Pluto includes scores of interviews and articles from players, coaches and even has a chapter dedicated to fan's reactions during Game 7. I'm sure Cavs fans will want to get this book so they can relive the joy of breaking the 52-year drought of national championships with the sports trinity of pro football, baseball and basketball.
February 26, 2017
As a Cleveland sports fan, I always enjoy Terry Pluto's writing and his endless optimism. This book, however, fell a bit flat for me. Perhaps it's because I'm already too familiar with the recent history of the Cleveland Cavaliers and this book didn't offer much in the way of new revelations. I almost gave it two stars, but how can you only give two stars to a book about a Cleveland championship?
February 28, 2017
True Cavs fans will enjoy reliving the chase for the championship.
December 27, 2016
Spine-tingling to remember... but a missed opportunity
The author can write. He was there for all the key moments in Cleveland's unforgettable 2016 NBA title campaign. And he obviously has great contacts around the Cavaliers organisation. But overall this feels rushed - like a bunch of columns hastily pasted together to capitalise on a warm afterglow rather than a carefully crafted narrative of one of the most compelling comebacks in recent sporting history. This is most frustrating when the same facts are constantly repeated within pages or even paragraphs of each other. This is my main gripe; the other, the constant use of short sentences, is something I accept is pretty much standard among sportswriters these days. Doesn't mean I like it though.
The author can write. He was there for all the key moments in Cleveland's unforgettable 2016 NBA title campaign. And he obviously has great contacts around the Cavaliers organisation. But overall this feels rushed - like a bunch of columns hastily pasted together to capitalise on a warm afterglow rather than a carefully crafted narrative of one of the most compelling comebacks in recent sporting history. This is most frustrating when the same facts are constantly repeated within pages or even paragraphs of each other. This is my main gripe; the other, the constant use of short sentences, is something I accept is pretty much standard among sportswriters these days. Doesn't mean I like it though.
November 26, 2016
A fine piece of journalism once again by Terry Pluto. Every Clevelander who lived through LeBron's wonderful homecoming story, and subsequent leading the Cavs to the city's first sports championship in 52, will enjoy this!
Get behind the scenes stories about how Dan Gilbert and company made LeBron's return possible by rebuilding the Cavaliers during the year's he was in Miami.
Simply put, this was a fun read!
Get behind the scenes stories about how Dan Gilbert and company made LeBron's return possible by rebuilding the Cavaliers during the year's he was in Miami.
Simply put, this was a fun read!
February 8, 2017
Terry Pluto did an awesome job remembering the history of our CAVS.
October 26, 2019
I have read most of Terry Pluto's sports books and have found them all to be informative, entertaining reads. This book had a lot of behind the scenes info especially regarding LeBron's departure from and return to the Cavs. The only beef I have is that several facts/stories were repeated several times throughout the book, in one case only a page apart.
April 26, 2017
There seemed to be a lot of repetition in the writing as if the author thought the reader would forget what they read in a previous chapter. Example: Yes, I know Dru Joyce III is the son of Dru Joyce II. Why do you keep on telling me this fact? Maybe Terry needed to meet a certain word count or something... Go Cavs!
May 2, 2017
Terry Pluto is a wonderful sports writer who clearly loves Cleveland. If you're a Cleveland sports fan, read this book. It definitely helped explain some backstory that I was unaware of. Simple, fact-based writing, but overall enjoyable.
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews