LeBron James and Kevin Love. Thompson came off the bench for most of the season, providing energy and solidifying his place as one of the best offensive rebounders in the league, averaging 8.5 points and 8 rebounds per game. He played in all 82 games and started 15. The Cavaliers finished with a 53–29 record and made the playoffs for the first time since 2010. Early in the first round, Kevin Love dislocated his shoulder and was ruled out for the rest of the post-season. Thompson became the starter after Love's injury and helped the Cavaliers reach the 2015 NBA Finals. The Cavaliers faced the Golden State Warriors, and lost the series in six games. During the playoffs, Thompson emerged as one of the NBA's best rebounders, especially on the offensive glass. He became a restricted free agent after the season. 2015–16 season: Championship season On October 22, 2015, Thompson re-signed with the Cavaliers on a five-year, $82 million contract, ending a four-month contract stalemate that caused Thompson to miss training camp, the preseason, and the FIBA Americas Championship. Throughout the 2015–16 season, Thompson shared the starting center role with Timofey Mozgov. On January 25, 2016, he recorded a season-high 19 points and 12 rebounds in a 114–107 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves. On March 26, in a win over the New York Knicks, Thompson tied Jim Chones' franchise record by appearing in his 361st consecutive game for the Cavaliers. He broke that record three days later, appearing in his 362nd consecutive game in a loss to the Houston Rockets. Thompson helped the Cavaliers reach the NBA Finals for the second consecutive season. There they made NBA history by coming back from a 3–1 deficit against the Golden State Warriors to win the series in seven games, ending a 52-year championship drought in Cleveland. 2016–17 season On December 26, 2016, in a loss to the Detroit Pistons, Thompson became the first player in franchise history to play in 400 consecutive regular-season games. On April 5, 2017, Thompson missed the Cavaliers' game against the Boston Celtics with a sprained right thumb. Thompson's absence ended his streak of consecutive games played at 447—the longest in team history and the longest active streak in the league at the time. He missed four games with the injury before returning to action in Cleveland's regular-season finale on April 12 against the Toronto Raptors. Thompson helped