The Cleveland Cavaliers shocked the world when they came back from a 3-1 deficit to defeat the Golden State Warriors in the 2016 NBA Finals to win their very first title. Unknown to many, the Cavs championship squad had a particular routine that helped them overcome the jitters and allowed them to perform better on the court.

Via Taylor Rooks on Zach Lowe's podcast:

“I’ve talked to Channing Frye about it, and he said that when he played, he could not play unless he took a big dump before the game, and there was a lot of Cavaliers that did it,” Rooks said. “A lot of players feel like they have to poop before the games because it’s like it makes them lighter, they move better. I’m telling you that there’s something there in that story. People have very specific routines.”

“So you’re telling me Channing Frye does this,” responded Lowe. “A lot of the Cavaliers did it. So the 2016 Cavaliers rally from a 3-1 deficit to win the title, and you hear all these stories about how Channing Frye really changed the team’s culture in a midseason trade. They had this puzzle where after every game they have this ritual where they’re putting a puzzle piece into the puzzle, and really all it comes down to was somehow they all discovered, ‘We all need to go to the bathroom before the game.’ This is why they won the championship.”

Channing Frye was acquired by the Cavs from the Orlando Magic in exchange for Jared Cunningham and a second-round pick midway through the season to address their need for a veteran big man. He went on to contribute more off the court as his presence ultimately effectuated the team's locker room and helped brought them together amid their struggles.

After an abrupt head coaching change in the middle of the season, the Cavaliers went on to finish an impressive regular season run with a 57-25 record heading to the postseason. They easily dispatched their first-round opponents in the Detroit Pistons with a 4-0 rout followed by another sweep handed to the Atlanta Hawks.

The Cavs imposed their will against the Toronto Raptors in six outings to advance to the Finals where they overcame the Warriors in seven games to end the city's longstanding championship drought.

As weird as it gets, the players' pre-game routine eventually paid dividends and ultimately allowed them to make their own mark in league history.