PHOTO: Cavs unfurl 'There's always this year' banner, LeBron bows to Jim Brown

There's always next year.

That's what they've been telling themselves for 51 years in Cleveland, where the city hasn't celebrated a major sports championship since the Cleveland Browns won the 1964 NFL championship (pre-Super Bowl era).

With LeBron James and his Cavaliers returning home and needing only three wins to secure the franchise's first title, however, Cleveland is no longer looking towards the future.

That Nike-emblazoned banner was part of a raucous pre-Game 3 atmosphere at Quicken Loans Arena, which included a video tribute to the retiring Shawn Marion and a deafening introduction for James.

Prior to Game 3 tipping off, James showed his respect to a courtside Browns legend from that 1964 championship team.