The Golden State Warriors have won the 2017 NBA championship after defeating the Cleveland Cavaliers 129-120 in game five on the NBA Finals Monday night. Kevin Durant finished the game with 39 points, seven rebounds, and five assists while being named the Finals MVP. Steph Curry finished the game with a double-double notching 34 points, and 10 assists as well as grabbing six rebounds. The Warriors now finish with 16-1 playoff record, with their only loss being in game 4 against the Cavaliers.
On the losing side, Lebron James finished with 41 points, 13 rebounds, and eight assists. James has become the first player in NBA history to average a triple-double in the Finals, averaging 33.6 ppg, 12.0 RPG, and 10.0 apg.
This is the first title for Kevin Durant, Durant averaged 35.2 points, 8.4 rebounds, 5.4 assists, and 1.6 blocks the entire series. Durant prior finals were against a then Lebron James-led Miami Heat in 2012 but lost in 5 games.
The is Golden State’s second title in three years and their 5th overall. The Warriors won in 2015 against the Cavaliers in six games and then lost the next year against the Cavaliers in seven games after being up three games to one.
Durant’s decision has come around full circle. After losing to Golden State last year in the Western Conference Finals after being up three games to one as well, Durant decided to join the Warriors in the offseason.
Many people considered this move weak since Durant joined a team the just beat him while Golden State had a record-breaking season winning 73 games beating the 1995-1996 Chicago Bulls record of 72 wins, a record that was held for around two decades. With Durant winning the title and being the best player in the finals, is Durant’s decision now validated with this championship win?
