Durant & Golden State Warriors are NBA Champions!
Wardell Stephen Curry II added 34 points, 10 assists and six rebounds as Golden State closed out its second title in three years after squandering a 3-1 lead a year ago. That stung ever since, and even Durant understood, because he gave up the same lead to the Warriors a round earlier with Oklahoma City.
James, who in 2012 with Miami beat the Thunder in Durant's only other Finals, wound up with 41 points, 13 rebounds and eight assists.
Kyrie A. Irving followed up his 40-point gem in Game 4 with 26 points but shot 9 for 22.
This time, King James gave way to KD, who was the NBA Finals MVP 10 years after being picked second in the NBA draft behind Greg Oden.
Dynamic Durant
Durant drove left, right and down the middle, knocked down 3-pointers, dished and dunked. He hit a 17-foot fadeaway over James early in the fourth quarter, then assisted on a 3-pointer by Andre Iguodala the next time down as the Warriors pulled away.
Iguodala, the 2015 Finals MVP, came up big again with his 2017 postseason-best 20 points off the bench in a testy, tightly called finale to this trilogy Finals that everyone had stamped on the calendar from the moment Durant departed Oklahoma City to join Curry and Co. last July.
GSW’s style of play was key- Parillon
Local Basketball “Guru” Steve E. Parillon commented that the style of play adopted by Golden State Warriors was key to their victory.
“It’s always hard to beat a team with movement and multiple All Star players and it’s even tougher to defend against,” noted Parillon.
“Cleveland had to rely too much on Lebron James and Kyrie Irving on the offensive side and the pair also had to defend against the two best GSW players.”
Overall Parillon, the VI’s own Mr Basketball, who was named MVP of the 2016 Hon Julian Fraser Save the Seed Basketball League, was happy for MVP Durant, but noted the King (Lebron) will be back!
GWS was ‘the better team’
Another local basketball star, Killven M. Samuel, the MVP for the 2016 Virgin Gorda Summer League, said the Cavs “fought and fought” but Golden State was just the better team.
“They been consistent all year and it showed in the finals, whereas Cavs were up and down coming to the end of the regular season.”
Samuel believes this off season, the Cavaliers should try to acquire Paul George or Jimmy Butler “because it will give them more versatility both on offense and defense.”
15 Responses to “Durant & Golden State Warriors are NBA Champions!”
This finals turned out to be fantastic. Thank you Dubs and Cavs.