Dub Dynasty: Warriors sweep Cavs for second straight title
LeBron James #23 of the Cleveland Cavaliers reacts as Stephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors looks on in the first half during Game Four of the 2018 NBA Finals. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
CLEVELAND (AP) - Golden State. Golden still.
Stephen Curry scored 37 points, Kevin Durant added 20 and a triple-double and the Warriors stamped themselves a dynasty after winning their second straight NBA title and third in four years Friday night, 108-85 over the Cleveland Cavaliers to complete a sweep and perhaps drive LeBron James from his home again to chase championships.
Overcoming obstacles all season long, the Warriors were not going to be denied and won the fourth straight finals matchup against Cleveland with ease.
Watch Live: Warriors fans celebrate in downtown Oakland
It was the first sweep in the NBA Finals since 2007, when James was dismissed by a powerful San Antonio team in his first one. His eighth straight appearance didn't go well either, and now there's uncertainty where the superstar will play next.
James finished with 23 points and spent the final minutes on the bench, contemplating what went wrong and maybe his next move.
Act IV between the Warriors and Cavs featured a drama-filled and controversial Game 1. But from there on, Durant, Curry, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green and the rest of this California crew showed why they're the game's gold standard.
And they may stay that way.
Not wanting to give the Cavs or their fans any hope despite the fact that no team has ever overcome a 3-0 deficit in the NBA playoffs, the Warriors built a nine-point halftime lead when Curry ignored a closeout by James and dropped a 3-pointer.
Then the league's best team tightened the screws on Cleveland in the third quarter, outscoring the Cavs 25-13 and prompting Golden State fans to begin those drawn-out "War-eee-orrss" chants that provide a perfect musical accompaniment to their 3-point barrages.
By the start of the fourth quarter, the only question was whether Curry would win his first NBA Finals MVP or if it would go to Durant for the second year in a row.
After surviving a rougher-than-usual regular season and beating top-seeded Houston in Game 7 on the road in the Western Conference finals, the Warriors withstood an overtime scare in Game 1 and joined an elite group of teams to win multiple championships in a four-year span.
Only Bill Russell's Boston Celtics, the "Showtime" Lakers and the Los Angeles squad led by Kobe and Shaq, and Michael Jordan's Chicago Bulls have been as dominant in such a short period of time.
The Dub Dynasty.
Parade Information:
Golden State Warriors and the City of Oakland will host a Championship Parade to honor the 2018 NBA Champion Golden State Warriors on Tuesday, June 12 beginning at 11:00 a.m. The parade will begin on Broadway at 11th Street, turning right on 20th Street, turning right on Harrison to 19th Street, and right on Lakeside Drive, ending on Oak and 13th Street.
In lieu of a post-event rally, the Warriors and the City of Oakland have focused their planning efforts solely on creating an interactive parade, the primary element of a championship celebration, where fans will have the opportunity to share in the up-close excitement of the 2018 NBA Championship with the Warriors, their players, coaches, legends and staff.
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