Warriors end 40-year Golden State drought, win NBA title

The Golden State Warriors capped a brilliant season with a 105-97 victory over LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers on Tuesday to win the NBA Finals for the first time in 40 years.

The Warriors, the top-seeded team in the playoffs after bringing the best record from the regular season, won the best-of-seven championship series 4-2. The victory made Golden State the first NBA team to win a title behind a roster without any previous finals experience since the 1991 Chicago Bulls.

Stephen Curry, the NBA’s Most Valuable Player of the season, and NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Andre Iguodala had 25 points apiece for Golden State. Draymond Green recorded a triple-double and the Warriors — using a barrage of 3-pointers in the fourth quarter to put Cleveland away — won their first title since 1975 when Gerald Ford was in the White House and disco ruled the dance floor. 

Revived by Curry, their fresh-faced shooting superstar, and bonded by first-year coach Steve Kerr who made them believe, the Warriors played seamlessly.

It's not that James didn't do everything possible. He finished with 32 points, 18 rebounds and nine assists and was dominant throughout the series, showing why he's the world's best player.

Afterward, James sat facing his locker with a towel over his head. Owner Dan Gilbert walked over and spoke to him briefly.

"I'm kind of speechless," Curry said. "This is special. To be able to hold this trophy and all the hard work we've put into it this season, this is special. We're definitely a great team and a team that should go down in history as one of the best teams from top to bottom."

While Golden State's drought ended, Cleveland's half-century of sports misery rolls on. The city's three pro teams — the Cavs, the Browns and the Indians — have gone a combined 144 seasons without one of them winning it all.

But on Tuesday night, the Warriors were finally the better team.

While Golden State had some solid teams in the past, the franchise has been undermined by dysfunction. Along with long playoff gaps, there were bad trades, poor drafts and numerous coaching changes.

Those days are gone. A roster of selfless players bonded under Kerr and have returned basketball glory to Oakland, where plans are afoot for a party.

"I remember coming to Oracle as a player year after year playing against lousy teams," said Kerr, 49-year-old former NBA guard who won three of his five titles as Michael Jordan's teammate in Chicago and two playing for Gregg Popovich in San Antonio. "I could not be happier for our fan base."

Wire services