The Golden State Warriors won the NBA title for the fourth time in eight years, beating the Boston Celtics 103-90 on Thursday.
Stephen Curry was named the NBA Finals Most Valuable Player as the Warriors won their seventh title. After a run of five consecutive finals, a plummet to the bottom of the NBA, and a return to greatness, this one completed a journey like no other.
Curry said that the Warriors found a way to just get it done. Our experience is part of that. This was built for over a decade. That's a big deal when you get to this stage.
It is a fourth championship for Curry, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green, and the rest of the Warriors. Golden State made five trips to the finals in a row and won three of the four rings.
Changes in rosters and injuries caused everything to change. The Warriors were back this season after Thompson's return.
It's back on top. The Celtics would have broken a tie with the Los Angeles Lakers for the most in league history if they had won the title.
It was a different story for the Warriors when they played the Raptors in the finals than it was when they played them a year ago, when Kevin Durant and Klay Thompson tore theirACLs and the Raptors won the title.
The aftermath of that loss was made worse by the fact that KD left that summer in free agency to join the Brooklyn Nets and Thompson had an injured knee.
Thompson said that it all worked out. A lot of tears were shed. To see it in real time is crazy.
The Golden State team went into a rebuild. The Warriors used their two-year hiatus from the NBA's biggest stages to retool their roster, which included a past No. 1 draft pick and another rising star.
All of a sudden, it all clicked. Golden State coach Steve Kerr has won nine titles as a player and coach. He is the sixth coach to win at least four titles.
The Celtics had a player with 34 points. Al Horford increased his count. He shot just 6 of 18 from the field. When committing 16 or more turnovers, Boston dropped to 1-8 in the playoffs.
It was the fifth defeat in 22 title series appearances for Boston, which turned its season around to have a chance at this crown. Boston went on a tear to get to the finals and almost won its second championship in 26 years.
It was the third season in a row where things were affected by the global COVID-19 Pandemic, and while things were closer to normal, pictures and video of the championship celebration will serve as a constant reminder of the issue.
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver was in the league's health and safety protocols, so he wasn't able to attend the game. The Warriors were given the Larry O'Brien trophy instead of the NBA champion.
Boston trailed by 22 points at one point but went on a 16-4 run in the third quarter to get back in the game.
The Warriors never relinquished the lead despite the Jaylen Brown 3-pointer.
There are tips.
The Warriors went 19 of 45 from 3-point range.
Ray Allen was a member of Boston's last championship team. Robert Parish was there as well.
There is a run and a response.
The Celtics got off to a great start, taking a 14-2 lead in the first quarter.
Golden State responded with a 35-8 run that spanned into the second quarter and gave them a 22 point lead. Some Celtics fans booed the home team at the end of the first half as they left the court, as the Warriors built a 54-39 lead.
In the third, Boston fought back, but the Warriors were able to connect on six 3-pointers.
That's right.
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