The final buzzer of Game 4 served to tell the Warriors something they already knew. Golden State was, definitively, the best team in these Finals and the best team in the league. There can be relief for the Warriors in the affirmation of that fact, but no awe—not when Golden State could have been picked as the 2018 championship favorite as far back as 23 months ago. The Warriors' triumph demanded the focus and sacrifice that all NBA titles do. Yet because of the talent involved, their 108-85 win and sweep of the Cavaliers came off as a formality. Many outcomes seem inevitable in retrospect. This one felt like it in the moment. Spin that as an indictment of the Warriors if you will, but Golden State did only what it was supposed to: amass the best talent possible, withstand the forces of division and dominate most every opponent. Kevin Durant again fulfilled his expressed purpose in joining the Warriors. That move was always about his want for titles, or perhaps through it, a want for validation. Durant walks away with the former and a grasp at the latter—a second straight championship and a second straight Finals MVP award. For the Third Time in Three Titles, Stephen Curry’s Greatness Goes Unrecognized That Stephen Curry could have made for an equally worthy Finals MVP tells you all you really need to know about Golden State's gaudy construction. Those are two of the best players the league has ever seen. Draymond Green is nothing short of incredible, and to even argue otherwise requires a willful ignorance. Had Curry not come along, we might be talking about Klay Thompson—who moonlights playing all-league defense—as the greatest shooter of all time. Andre Iguodala, a future Hall-of-Famer, was left wide open by a Cleveland defense with no real alternative. • Dub Nation! Get your copy of SI's Golden State Warriors Champions special commemorative issue here By contrast, it was a minor miracle that the Cavaliers made it this far at all. Cleveland bears the toll of its four straight trips to the Finals in ways that Golden State does not. The Cavs' roster has turned over twice in the last calendar year alone. Contracts given to preserve the Cavs' 2016 championship team now sit heavy on Cleveland's cap sheet—which, ironically enough, might encourage LeBron James to sign elsewhere. Philadelphia's Joel Embiid was already making overtures to James on Twitter ... while Cleveland's final game was still in progress. LeBron looked to be at wit's end by the second half of Game 4, broken by another of the Warriors' third-quarter eruptions. These playoffs were his personal stress test. The Pacers forced James to play harder longer than he ever intended. The Celtics offered him a glimpse of the future while showcasing the failings of the supporting Cavs. The Warriors, in turn, made his limits abundantly clear. Every player has to draw the line somewhere. For James, it comes short of single-handedly toppling a dynasty. What's LeBron's Best Option This Summer? Debating 10 Teams and One Crazy Idea Game 1 of the Finals threw that finding into stark relief. It was then that LeBron's 51 points, eight rebounds and eight assists weren't enough—not with George Hill missing a crucial free throw, JR Smith losing track of the score in the final seconds and Cleveland collectively slumping its shoulders through overtime. James disclosed Friday night that he actually suffered a hand injury following that fateful game—when, in a fit, he struck a whiteboard with such force as to cause a reported bone contusion. "The way we played, the calls that were made, I had emotions that the game was taken away from us," James said, wearing a brace after the Finals concluded. "... [I] pretty much played the last three games with a broken hand." This sort of injury hardly qualifies as an excuse, considering that LeBron doesn't need one. The team he came up against is the sort that can turn JaVale McGee and Nick Young into champions. It can balance the egos of superstars and rely on the contributions of a rookie. It can hold LeBron's Cavs to 35% shooting from the field in an elimination game while gleefully feeding Curry for three-pointer after three-pointer. Successes come in all flavors. This is a bittersweet sort for Cleveland—to come so far in these playoffs and yet to know, as the world did, that the trophy was never at all in its reach. The Warriors had hidden it away.<doc-sep>It is finished. Again. The Golden State Warriors humiliated the rival Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 4, 108-85. They are STILL your reigning, defending, back-to-back National Basketball Association champions. We’ve been called arrogant, lucky, and cheaters by the millions of irrelevant jabronis who have seen their franchises drowned inside the deep, cold waters of the Splash. Here’s a new adjective for those failures to add to their lexicon when speaking of the Warriors’ greatness: greedy. The Golden Empire capped off their arduous 2017-2018 campaign by devouring their Finals opponent in a mere four games. This is the first Finals’ sweep of the Splash Bros era, and it came at the expense of LeBron James and his bumbling cohorts in “The Land.” The bloodbath was effectively complete after Golden State unleashed their usual third quarter artillery barrage to turn the normally raucous Quicken Loans Arena into a hushed burial ground for their overmatched heroes. I have three gold-blooded musings on the BACK2BACK champs and one thoughtful soliloquy on the inevitable burial of the LeBron James era in Ohio. CLEVELAND! THIS BROOM IS FOR YOU! The “3-1 Prophecy” has now been fulfilled. Brothers and sisters, the outcome of these Finals was preordained years ago. Day after day, article after article, I tried to share the good news via Golden State of Mind. But how did I know the title was in the bag? Come, my dear friends, as I tell you of the “3-1 Prophecy.” The 73 win, 2015-2016 Warriors broke at least 30 NBA records that season. Unfortunately, one of those records included the largest blown lead in Finals History, as LeBron James and Kyrie Irving’s Cavs overcame a “3-1” disadvantage. The dream season crashing to such a tragic end was especially painful considering the Warriors were one quarter away from repeating as NBA champions, a feat only six franchises had accomplished at the time. “3-1” became the mocking, venomous meme of derision that was used to torment Dub Nation. It was the sun that burned off the wings of Icarus for daring to fly so high. The injuries and mysterious suspension that plagued the roster during the Finals was written off by thirsty detractors as irrelevant whining. The Cavaliers championship rings had a “3-1” reference. LeBron James threw a Halloween party with dummy versions of the Splash Bros laying in the doorway entrance so people had to step over their bodies, with “3-1” decorations everywhere. “3-1” was also the lead Kevin Durant’s Oklahoma City Thunder blew against the Warriors in the Western Conference Finals the same year. The collapse opened the door for him to leave the dysfunctional partnership he had with Russell Westbrook, and also serve a dire need at the small forward position for the wounded Warriors. The Splash Bros added the “Slim Reaper” to create the Splash Continuum, the greatest collection of basketball talent in the history of the universe. Since then, the Warriors have destroyed the Cavaliers in two straight championship rounds. If you’re keeping score, that brings the series tally to.... “3-1.” I’ll pause as your minds explode. That firey taunt which was originally meant to humiliate us was converted into the fuel necessary to incinerate every other team in the league with gold-blooded fury. That former roadblock is now the foundation by which our dynasty stands. Thanks, haters. You just played yourselves. Now, bend the knee before the one, true, DYNASTY. Unanimous and The Slim Reaper fused into a two-headed monster The Warriors’ two MVP’s seemed to be playing a game within the game against the Cavs in Game 4. Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant took turns assaulting Cleveland’s porous defense, dominating in the flow of the offense, occasionally seeking to land a SportsCenter worthy highlight. Cleveland’s crowd fell into a stunned silence as their proud team, facing elimination, became the practice dummy that “Unanimous” and “The Slim Reaper” demonstrated finishing moves on. Meanwhile, Dub Nation speculated on a potential Finals MVP that hung in the balance. Curry delivered 37 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 steals, and 3 blocks. He shot 12-for-27 from the field, and 7-of-15 from beyond the arc. For the series, he averaged 26 points, 6 rebounds, and just under 7 assists while shooting 40% from the field, 41% from downtown, and a perfect 100% (14-of-14) from the line. While Curry gobbled up points like Pac-Man, Durant flexed the power of his all-around capabilities. He served up 20 points, 12 rebounds, and 10 assists, and 3 blocks of his own. I wonder how Westbrook felt watching KD get a triple-double AND win at the same time. Durant was 7-of-17 from the field, and missed all three shots from deep range. It was quite delightful to watch him in full command, surveying the court, and calmly muscling his way to his favorite spots on the floor. For the Finals, Durant averaged 28.8 points, 10.8 rebounds, 7.8 assists, and 2 blocks. In the end, KD won the Finals MVP, much to the chagrin of NBA Twitter. It amused me that Coach Steve Kerr and both superstars were grilled in the postgame availability about how Curry felt about failing to garner the FMVP honors in his fourth opportunity. It seemed as though the media throng was trying to find any glimmer of envy in Curry’s eyes or to find any crack in the selfless “Strength In Numbers” facade the Warriors carry so proudly. And they found nothing. Per Mark Medina of the Mercury News, KD was effusive in his praise and dismissed the possibility of his point guard being jealous of his second FMVP: “Steph knows he played a great game. Without him, we don’t win. He knows that. I know that. We all know that,” Durant told The Bay Area News Group. “We stand firm in that. So trophies and accolades and praise, that doesn’t matter when we win. We know we’re all contributing something in a special way.” Kerr says Steph isn't worried about who gets MVP pic.twitter.com/FznsyeJVfR — Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) June 9, 2018 Curry himself spoke on his legacy in relation to the Finals MVP that he was so close to winning yet again: “At the end of the day, I’m not going to let a [Finals] MVP trophy define my career,” Curry said. “Three titles. … Wherever that puts us in the conversation in the history of the NBA … I’m a three-time champ.” From Yahoo Sports He is truly a gracious man on a selfless team. HE recruited Durant to come here, knowing he was sacrificing individual honors for championships. But, let’s zoom out a bit and take a look at the bigger picture. If you have two guys who are legit Finals MVP candidates on the same team who love each other and respect the game...your team is probably dominating the Finals. I implore you, brother and sister of Splash, to appreciate the level of greatness the Warriors are displaying year after year. It is rare to have two leading superstars be as unselfish as they are deadly. Fear us, NBA. The Golden Empire is immune to the disease of pettiness that destroys most championship runs in their infancy. Dubpeat seals Dynasty I’ve been preemptively calling the Warriors a dynasty the whole season, much to the chagrin of many virtue signaling worry warts who misguidedly scolded me for my complete faith in this team. (Clearly, they were too blind to read the markings of the “3-1 Prophecy,” but I digress). To actually have sealed the repeat puts the Splash Continuum into rarefied air. They are now the seventh franchise to have won back-to-back championships in NBA history, joining: Crazy how the San Antonio Spurs aren’t on there, huh? Weird. It’s pretty hard to do; can’t blame them for not getting it done, I guess. Anyways, as an Oakland kid who went to Joe Smith’s basketball camp and watched Adonal Foyle speak to the group of children about following their dreams from a wheelchair because his foot was broken...I just wanted the Warriors to make the playoffs! I hated that so many good players came to our team, showed potential, and either bailed or were traded by inept management.<doc-sep>In many ways, the end of the 2018 NBA Finals was very much like the end of the 2017 NBA Finals, except in the ratings for the league and ABC. The similarities saw the Golden State Warriors defeat the Cleveland Cavaliers to win the Larry O’Brien trophy, just like the 2015 champs did last year over the 2016 winners. Once again, Game 4 was held in LeBron James’ house at a packed Quicken Loans Arena. And just like 2017, another magnificent performance by the Warriors’ Kevin Durant saw the forward rightly given the Bill Russell Finals MVP award amid his celebrating teammates’ cheers and the presence of the basketball legend himself. In the process, a bit of NBA history was made as Golden State is the first team to sweep the Finals since 2007, when the San Antonio Spurs schooled the Cavs. Related Story Benedict Cumberbatch On Journey Of 'Patrick Melrose,' More 'Sherlock,' Brexit, 'Dr. Strange' & Pay Equity Transparency However, and there’s the rub, there were some differences — and we’re not just talking President Donald Trump disinviting both the Warriors and the Cavs to the White House. For one thing, last year’s series went to five games, with the Warriors finally winning 129-120 on June 12, 2017 back in the Bay Area. Last night’s Game 4 clincher, was much more of a decimation, as the tipped faves crushed the Cavs 108-85. When it comes to ratings, there was also a difference that might sting for the Disney-owned net and the league almost more than the second loss in a row will for now-free agent James. Snagging a 11.2 in metered market results, last night’s Game 4 won Friday night for ABC but was down 11% from 2017’s Game 4. That Warriors-Cavs matchup, which also was held on the traditionally low-watched end of week, saw Cleveland pull off a comeback 137-116 win. Game 4 of the 2017 NBA Finals went on to draw in 19 million viewers, the third best result of the five-game series. It’s a bit basketballs to apples, but compared to the multi-decade highs of last year’s series-winning Game 5, last night’s series-winning Game 4 was down a hard 30% in the early metrics. That GSW triumph went on to dunk a whooping 24.5 million viewers and an 18-49 rating of 9.0/33. Although Game 4 was down 12% in the metered market ratings from June 6’s Game 3, overall, the four-game 2018 NBA Finals averaged 12.2 in metered market ratings, an uptick of 7% over ABC’s traditional average for the NBA championship series. Game 3 of this year’s Finals brought in a total audience of 17.9 million sets of eyeballs watching on ABC on Wednesday night. Hobbled by a Friday night ender, the last game of the 2018 NBA Finals is not actually that reflective of how well the playoffs fared. In an era where ratings are pretty much down for everyone including the muscular NFL, the NBA was either up or steady right up until last night’s finale – which may be something to build on for next year if the shift in America’s sports interest continues. Otherwise, CBS had an Undercover Boss: Celebrity Edition on last night, Fox wrapped up Phenoms just before the World Cup starts, and the CW had the season finale of My Last Days and Life Sentence. All of which we will update later as well as the final NBA Finals viewership. In the meantime, congratulations to the Warriors, the best in clearly more than the West once again.<doc-sep>
David Liam Kyle/Getty Images After the Golden State Warriors swept the Cleveland Cavaliers to capture the 2018 NBA title, guard Stephen Curry has won not one, not two, but three championships. That's not a subtle shot at LeBron James. However, it's a reminder of who's racking up the rings. The Warriors' recent success under head coach Steve Kerr has been called the Dub Dynasty after knocking off the team with arguably the best player in the league three times for the Larry O'Brien Trophy. On a sweeter note for the champions, aside from the champagne, their core will remain together for at least another season. According to ESPN's Rachel Nichols, forward Kevin Durant intends to re-sign to stay alongside Klay Thompson, Draymond Green and Curry. As for Cleveland, there's uncertainty, which starts with James' decision on a player option. Looking back on the series sweep, it's clear the Cavaliers will need to undergo changes whether the 33-year-old stays or leaves via free agency. Let's take a look at how the Warriors closed the series and what the participants said after the game. Video Play Button Videos you might like Game 4 Result: Warriors 108, Cavaliers 85 The Cavaliers held the lead for short stints during the second quarter but failed to keep pace once the Warriors shifted into another gear in the third quarter, which has been a common trend throughout the postseason, per ESPN Stats & Info: In Game 4, the Warriors shot their lowest percentage from the field (45.3) in any contest this series, but the Cavaliers struggled during the second half. They allowed open looks all over the floor and finished converting just 35 percent of their field-goal attempts. Curry shot 12-of-27 from the field and made seven three-pointers, finishing with 37 points to lead the Warriors in scoring. He made a strong case for NBA Finals MVP, but his off night in Game 3 (11 points) proved too much to overcome when compared to Durant's four-game stretch: Durant goes two-for-two on titles and Finals MVP honors in Golden State. Game 4 Highlights The Warriors didn't show any signs of complacency, which underscores the reason for the sweep. Eager to put a poor shooting performance behind him, Curry scored 12 in the opening quarter to push Golden State off to a fast start: The Warriors outscored the Cavaliers 34-25 in the opening quarter, but Cleveland showed signs of life and took the lead with 7:13 left in the second quarter. Despite a few bright spots here and there, Golden State controlled the game's pace throughout the contest: Thompson experienced early foul trouble, but he contributed to the Warriors' third-quarter barrage that separated the two teams. The Cavaliers started to unravel shortly after halftime: Thompson finished with 10 points on 4-of-10 shooting, but the champions didn't need all of their sharpshooters on target Friday. Cleveland didn't have the firepower from three-point territory or the efficiency from the field to compete in this contest. Game 4 Quotes After James' 51-point performance in Game 1, his scoring totals tapered off. A logical explanation emerged during the postgame press conference: The Cavaliers suffered a crushing 124-114 overtime defeat in the first outing. Tied at 107, George Hill missed a free throw then JR Smith dribbled the clock out. Cleveland still had a chance to win the game in the extra period but fell short. James' emotions after a frustrating loss likely compromised his ability to shoot from a distance. He shot seven three-pointers in Game 1 and only attempted 11 between Games 2-4. Against a Warriors team that scores in bunches, James neutralized himself as a perimeter threat for a majority of the series. He made a bad situation worse at the most critical time of the year. What's next for the Cavaliers' shining star? Whether you believe James or not, his pathway remains undecided. "I have no idea at this point. The one thing that I've always done is consider my family," he said. According to OddsShark, the Los Angeles Lakers, Houston Rockets and Cavaliers rank as the top three in that order. Among the three teams, Cleveland seems like a long shot with a majority of its core and role players on the books for the upcoming season with little trade value. Smith's contract will deal a $14.7 million cap hit and Tristan Thompson's will take $17.5 million, per Spotrac. The team James hopes to knock off doesn't seem concerned with individual awards.