The Cleveland Cavaliers are NBA champions for the first time in franchise history following a 93-89 victory over the Golden State Warriors in Game 7 of the finals.
First Quarter | Cleveland 23, Warriors 22
Second Quarter | Warriors 49, Cavaliers 42
Third Quarter | Warriors 76, Cavaliers 75
Fourth Quarter | Cavaliers 93, Warriors 89
Stephen Curry’s postgame interview after losing to the Cavaliers in the NBA Finals
LeBron James’ postgame interview after winning his third NBA title
LeBron James named the NBA Finals MVP
Warriors and Cavaliers tied at 89-89 with just over a minute left
Cavaliers go the distance to become NBA champions and defeat the Warriors, 93-89, in Game 7
The city of Cleveland can exhale. There’s finally a sports moment to celebrate.
The Cavaliers defeated the Golden State Warriors, 93-89, to win their first NBA championship and create spontaneous joy in one of the nation’s saddest sports cities.
It was tough, historically so, as the Cavaliers became the first team to come back from a 3-1 deficit to win the NBA Finals.
It happened Sunday at Oracle Arena. It really did, Cleveland.
LeBron James had 27 points, 11 rebounds, 11 assists and an emphatic blocked shot in the final minutes that snuffed out Andre Iguodala’s apparent fastbreak layup.
James outdueled Golden State’s Stephen Curry, who was limited to 17 points on six-for-19 shooting, including two failed off-balance three-point shots in the final minutes.
There had been no championship celebrations in Cleveland since the Browns won the 1964 NFL title. The Cavaliers hadn’t done it in 45 previous years of existence.
Championship delivered, Cleveland.
Stephen Curry goes deep to tie the game, then Klay Thompson gives the Warriors a late lead
Draymond Green is back at it
Do you #Believeland?
Warriors lead Cavaliers 76-75 entering the fourth quarter
Baseball and basketball, intertwined
Hello, folks. Checking in at Oracle Arena after covering the Angels’ victory over the A’s just across the plaza here in Oakland this afternoon. The Angels are already on a plane to Houston. A few of them considered staying just for this game and flying on their own tomorrow but opted against it when they saw ticket prices.
Funny thing about the Angels and Warriors — the Angels also left town the night the Warriors won their 73rd game in April. The day before, a bunch of Angels visited the Warriors’ practice in downtown Oakland and played modified versions of horse. Joe Smith, an Angels reliever, actually beat Stephen Curry in P-I-G. Of course, his teammates have been talking about it ever since then.
They did not visit practice this time. Oh, and this game’s been fun, huh?
Kyrie Irving trying to put the Warriors away in the third quarter
Cleveland leads the Warriors, 70-63, with 4 minutes left in the third quarter.
More photos from Game 7 of the NBA Finals
Stephen Curry is here, folks. Warriors lead Cavaliers, 59-54
Hello there, Klay Thompson, have you met J.R. Smith?
Klay Thompson is the Warriors’ second-leading scorer behind Draymond Green (22 points) after scoring five points to open the third quarter.
However, Cleveland forward J.R. Smith is really heating up after hitting back-to-back three-pointers and a 21-foot jumper. The Cavaliers have climbed out of an eight-point hole to even the game at 54.
Smith and LeBron James both lead the Cavaliers with 12 points apiece with 7 minutes and 50 seconds left in the third quarter.
Box score: Warriors 49, Cavaliers 42
Draymond Green’s 22 points give Warriors a 49-42 advantage over the Cavaliers at halftime
Draymond Green is playing like he can’t imagine losing Game 7. Or hates the Cavaliers. Or missed Game 5 because of a controversial flagrant foul on LeBron James.
Whatever it is, the Warriors’ position-less spark plug scored 22 first-half points and led his team to a 49-42 halftime lead.
Green shot 5-for-5 from three-point range, 8-for-10 overall and also finished the half with six rebounds, five assists and two steals.
In his previous three games in this NBA Finals — which excludes Game 5 at Oracle Arena — Green scored a total of 23 points and was criticized for being largely ineffective. But he came out firing at Oracle on Sunday, and the Warriors followed his lead.
Looking to avoid a historic collapse on the heels of a historic 73-9 regular season, the Warriors made 10 first-half threes on 21 attempts to push ahead of the Cavaliers. Green was at the center of the effort. Don’t expect him to go away.
Follow Jesse Dougherty on Twitter @Dougherty_Jesse
Stephen Curry has three fouls in the first half
Draymond Green putting in work for Warriors in the first half
For the Warriors, it’s all about Draymond Green in Game 7 of the NBA Finals between the Golden State Warriors and Cleveland Cavaliers.
Green has been the man of the hour for the Warriors, scoring 22 points in the first half.
He had entered the game having missed his last 10 three-pointers.
Now, with the stakes so high, Green has made all five of his three-pointers.
He’s 8-for-10 from the field.
He has six rebounds and five assists.
Green is on point right now.
Here are some LeBron James highlights for your viewing pleasure
To be fair, he probably didn’t like this either.
Photos from the first quarter of Game 7
Someone in a Cavaliers uniform should try and stop Draymond Green
Second quarter notes: LeBron overthinking things, Marreese Speights checking in
And for those keeping score:
Meanwhile in Cleveland ...
A little love for Kevin Love tonight
Warriors and Cavaliers tied at 16 apiece late in the first quarter (2:29 left in first)
Instant analysis: Ezeli, sherseys and friendships
Early highlights from Game 7 include Draymond Green and Tristan Thompson
Oh, and Kyrie Irving.
The Cavaliers look ready for Game 7
Breaking news ...
Warriors adjust their starting lineup to deal with LeBron James
It’s almost time for the last dance
Things to ponder before tipoff
Scenes from inside Oracle Arena: The Larry O’Brien Trophy is here
This is what it’s all about.
The “Crying Jordan” meme makes an appearance before Game 7.
#Neverforget
Storyline: How will Andre Iguadala’s back hold up?
Mychal Thompson ‘nervous’ about son Klay Thompson playing in Game 7
Mychal Thompson chuckled.
It was his way of trying to settle his emotions before heading to Oracle Arena to watch his son, Warriors guard Klay Thompson, play in the most meaningful game of his life.
Mychal Thompson was about 10 minutes away from heading to Game 7 of the NBA Finals between the Golden State Warriors and Cleveland Cavaliers when he told The Times in a short interview Sunday that he indeed was nervous.
“Are you kidding me? This is a toss-up right now even though we’re at home,” Thompson said. “The Cavs have regained the momentum. So, yeah, I’m nervous.”
When he won two of his NBA championships with the Lakers in the 80s, Thompson and the Lakers defeated the Detroit Pistons in Game 7 at the Forum in 1988.
Thompson said he was “very confident” because he was playing alongside Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and James Worthy.
“So when you’re involved, you have something to do with the outcome,” said Thompson, the radio commentator for the Lakers. “All I can do is be a dad tonight. That’s what makes it worse.”
It is Father’s Day and Thompson said nothing would be better than to have Klay give him a championship as a present.
The two have talked, but the father said he didn’t want to fill his son’s head with too much.
“I want everybody to be as healthy as they can be on both teams,” Thompson said. “But I do want that Father’s Day gift.”
He chuckled again.
Follow Broderick Turner on Twitter @BA_Turner
Stephen Curry, LeBron James will define their legacies tonight
Legacies are defined by moments like these.
It is Game 7 of the NBA Finals between the Golden State Warriors and Cleveland Cavaliers, and it is time for superstars Stephen Curry and LeBron James to either cement their legacies among the game’s best ever or explain how they failed when the moment called for them to succeed.
James has two championships (with Miami) and won two NBA Finals MVP awards, but he has a 2-4 record in the Finals.
He has been playing like the most unstoppable force in the NBA in the last two games, scoring 82 total points in Games 5 and 6 combined.
James is the main reason why the Cavaliers came back from a 3-1 deficit.
Curry is the back-to-back most valuable player in the NBA, but he hasn’t always played like that in this series.
He will have to unleash his best weapon, that lethal three-pointer, for the Warriors to win back-to-back championships.
Steph.
LeBron.
It’s all on you two guys tonight to define your legacy.
Follow Broderick Turner on Twitter @BA_Turner
Bill Walton, who yah got in Game 7?
On Father’s Day, don’t underestimate the pride of a dad: Bill Walton tells The Times how the Warriors will win Game 7 of the NBA Finals.
On Father’s Day, don’t underestimate the pride of a dad: Bill Walton tells The Times how the Warriors will win Game 7.
Future Lakers Coach Luke Walton working his final game with the Warriors
Can’t-miss moments from the NBA Finals
Here are a few of the more unforgettable moments from the NBA Finals. If there’s anything we missed, Tweet me @mattwilhalme
Game 6: The alley-oop
Game 6: Love and respect for Craig Sager
Game 6: The block
Game 6: Steph Curry gets ejected after throwing his mouthpiece
Game 5: LeBron James with the chase-down block
Game 5: Kyrie Irving and LeBron James each go for 41 points
Game 4: Warriors set NBA Finals record with 17 three-pointers
Game 4: Draymond Green and LeBron James mix it up
Game 3: LeBron James gets the steal, falls down, and still finishes the alley-oop
Game 2: Stephen Curry’s reactions on the bench
Game 1: Shaun Livingston saves the day for Golden State
NBA mock draft: Ben Simmons is our No. 1 pick too
The general presumption is that Ben Simmons will be taken first in Thursday’s NBA draft by the Philadelphia 76ers, and Brandon Ingram will go second to the Lakers.
After that, the draft could turn into a mystery.
The Celtics select third, but rumors abound about what Boston will do with its pick. It has been suggested that the Celtics would like to move that draft choice for a more veteran presence on an already young roster.
Boston has three first-round picks and may look to package that along with some of its other players to get an NBA-ready player.
So in many ways, the draft process will start after the Celtics make their decision.
Providence point guard Kris Dunn, Oklahoma shooting guard Buddy Hield and Kentucky combo guard Jamal Murray are considered the top guard prospects. Any of them could be taken anywhere from third to sixth.
Meanwhile ... in L.A.: Buddy Hield works out for the Lakers
Brad Turner and Lindsey Thiry discuss Oklahoma guard Buddy Hield and his workout for the Lakers ahead of the NBA draft.
In Buddy Hield’s eyes, the Lakers need a shooting guard to replace Kobe Bryant, and the former Oklahoma Sooner feels he can fill the void.
Hield has twice tried to make his case for the Lakers to use their No. 2 pick in Thursday’s NBA draft on him, the final time coming Saturday during a workout at the team’s practice facility.
He knows the consensus from around the league is that the Lakers probably will take Duke forward Brandon Ingram.
But that hasn’t stopped Hield and his representatives from making a push to have him put on a Lakers uniform. He first worked out in front of the Lakers over Memorial Day weekend in Newport Beach, hoping to show them what a great shooter he is and that he’s a high-character person.
How we got to Game 7
Here’s a look at our game-by-game coverage of the NBA Finals.
Game 1 | Warriors 104, Cavaliers 89 (GS 1, CLE 0)
Game 2 | Warriors 110, Cavaliers 77 (GS 2, CLE 0)
Game 3 | Cavaliers 120, Warriors 90 (GS 2, CLE 1)
Game 4 | Warriors 108, Cavaliers 97 (GS 3, CLE 1)