The 2016 NBA Finals

Storyline

This was Cleveland's second consecutive trip to the NBA Finals, and third overall, seeking to win their first ever NBA championship. Cleveland finished the regular season with a 57-25 record, capturing the Central Division title and the top playoff seed in the Eastern Conference. This was the defending NBA Champions Golden State Warriors' second consecutive trip to the NBA Finals and eighth overall. In the playoffs, the Warriors defeated the Houston Rockets in the first round and the Portland Trail Blazers in the conference semifinals in five games each. In Game 7 of the Western Conference Finals, the Warriors defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder, 96-88, becoming only the 10th team in NBA history to overcome a 3-1 series deficit, and advancing to a second straight NBA Finals for the first time since 1947 and 1948. Golden State, which earned home-court advantage with setting the NBA regular season wins record (73-9), jumped to a 2-0 lead in the series. Cleveland returned home and responded with a 120-90 win in Game 3, but the Warriors won Game 4 to take a 3-1 series lead. The win by the Cavaliers was the first major professional sports championship won by a team based in Cleveland since 1964, and the first-ever championship won by the Cavaliers franchise. NBA Finals MVP winner LeBron James propelled the Cavaliers to the historic comeback. James had a historically great Finals performance, becoming the first player in NBA history to lead all players in a playoff series in points, rebounds, assists, steals and blocks. James' heroics coupled with the suspense of Cleveland's comeback have led many sports critics to deem the 2016 NBA Finals as one of the most exciting in NBA history.