Who Won The NBA Championship in 2017?
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The 2017 NBA Finals was the championship series of the National Basketball Association (NBA)’s 2016–17 season and conclusion of the season’s playoffs. In this best of seven playoff, the defending NBA champions and Western Conference champions, Golden State Warriors, swept the Eastern Conference champions, Cleveland Cavaliers, 4–0. This was the fifth consecutive NBA Finals appearance for the Cavaliers, and the third consecutive appearance for the Warriors.
The Golden State Warriors
The 2017 NBA Finals
The Golden State Warriors won the 2017 NBA Finals, defeating the Cleveland Cavaliers 4-1. It was the Warriors’ third NBA championship in four seasons.
The 2017 NBA Playoffs
The 2017 NBA Playoffs began on April 15, 2017. It concluded with the Golden State Warriors defeating the Cleveland Cavaliers in five games, winning their second consecutive and fifth overall NBA championship. The Finals was played between June 1 and June 12, 2017.
The Cleveland Cavaliers
The Cleveland Cavaliers are an American professional basketball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. The Cavaliers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league’s Eastern Conference Central Division. The team began play in the 1970–71 NBA season as an expansion team.
The 2017 NBA Finals
The 2017 NBA Finals was the championship series of the National Basketball Association (NBA)’s 2016–17 season and conclusion of the season’s playoffs. The Eastern Conference champion Cleveland Cavaliers defeated the defending NBA champion and Western Conference champion Golden State Warriors, 4–3, in a rematch of the 2015 NBA Finals. The Cavaliers became the first team to win an NBA championship by coming back from a 3–1 deficit in the Finals. The Finals were played between June 1 and June 16, defeating the Boston Celtics in five games in the Eastern Conference finals. This was also James’ seventh consecutive trip to the NBA Finals, tying him with George Mikan for the longest streak by any player in NBA history. By winning their third straight championship and fourth overall since joining forces in 2015 off-season, the Warriors became only sixth team ever as well as second since 1950 to achieve that feat, joining Bill Russell’s Boston Celtics from 1959 through 1966 as well as Shaquille O’Neal’s Los Angeles Lakers from 2000 through 2002.
The Cavaliers entered these playoffs as defending Eastern Conference champions. They received the conference’s first overall seed by winning the Central Division. They faced off against eighth-seeded Indiana Pacers in the first round and won in seven games after being down 2–1 after three games. They then faced off against fourth-seeded Toronto Raptors—the team with the best record in regular season who earlier swept fifth-seeded Milwaukee Bucks—in the second round, winning that series in just four games before setting up a conference finals rematch against Boston. Cleveland went on to win that series in five games to return to back-to-back NBA Finals appearances for only fourth time ever (joining Miami Heat from 2011 to 2014, Los Angeles Lakers from 2008 to 2010, Chicago Bulls from 1996 to 1998) and become ninth franchise overall including third since 1979 (joining Houston Rockets who did it two times: 1981 and 1986)
The Warriors entered these playoffs as defending Western Conference champions and reigning NBA champions. They clinched second place in Pacific Division behind San Antonio Spurs after going 14–2 during final two months of regular season which included streak of eight consecutive wins en route to clinching playoff berth for fourth consecutive year . In addition, they entered these playoffs as owners of best regular season record not only in West but also entire league with 67 wins which was one shy of tying their own league record set during 2015 campaign when they won their first championship since 1975 . In first round they easily swept Portland Trail Blazers before dispatching Utah Jazz in just five games during conference semifinals . That set up another conference finals meeting with San Antonio , team that pushed them to full seven game limit during last year’s edition , however this time result was very different as Golden State won series 4–0 en route to its third straight appearance
The 2017 NBA Playoffs
The 2017 NBA Playoffs began on April 15, 2017. It was the post-season tournament of the National Basketball Association’s 2016–17 season and concluded with the NBA Finals on June 12, 2017.
The Cavaliers entered the playoffs as the Eastern Conference’s second seed. They defeated the Indiana Pacers in the first round in five games, and the Toronto Raptors in the second round in four games. In the Eastern Conference Finals, they faced off against and defeated the Boston Celtics in five games, becoming the first team to ever win an NBA playoff series after being down 0–2. They went on to defeat the defending champion Golden State Warriors in seven games, becoming only the fifth team after 1977 Lakers, 1969 Celtics, 2006 Miami Heat and 2016 Cavaliers to come back from a 3–1 deficit to win an NBA championship series. This was also Cleveland’s first trip to The Finals since 2007. With their championship win, they became only second franchise along with Golden State Warriors to win consecutive championships since 2000 Lakers
