By the third quarter of Game 4, the outcome was all but settled as the Golden State Warriors saw their lead balloon to as big as 20 points.
The finish to these NBA Finals was anticlimactic, but Steph Curry and his crew emerged dynastic.
The Warriors secured their third championship in 4 seasons after soundly beating the Cleveland Cavaliers 108-85 on Saturday (Manila time) to complete a sweep.
Led by Curry, who found his shooting stroke after a lackluster Game 3, the far more talented Warriors weren't going to be denied closing out this series on the road.
Curry finished with 37 points, including 7 3-pointers, while Kevin Durant, named to his second Finals MVP in a row, scored 20 points and tallied a triple-double (12 rebounds, 10 assists).
Curry started out strong, scoring 20 points in the first half and immediately making up for his 11-point output the entirety of the previous game.
The Warriors had several opportunities to put the game away early but LeBron James and the Cavaliers fought back every time, chewing into double-digit deficits to make it close.
That was the case in the first half, at least.
The hometown crowd and championship pride could only take the Cavaliers so far though.
In the third quarter, where Golden State normally goes on its backbreaking runs, the Warriors put away the Cavaliers for good, outscoring James and co. 25-13 before cruising.
With the victory, the Warriors now have 6 titles overall, tying the Chicago Bulls for third most overall in league history.
This is Golden State's third championship in 4 seasons, all at the expense of James and the Cavaliers.
It is the first sweep of a title series since James and the Cavaliers were run out by the San Antonio Spurs in 2007.
Cleveland now faces a murky off-season, as James ponders his future. He could stay a Cavalier or elect to opt out of his current contract and play somewhere else where he thinks he has a chance to soak in that championship feeling again.
He finished with 23 points, 7 rebounds and 8 assists in Game 4, a quiet stat line to cap off a brilliant series and an epic post-season overall.
source: news.abs-cbn.com
