Champions: Golden State topples LeBron James’ Cavs for NBA title

The NBA champion Golden State Warriors proved on Tuesday that an age-old mantra — you have to learn to lose before you can win — doesn’t apply to them. The Warriors won a decisive Game 6 of the NBA Finals over the Cleveland Cavaliers to take their first championship in 40 years. League MVP Steph Curry led the team through the season and the playoffs, but it was 11-year veteran Andre Iguodala who emerged as the Finals MVP. Iguodala didn’t start a single game prior to the Finals but was charged with defending against superstar LeBron James. He proved to be the Warriors’ most consistent player of the series, averaging 16.3 points per game. Golden State is the first team to win a title behind a roster without any previous Finals experience since the 1991 Chicago Bulls. Steve Kerr is the first rookie coach to win an NBA title since the Los Angeles Lakers’ Pat Riley in 1982.

A lot is based on matchups and injuries and maybe a little good fortune. We had good fortune with our health most of the year, and that was big.

Steve Kerr, Warriors coach

Meanwhile, James has tasted defeat four times in NBA Finals now but he acknowledged that it does not make it any easier to swallow. After losing key players Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love earlier in the playoffs, James carried a banged-up and exhausted Cleveland team. James finished with averages of 35.8 points, 13.3 rebounds and 8.8 assists for the six games, becoming the first player to lead both teams in total points, rebounds and assists in a Finals series.

When you fall short, it hurts. I’m starting to [think] I’d rather not even make the playoffs than to lose in the Finals. It would hurt a lot [less].

LeBron James

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