The Golden State Warriors capped off the season with a 129-120 victory in Game 5 of the NBA Finals. It was the second straight title win for the team, and it earned them home-court advantage for the next round. If the Warriors keep the same core players, they will be the team to beat in the NBA again.
Although the Warriors have lost six of their last seven games, they have not lost in the Finals in nine years. They have a 52-16 record and are still a formidable foe in the Western Conference. Despite the fact that they haven't won an NBA title since 2012, they've managed to capture four straight Pacific Division titles.
The Golden State Warriors also did something that their rivals, the Cleveland Cavaliers, couldn't: they beat their competition by at least 15 games in the regular season. That's a pretty big deal for any sports team, let alone one that's been playing since the early 2000s. This is the most games a team has won in the NBA playoffs.
Among other things, the Warriors won their best-ever NBA playoff game, and they did it by scoring a lot of points. For the first time in franchise history, they scored 100 or more points in a game, a feat that was aided by their star player, Kevin Durant. In Game 5, Durant tallied his fifth triple-double of the year, as well as 39 points, five assists, and six rebounds. He also dished out five steals.
The Warriors' 15-0 run in the second quarter helped them to an easy win, but the real trick was the last quarter. After trailing by as many as five points in the third, the Cavaliers put up five of their own, but the Warriors made their moves to take control.
The other thing the Warriors did was the best-ever performance by their star player, Kevin Durant. The superstar averaged 31 points in the Finals, with nine rebounds and seven assists. It's no surprise that he's a fan favorite, but the rest of the Warriors had their fair share of contributions, too.
The Warriors are expected to go on a winning streak in the playoffs, but that doesn't mean they will be the only team to make the Finals. The Los Angeles Lakers, San Antonio Spurs, and the Chicago Bulls are other teams with strong chances to win it all.
The Golden State Warriors are a modern-day dynasty. Their success has been the envy of other teams in the league, and they are widely regarded as the most talented in the NBA. With two titles under their belts, the Warriors are the odds-on favorite to win another one. Despite their success, the Warriors could have done better. But they'll need to keep the same players together if they want to win again.
As with any championship, the Golden State Warriors have their work cut out for them, as they must now face the Utah Jazz at Vivint Smart Home Arena on Tuesday. Both teams can't afford to drop the ball.
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