2016 NBA Finals

Cleveland Cavaliers

This was Cleveland's second consecutive trip to the NBA Finals, and third overall, seeking to win their first ever NBA championship. This would also be the sixth consecutive NBA Finals appearance for LeBron James, the most for any player not part of the 1960s Boston Celtics, and the fifth for James Jones (who technically qualified for the 2011 NBA Finals along with James, but did not play).

Despite holding the best record in the Eastern Conference at 30–11 midway through the season on January 22, 2016, the Cavaliers fired head coach David Blatt. Associate head coach Tyronn Lue was then promoted to replace Blatt. General Manager David Griffin cited "a lack of fit with our personnel and our vision" as the reason for Blatt's firing.

Cleveland finished the regular season with a 57–25 record, capturing the Central Division title and the top playoff seed in the Eastern Conference. They then advanced to the Finals after sweeping both the Detroit Pistons in the first round and the Atlanta Hawks in the second round, and defeating the Toronto Raptors in the Eastern Conference Finals in six games. The Cavaliers were the first team in history to go to two consecutive NBA Finals with rookie head coaches.

Golden State Warriors

This was the defending NBA Champions Golden State Warriors' second consecutive trip to the NBA Finals and eighth overall. The Warriors broke the record set by the 1995–96 Chicago Bulls by finishing the regular season with a 73–9 record. In addition, the Warriors broke numerous other NBA records, including most road wins (34), best start to a season (24–0) and longest regular-season home win streak (54 dating back to the 2014–15 season). They also became the first team to make over 1,000 three-pointers in the regular-season with 1,077, eclipsing the previous record of 933 set by the 2014–15 Houston Rockets.

The Warriors were led by Stephen Curry, who was named the NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP) for the second straight season. The Splash Brothers twosome of Curry and Klay Thompson were the highest scoring duo in the league, combining to average 52.2 points per game. Head coach Steve Kerr missed the first 43 regular season games because of a back injury. Assistant coach Luke Walton served as interim head coach during Kerr's absence and he led the Warriors to a 39–4 start.

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.

Regular season series

The Warriors won the regular season series 2–0.

Game summaries

Game 1

The Warriors defeated the Cavaliers 104–89 in Game 1 to take a 1–0 series lead. The Cavaliers led 68–67 before the Warriors broke the game open with a 29–8 run spanning the third and fourth quarters to take a 96–76 lead. Cleveland got the deficit within eleven points at 98–87 after an 11–2 run, but Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson nailed back-to-back three-pointers to essentially seal the victory for Golden State. While Curry and Thompson had a rough night combining for 20 points, the Warriors got a lift from its bench, outscoring the Cavaliers' bench 45–10. Shaun Livingston scored his playoff-career high 20 points to lead Golden State, while Kyrie Irving led all scorers with 26 points. LeBron James fell one assist shy of a triple-double (23 points, 12 rebounds, 9 assists).

Game 2

The Warriors defeated the Cavaliers 110–77 in Game 2 to take a 2–0 series lead. Cleveland took a 28–22 lead about two minutes into the second quarter, but Golden State answered with a 20–2 run while outscoring the Cavs 30–16 the rest of the period. During the run, the Cavaliers' Kevin Love suffered a head injury while attempting to grab a defensive rebound. Love stayed throughout the remainder of the period but did not play the second half. The Warriors continued to dominate Cleveland from there, outscoring the Cavaliers 58–33 in the final two quarters. Draymond Green led all scorers with 28 points, including 5 of 8 from three-point range. Curry and Klay Thompson added 18 and 17 points, respectively, while drilling four threes each.

With their victory, the Warriors posted the highest winning margin in the first two Finals games with a 48-point differential. James led the Cavs with 19 points, 8 rebounds, and 9 assists, but he committed 7 turnovers. James added 4 steals while surpassing John Stockton for fourth on the all-time playoff steals list.

Game 3

The Cavaliers avenged their lopsided defeat to Golden State by routing the Warriors 120–90 in Game 3 to trail the series 2–1. The Cavaliers scored the game's first nine points en route to outscoring the Warriors 33–16 after one quarter. Golden State rallied to trim Cleveland's lead as low as seven points on a couple of occasions before the Cavs settled for a 51–43 halftime lead. In the second half, Cleveland continued to extend their lead and outscored Golden State 69–47. Love did not play due to concussion. James led all scorers with 32 points. Irving added 30 points for the Cavs. Curry led the Warriors with 19 points, while drilling four threes. Harrison Barnes also contributed 18 points in 33 minutes of play.

Game 4

The Warriors defeated the Cavaliers 108–97 in Game 4 to take a 3–1 series lead. After averaging just 16 points in the first three games of the series, Curry scored 38 and was 7 of 13 on three-pointers. The Warriors made 17 three-pointers, an NBA record for a single Finals game. They made only 16 two-point field goals, the first time in Finals history a team made more shots from three-point range. Klay Thompson added 25 points and four three-pointers for Golden State. It was the Warriors' 88th win of the season, which broke the 1995–96 Chicago Bulls record of 87 for most wins in an NBA season (regular-season and postseason combined).

Green and James had to be separated in the closing minutes of the game, when Green fell to the ground and James stepped over him. Feeling disrespected, Green swung his arm and appeared to make contact with James' groin.

Game 5

The Cavaliers defeated the Warriors 112–97 in Game 5 to trail the series 3–2. James and Irving each scored 41 points to become the first teammates in Finals history to score 40 or more in the same game. James also added 16 rebounds. After Game 4, Green was assessed a Flagrant Foul 1 for his contact with James that was ruled "unnecessary" and "retaliatory", and James was given a technical foul for taunting. Having accumulated his fourth flagrant foul point in the playoffs, Green was suspended for Game 5, becoming the first player to be suspended from playing in a Finals game since Jerry Stackhouse in 2006. Green watched the game from a luxury box in the nearby Oakland Alameda Coliseum, where the Oakland Athletics were also playing a game at the same time, hosting the Texas Rangers.

Warriors center Andrew Bogut suffered a season-ending injury to his left knee in the second half when he jumped to block a layup attempt by Cavs guard J. R. Smith and came down awkwardly on Smith.

Game 6

The Cavaliers defeated the Warriors 115–101 in Game 6 to even the series 3–3. The Cavaliers scored the game's first eight points en route to outscoring the Warriors 31–11 after one quarter. Golden State rallied to trim Cleveland's lead as low as eight points on a couple of occasions before the Cavs settled for a 59–43 halftime lead. In the second half, Cleveland continued to extend their lead and tied the series. LeBron James led all scorers with 41 points with 11 assists. Kyrie Irving added 23 points for the Cavs, while Tristan Thompson had 16 rebounds for the Cavaliers. Curry led the Warriors with 30 points, while drilling six threes. Klay Thompson added 25 points for the Warriors. Back from suspension, Green was held to eight points on 3–7 shooting.

James scored 18 straight points for Cleveland from the end of the third quarter to the 7:00 mark of the fourth. Late in the game with the Cavaliers up by 13, he blocked a Curry shot from behind, and afterward had words for him. With 4:22 left, Curry received his sixth foul and fouled out of the game. He then threw his mouthpiece into the stands in frustration, resulting in a technical foul and his ejection from the game. He was the first MVP to foul out of an NBA Finals game since Shaquille O'Neal in 2000. The Cavaliers became the third team to fall behind 3–1 and force Game 7 (and the first in 50 years). James was the first player to have consecutive 40-point games in the finals since Shaquille O'Neal in the 2000 Finals.

Game 7

This season's Finals marked the first time in NBA history in which both teams entered game 7 after accumulating exactly the same total points scored after game 6 (610 points each). The Cavaliers defeated the Warriors 93–89 in Game 7 to win the series 4–3. Game 7 was a close game, with 20 lead changes and 11 ties. This was the only game in the entire series to have a final margin of fewer than 10 points. At halftime, the Warriors were ahead 49–42. In the second half, the Cavaliers outscored the Warriors 51-40 as the Warriors failed to score a basket during the last 4:39 of the game. In the closing minutes of the 4th quarter LeBron James delivered what became known as "The Block" on a layup attempt by Andre Iguodala with the score tied at 89 and 01:50 remaining in the game. Kyrie Irving made a go-ahead 3-point field goal over the NBA's first unanimous regular season MVP Stephen Curry to give Cleveland a 92–89 lead with 0:53 remaining in the game. Before Kyrie Irving’s 3-point field goal both teams were tied at 699 points scored apiece in this series. LeBron then nearly clinched the title for the Cavaliers by making one of two free throws after being fouled with 10.6 seconds left. After the Cavaliers fouled Draymond Green with 6.5 seconds remaining, Stephen Curry received the inbounds pass, pump faked and shot a three pointer over Cavaliers guard Iman Shumpert. The attempt missed, and was rebounded by Marreese Speights of the Warriors who attempted a three pointer as time expired and missed. Cavs forward Kevin Love immediately hugged the Finals MVP LeBron James. Draymond Green led all scorers with 32 points, including 6 of 8 from three-point range and 9 assists. Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson added 17 and 14 points, respectively. LeBron James led all Cavaliers with 27 points and became only the 3rd player ever in NBA history to record a triple double in an NBA Finals Game 7 by adding 11 assists and 11 rebounds. Kyrie Irving added 26 points for Cleveland.

The Cavaliers became the first team in NBA history to come back from a 3–1 series deficit to win the NBA Finals. They became the first NBA Champion to clinch all their playoff series on the road since the 1999 San Antonio Spurs, as well as the first road team to win a Finals Game 7 since the 1978 Washington Bullets. The Cavaliers won their first championship in franchise history, ending a nearly 52-year pro sports championship drought for the city of Cleveland. LeBron James was named the unanimous Finals MVP marking the 3rd time he has received the award. He also was the overall leader in points, rebounds, assists, steals, and blocks during the series, a feat that had never before been accomplished in any NBA playoff series. Tyronn Lue became the 14th coach to win an NBA championship as a head coach and player. After 13 years, James had finally brought a championship to the city of Cleveland.

Quotes from the Finals

Iguodala to inbound. Shumpert trying to stay with Curry - catches, one dribble, steps back, puts up a 3... won't go! Rebound tip taken by Speights! Final seconds... (time expires) It's over! It's over! Cleveland is a city of champions once again! The Cavaliers are NBA Champions!

McLeod: Curry... they'll get the 3. NO! Rebound! Marreese Speights... (time expires) GOOD NIGHT OAKLAND!
Carr: YES!
McLeod: IT'S OVER!
Carr: IT'S OVER!
McLeod: THE 52-YEAR DROUGHT IS OVER!
Carr: YES!
McLeod: IT'S OVER!
Carr: The Cavaliers... The Cavaliers have done it!
McLeod: THE CAVALIERS HAVE WON THE NBA CHAMPIONSHIP!

Ball's inbounded to Curry. Don't foul him as Curry fires a 3... He missed it, loose ball tipped, grabbed by Speights... (time expires) Speights fires, and this one is OVER! Believe it, Cleveland! Savor it! Soak it in! The kid from Akron has come home! The Cavaliers are the NBA Champions, and the impossible dream has come true!

Player statistics

Broadcast

In the United States, the NBA Finals aired on ABC with Mike Breen as play-by-play commentator, and Mark Jackson and Jeff Van Gundy serving as color commentators. ESPN Radio aired it as well and had Kevin Calabro and Hubie Brown as commentators. ESPN Deportes provided exclusive Spanish-language coverage of The Finals, with a commentary team of Álvaro Martín and Carlos Morales.