Golden State, who beat Cleveland in the 2015 finals only to lose to them a year ago after squandering a 3-1 series lead, set a record in this season's playoffs by losing just one of their 16 games, their only loss coming in Game 4 of the finals. People from all around the world also did.
Durant is the first player with five straight 30-point games in the Finals since Shaquille O'Neal in 2000.
Durant's stellar play all season and throughout the playoffs vindicated Golden State's massive payout to the superstar in a controversial off-season deal.
For James, already a three-times champion, the loss puts him in rare company as only the fourth player to come up short in five NBA Finals. The Warriors went on a 21-to-2 second-quarter run.
The Warriors finished the postseason 16-1 and have won two of the last three National Basketball Association titles.
The superteam kept the Cavaliers from accomplishing their goal of defending the 2016 championship, and James took a question about how he viewed Golden State in terms of what it might mean for his own future in the league.
The Cavs narrowed the gap slightly in the third but the Warriors were able to keep their opponents at arm's length to wrap up a second title in three years.
"I hear all the narratives throughout the season that I was joining, I was hopping on bandwagons, I was letting everybody else do the work", Durant said.
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"They're going to be the highest favorite we've ever had going into a season, any team in any sport", Jeff Sherman, NBA oddsmaker at the Westgate Las Vegas SuperBook, told ESPN.
Cleveland is by far the best team in the East and as long as LeBron stays healthy they are a contender. "We didn't seem that nervous in Game 4", Kerr said before the game.
After getting outscored 37-33 in the first quarter, Golden State responded by taking an 11-point lead into the break. KD added seven rebounds and five assists to round out his huge effort.
LeBron James, last year's Finals MVP, led the Cavaliers with 41 points, 13 rebounds and eight assists but it was not enough as the home team came out on top. I hope we're a little more nervous.
"This is a great group of guys, great community, great fans", Durant said.
But that idea fizzled fast when the Warriors opened with a pair of lopsided wins at home, fought back late to steal the next game in Cleveland and then, after dropping their first game of the postseason, closed out the series at home.
"Pretty much all of their big-name guys are in their 20s", the Cavs' James said, "and they don't show any signs of slowing down".
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