By Sean Gregory
This past NBA season will be remembered not for the hard-fought duels but for the unrelenting excellence of the Golden State Warriors. After barreling through the opening rounds of the playoffs without losing a game, the sweet-shooting Warriors met the Cleveland Cavaliers in the title bout for the third consecutive year. On June 12, Golden State avenged last year’s loss to LeBron James and Co. with a 129-120 win: Stephen Curry scored 34 points, and Kevin Durant was named Finals MVP, having averaged 35.2 points for the series en route to the first title of his storied career. Golden State’s 16-1 postseason record is the best in NBA history.
More Must-Reads From TIME
- The 100 Most Influential People of 2024
- The Revolution of Yulia Navalnaya
- 6 Compliments That Land Every Time
- Stop Looking for Your Forever Home
- If You're Dating Right Now , You're Brave: Column
- The AI That Could Heal a Divided Internet
- Fallout Is a Brilliant Model for the Future of Video Game Adaptations
- Want Weekly Recs on What to Watch, Read, and More? Sign Up for Worth Your Time
Write to Sean Gregory at sean.gregory@time.com