Golden State Warriors vs the Cleveland Cavaliers – A fixture that was watched with bated breath in the mid-2010s
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While Kevin Durant was only a part of the Golden State roster after the 2016 finals, the matchups prior were no snooze fest. The splash brothers vs the Cleveland duo were a treat to watch. The addition of KD into the battle was just icing on the cake. One such great match between the two iconic teams took place on Christmas Day in 2016.
Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and KD v. LeBron James, Kyrie Irving, and Kevin Love. The match-up was explosive, and there was not one game that was dull. Both teams had amazing players, but the best part about the roster was the chemistry they had built. Each team played like they were telepathic, they knew exactly where they had to be.
Trading shot for shot, there was not one moment where both teams could be separated. Until the final three seconds, when Kyrie sunk the dagger to the dismay of Warriors fans, with his trademark spin move. The battle for who was the best player on the Cavs roster was genuine. While LeBron was a bulldozer, Kyrie was a ninja assassin just wafting between the lines of defense.
For a while there, people thought the Golden State Warriors and Cavaliers would be the finalists forever – they got bored of seeing the same matchup for 4-years straight
The two best teams in the league in the mid-2010s were undoubtedly the Warriors and the Cavaliers. Tell that to any fan of either of the teams 10 years ago they would not believe you. But smart moves on trades and well-executed draft picks meant that both had acquired a strong contending team.
While the Cali-based team was the underdogs in the ’00s, 2010s was very kind to them. They were the most successful franchise of the decade, winning 3 championships in 5 finals runs. Both teams had strong pieces surrounding their best players, KD and LeBron. Equally shifty Point guards in Curry and Irvings, strong power forwards in Draymond Green and Kevin Love.
Cavs Kyrie as he is fondly called was a monster on the court. There was no better dribbler than him when he was in full flow. A perfect tandem to just an unplayable LeBron. Many claim that Miami Bron was the most dominant, but second stint Bron was the best peak of anybody in the modern game.
Having won the finals just 6 months prior, the Cleveland Cavaliers’ confidence was at an all-time high. Even though the Warriors just signed four-time scoring champion in KD, the team from the east was the better team on the court that night. But come next June, the dynamic completely changed and they got brushed aside like the last finals meant nothing.
