Looking back at the 2017 NBA Finals, I still get chills remembering how dominant the Golden State Warriors were that year. As someone who’s followed the league for over a decade, I’ve rarely seen a team so perfectly constructed—and frankly, so unfairly stacked. Before the series even tipped off, the odds were heavily in their favor, and for good reason. They had just come off a historic 73-win season the year before, and with the addition of Kevin Durant, their offensive firepower reached almost mythical levels. The sportsbooks had Golden State as -220 favorites to win the championship, while the Cleveland Cavaliers, led by LeBron James, were sitting at around +180 underdogs. Those numbers might seem conservative now, but at the time, they reflected what many of us felt: this was Golden State’s title to lose.
I remember talking to fellow analysts before Game 1, and the consensus was that Cleveland’s only real shot was if LeBron played out of his mind and the Warriors had an off night or two. But as we saw, Golden State was simply on another planet. They swept the first three rounds of the playoffs, and when they faced Cleveland, it felt like a foregone conclusion. Still, I’ll admit—part of me was rooting for the Cavs, if only to see LeBron pull off another miracle like he did in 2016. There’s something special about watching an underdog story unfold, especially in the Finals. But the Warriors were just too much. Steph Curry and Kevin Durant were virtually unstoppable, and their ball movement was a thing of beauty. I recall thinking during Game 2, when they blew out the Cavs by 19 points, that this might be one of the most lopsided Finals in recent memory.
What’s fascinating to me, years later, is how that 2017 series set the stage for the league’s current era. The Warriors’ model of building through the draft, then adding a superstar in free agency, has been emulated by so many teams since. And you know, that idea of partnership—between Curry and Durant, between the front office and the coaching staff—really reminds me of the phrase, "Years later, that partnership is finally a go." It’s almost poetic when you think about it. Golden State had tried to get over the hump in previous years, but it wasn’t until Durant joined that everything clicked. That partnership, both on and off the court, was the key to their success. I’ve always believed that championships aren’t just about talent; they’re about timing and chemistry, and the 2017 Warriors had both in spades.
Now, let’s talk numbers for a moment because they tell a compelling story. The Warriors finished the series with an average margin of victory of over 11 points per game, and Kevin Durant put up insane stats—35.2 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 5.4 assists per game, which earned him the Finals MVP. On the other side, LeBron was phenomenal too, averaging a triple-double with 33.6 points, 12 rebounds, and 10 assists, but it just wasn’t enough. I remember watching Game 5, the closeout game, and feeling a mix of awe and disappointment. Awe at the sheer brilliance of Golden State’s execution, but disappointment because the competitive balance felt off. As a fan of the game, you want to see a back-and-forth battle, and this series, unfortunately, didn’t deliver that.
Reflecting on it now, I think the 2017 Finals were a turning point for the NBA. They highlighted the importance of superteams and how they can dominate the narrative of a season. And you know what? Love it or hate it, that Warriors-Cavs rivalry was good for the league. It drew in casual viewers and hardcore fans alike. But personally, I’ve always had a soft spot for underdogs, and seeing Cleveland fall short was tough. Still, there’s no denying Golden State’s greatness. They didn’t just win the series; they made a statement. And years later, as we look back, that partnership between their stars and the organization has indeed paid off in ways that few could have predicted. It’s a reminder that in sports, as in life, the right connections at the right time can change everything.
