The Golden State Warriors are back-to-back champions as they claimed their third title in four years with a sweep of the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Stephen Curry had 37 points while Finals MVP Kevin Durant recorded a triple-double, but the Warriors’ defence was just as impressive as they locked down LeBron James and Co in 108-85 win in Game 4 of the NBA Finals.
Here are our the player grades for both teams.
Cleveland Cavaliers
George Hill – Had a terrible series and finished it with another poor performance in which he was a complete non-factor. D
J.R. Smith – Did his part by hitting three triples and being an engaged defender, but also picked up a silly technical foul. B-
LeBron James – Uncharacteristically played his worst game of the series facing elimination and displayed zero confidence in his jump shot. C
Kevin Love – Thirteen points on 13 shots is simply not good enough for the Cavaliers’ number two offensive option. C-
Tristan Thompson – Converted a few shots in the paint but only saw the floor for 16 minutes as Cleveland prioritised offence. B
Rodney Hood – Carried over his play from the previous game to again give good minutes off the bench before it became a blowout. B+
Jeff Green – Too many Cleveland possessions ended on Green isolations or post-ups, which unsurprisingly didn’t work out. C-
Larry Nance Jr – Even when the game was getting out of hand, Nance was bringing his usual energy and scrapping. B+
Kyle Korver – Shot 0-of-6 from the field as he was neutralised again to cap off a rough series for him. D
Golden State Warriors
Stephen Curry – Splashed seven bombs from deep for 37 points and also played well on defence, coming up with three blocks and three steals. A
Klay Thompson – Got into foul trouble before the end of the first half and finished with a modest 10 points on 10 shots. B-
Kevin Durant – Wasn’t nearly as efficient scoring the ball as the past two games, but had a triple-double with an all-around effort. A-
Draymond Green – Was his usual disruptive self on the defensive end, while chipping in nine points and nine assists. B+
JaVale McGee – Continued to give the Cavaliers problems as a roll man and rim protector whenever he was on the court. B+
Andre Iguodala – Came off the bench to shoot 3-of-6 from beyond the arc, punishing Cleveland for leaving him open on the perimeter. A-
Jordan Bell – His ability as a versatile defender who can guard inside and out was on full display in his 18 minutes. B
Shaun Livingston – Only took one shot in his 14 minutes, but made an impact defensively as a stable presence off the bench. B-
David West – Wasn’t asked to do much, yet his eight minutes were useful in that they allowed the starters to get a breather. B-