NBA legend Isiah Thomas told Draymond Green that Kevin Durant saved the Golden State Warriors‘ basketball legacy.
The Warriors won an NBA record 73 games in 2015-16. However, they blew a 3-1 series lead to LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers in the 2016 Finals, becoming the first team to blow a 3-1 lead.
In the summer of 2016, Green, Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson recruited Durant to the Warriors.
The Warriors won the 2015 Finals against the Cavaliers in six games. However, Cleveland played without All-Stars Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love.
LeBron averaged 35.8 points, 13.3 rebounds, 8.8 assists, 1.3 steals and 0.5 blocks in the 2015 Finals, but The King didn’t have a second star to help him.
Golden State took a commanding 3-1 lead on Cleveland in the 2016 Finals by winning Game 4, 108-97. That’s when LeBron and Irving went to another level. Both players scored 41 points in Game 5, the first time two teammates scored over 40 points in a Finals game in NBA history.
The Cavaliers easily won Game 6 at home behind 41 points, eight rebounds and 11 assists against LeBron, forcing a Game 7 back in Oakland. Cleveland then won Game 7 by a final score of 93-89.
LeBron had a game-saving block against Andre Iguodala and Irving hit the game-winning 3 over Stephen Curry.
Green called Durant immediately after the Warriors lost the 2016 Finals. Durant signed with the Warriors in free agency and helped Golden State reach three straight Finals in 2017, 2018 and 2019.
The Warriors won back-to-back titles in 2017 and 2018 over the Cavaliers. However, they lost the 2019 Finals to the Toronto Raptors.
Durant didn’t play in Games 1-4 of the 2019 Finals due to a calf injury. He played in Game 5 and tore his Achilles tendon.
Durant left the Warriors in the summer of 2019 for the Brooklyn Nets. He hasn’t gotten back to the NBA Finals.
Meanwhile, Golden State won the 2022 championship against the Boston Celtics in six games.
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