Cleveland Cavaliers Win NBA Championship, Warriors Blow 3-1 Lead

Oakland, CA - The Golden State Warriors failed to claim their second straight NBA Championship Sunday night as the Cleveland Cavaliers beat the Warriors 93-89 in Game 7 of the NBA Finals at Oracle Arena.

Both teams fought hard for the crown and fans had to suffer through more than a dozen change after nail-biting-changes of lead before the Cavaliers in the end brought the first major sports championship to Cleveland since 1954. The Warriors, meanwhile, earned a much more dubious distinction; they're the first team to lose the NBA Finals after taking a 3-games-to-1 lead.

The Cavaliers led at the end of the first quarter, but the Warriors opened up a solid 7-point lead at the half, led by Draymond Green who knocked down 22 points by the intermission.

But the Cavs came out of halftime and set a blistering pace, closing the gap and then going ahead by 7. The Warriors responded, closing out the third quarter with a one point lead.

The fourth quarter was an emotional roller coaster with both teams claiming then surrendering the lead. With just one minute left on the clock, the game was tied. In the end, LeBron James and the Cavaliers were too much for the Warriors.

James was named MVP in a unanimous vote.

Image by Rico Shen via Wikimedia Commons