The Golden State Warriors won. Honestly, if you were watching basketball back then, that answer feels like an understatement. It wasn't just a win; it was a demolition. By the time the final buzzer sounded in Game 5 on June 12, 2017, the Warriors had secured their second title in three years, finishing the postseason with a ridiculous 16-1 record.
They beat the Cleveland Cavaliers. Again.
But this wasn't the 2016 Cavs-Warriors matchup where everything felt up in the air until the final minute of Game 7. This was the "Kevin Durant Era" beginning in earnest. After the Warriors blew a 3-1 lead the previous year, they went out and signed one of the best scorers to ever touch a basketball. It felt like a cheat code. The 2017 NBA Finals basically served as the formal coronation of a dynasty that many fans still argue over today. Was it fair? Maybe not. Was it incredible basketball? Absolutely.
The KD Factor and why it changed everything
When Kevin Durant joined a 73-win team, the league essentially broke. People forget that the 2017 Cleveland Cavaliers were actually better than the 2016 championship team. LeBron James was playing at a level that defied physics, and Kyrie Irving was hitting shots that didn't make sense. But it didn't matter.
The Warriors had Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green. Then you add KD? It was over before it started. Durant ended up winning the Finals MVP, averaging 35.2 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 5.4 assists. He shot 55.6% from the field. Those aren't real numbers; those are video game stats on rookie difficulty.
I remember watching Game 3. The Cavs were up by two with about 45 seconds left. KD brings the ball up, doesn't even look for a play, and just pulls up from three right in LeBron’s face. Splash. It was the dagger that effectively ended the series, even though there were two games left to play. That single shot redefined how we saw that rivalry. It shifted the power dynamic from a back-and-forth struggle to a one-sided reign.
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The sheer math of the 2017 Warriors
Basketball is a game of runs, but the 2017 Warriors were a game of avalanches. You’d look at the scoreboard and the Cavs would be down by four. You’d go to the kitchen to grab a drink, come back two minutes later, and the lead was 17.
Steve Kerr’s offense relied on "gravity." Steph and Klay moved so much without the ball that defenders were terrified to leave them. This left lanes wide open for Durant. Or, if you focused on Durant, Steph would relocate and hit a 30-footer. There was no "right" way to guard them. Tyronn Lue, the Cavs coach at the time, tried everything. They tried to play physical. They tried to outscore them. They even scored 137 points in Game 4 just to avoid a sweep. It took a historic shooting night from Cleveland—making 24 threes—just to win a single game against this Golden State squad.
LeBron James vs. The Machine
LeBron was 32 years old during the 2017 Finals. He became the first player in NBA history to average a triple-double in the Finals: 33.6 points, 12 rebounds, and 10 assists. Think about that for a second. He played some of the best basketball of his entire career and his team still lost in five games.
It’s one of those weird moments in sports history where the loser’s greatness is almost more impressive because of the mountain he was trying to climb. The Cavs' roster featured Kevin Love, J.R. Smith, and Tristan Thompson, but the depth simply wasn't there to match the Warriors' bench, which featured guys like Andre Iguodala and Shaun Livingston.
Game-by-game breakdown of the 2017 NBA Finals
- Game 1: Warriors won 113–91. Durant had 38 points and zero turnovers. It was a statement.
- Game 2: Warriors won 132–113. Steph and KD combined for 65 points. The pace was exhausting.
- Game 3: Warriors won 118–113. This was the "KD Shot" game in Cleveland. The most competitive game of the series.
- Game 4: Cavaliers won 137–116. Cleveland's offense went nuclear. They set a Finals record for points in a half (86).
- Game 5: Warriors won 129–120. Back in Oakland, the Warriors closed it out. Durant dropped 39.
Why this series still matters today
The 2017 Finals changed how NBA teams are built. Before this, "Superteams" were usually three stars. The Warriors made it four. This led to the frantic arms race we see now, where teams like the Suns or the Bucks feel the need to stack talent just to have a puncher’s chance.
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It also sparked the "is the regular season boring?" debate. Because everyone knew the Warriors were going to win, the regular season felt like a formality to some. But for purists, the 2017 Warriors represented the pinnacle of "Beautiful Game" basketball. The ball movement was selfless. Nobody cared who scored as long as the shot was open.
Misconceptions about the 2017 Finals
A lot of people say the Warriors "ruined" basketball that year. I get the sentiment, but if you look at the ratings, people were obsessed. It was the most-watched Finals since the Jordan era.
Another misconception is that the Cavs were "trash." They weren't. They went 12-1 through the Eastern Conference playoffs. They were a juggernaut that just happened to run into a god-tier roster. If you put that 2017 Cavs team in almost any other year in the 2010s, they probably win the title.
Stat Leaders of the Series
If you want the hard evidence of why Golden State dominated, look at the efficiency.
Stephen Curry averaged 26.8 points and 9.4 assists. Usually, if your point guard puts up those numbers, he’s the undisputed MVP. But he was the second option that year. Draymond Green anchored a defense that, despite the high scores, managed to force turnovers at crucial moments. Klay Thompson, while struggling a bit with his shot early in the series, played some of the best perimeter defense of his life against Kyrie Irving.
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Kyrie was still incredible, by the way. He averaged over 29 points per game. But without the defensive stops, Cleveland's scoring didn't translate into wins. They couldn't trade baskets with a team that shot better and faster.
The impact on the Golden State legacy
Winning in 2017 validated Durant's move from Oklahoma City, at least in terms of silverware. For the Warriors organization, it cemented them as a legitimate dynasty. They proved that 2015 wasn't a fluke and that they could integrate a superstar into a system that was already working.
The Oracle Arena crowd in Oakland was electric during Game 5. It felt like a party. The city had embraced this team not just for winning, but for how they won. They were flashy, they were arrogant, and they were fun.
How to analyze this era of basketball
If you’re looking to truly understand the 2017 NBA Finals, don't just look at the highlights of the dunks. Look at the spacing.
- Watch the off-ball movement: Notice how Steph Curry is constantly running, even when he doesn't have the ball. He draws two defenders with him, which is why KD had so many wide-open lanes to the rim.
- Evaluate the "Death Lineup": Look for the minutes where Draymond Green played center. This "small-ball" approach forced Cleveland’s big men out of the paint, making them useless on defense.
- Check the TS% (True Shooting Percentage): The Warriors' efficiency was historically high. It’s a great case study in why shot selection matters more than just volume shooting.
- Compare to 2016: Watch the defensive intensity of the Warriors in 2017 compared to the year they lost. They were much more disciplined, likely due to the sting of the previous year's collapse.
The 2017 NBA Finals remains a polarizing moment in sports, but the factual answer to who won is simple: the Golden State Warriors, led by a relentless Kevin Durant and a revolutionary Stephen Curry, redefined what greatness looked like on a basketball court.