2025-11-14 13:00
by
nlpkak
Looking back at the 2017 NBA Finals, I still get chills thinking about how the Golden State Warriors and Cleveland Cavaliers were destined for their third straight championship clash. As someone who’s followed the league for over a decade, I’ve rarely seen such overwhelming consensus about a Finals matchup before the season even tipped off. The Warriors, fresh off a historic 73-win season and adding Kevin Durant, were installed as heavy favorites—something like -250 to win the title in most sportsbooks by the time the playoffs rolled around. Cleveland, led by LeBron James, held around +350 odds, a clear underdog but still miles ahead of any other team in the league.
I remember talking to fellow analysts that year, and we all felt the Warriors were operating on a different plane. They had four All-Stars in their prime, a system built on unselfish ball movement, and a level of depth that felt almost unfair. When I dug into the stats, Golden State had gone 67–15 in the regular season, boasting the league’s top offensive rating and a stifling defense anchored by Draymond Green. Cleveland, meanwhile, finished 51–31, good but not dominant, and their defensive inconsistencies worried me. Still, with LeBron on the court, you could never count them out—he had already pulled off that miraculous 3–1 comeback the year before, and his playoff mode was a sight to behold.
The Finals odds reflected not just team strength but also the narrative around Durant’s decision to join the Warriors. Critics called it a superteam takeover, while supporters saw it as a masterstroke in roster construction. From my perspective, Durant’s arrival shifted the league’s balance of power overnight. I recall one conversation with a league scout who told me, "Unless there’s a major injury, the Warriors are winning the next two titles easily." And honestly, I agreed. The Cavs had the best player in the world in LeBron, but Golden State had the best top-end talent and cohesion.
When the series finally began, it played out much as expected—at least initially. Golden State took Game 1 by a comfortable margin, 113–91, with Durant dropping 38 points. I watched that game thinking, "This is exactly what we predicted." But what stood out to me was how the Cavaliers responded in Game 2. They kept it close until the very end, losing by just three points, and LeBron’s 29-point triple-double reminded everyone why betting against him was risky. Still, the Warriors’ firepower was undeniable. Steph Curry and Klay Thompson didn’t even have huge scoring nights in those first two games, yet Golden State won handily.
Then came the pivotal Game 3. Cleveland fought hard on their home floor, but the Warriors’ depth shone through. Kevin Durant’s clutch three-pointer in the final minute sealed the win, putting Golden State up 3–0. I’ve rewatched that shot dozens of times—it felt like the moment the series was truly over. The Cavaliers managed to avoid a sweep with a gutsy Game 4 win, but by then, the odds had shifted even further in Golden State’s favor. Some books had them at -10000 to win the series after Game 3, which tells you how lopsided things had become.
Reflecting on it now, the 2017 Finals were a showcase of superteam dominance, but they also highlighted how difficult it is to maintain that level over multiple seasons. The Warriors won in five games, just as most experts predicted, but the journey revealed nuances—like Cleveland’s resilience and the emotional weight of Durant capturing his first ring. For bettors, backing Golden State early would have been a safe, if not hugely profitable, move. Personally, I leaned toward the Warriors from the start, though part of me wanted to see LeBron defy the odds again.
In the end, the 2017 championship run solidified Golden State’s place as a modern dynasty and set the stage for their repeat in 2018. Looking back, the odds were accurate, but they couldn’t fully capture the drama and individual brilliance we witnessed. As a fan and analyst, I appreciate how that series reminded us that even in a seemingly predictable matchup, basketball always finds a way to surprise.
