Cleveland (United States), June 17 (IANS) Stephen Curry and Finals’ Most Valuable Player (MVP) Andre Iguodala scored 25 points apiece as the Golden State Warriors beat Cleveland Cavaliers 105-97 to win their first National Basketball Association (NBA) title in 40 years.
Iguodala becomes the first NBA Finals MVP with zero starts in the regular season. He averaged 16.3 points, 5.8 rebounds and four assists per game. Curry, the league’s MVP, grabbed six rebounds and eight assists besides 25 points. Draymond Green recorded a triple-double with 16 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists on Tuesday night, reports Xinhua.
Steve Kerr becomes the first rookie head coach to win the NBA title since Pat Riley with 1981-1982 Los Angeles Lakers.
“This was awesome. We talked about staying strong, staying with it. That was coach’s motto, the whole playoffs. Stay with it. They kept fighting. This is unreal,” Iguodala said after the win at the Quicken Loans Arena where more than 20,000 people attended the game.
LeBron James returned from Miami but failed to deliver his home town a title after All-Stars Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love were injured in the post-season. James had 32 points, 18 rebounds and nine assists. J.R. Smith had 19 points and five rebounds and Timofey Mozgov finished with 17 points and 12 rebounds.