CLEVELAND,OH – Kevin Durant #35 of the Golden State Warriors reacts in Game Four of the 2018 NBA Finals on June 8, 2018 at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images)
Kevin Durant takes home his second NBA Finals MVP in as many years.
Golden State Warriors forward Kevin Durant has been named the MVP of the 2018 NBA Finals.
Durant poured in 20 points in Golden State’s 108-85 road victory to seal the sweep over LeBron James’ Cavaliers. He averaged almost 29 points per game in the series — the fourth rendition of the Warriors-Cavs matchup.
Durant exploded for 43 points with 13 boards and 7 assists in Game 3, propelling himself into the MVP talks. He knocked down a 30-foot 3-pointer to put the Warriors up six with less than a minute to go. It was nearly an identical shot to the one he hit over in Game 3 of last year’s Finals to seal that game.
Many around the NBA thought Warriors’ guard Steph Curry would win the award. After scorching hot performances in Games 1 and 2 of the series, Curry’s Game 3 performance opened the door for debate over who would win the award. The two-time regular season MVP shot just 3-for-16 from the floor and 1-for-10 from 3-point range. He scored only 11 points and looked out of sorts on the defensive end of the floor, too.
Curry was seen wrapped in veteran forward Andre Iguodala’s embrace on the way back to the locker room after Game 3.
Much had been made of LeBron James’ chances of taking home the award. Whether or not a player from the losing team should be able to win the award is an age-old talking point in sports circles, and that discussion resurfaced once again. James was a man possessed in Game 1, dropping a 51-point, 8-rebound, 8-assist line on the defending champs. The focus now turns to the future of James as he hits the free agent market once more.
29 teams head back to the drawing board this offseason as the Warriors take home their third title in four years.