2016 NBA Finals
The wordmark of the NBA Finals (2003–2017) | ||||||||||
| ||||||||||
| Dates | June 2–19 | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MVP | LeBron James (Cleveland Cavaliers) | |||||||||
| Hall of Famers | Officials: Danny Crawford (2025) | |||||||||
| Eastern finals | Cavaliers defeated Raptors, 4–2 | |||||||||
| Western finals | Warriors defeated Thunder, 4–3 | |||||||||
The 2016 NBA Finals was the championship series of the National Basketball Association's (NBA) 2015–16 season and conclusion of the season's playoffs. In this best-of-seven series, the Eastern Conference champion Cleveland Cavaliers defeated the defending champion and Western Conference champion Golden State Warriors in seven games to win their first championship in franchise history. The series began on June 2 and ended on June 19. Cleveland's LeBron James was unanimously voted the NBA Finals Most Valuable Player (MVP), after averaging 29.7 points, 11.3 rebounds, 8.9 assists, 2.6 steals, and 2.3 blocks. He was also the first and only player in NBA history to lead all players in a playoff series in points, rebounds, assists, steals, and blocks.
The Warriors, who finished the regular season 73–9, breaking an NBA record, were considered favorites to repeat the title, having previously won in 2015 against the Cavaliers. The Warriors won three of the first four games and led 3–1 before the underdog Cavaliers bounced back by winning three straight games to clinch the title. With the win, the Cavaliers became the first team to overcome a 3–1 series deficit in the NBA Finals, while also ending the 52-year championship drought among the major professional sports leagues in Cleveland, known as the Cleveland sports curse.
The Finals also marked the first since 1978 that a game seven was won by the road team. Cleveland's comeback, as well as James's performance in the series, which included a clutch block in Game 7 on Andre Iguodala, have made it considered, one of the greatest Finals of all time. This was the first NBA Finals since 1997 in which both teams won a total of at least 130 regular season games.