NBA · Since 2015
Warriors vs. Cavaliers
The Finals rivalry that defined the 2010s
The Warriors-Cavaliers rivalry produced four consecutive NBA Finals matchups from 2015 to 2018, a feat unprecedented in the modern era. LeBron James versus Stephen Curry. Cleveland's desperate quest for a championship against Golden State's revolutionary small-ball system. The contrast between a Rust Belt city starving for validation and a Silicon Valley franchise redefining what basketball could be made for compelling drama on and off the court.
The rivalry's defining moment came in the 2016 NBA Finals, when LeBron James led the Cavaliers back from a 3-1 deficit to defeat the 73-win Warriors — the greatest regular-season team in NBA history. LeBron's chasedown block on Andre Iguodala in Game 7 became the signature play of a generation. Cleveland's championship drought, stretching back to 1964, was over, and LeBron had delivered on his promise to bring a title home.
Kevin Durant's arrival in Golden State for the 2016-17 season tilted the rivalry decisively, and the Warriors won the next two Finals. But the 2016 series ensured that this rivalry would be remembered as one of the greatest in NBA history, a four-year epic that captivated the basketball world and produced moments that will be debated for decades.
Key Moments
2015
Finals Game 1
The Warriors won the championship in six games, establishing themselves as the NBA's new superpower.
2016
The Block
LeBron James' chasedown block on Iguodala in Game 7 became the most iconic play of the decade.
2016
3-1 Comeback
Cleveland became the first team to overcome a 3-1 deficit in the NBA Finals, ending the city's 52-year title drought.
2017
Durant's Arrival
Kevin Durant joined the Warriors and led them to a dominant Finals victory over Cleveland.
2018
J.R. Smith's Blunder
J.R. Smith's infamous dribble-out at the end of Game 1 regulation swung momentum to Golden State, who swept the next three games.