Kevin Durant led the Golden State Warriors to victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 5 of the 2017 Finals. The Warriors beat the Cleveland Cavaliers 129-120 and went on to win the NBA Championship. It was the first time in NBA history two teams have met for a third consecutive year in the Finals.
The Warriors were the top seed and entered the Finals with a 12-0 record in the first three rounds. The team lost only one game in the Finals and finished with a 16-1 record throughout the postseason. It was the Warriors’ fifth championship and Durant’s first ring. The Warriors won back to back titles the following year in 2018, once again defeating the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Durant recorded a career-high 39 points (14 out of 20 shooting) with seven rebounds and five assists in Game 5. He was unanimously voted Finals MVP. Durant was the first player since Shaquille O’Neal in the 2000 NBA Finals with five straight 30-point games.