The National Basketball Association (NBA) is one of the most popular professional basketball leagues in the world, with some of the most skilled players from all over the world. The NBA season normally spans from October to June and culminates in the NBA Finals, in which the Eastern and Western Conference champions face off in a best-of-seven series to determine the NBA champion. In this response, I will present a rundown of the NBA champions during the last five years.
- 2018-2019: Toronto Raptors
In the 2018-2019 season, the Toronto Raptors, a Canadian team, won their first NBA title, defeating the Golden State Warriors in six games. The Raptors overcame a 2-1 series deficit, led by superstar forward Kawhi Leonard, who was awarded Finals MVP, to win three straight games and win the championship. The Raptors’ victory was noteworthy since they were the first team from outside the United States to win the NBA title.
2. 2017-2018: Golden State Warriors
In the 2017-2018 season, the Golden State Warriors won their third NBA title in four years, defeating the Cleveland Cavaliers in four games. The Warriors dominated the playoffs, finishing with a 16-5 record, led by their “Big Four” of Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green. Durant was voted Finals MVP for the second year in a row after scoring 43 points in Game 3.
3. 2016-2017: Golden State Warriors
The Golden State Warriors won their second NBA title in three years in the 2016-2017 season, defeating the Cleveland Cavaliers in five games. The Warriors, led by their “Big Four” once again, dominated the regular season with a 67-15 record and continued their great play in the playoffs, finishing with a 16-1 record en way to the title. Durant, who joined the Warriors in the offseason, was awarded Finals MVP after averaging 35.2 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 5.4 assists in the series.
4. 2015-2016: Cleveland Cavaliers
The Cleveland Cavaliers won their first-ever NBA championship in the 2015-2016 season, defeating the Golden State Warriors in seven games. Led by superstar forward LeBron James, who had returned to Cleveland two years earlier after four years with the Miami Heat, the Cavaliers overcame a 3-1 series deficit to win three straight games and claim the title. James, who averaged 29.7 points, 11.3 rebounds, and 8.9 assists in the series, was named Finals MVP.
5 .2014-2015: Golden State Warriors
In the 2014-2015 season, the Golden State Warriors won their first NBA title in 40 years, defeating the Cleveland Cavaliers in six games. The Warriors dominated the regular season with a 67-15 record and continued their outstanding play in the playoffs, ending with a 16-5 record en way to the title, led by their “Splash Brothers” Curry and Thompson, who combined to score 44.3 points per game in the series. Andre Iguodala, who had been inserted into the starting lineup to guard James midway through the series, was chosen Finals MVP.
To summarize, the NBA has had some thrilling and memorable championship runs over the last five years, with the Golden State Warriors and Cleveland Cavaliers both making appearances in the Finals. The Toronto Raptors also created history by being the first team to win the NBA title from outside the United States. Some of the top players in the game headed these teams, including LeBron James, Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, and Kawhi Leonard.