The Golden State Warriors ended a 40-year NBA Finals drought yesterday, bringing the NBA title back to the Bay Area with a 105-97 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 6.

Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) puts up a shot against Cleveland Cavaliers guard J.R. Smith (5) during the first half of Game 6 of basketball’s NBA Finals in Cleveland. Credit: AP Photo

The underdogs from Cleveland, led by powerhouse LeBron James, lost in overtime in the first game, but won the next two games by slim margins of just two and five points, respectively.

The Warriors came roaring back in Game 4, winning by 21 points to tie the series 2-2, followed by a 13-point win in Game 5.

Yet even being down two games didn’t diminish James’s confidence in, well, himself and his team’s ability to come back and take the title after the loss in Game 5. “I feel confident because I’m the best player in the world,” he said to reporters after the game. “It’s that simple.”

That bold statement does carry some weight. James is the first player in NBA finals history to lead both teams in points, assists, and rebounds for the entire series. He averaged 35.8 points, 13.3 rebounds, and 8.8 assists across the six finals games.

LeBron James put up record numbers in the Cavaliers’ championship loss to the Warriors. © Aaron Josefczyk, Reuters/Landov

But it was the player charged with defending James in the final three games of the series, Andre Iguodala, who ended up taking home the NBA Finals Most Valuable Player (MVP) trophy, making him the first player in history with zero regular-season starts to hold that honor.

ESPN NBA insider Brian Windhorst gave World Book editors an exclusive take on this year’s matchup, saying that the Warriors have always been the favorite to win the title this year because of their young stars and style of play.

“The Warriors are statistically one of the best teams of the last 25 years in the NBA,” he said. “They embody the new age style of playing, which relies on smaller players and high volume three-point shooting.”

The players that arguably best represent that statement are “Splash Brothers” Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson of Golden State—so named because of the duo’s ability to “splash” the net with the ball, especially for three-point shots. “They are classically a well-built team with a modern feel, sort of mimicking the region they represent,” Windhorst said.

Coupled with James, whom Windhorst dubs as “one of the greatest draws in the history of the sport,” this year’s series generated record TV ratings.

At the helm for both teams are rookie coaches: Steve Kerr of the Warriors and David Blatt of the Cavs. The only other time rookie head coaches have met in the NBA finals was in 1947—the first season the league existed. Kerr also broke the record for the most regular season wins for a rookie coach this year.

This season marks the fourth time the Warriors have held up the championship trophy. They took home the NBA championship in 1947 and 1956 when they were the Philadelphia Warriors, and again in 1975, two years after the team had moved to Oakland from San Francisco to become the Golden State Warriors.

This was the just second time in franchise history that the Cavaliers have made it all the way to the NBA finals. The first was in 2007, but they were blown out in four games by the San Antonio Spurs, making this year’s Game 2 win the first NBA finals game win in Cavaliers franchise history.

The Cavs have lost two of their star players to injuries during this year’s playoffs. Power forward Kevin Love dislocated his left shoulder during the first-round playoff match-up, and point guard Kyrie Irving suffered a fractured left kneecap in the first game of the finals.

Related information in World Book:

• NBA Playoff Champions: 1950 to Present (a Timeline)