Golden State Warriors claim championship

-Ikenna Okafor
Stephen Curry was reduced to tears as he starred for the Golden State Warriors to inspire them to beat the Boston Celtics 103-90 in Game 6 of the 2022 NBA Finals.

Curry returned to form in style after a disappointing Game 5 performance to lead the Warriors to a fourth championship in eight years. While it was a team effort with the likes of Draymond Green, Andrew Wiggins and Klay Thompson each contributing, Curry was undoubtedly the star of the show with 34 points, seven rebounds and seven assists to go with two steals and a block as the generational superstar was named Finals MVP for the first time in his illustrious career.

After titles in 2015, 2017 and 2018 saw Andre Iguodala and Kevin Durant (twice) win Finals MVP, Curry ensured he was not missing out on the accolade this time around. He was brilliant throughout the series, averaging 31.2 points per game while his iconic moment came in Game 4 – a mesmerising 43-point display to level the series at 2-2.

“We found a way to just get it done,” Curry said after the Warriors accepted the championship trophy and celebrated on the court at TD Garden in Boston. “It’s part of a championship pedigree, our experience. We built this for 10-11 years. That means a lot when you get to this stage.”

The championship pedigree Curry spoke of is in relation to the winning culture embedded within the spine of the Warriors franchise. From head coach Steve Kerr to Curry, Thompson, Green and Iguodala, they have each won four NBA championships with perhaps he greatest dynasty of this century.

While the old heads led the way for Golden State, others contributed: Wiggins scoring 18 while Jordan Poole helped himself to 15 points off the bench. Wiggins also collected six rebounds, five assists, four steals and three blocks to complete a balanced box score that highlights the massive contribution the Canadian former first overall pick made in all areas of the game throughout the series as he surprised as the Warriors’ second-best player in these NBA Finals.