Late penalty Thailand hails sinks stuttering new hero as Ariya Irish Lions makes history WEDNESDAY,16 JUNE 14, 2017 17 Souza’s quickfire goal sparks Brazil to win over Australia Page 19 Durant, Curry lead Warriors to NBA title OAKLAND: As a fresh NBA champions cap sat a tad off- The Warriors won in 2015 before the Cavs made their kilter on his head, Kevin Durant embraced mother historic comeback last year. Then it was Golden State’s Wanda. Then he moved across the podium and hugged time again, with Durant as the prized addition. Sure, the Stephen Curry before accepting his shiny MVP trophy, Warriors missed becoming the first undefeated champi- holding out his arms and hoisting it for everyone to see. on, but 16-1 still gave Golden State the best winning From the Bay all the way to OKC. Durant capped his percentage of any title team at .941. spectacular first season with the Warriors by bringing Durant shot 14 for 20 and Curry - the two-time reign- home that coveted NBA championship he joined ing MVP who took a backseat as the new big star got Golden State last July so determined to get. He scored acclimated - finished off a brilliant postseason. Not to 39 points in a fast-and-furious, Finals-clinching 129-120 mention a healthy one after his 2016 injuries. Green victory over LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers stayed on the court in a game that featured three tech- in Game 5 on Monday night. nicals on one play 3:08 before halftime. David West “You can talk about whatever you want to talk about, fought for the ball with Irving, then they got tangled up but nobody comes in and cares about the game or and Tristan Thompson entered the fray and he and West loves the game as much as I do or works as hard as do I went at each other face-to-face. West, Thompson and at the basketball game. You can talk about whatever J.R. Smith received techs after a replay review. Green happens on the outside, but inside those lines, I come had sat out this very game a year ago, suspended to bring it every day,” Durant said. “I work hard, I believe because of flagrant foul point accumulation. He had 10 in myself, I believe in the game, I respect the game, I points, 12 rebounds and five assists in this clincher. love the game, and I knew at some point in my life that With a much-improved bench led by Iguodala, JaVale it will come around for me.” Stephen Curry added 34 points, 10 assists and six McGee, Shaun Livingston and West, that “Strength In rebounds as Golden State closed out its second title in Numbers” slogan that has become such a staple the three years after squandering a 3-1 lead a year ago. That past two seasons shined all season long, from Durant’s stung ever since, and even Durant understood, because 19-game absence late in the regular season with a left he gave up the same lead to the Warriors a round earlier knee injury to assistant coach Mike Brown stepping in with Oklahoma City. for 11 postseason games to lead the way while Steve James, who in 2012 with Miami beat the Thunder in Kerr was ailing. Durant’s only other Finals, wound up with 41 points, 13 Golden State used a 28-4 second-quarter run to take rebounds and eight assists. “I left everything on the charge - just after it appeared Durant should have been floor every game,” James said after averaging a triple- called for a third foul on a basket by James - and got to double in his eighth Finals. celebrate right at home in Oakland surrounded by a Kyrie Irving followed up his 40-point gem in Game 4 deafening home crowd waving yellow rally towels and with 26 points but shot 9 for 22. This time, King James holding up phones to shoot video and photos as the gave way to KD, who was the NBA Finals MVP 10 years final minute of the clock ticked away. after being picked second in the NBA draft behind Greg The Warriors became the first Bay Area team to cap- Oden. Durant drove left, right and down the middle, ture a championship at home since the A’s finished the knocked down 3-pointers, dished and dunked. He hit a Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 5 of the 1974 World 17-foot fadeaway over James early in the fourth quarter, Series. then assisted on a 3-pointer by Andre Iguodala the next A year ago, these Warriors fell short after a record- time down as the Warriors pulled away. setting season that included a 24-0 start and 73 victo- Iguodala, the 2015 Finals MVP, came up big again ries at the end to break the 1995-96 Chicago Bulls’ wins with his 2017 postseason-best 20 points off the bench mark. Then they got Durant, who after the buzzer in a testy, tightly called finale to this trilogy Finals that sounded did a little shake with Curry on the court everyone had stamped on the calendar from the before they slapped hands several times. OAKLAND: Golden State Warriors players, coaches and owners pose for photos after Game 5 of basketball’s moment Durant departed Oklahoma City to join Curry “I’m happy for him,” Curry said. “You’ve got to call NBA Finals against the Cleveland Cavaliers in Oakland, Calif., Monday. The Warriors won 129-120 to win the and Co. last July. Kevin Durant a champ now.” — AP NBA championship. — AP.