After the Golden State Warriors failed to finish off the Cleveland Cavaliers in last year’s N.B.A. finals, blowing a 3-1 lead in the series, they knew they needed to get better if they wanted to go from a one-time title winner to a dynasty. So the team aggressively pursued superstar Kevin Durant in free agency. The former M.V.P. was worth every penny, leading the Warriors to their second championship in three years.
Durant, who became just the sixth player in N.B.A. history to score 30 or more points in each game of a finals, had 39 in the series-clinching Game 5 victory.