End a title drought and start a dynasty; that’s what the 2015 NBA Finals did. Well, at least for Steph Curry and the Golden State Warriors, the first championship in 40 years was an event that reshaped history for the league and cemented Curry’s rise into greatness.
Coming into the championship series with a fiery MVP season, he blew his previous record by making 286 three-pointers, providing the fuel to add fire to the already blazing offense of the Warriors.
The Warriors looked new coach Steve Kerr up against LeBron James of the Cleveland Cavaliers in his fifth straight Finals. But Cleveland’s already short odds took a big hit. In Game 1, Kyrie Irving broke his kneecap. He was put on the injured list along with Kevin Love. Left on his own with a depleted squad, James had to carry the team’s fortunes.
Though favored, Golden State found it tough to start. In the first two games that went into overtime, a Finals first, Cleveland went on to lead the series 2–1. But the Warriors regrouped, adjusted, and roared back.
On June 4, 2024, NBA History posted a moment captured when Curry picked up his first championship by falling into shock as he beheld the Larry O’Brien trophy; a trophy he would come to win three more times. Those words spoken that fateful night still hang in the air:
“Oh man, this is going to be something you dream about as a kid,” Curry said. “We we envisioned this at the beginning of this year as a special group. All 14 guys went from office, coaching staff. This is what we put the hours in, the hard work, the practice, fight through injuries for this. It looks so much better in person, too.”
"IT LOOKS SO MUCH BETTER IN PERSON!"
— NBA History (@NBAHistory) June 4, 2024
Throwback to when Steph Curry won his first of four championships in 2015 🙌🏆 pic.twitter.com/ECTTahFnm7
Curry’s Finals run in 2015 was legendary. He became the sixth player to join the elite group of playing the MVP role in a season alongside winning an NBA title as well-first since Shaquille O’Neal in 1999-2000.
How Steph Curry left his imprint on that series
Game 1: Golden State triumphed over Cleveland after one overtime with a score of 108-100. Steph Curry was brilliant with 26 points.
Game 2: The Cavaliers leveled the series in another overtime thriller by 95-93. Curry had troubled night shooting the ball—5-for-23, including an NBA Finals record of 13 misses from three. He still managed to score 19 points. The defense of Matthew Dellavedova was simply phenomenal.
Game 3: The Cavs led 2-1 after winning 96-91. Curry only scored three points in the first half but came alive in the fourth quarter, scoring 17 points to finish the game with 27. He remarked in the postgame interview that he had “figured out” how to attack Cavs’ defense.
Game 4: Coach Kerr inserted Andre Iguodala into the starting five, resulting in a Warriors rout, 103-82. Curry tallied 22 points, tying Iguodala for team lead.
Game 5: In Oakland, Curry had his best game yet – 37 points, with 17 of them in the fourth. He drilled seven threes with signature crossovers and quick-trigger shots. That game felt like a coronation of his MVP return.
Steph Curry takes a breather at his locker following @warriors 104-91 #NBAFinals Game 5 victory. #DubNation pic.twitter.com/hb0i1gBqa3
— NBA (@NBA) June 15, 2015
Game 6: Warriors title clincher in Cleveland, 105-97, with 25 points from Curry finishing the series. Iguodala was awarded the Finals MVP for his defense against James. Nonetheless, Curry would not be denied his share of attention for the offensive leadership and timely plays — particularly in Game 5.
Four-time NBA champion Curry’s impact was much bigger than any box score could capture. His shooting gravity gave teammates room. His pace was unrelenting. The discussion over Finals MVP only gave further credence to what was already known: Curry was central to Golden State’s rise.
Every Steph Curry dunk from 2015-2025 pic.twitter.com/42iW0fJI38
— Pitless (@pitlessball) March 2, 2025
Curry’s style was unique for what the NBA had seen up to that point. He converted shot-making practice into in-game weaponry. He shifted basketball’s geometry. Even veteran coaches like Doc Rivers were heard saying,
“What he’s doing is revolutionary,” Rivers said, according to Sky Sports. “Only the greats can do that, leave their mark like that. Actually, the great-greats. They change the game.”
That title in 2015 was much more than a victory; Curry did not just rise; he changed the game — on the game’s biggest stage.
With hindsight, one might note that the 2015 Finals were not the height but merely the beginning. Their coming titles in 2017, 2018, and 2022 solidified what was apparent since that first championship moment: The start of Curry’s dynasty.
READ: The Full-Court Ritual That Forged Stephen Curry’s Legacy
I am a writer passionate about telling the stories behind the game of basketball. From the culture and personalities shaping the sport to the moments that define it, I explore basketball beyond the box score.
