All of the talk of the sporting world is currently on what went down at Super Bowl 59. Patrick Mahomes and his Kansas City Chiefs were aiming to follow in the footsteps of basketball counterparts such as Michael Jordan’s Chicago Bulls by completing the first three-peat in NFL history. However, KC’s history-making dreams turned into a nightmare.
From the very first play of the game, the former champions were ransacked by the Philadelphia Eagles, with the NFC champions mauling the Lombardi favorites. Inspired by a rampant defense as well as an impressive display from quarterback Jalen Hurts, Philly racked up a whopping 24-0 halftime lead, pushing the score out to 40-6 at the beginning of the fourth quarter. They ultimately emerged as 40-22 victors after some late stat-padding, but that scoreline flattered Mahomes and Co., who were well and truly dismantled in front of the world’s eyes.
But the gridiron’s Big Game isn’t the only stage where one-sided beatdowns have taken place. The NBA Finals has also seen its fair share of demolition jobs, and here are three of the best of them.
Warriors Crush Cavaliers
Throughout the late 2010s, the Golden State Warriors and the Cleveland Cavaliers were locked in a rivalry for the ages. Between 2015 and 2017, the two storied franchises met in three straight NBA Finals, with the Californian outfit leading the series by two championships to one. In 2018, they would meet again for the fourth straight year, but the story would have a bitter end for LeBron James and the Cavs.
Coming into the Finals, the Ohio outfit was heavily outgunned, with King James having to battle a ruthless Warriors attack bolstered with four all-stars, namely Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green, and the newly added Kevin Durant. The fearsome quartet was at the peak of its powers. On the other hand, Cleveland’s supporting cast beyond LeBron was a glaring weak spot, and that rubber-stamped their status as a huge underdog.
LeBron delivered an electrifying performance in Game 1, finishing with a mighty 51 points, only to watch his Cavaliers lose in overtime due to late-game blunders, specifically J.R. Smith’s infamous clock miscalculation. That heartbreaking defeat set the tone for the series, as the Cavaliers seemed mentally and physically drained from that moment onward. Games 2 through 4 saw Golden State impose their will, as Durant and Curry each took turns overwhelming their rivals.
The Warriors outscored the Cavaliers by an average of 15 points per game. By the time Game 4 ended with a 108-85 blowout in Cleveland, the NorCal outfit had cemented their legacy as one of the greatest dynasties in NBA history. Despite LeBron’s otherworldly efforts, he simply couldn’t overcome the overwhelming depth and firepower of Golden State.
Fast forward to 2025 and the Warriors dynasty is finally at an end. Well, at least that’s what the online gambling sites believe. The latest odds for online gambling at Bovada currently make them a distant +3000 outsider for the Larry O’Brien, somewhat behind the +700 third favorite Cavs.
LeBron, now in Los Angeles with the Lakers, is also much shorter than Steph Curry and new teammate Jimmy Butler in San Francisco, currently priced at +900 for the championship. Whether the all-time great duo ever does battle again on the Finals stage remains to be seen.
LeBron Swept Again
A decade before his 2018 Finals disappointment, a 22-year-old LeBron James made his Finals debut in 2007. Back then, he was leading the Cavs once again, although this was fresh of his first overall draft pick, rather than after his detour to Miami. This time around, he met a San Antonio Spurs side that was on the hunt for its third championship in five seasons and was without question the dominant force in the league.
The Lone Star State outfit had a roster filled with basketball IQ, experience, and consistency, spearheaded by their “Big Three” of Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, and Manu Ginobili. Gregg Popovich’s squad was a well-oiled machine, and while they didn’t win too many plaudits for their perceived pragmatism, they knew what it took to be crowned champions.
The Cavs, on the other hand, relied almost exclusively on LeBron to create scoring opportunities, with little help from his teammates. To put things into perspective, Cleveland’s second-leading scorer in the Finals series was Daniel Gibson, an unheralded rookie guard, which underscores just how little firepower was available outside of the king. That may well have worked throughout the regular season, but against the Spurs, much, much more was required to emerge victorious.
The favorites systematically shut down the Cavaliers’ offense, holding them to under 90 points in three of the four games. Tony Parker was spectacular throughout, torching the opposition to the tune of 24.5 points per game, earning Finals MVP honors in the process. Tim Duncan contributed with his trademark defense, rebounding, and timely scoring, while Manu Ginobili delivered in big moments off the bench.
San Antonio’s dominance was highlighted by their ability to dictate the tempo of every game, outclassing their opponents at every turn. The Cavs fought valiantly in the series finale but fell short, losing 83-82 in Game 4. For LeBron, the 2007 Finals were a harsh lesson in what it truly takes to win at the highest level, and the beating on the grandest stage played a huge part in him eventually making the move to Miami.
